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Luke Schenn
Luke Schenn Coyotes 2016
Born (1989-11-02)November 2, 1989,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Height
Weight
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
229 lb (104 kg; 16 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team
F. teams
Arizona Coyotes
Toronto Maple Leafs
Philadelphia Flyers
Los Angeles Kings
Ntl. team Flag of Canada Canada
NHL Draft 5th overall, 2008
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 2008–present

Luke Schenn (born November 2, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes. Schenn played junior hockey with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his final WHL season, Schenn was named to the League's Second All-Star Team. He was a highly-touted prospect heading into the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, where he was selected in the first round, fifth overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Schenn began his professional career in the NHL during the 2008–09 season and played with the Maple Leafs until being traded to Philadelphia following the 2011–12 season. After his rookie season, Schenn's play was recognized when he was named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team. He has represented Canada internationally, winning a gold medal at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and a silver medal at the 2009 World Ice Hockey Championships with the nation's junior team.

Schenn is a stay-at-home defenceman whose main focus is preventing goals rather than scoring. With a physical style of play, he is usually among NHL leaders in hits. His charity "Luke's Troops" helps military families attend Maple Leafs home games. His younger brother Brayden was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft but was traded and currently plays for Philadelphia.

Hockey career[]

Minor[]

Schenn's first minor hockey team was the Saskatoon Red Wings, where he was coached by his father, Jeff.[1] In 2004–05, Schenn played AAA midget hockey for the Saskatoon Contacts, who won the Telus Cup as Canada's national midget hockey champions.[2] While playing with the Contacts, Schenn was selected in the first round, 20th overall, of the 2004 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft by the Kelowna Rockets.[3]

Junior[]

The Kelowna Rockets arranged for Schenn to join the team during their Memorial Cup run at the end of the 2004–05 season. He roomed with defenceman Shea Weber as the team wanted him to learn about his future role.[4] Schenn debuted with the Rockets during the 2005–06 season, and was named the team's Rookie of the Year.[5] He served as an alternate captain for the team during the 2007–08 season.[2] Later in that same season, Schenn was named to the WHL's roster for the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge[2][5] and participated in the annual Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game, where he served as a team captain and scored a goal.[6] While playing in Kelowna, he was often paired with current Winnipeg Jets defenceman Tyler Myers, former winner of the NHL's Calder Memorial Trophy.[4] Schenn was named to the WHL's Second All-Star Team after the 2007–08 season.[7]

Leading up to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Schenn was a highly-regarded prospect,[4] ranked fifth among draft-eligible North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[7] Some scouts saw him as a mix between Calder Trophy and Norris Trophy nominee Dion Phaneuf and two-time Stanley Cup champion Adam Foote.[4] E. J. McGuire, then-director of the Central Scouting Bureau, compared him to former first overall selection Ed Jovanovski.[7] At the Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded with the New York Islanders for a higher draft pick, which they ultimately used to select Schenn.[8]

Toronto Maple Leafs[]

A full body shot of a young man wearing a blue jersey, blue hockey pants and skates.

Schenn during his rookie season with the Maple Leafs

Early reports from the Maple Leafs training camp in September 2008 indicated Schenn was likely to be returned to his junior club for the 2008–09 season.[1] On October 7, 2008, he signed a contract with the Maple Leafs with a base salary of $850,000 per season and performance bonuses that could raise the value as high as $1.25 million per season.[6][9] After training camp, Schenn was chosen for the team roster at the start of the 2008–09 season,[10] making his NHL debut on October 9 against the Detroit Red Wings.[11] On October 29, Schenn recorded an assist for his first career NHL point against the New Jersey Devils. Later in the season, he scored his first goal against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.[11] In January 2009, Schenn missed 12 games with a lower-body injury, the only games he missed during his rookie season.[12] Schenn played for the Rookie YoungStars team in the 2008–09 NHL YoungStars Game.[13] On March 14, 2009, he recorded his first multi-point (two assists) game in an 8–6 win against the Calgary Flames.[11] The NHL named Schenn to the 2008–09 All-Rookie Team on June 18, 2009, along with fellow 2008 draftee Drew Doughty. The award acknowledged Schenn's defensive prowess and physical play, as he led all NHL rookies in blocked shots and all rookie defencemen in hits.[14] Schenn finished his first season in the NHL with two goals and 12 assists in 70 games played.[12]

Expectations for Schenn were high heading into the 2009–10 season. During training camp, Toronto Head Coach Ron Wilson named him as one of the team's top four defencemen.[15] As the season progressed, however, Schenn's play was disappointing, and Wilson kept him out of the lineup for a game in October[16] and again for a three-game stretch in December.[15] Towards the end of the season, Schenn and some of his younger teammates improved their play.[17][18] In a game against the Ottawa Senators, Schenn posted his first career two-goal game, helping him finish the season with new career-highs in goals (5) and points (17) in 79 games played.[11]

Schenn had a strong start to the 2010–11 season, playing with veteran Tomáš Kaberle. Prior to a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Wilson assessed Schenn's play as "great."[19] When Kaberle was traded to the Boston Bruins in February 2011, Schenn was briefly named an alternate captain in his place,[20] until Colby Armstrong returned to the lineup after an injury.[21] Wilson felt that Schenn had made significant strides in his third NHL season: "He's learned a lot...He's not on the ice for as many goals against any more."[22] At the end of the season, Schenn had tied his career-high for goals with five and set new personal records for assists (17) and total points (22) while playing in all 82 games for the Maple Leafs.[11]

Philadelphia, L.A. and Arizona[]

On June 23, 2012, Schenn was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for James van Riemsdyk.[23] With the Flyers, Schenn was given the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother Brayden, saying, "It’s going to be exciting to play with my brother, that’s for sure. I can’t describe how cool this is."[24] On June 28, 2012, it was announced that Schenn was going to wear number 22 for the Flyers, as his usual number 2 was retired from the team in honour of defenceman Mark Howe.[25]

During the 2015–16 season, Schenn appeared in 29 games for 5 points before he was traded by the Flyers alongside Vincent Lecavalier to the team that drafted his brother Brayden 5th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings, in exchange for a third round pick in 2016 and prospect Jordan Weal on January 6, 2016.[26]

On July 23, 2016, he signed a two-year, $2.5M deal with the Arizona Coyotes.[27]

International play[]

Medal record
Competitor for Flag of Canada Canada
Men's ice hockey
IIHF World Championship
Silver 2009 Switzerland
World Junior Championships
Gold 2008 Czech Republic
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
Gold 2006 Czech Republic

Schenn's first experience with Hockey Canada was as a member of Team West at the 2006 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Regina, Saskatchewan, where his team finished seventh.[2] He played for Canada twice at the under-18 level: the 2006 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where his team won gold, and the 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships, where Canada finished fourth.[2] Schenn scored three goals during this tournament.[5]

In 2007, Hockey Canada assembled a junior team to represent Canada in an eight-game series (the 2007 Super Series) against a Russian junior team to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. Canada went undefeated in the eight games, with seven wins and one tie, while Schenn recorded 24 penalty minutes and no points.[2][5]

During the 2007–08 season, Schenn was named to Canada's selection camp roster for the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[28] The final roster was named December 13, 2007, and Schenn was selected for the team, being paired with Thomas Hickey as the top defensive tandem.[29] Canada won the gold medal and Schenn finished the tournament with a plus-minus rating of +5 to lead the team.[2] Hockey analyst Pierre McGuire dubbed him "the human eraser" for his play internationally.[30]

After his rookie season in the NHL, Schenn was named to the senior Canadian roster for the 2009 IIHF World Championship.[2] He played all nine games for Canada, but did not significant ice time, averaging just under seven minutes per game. In the tournament he recorded just one assist.[31] Canada took home the silver medal after a 2–1 loss to Russia in the gold medal game.[32] Schenn, along with then-Toronto teammates Dion Phaneuf and James Reimer, played for Canada at the 2011 IIHF World Championship.[33] Canada placed fifth in the tournament, with their only loss coming in the quarter-finals against Russia.[34] In seven games, Schenn recorded a single assist.[35]

After the 2012–13 season, Schenn was again selected by Hockey Canada to participate in the 2013 IIHF World Championship alongside Flyers teammates Matt Read, Wayne Simmonds and Flyers captain Claude Giroux. Canada was eliminated by Sweden in the quarter-finals, leaving them without a medal for the second-straight year.[36]

Playing style[]

Schenn is a defensive-defenceman who plays a physical game while attempting to prevent opponents from scoring. Since his rookie season, he has been among the NHL leaders in hits.[37] He believes he is at his best when he is playing a tough game, while staying responsible: "You just want to be physical and play with a bit of an edge, but you don't want to put your team down short-handed."[22] Growing up, Schenn patterned his play after fellow defencemen Chris Pronger and Rob Blake.[1]

Personal[]

Schenn was born on November 2, 1989, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His parents are Jeff and Rita Schenn.[5] His younger brother Brayden was picked fifth overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings,[38] and was later traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. Schenn also has two younger sisters, Madison and Macy.[5] Luke Schenn graduated from St. Joseph High School in Saskatoon. His brother Brayden, along with fellow NHLers Colby Armstrong, Riley Armstrong and Jarret Stoll, also attended St. Joseph when they lived in Saskatoon.[1]

Schenn married his longtime girlfriend Jessica Peczek on July 18, 2015 in Kelowna.[39][40]

Schenn was a key contributor to the Maple Leafs' efforts to honour Canada's military. During his rookie season, he donated $10,000[41] to start Luke's Troops, a charity which allows Canadian servicemen and women to attend the team's home games as Schenn's guest.[42][43] Fans at the games often recognized the soldiers with applause. "They have served overseas so it's good that the fans show their appreciation," Schenn said.[41] In February 2011, Schenn's contributions to the military were acknowledged when he was recognized during the team's annual Armed Forces night.[42]

Career statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2005–06 Kelowna Rockets WHL 60 3 8 11 86 12 0 0 0 14
2006–07 Kelowna Rockets WHL 72 2 27 29 139
2007–08 Kelowna Rockets WHL 57 7 21 28 100 7 2 2 4 6
2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 2 12 14 71
2009–10 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 79 5 12 17 50
2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 82 5 17 22 34
2011–12 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 79 2 20 22 62
2012–13 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 47 3 8 11 34
2013–14 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 79 4 8 12 58 7 1 0 1 0
2014–15 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 58 3 11 14 18
2015–16 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 29 2 3 5 30
2015–16 Los Angeles Kings NHL 43 2 9 11 52 5 1 1 2 6
2016–17 Arizona Coyotes NHL 78 1 7 8 85
NHL totals 644 29 107 136 494 12 2 1 3 6

Statistics source[11]

International[]

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2006 Canada Western U17 7th 5 1 0 1 10
2006 Canada IH18 Gold medal icon 4 0 0 0 10
2007 Canada SS Gold medal icon 8 0 0 0 20
2007 Canada WJC18 4th 6 3 0 3 4
2008 Canada WJC Gold medal icon 5 0 0 0 4
2009 Canada WC Silver medal icon 9 0 1 1 0
2011 Canada WC 5th 7 0 1 1 0
2012 Canada WC 5th 8 0 1 1 25
2013 Canada WC 5th 7 1 1 2 27
Junior totals 28 4 0 4 48
Senior totals 31 1 4 5 52

Statistics source[2]

Awards[]

WHL[]

Award Year
Kelowna Rockets Rookie of the Year 2006[5]
WHL Second Team All-Star 2008[7]

NHL[]

Award Year
NHL All-Rookie Team 2009[14]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Minor Hockey Memories: Luke Schenn. Faceoff.com (2010-01-22). Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2009 World Men's Hockey Championships Player Profiles (pdf). Hockey Canada. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  3. Four Rockets Take Off in NHL Draft. Kelowna Rockets. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Future Looks Blue for Luke Schenn. Vancouver Province. canada.com. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Player Profile Luke Schenn. Hockey Canada. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ormsby, Mary (2008-10-07). Leafs sign Luke Schenn to 3-year deal. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Luke Schenn. National Hockey League. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  8. Leafs Trade Up, Take Schenn 5th Overall. Toronto Maple Leafs (2008-06-20). Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  9. "Schenn signs entry-level deal with Maple Leafs", The Sports Network, 2008-10-07. Retrieved on 2009-02-09. 
  10. Kimelman, Adam (2008-11-16). Five 18-year old defensemen make NHL rosters. National Hockey League. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Luke Schenn, Maple Leafs. National Hockey League. Retrieved on 2010-04-16. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "nhlprofile" defined multiple times with different content
  12. 12.0 12.1 Luke Schenn. The Sports Network. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
  13. Mason, Schenn to play in YoungStars game in Montreal. The Sports Network (2009-01-09). Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  14. 14.0 14.1 NHL announces 2008–09 All-Rookie Team. National Hockey League (2009-06-18). Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Hunter, Paul (2010-03-27). Leafs' Schenn leaving the 'sophomore jinx' behind. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2010-04-17.
  16. Hunter, Paul (2009-10-22). Sophomore slump strikes Leafs. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2010-04-17.
  17. Shoalts, David (2010-03-29). Leafs exhibit truculence and tenacity. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2010-04-17.
  18. Cullen, Scott (2010-04-29). Off-Season Game Plan: Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sports Network. Retrieved on 2010-05-13.
  19. Hornby, Lance (2010-10-24). Leafs Locker: Schenn-sational start. The Toronto Sun. Retrieved on 2010-11-10.
  20. McGran, Kevin (2011-02-19). Leafs name Luke Schenn an alternate captain. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.
  21. Ilika, Dan (2011-02-22). Leafs' Armstrong honoured by A. The Toronto Sun. Retrieved on 2011-02-23.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Schenn draws kudos from team for solid play, leadership. The Sports Network (2011-02-23). Retrieved on 2011-03-03.
  23. Maple Leafs Trade Schenn To Flyers For Van Riemsdyk. The Sports Network (2012-06-23). Retrieved on 2012-06-23.
  24. Mirtle, James (2012-06-23). Leafs trade Luke Schenn to Flyers. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2012-06-28.
  25. Luke Schenn will wear #22 for the #Flyers (2012-06-28). Retrieved on 2012-06-28.
  26. LA Kings acquire Lecavalier, Schenn from Flyers. Yahoo! Sports (2016-01-06). Retrieved on 2016-01-06.
  27. Coyotes Sign Schenn to Two-Year Contract. Arizona Coyotes (2016-07-23). Retrieved on 2016-07-23.
  28. King, Patrick (2008-02-01). Schenn brothers taking WHL by storm. Rogers Sportsnet. Retrieved on 2011-02-22.
  29. Molinaro, John F. (2008-01-08). Thomas Hickey was an unsung hero for Canada at the world juniors. Canadian Broadcast Corporation. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  30. Wolfe, Cory. "Leafs pick Saskatoon's Schenn fifth at NHL draft", Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 2008-06-21. Retrieved on 2009-02-09. 
  31. Player Statistics by Team: Canada (pdf). International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  32. Statistics. International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved on 2010-04-16.
  33. Phaneuf, Schenn and Reimer headed to World Championship. The Sports Network (2011-04-11). Retrieved on 2011-04-11.
  34. Tournament Progress (pdf). International Ice Hockey Federation (2011-05-15). Retrieved on 2011-05-15.
  35. Player Statistics By Team (pdf). International Ice Hockey Federation (2011-05-12). Retrieved on 2011-05-12.
  36. http://www.iihf.com/competition/352/home-oc/start.html
  37. Koshan, Terry (2011-02-20). Schenn has "A" happy day. The Toronto Sun. Retrieved on 2011-02-21.
  38. Kings Select Brayden Schenn as Fifth Overall Pick in 2009 NHL Entry Draft and was later trade to the Philadelphia Flyers along with Wayne Simmonds for Mike Richards.. Los Angeles Kings (2009-06-26).
  39. Luke + Jessica Schenn // Kelowna Mountain. Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
  40. Luke Schenn got married over the weekend. Retrieved on 10 July 2016.
  41. 41.0 41.1 Miller, Jason (2009-04-11). Troops score big with Leafs. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.
  42. 42.0 42.1 Schenn ready to take on bigger role with Maple Leafs. The Sports Network (2011-02-20). Retrieved on 2011-02-23.
  43. DiManno, Rosie (2011-02-20). DiManno: Make no mistake, Schenn is the leader. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.

External links[]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Jiri Tlusty
Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick
2008
Succeeded by
Nazem Kadri
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