Brandon Bollig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brandon Bollig |
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Bollig with the Calgary Flames in December 2014
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| Born | January 31, 1987 St. Charles, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Chicago Blackhawks Calgary Flames |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2010–2018 | ||
Brandon D. Bollig, born on January 31, 1987, is an American former professional ice hockey player. He was not chosen in the NHL Entry Draft, which is a special event where teams pick young players. Instead, Bollig signed with the Chicago Blackhawks team in 2010. Before that, he played college hockey for St. Lawrence University.
He played his first game in the NHL in 2012. He was also part of the Chicago Blackhawks team that won the Stanley Cup championship in 2013. The Calgary Flames team later got Bollig in a trade on June 28, 2014.
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Brandon Bollig's Hockey Journey
Early Years and Junior Hockey
When Brandon was young, he played in the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of the St. Louis Blues youth hockey team.
He played high school hockey in St. Charles, Missouri. After high school, he tried out for a junior hockey team called the St. Louis Jr. Blues. He didn't make the team the first time, but he tried again and joined them for the 2004–05 season.
After playing for the Jr. Blues, Bollig moved up to a higher level of junior hockey. He joined the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He played three seasons with the Stars from 2005 to 2008. During this time, he played 173 games, scoring 37 goals and making 36 assists. He also spent a lot of time in the penalty box, with 593 penalty minutes (PIM). Penalty minutes are given when a player breaks a rule.
After junior hockey, he went to St. Lawrence University. He played two seasons of college hockey there. In his second year, he scored 25 points and led his team with 83 penalty minutes.
Starting Professional Hockey
In April 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks signed Brandon Bollig to a professional contract. He left university to start his pro career. The Blackhawks sent him to their minor league team, the Rockford IceHogs, in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played his first professional game on April 6, 2010. A few nights later, he scored his first professional goal. He played most of his first two professional seasons with the IceHogs.
Making it to the NHL
The Chicago Blackhawks called Bollig up to play in the NHL late in the 2011–12 season. He was brought in to replace another player known as an enforcer. An enforcer is a player who is good at fighting to protect their teammates.
Bollig played his first NHL game on February 29, 2012, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In that game, he also had his first fight in the NHL. He played 18 games that season for the Blackhawks. He didn't score any points but had 58 penalty minutes.
In the 2012 playoffs, Bollig scored his first NHL goal on April 14. It was a goal that tied the game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Winning the Stanley Cup
At the start of the 2012–13 season, Bollig played for the Rockford IceHogs again because of a player lockout in the NHL. When the NHL season started in January 2013, he returned to the Blackhawks. He played 25 games that season and led the team with 51 penalty minutes.
The Blackhawks had a great season, winning the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the regular season. Bollig played in five playoff games during the 2013 playoffs. He was part of the team's fourth line, which is a group of forwards who play together. The Blackhawks went on to defeat the Boston Bruins in the Finals, winning the Stanley Cup. Brandon Bollig was the first player from the St. Louis area to win the Stanley Cup.
Later Seasons and Retirement
Bollig scored his first regular season NHL goal on October 1, 2013. He played in all 82 games for Chicago during the 2013–14 season. He scored 7 goals and had 7 assists, totaling 14 points. He also led the team in penalty minutes again with 92. During this season, he started to focus more on being a defensive forward, helping to stop the other team from scoring.
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On June 28, 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Bollig to the Calgary Flames. This trade helped the Blackhawks manage their team's salary budget. Bollig played 62 games for the Flames in the 2014–15 season. He scored 1 goal and had 4 assists. He also led the Flames in penalty minutes with 88. The Flames made it to the playoffs that year, which was their first time since 2009. In the 2015 playoffs, Bollig scored two goals in 11 games.
In the 2015–16 season, Bollig played 54 games for the Flames. He had 2 goals and 2 assists. He also led the team in penalty minutes with 103. That season, the Flames did not make the playoffs, which was the first time in Bollig's career that he missed them.
After his time with the Flames, Bollig signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2017. He played for their minor league team, the San Jose Barracuda. In February 2018, he was traded to the Nashville Predators organization.
Brandon Bollig announced his retirement from professional hockey on January 16, 2019, after an 8-year career.
Personal Life
Brandon Bollig married Dannah Lakin on August 4, 2018, in Chicago.
He also appeared in a movie called Defiance in 2002. He played a character named Will Cross, who was 12 years old.
Images for kids
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Bollig with the Calgary Flames in December 2014
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Bollig with the Rockford IceHogs in October 2011.
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Bollig with the Calgary Flames in March 2016
