ian cole Archives - Boutique Hockey Agency

Ian Cole Signs One Year, $3 Million Contract with Tampa Bay Lightning

Posted on July 13, 2022

TAMPA BAY, FL – Two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Ian Cole, has signed a one year, $3 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The 33-year-old defenseman had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 75 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season.

Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (No. 18) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Cole has 165 points (29 goals, 136 assists) in 670 regular-season games for the Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Blues and 26 points (two goals, 24 assists) in 110 playoff games.

Cole won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

Ian Cole’s Playoff OT Goal Lifts Hurricanes Past Rangers for Game 1 Win

Posted on May 19, 2022

RALEIGH, NC – Ian Cole beat Igor Shesterkin at 3:12 of overtime to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 2-1 Wednesday night and take Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

The defenseman’s second career playoff goal capped a late comeback by the Hurricanes after they trailed most of the night. Sebastian Aho finally pushed one past Shesterkin in the final minutes of the third period to send the game into OT.

Smith, Cole and Bellemare Listed Among Top 10 Most Underrated Players of the 2021-22 NHL Season

Posted on April 6, 2022April 6, 2022

Every team has a player or players that, despite having a strong season, do not get the recognition they deserve. These are the less talked about players whose play has helped their team have success this season. Here are the top-10 underrated players of the 2021-22 season.

10) Craig Smith, Boston Bruins

Craig Smith has been a welcome addition to the Boston Bruins’ lineup the last two seasons as he has helped provide solid bottom-six scoring for the team. He has 29 even-strength points this season in 62 games and has helped them outscore the opposition 41-34 when he has been on the ice. Most importantly, he has shown he can play up and down the lineup having success in 178 minutes playing on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.

As for Smith’s analytics, they are amongst the best on the Bruins. He has a 55.40% Corsi at even strength along with a 57.77% shots for percentage and a 55.20% high danger chances for percentage. Lastly, he isn’t afraid to play physically, as he has 80 hits this season. The 32-year-old has been a force in 2021-22 and the Bruins’ third line of Trent Frederic, Charlie Coyle and himself should cause havoc for the opposition once the postseason begins.

9) Ian Cole, Carolina Hurricanes

Ian Cole is having one of the best seasons of his career for the Hurricanes this year. The 33-year-old defenceman has 18 points this season and is less than 30 minutes of even-strength time on ice from passing 1,000 minutes for the season. He is a versatile defenceman who has shown he can play not just with a rotating cast of partners, but also on both sides of the ice as the left-shot defenceman has played over 200 minutes on the right side.

This season, Cole has a 56.74% Corsi while the Hurricanes have outscored opponents 43 to 33 at even strength. Lastly, he has thrown 93 hits while blocking 86 shots. Carolina has a very deep team, and the two-time Stanley Cup winner is a big reason why their defensive group is one of the best in the entire NHL.

8) Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Tampa Bay Lightning

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare centers one of, if not the best fourth line in the NHL, playing alongside Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon. His work shorthanded has Tampa as a top-10 penalty-killing team in the league, and at even strength, the Lightning have only allowed 17 total goals in the 770 minutes of ice time he has played this season. He has become a premier shut-down center in the league and is one of its best defensive forwards this season.

While Bellemare is known for his defensive play, the Lightning have done well in the offensive zone with him on the ice as well. Tampa has scored 35 goals at even strength, with him collecting 16 even strength points on the season. Lastly, he has been one of their best faceoff men all season, recording a 51.4% win percentage. If the Lightning have eyes on capturing a third straight Stanley Cup, he will play a key role in the process.

Ian Cole Spreads Kindness One Toothless Grin At A Time

Posted on March 31, 2022

RALEIGH, NC – When it comes to acts of kindness, Ian Cole always manages to go top shelf.

The 33-year-old two-time Stanley Cup champion from Ann Arbor, Michigan, knows how to make a hockey fan’s day.

Whether it’s putting a smile on the face of a young girl who was sad about losing a tooth, to signing a jersey for one of his biggest fans, to offering a fist bump during warm-ups, the Carolina Hurricanes defenceman, now in his 12th NHL season, has a knack for leaving a lasting impression.

When five-year-old Lorelai Moose was crestfallen after losing her first tooth, Cole, who has lost a few teeth of his own over his NHL career, stepped up to offer his support for the young girl diagnosed with autism.

Hurricanes Sign Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Ian Cole

Posted on July 28, 2021

RALEIGH, NC – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Ian Cole on a one-year, $2.9 million contract.

“Ian is a big, physical defenseman,” said Waddell. “We’re thrilled to add a veteran with his experience to our team.”

Cole, 32, skated in two games with Colorado last season before being traded to Minnesota. He then recorded eight points (1g, 7a) in 52 games during the regular season and played seven playoff games with the Wild. The 6’1″, 225-pound defenseman has registered 146 points (27g, 119a) in 595 career NHL games with St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Colorado and Minnesota since making his NHL debut with the Blues on Nov. 6, 2010.

Minnesota Wild Defenseman Ian Cole Flies with Navy Blue Angels

Posted on June 25, 2021

DULUTH, MN – This weekend, the United States Navy Blue Angels will be performing at the Duluth Airshow. But Wednesday, they welcomed a special guest and a big fan.

Minnesota Wild defenseman Ian Cole was in town to fly with the Blue Angels. The Ann Arbor, MI native comes from a military background with both of his grandfathers having served. He is also a big fan of the Duluth area, too.

“If I was left to my own devices, I’d probably be scared of heights. But you’re with some of the best pilots in the world, the best pilots in the world. I’m not nervous. I’m not scared of heights. I’m going to put my trust in his hands and let him do his job,” Cole said.

Cole is an ambassador for the United Heroes League, which keeps children from military families active in sports through camps and special experiences and is using this experience to spread the word on the organization.

Ian Cole Commemorates Grandfathers Through Heroes Monument

Posted on June 23, 2021

HASTINGS, MN – Two bricks hold a deeply special meaning for Ian Cole and his family.

The commemorative blocks will be cemented into the Heroes Monument being built on the United Heroes League (UHL) campus in Hastings, Minnesota, and will be one of the largest in the Twin Cities area, honouring over 4,300 U.S. service members while featuring 60-foot walls that will be visible by aircraft along the Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport flight path.

Acquired early in season, defenseman Ian Cole fits right in with Wild

Posted on April 23, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Ian Cole has a system for packing.

He takes three or four hockey bags, fills them with clothes and then loads the bags into his car that’ll be shipped to his next destination.

“The car shows up all packed to the gills,” he said.

And when it’s time to meet his new teammates, the veteran NHL defenseman also knows what to do.

“Hey,” he says. “I’m Ian.”

A two-time Stanley Cup champion with almost 600 games of experience, Cole was traded for the fourth time in his career when the Wild acquired him from Colorado earlier this season. He ended up being the final addition to the 2021 roster, with the team letting last week’s trade deadline pass without making any changes.

But despite being the last to arrive, Cole is no longer an outsider. He has fused to the Wild with his enthusiasm and rugged style of play.

Wild trade for Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Ian Cole

Posted on January 20, 2021

ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman Ian Cole from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Greg Patryn.

Cole, 31, owns two shots, four hits and two blocked shots in two games this season. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound native of Ann Arbor, Mich., collected 26 points (4-22=26), 83 hits and 122 blocked shots in 65 contests during the 2019-20 season with the Avalanche and set a career high in assists and tied his career best in points. The left-shot blueliner ranked second on the team in blocked shots and third in plus/minus rating (+21). He tallied his 100th career assist on Nov. 30, 2019 at Chicago and scored the game winning goal in his 500th career game on Dec. 7, 2019 at Boston. The defenseman tallied two assists, 21 shots, 27 hits and 29 blocked shots in 15 games during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.