Jason Bonsignore

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Centre
shoots = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 4
weight_lb = 220
team = Free Agent
league = N/A
former_teams = NHL
Edmonton Oilers
Tampa Bay Lightning
AHL
Cape Breton Oilers
Hamilton Bulldogs
St. John's Maple Leafs
Springfield Falcons
Lowell Lock Monsters
IHL
San Antonio Dragons
Cleveland Lumberjacks
ECHL
South Carolina Stingrays
Las Vegas Wranglers
Fresno Falcons
Trenton Devils
FNL
Pelicans
Ilves
Swiss-B
EHC Biel
nationality = USA
birth_date = Birth date and age|1976|4|15|mf=y
birth_place = Rochester, New York, United States
career_start = 1994
draft = 4th overall
draft_year = 1994
draft_team = Edmonton Oilers

Jason Bonsignore (b. April 15, 1976 in Rochester, New York) is a professional ice hockey forward, who is currently a free agent. He was drafted in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 4th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers. He is widely considered to be one of the worst selections in the team's history, and his career has always been overshadowed by that of Edmonton's other first round choice, two picks later at 6th overall, Ryan Smyth.

Playing career

Bonsignore was drafted from the OHL's Sudbury Wolves, and remained in the Oilers organization until a blockbuster trade sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning. After failing to impress Tampa Bay, Bonsignore bounced around in the minor leagues, playing for the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs and, after leaving hockey for two seasons, the Phoenix Coyotes, but was always unable to earn another NHL shot. His poor performance and apparent lack of drive led to him eventually being relegated to the ECHL, although he was outstanding in a brief stint in Switzerland. He tried out with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers in 2003 but was released towards the end of training camp [http://www.atlantathrashers.com/View.aspx?CID01=c26246a7-d1c8-4f25-99e9-076d64b4fa2d] .

For the 2005–06 season, Bonsignore headed to Europe. He completed a tryout with the Pelicans in the Finnish SM-liiga, and subsequently signed on for another tryout with Ilves.

In 2007–08, Bonsignore returned to North America, where he currently plays in the ECHL. After failing to score a goal in seven games with the Fresno Falcons, Bonsignore was traded for future considerations to the Trenton Devils.

Transactions

*December 30, 1997 - Edmonton trades Bonsignore, Bryan Marchment and Steve Kelly to Tampa Bay in exchange for Roman Hamrlik and the rights to Paul Comrie.
*July 15, 1999 - Toronto signs Bonsignore
*December 13, 2002 - Phoenix signs Bonsignore
*September 21, 2003 - Atlanta releases Bonsignore from NHL tryout during training camp

Career statistics

External links

*hockeydb|476
* [http://www.sm-liiga.fi SM-liiga official website]