Cole Cassels (born May 4, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Cole Cassels
Cassels with the Utica Comets in 2015
Born (1995-05-04) May 4, 1995 (age 29)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
PositionCentre
ShootsRight
AHL team
Former teams
San Jose Barracuda
Utica Comets
Grizzlys Wolfsburg
Belleville Senators
WBS Penguins
Cleveland Monsters
Södertälje SK
NHL draft85th overall, 2013
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career2015–present

Playing career

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With early years spent with the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets, he played junior ice hockey for the Oshawa Generals, winning the Memorial Cup with the team in 2015. He was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round (85th overall) in 2013. He signed an entry-level contract with the Canucks in 2013.[1]

At the conclusion of his rookie contract with the Canucks having played exclusively with American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets, Cassels was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Canucks and was free to pursue free agency on June 25, 2018.[2]

On July 31, 2018, Cassels signed his first contract abroad, agreeing to a one-year deal with German outfit, Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL.[3] In his only season with the Grizzlys in 2018–19, Cassels registered 23 points through 50 games, before leaving at the conclusion of the regular season as a free agent on March 8, 2019.[4]

Approaching the 2019–20 season, he returned to the AHL in attending the Belleville Senators training camp. Upon his release from Belleville, Cassels resumed his North American career, agreeing to a contract with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL on October 2, 2019.[5] He played 7 games with the Grizzlies, amassing 10 points before he returned to Belleville on a professional tryout contract on November 1, 2019.[6] Cassels made 24 appearances with Belleville, contributing with 3 goals and 8 points, before leaving for fellow AHL club, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in securing an AHL contract for the remainder of the season on January 4, 2020.[7]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Penguins, Cassels as a free agent opted to continue within the Senators organization, returning to Belleville on a one-year AHL contract on October 29, 2020.[8]

On July 30, 2021, Cassels extended his career in the AHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Cleveland Monsters, affiliate to the Columbus Blue Jackets.[9]

As a free agent from the Monsters organization, Cassels left for Europe for the second time in his career, agreeing to a one-year contract with Swedish club, Södertälje SK of the HockeyAllsvenskan on July 26, 2022.[10] Cassels registered just 2 assists through 13 games to start the 2022–23 season with Södertälje SK, before opting to leave Sweden and return to the AHL in signing a one-year contract for a second stint with the Belleville Senators on November 2, 2022.[11]

On September 12, 2023, Cassels continued his career in the AHL by moving as a free agent to the San Jose Barracuda on a one-year contract.[12]

Personal life

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Cassels is the son of former NHL player Andrew Cassels.Cole spent most of his childhood living in Dublin, Ohio. He was born in Hartford, when his father was a member of the Hartford Whalers.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2011–12Oshawa GeneralsOHL6438113161016
2012–13Oshawa GeneralsOHL6415284351910114
2013–14Oshawa GeneralsOHL6124497390126111716
2014–15Oshawa GeneralsOHL54305181100166131912
2015–16Utica CometsAHL672572441010
2016–17Utica CometsAHL66651133
2017–18Utica CometsAHL69719267052132
2018–19Grizzlys WolfsburgDEL507162344
2019–20Utah GrizzliesECHL728108
2019–20Belleville SenatorsAHL2435810
2019–20Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL286131910
2020–21Belleville SenatorsAHL315121726
2021–22Cleveland MonstersAHL706192556
2022–23Södertälje SKAllsv1302231
2022–23Belleville SenatorsAHL6412395135
2023–24San Jose BarracudaAHL6711344530
AHL totals4865815120929493142

International

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YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2012Canada OntarioU17 61236
Junior totals61236

References

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  1. ^ "Canucks sign Cole Cassels to entry-level contract". Vancouver Canucks. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
  2. ^ "Canucks make qualifying offers". Sportsnet.ca. 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  3. ^ "Cole Cassels completes squad" (in German). Grizzlys Wolfsburg. 2018-07-31. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  4. ^ "Further personnel decisions taken by Wolfsburg" (in German). Grizzlys Wolfsburg. 2019-03-08. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  5. ^ ECHL (October 2, 2019). "Utah announce player signing". Twitter. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  6. ^ "Belleville signs Cassels to PTO". Belleville Senators. November 1, 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Penguins sign forward Cole Cassels". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Belleville Senators (October 29, 2020). "Belleville sign three to one-year contracts". Twitter. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  9. ^ "Monsters sign Cassels, Greaves and LeBlanc to AHL contracts". Cleveland Monsters. July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "Cole Cassels signs for SSK!" (in Swedish). Södertälje SK. July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  11. ^ "Belleville Sens sign Cole Cassels to AHL contract". Belleville Senators. November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  12. ^ "Barracuda land Cassels". American Hockey League. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
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