Tristan King

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size = 154px
position = Centre
shoots = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1.5
weight_lb = 205
nickname = TK
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1990|11|07
birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana
career_start = TBA
career_end =
team = Eligible 2009 NHL draft
league = NHL
prospect_league = WHL
prospect_team = Medicine Hat Tigers
halloffame =

Tristan Michael King (born November 7, 1990, in Indianapolis, Indiana), is a Canadian junior ice hockey player. He is currently playing with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Junior hockey career

The Portland Winter Hawks, acquired King as a free agent and subsequent, listed player in 2006. King was undrafted due to location issues between the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and WHL, having moved in his draft year from Chicago (OHL) to Elk River (WHL).

King played his first WHL game on September 19, 2006, just three months before his 16th birthday. King scored his first WHL goal in the 12th round shoot out (a CHL record) in a game against the Kamloops Blazers, Dylan Flette was the netminder.

Tristan played hockey in New York for the AAA LI Royals Organization in Minor Hockey when he was very young, winning the New York State Silverstick tournament when he was 9 years-old. In 2005-06, he played Bantam AAA hockey in with the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs of the STCA to start the season, play AAA Midget hockey and to Elk River, Minnesota to finish the season with the Elk River bantams.

Tristan played for the US National Under-16 team two years ago that went to the Czech Republic and Tristan was named MVP of the tournament…Invited to participate in the Team USA Selects Camp over the summer, King was impressive at the Winter Hawks’ Prospects Camp in Calgary in June 2006 and then earned a roster spot with the Hawks as a 15-year-old. He has a “late birthday”, beyond the September 15th cutoff, so he is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2009…His first WHL goal was a shootout goal, and, consequently, does not count on his personal statistics. Tristan ended the longest shootout in WHL history when he scored in the bottom of the 12th round to beat (Dalyn Flette) Kamloops, 3-2, on October 1, 2006 in Memorial Coliseum… Posting his first WHL point, a nice assist on a power play goal by Rob Klinkhammer in a 5-1 loss in Seattle on November 4, 2006. Tristan started to showed signs of possessing special on-ice vision, playmaking skills, and a quick, accurate shot.

In 2007, King was invited to join the USA World-Under 18 team cite news|url=http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_04_02&ID=26388&USAHockeyType=ICE|publisher=USAHockey |title=U18 Team Selected for Memorial of Ivan Hlika, Slovakia Tournament|date=July 14, 2007] for their August 2007 World Championship, Ivan Hlinka tournament in Czech Republic and Slovakia, when he was only 16. He was invited to USAHockey's Select 17 Festival as a 16 year old (only three other players were younger) and scored 2 goals and 4 assists (6pts.) in 5 games.

In 2008, King was traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers for Kilian Hutt.

Career statistics

References

External links

* [http://www.winterhawks.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=250 Tristan King player profile on the Portland Winterhawks' site]
* [http://www.whl.ca. Tristan King player profile on the Western Hockey League site]