Mark Van Guilder

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Mark Van Guilder
Van Guilder in 2014
Born (1984-01-17) January 17, 1984 (age 40)
Roseville, Minnesota, United States
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Center
Shot Right
Played for Nashville Predators
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2008–2021

Mark David Van Guilder (born January 17, 1984) is an American former ice hockey player. He played one game in the National Hockey League with the Nashville Predators during the 2013–14 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2008 to 2021, was mainly spent in the minor leagues, as well as six seasons in Europe.

Playing career[edit]

Van Guilder with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2013

Played two years of junior ice hockey with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2002–2004. Became the ninth Tri-City player to make it all the way to the National Hockey League (NHL) after making his NHL debut in 2013.[1]

Played NCAA Division I ice hockey at the University of Notre Dame, appearing in 163 consecutive games during his four-year college career from 2004–2008. Having never missed a game, Van Guilder is considered the school's all time "Iron-Man."[2] Served as team captain during the 2007–2008 season, during which the Fighting Irish advanced to the Frozen Four and appeared in the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship game against Boston College. Van Guilder was one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in 2008.[2]

Played parts of two seasons for the Cincinnati Cyclones in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) from 2008–10 before moving up to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, during the 2009–10 season.[2] Appeared in 383 regular season games for the Milwaukee Admirals between 2008–2015,[3] becoming the most tenured player in the AHL era of the Milwaukee Admirals after appearing in his 367th game on March 11, 2015.[4] Served as assistant captain during the 2012–13, 2013–14, and 2014–15 seasons.[3]

After five seasons within the affiliates of the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL), Van Guilder signed his first NHL contract as an Undrafted Free Agent to a two-year, two-way contract with Nashville on May 20, 2013.[5] During the 2013–14 season, Van Guilder was rewarded with his long-awaited NHL debut with the Predators, playing in a solitary game in a 4–3 shootout victory against the Washington Capitals on March 30, 2014.[6]

After finishing the 2014–15 season with the Milwaukee Admirals, Van Guilder finally left the Predators organization as a free agent and signed a one-year deal with Italian club, Ritten/Renon of the Serie A league on July 30, 2015.[7] Van Guilder was named assistant captain of Ritten Sport and lead the team to both regular season and postseason championships during the 2015–16 season.[3]

Signed a one-year deal with the Stavanger Oilers in Norway's top-tier GET-ligaen on June 13, 2016.[3] The Stavanger Oilers won both the regular and postseason GET-ligaen championships during 2016–17 season. Van Guilder lead the GET-ligaen in points and was named to the league's All-Star Team.[3]

Signed a one-year deal with EHC Visp in the Swiss League on April 12, 2017.[3]

Personal[edit]

Van Guilder is a 2002 graduate of Roseville Area High School, where he lettered in football, lacrosse, and ice hockey. He was selected all-Conference and all-State in football as a senior. He helped lead Roseville to a pair of Minnesota lacrosse state championships, earning all-State honors as a junior and senior in lacrosse. He was selected Pioneer Press Male Athlete of the Year in 2002.[8]

Graduated from the University of Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters with a degree in sociology in 2008.[2]

Van Guilder is Roman Catholic and speaks openly about his faith.[9]

Selected as the Milwaukee Admirals' Man of the Year and as a finalist for the AHL Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for four consecutive years from 2011–2014.[10] During his seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, Van Guilder visited schools throughout South Eastern Wisconsin to share how he lives his life as a Catholic professional athlete.[10]

Married to Brinya Bjork.[11] Brother-in-law Anders Bjork[11] signed an entry level contract with the Boston Bruins on May 30, 2017.[12]

Career statistics[edit]

Regular season and playoffs[edit]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2001–02 Roseville Area High School HS-MN
2002–03 Tri-City Storm USHL 59 11 8 19 23 3 0 0 0 0
2003–04 Tri-City Storm USHL 60 17 22 39 23 11 3 2 5 18
2004–05 Notre Dame CCHA 38 3 5 8 16
2005–06 Notre Dame CCHA 36 8 18 26 6
2006–07 Notre Dame CCHA 42 18 16 34 26
2007–08 Notre Dame CCHA 47 13 17 30 28
2008–09 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 5 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL 65 26 44 70 18 15 3 4 7 8
2008–09 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 3 0 1 1 0
2009–10 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 28 0 7 7 8 7 0 0 0 2
2009–10 Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL 15 6 5 11 21 14 5 10 15 2
2010–11 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 62 10 7 17 10 13 3 3 6 2
2011–12 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 70 12 15 27 14 3 1 0 1 0
2012–13 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 73 14 18 32 9 4 0 0 0 0
2013–14 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 69 14 15 29 28 3 0 0 0 2
2013–14 Nashville Predators NHL 1 0 0 0 0
2014–15 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 76 11 15 26 22
2015–16 RittenSport ITA 42 18 39 57 32 14 12 11 23 10
2016–17 Stavanger Oilers NOR 45 24 41 65 32 14 10 18 28 10
2017–18 EHC Visp SUI-2 45 19 22 41 20 6 3 2 5 0
2018–19 EHC Visp SUI-2 44 18 38 56 26 4 1 1 2 4
2019–20 EHC Visp SUI-2 41 31 20 51 22 5 1 2 3 4
2020–21 EHC Visp SUI-2 33 15 21 36 32 6 1 4 5 2
AHL totals 386 61 78 139 95 30 4 3 7 6
NHL totals 1 0 0 0 0

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Former Tri-City player Van Guilder makes NHL debut with Nashville". The Grand Island Independent. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Mark Van Guilder Inks Two-Year, Two-Way Contract With Nashville Predators". Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Mark Van Guilder". Elite Prospects. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  4. ^ "Mark Van Guilder Sets Admirals AHL Record". Admirals Roundtable. March 12, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  5. ^ "Predators sign Mark Van Guilder". Nashville Predators. May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  6. ^ "Mark Van Guilder, 30, talks NHL debut with Predators". National Hockey League. March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  7. ^ "American Van Guilder joins Ritten" (in Italian). Ritten Sport. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  8. ^ "Mark Van Guilder Bio :: Notre Dame Ice Hockey :: UND.COM :: The Official Site of Notre Dame Athletics". Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  9. ^ King, Courtney (November 7, 2013). "Admirals' Mark Van Guilder lives his faith on and off the rink".
  10. ^ a b "Van Guilder Named IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year". www.milwaukeeadmirals.com. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "The Bjorks: Hockey Is the Family Business". Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  12. ^ "Bruins Sign Forward Anders Bjork To 3-Year Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com. Retrieved July 18, 2017.

External links[edit]