Dylan Gambrell Explained

Dylan Gambrell
League:NHL
Team:Columbus Blue Jackets
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:San Jose Sharks
Ottawa Senators
Birth Date:26 August 1996
Birth Place:Bonney Lake, Washington, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:185
Position:Center
Shoots:Right
Draft:60th overall
Draft Year:2016
Draft Team:San Jose Sharks
Career Start:2018

Dylan Gambrell (born August 26, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey center for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 60th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Gambrell grew up playing hockey in Kent, Washington for the Kent Valley Hockey Association thanks to his dad's roller hockey background.[1] In order to hone his skills in preparation for a possible college hockey career, he moved to Colorado at the age of 14 to play junior hockey with the Colorado Thunderbirds of the T1EHL at the under-16 level.[2] He was selected 11th overall in the 2012 USHL Futures draft by the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL).[3] In 2013, he won the USHL Clark Cup with Dubuque.[2] He played three seasons with the Fighting Saints before beginning his collegiate career with the University of Denver in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) in the 2015–16 season. He was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team at the end of his first year.[2] Gambrell was selected by the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 60th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, but chose to return to university for another year.[4]

Following the 2017–18 season, in which Gambrell placed third in team scoring as a junior with 43 points in 41 games, Gambrell concluded his collegiate career by signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks on March 26, 2018.[5] He was immediately added to the Sharks playing roster, and made his NHL debut in a 4–2 defeat to the Dallas Stars on April 3, 2018.[6] He completed the regular season going scoreless in three games.[7]

Approaching the 2018–19 season, on October 2, 2018, he was assigned to the Sharks American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.[8] He was recalled five days later after Joe Thornton was injured.[7] He spent the majority of the season with the Barracuda, registering 20 goals and 45 points in 51 games. He also appeared in eight games for the Sharks.[9] Gambrell was inserted into the playoff lineup for Game 6 after Joe Pavelski was injured in Game 5 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals.[10] He scored his first NHL goal versus the St. Louis Blues as the Sharks only goal during the Blues' 5–1 Game 6 victory.[11] He finished the playoffs appearing in two games[9] as the Sharks were eliminated by the Blues.[12] That off-season he was re-signed by the Sharks to a two-year contract on July 11, 2019.[13]

Gambrell appeared in 50 games in the 2019–20 season, scoring five goals and eleven points.[14] During the 2020–21 season, Gambrell appeared in 49 games, scoring five goals and twelve points. He led the team's forwards in ice time on the penalty kill.[15] After the 2020–21 season, he signed a one-year contract extension.[16]

On October 9, 2021, Gambrell was placed on waivers after he was beaten out in training camp for the final spot on the Sharks roster by Jasper Weatherby.[17] He went unclaimed and Gambrell was assigned by the Sharks to the AHL to start the season with the San Jose Barracuda. After making two appearances with the Barracuda he was traded by the Sharks to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2022 on October 24, 2021.[18] Gambrell was recalled to Ottawa following the trade.[18] He was acquired to provide depth following a series of injuries to Ottawa's centers.[19] He finished the season with the Senators, registering three goals and seven points in 63 games. Gambrell signed a one-year extension with the Senators on June 15, 2022.[20] During the 2022–23 season Gambrell played in 60 games scoring four goals and 10 points.[21]

On July 3, 2023, Gambrell was signed as a free agent to a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the season.[21] Gambrell attended the Maple Leafs 2023 training camp, but failed to make the team. He was placed on waivers on October 8, and after going unclaimed, was assigned to the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.[22] He remained with the Marlies for the duration of the season, posting 36 points through 66 regular season games.

On July 2, 2024, Gambrell joined his fourth NHL organization in signing as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.[23]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2012–13Dubuque Fighting SaintsUSHL58918271490220
2013–14Dubuque Fighting SaintsUSHL601429432970000
2014–15Dubuque Fighting SaintsUSHL541622387483472
2015–16University of DenverNCHC4117304719
2016–17University of DenverNCHC3813294221
2017–18University of DenverNCHC4113304315
2017–18San Jose SharksNHL30000
2018–19San Jose BarracudaAHL512025451841340
2018–19San Jose SharksNHL8000221012
2019–20San Jose BarracudaAHL15391215
2019–20San Jose SharksNHL50561117
2020–21San Jose SharksNHL49571213
2021–22San Jose BarracudaAHL30114
2021–22Ottawa SenatorsNHL6334712
2022–23Ottawa SenatorsNHL60461035
2023–24Toronto MarliesAHL661422361631010
NHL totals2331723407921012

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL
Clark Cup (Dubuque Fighting Saints)2013
College
NCHC All-Rookie Team2016
NCAA Champion (Denver)2017
NCHC Second All-Star Team2017, 2018[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: San Jose Sharks prospect Dylan Gambrell's NHL journey began in Bonney Lake . nhltoseattle.com . June 14, 2018 . June 14, 2018 .
  2. Web site: Quick Facts: Dylan Gambrell . San Jose Sharks . Frazier . Ann . June 25, 2016 . February 20, 2023.
  3. Web site: Meet the Fighting Saints: Dylan Gambrell . Leitner . Jim . Telegraph Herald . October 5, 2013 . February 20, 2023.
  4. Web site: DU hockey: No. 1 center Dylan Gambrell set to return for stacked NCAA champions . The Denver Post . Chambers . Mike . July 11, 2017 . February 20, 2023.
  5. Web site: Sharks sign forward Dylan Gambrell . San Jose Sharks . March 26, 2018 . March 26, 2018.
  6. Web site: Sharks cough up a third period lead in loss to Stars . . April 3, 2018 . April 3, 2018.
  7. Web site: Sharks Recall Center Dylan Gambrell . San Jose Sharks . October 7, 2018 . October 7, 2018.
  8. Web site: Sharks Reassign Three Players to Barracuda . San Jose Sharks . October 2, 2018 . October 2, 2018.
  9. Web site: Sharks Re-Sign Forward Dylan Gambrell . San Jose Barracuda . July 11, 2019 . February 20, 2023.
  10. Web site: Dylan Gambrell gets another (final?) chance with the Sharks to show he belongs . Kurz . Kevin . The Athletic . January 29, 2020 . February 21, 2023.
  11. Web site: Gambrell gets first career NHL goal in Sharks' Game 6 loss . San Jose Mercury News . May 21, 2019 . May 21, 2019.
  12. Web site: 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Five reasons the San Jose Sharks were eliminated by the St. Louis Blues . Blackburn . Pete . CBS Sports . May 22, 2019 . February 20, 2023.
  13. Web site: Sharks Re-Sign Forward Dylan Gambrell . National Hockey League . July 11, 2019.
  14. Web site: Sharks put Gambrell on waivers a week before season starts . NBC Sports . Thanawalla . Art . October 9, 2021 . February 21, 2023.
  15. Web site: Sharks re-sign forward Dylan Gambrell to one-year contract . Sportsnet . July 15, 2021 . February 21, 2023.
  16. Web site: Sharks Re-Sign Forward Dylan Gambrell . National Hockey League . July 15, 2021.
  17. Web site: Where things stand for the Sharks after waiving Dylan Gambrell . The Mercury News . Pashelka . Curtis . October 9, 2021 . February 20, 2023.
  18. Web site: Senators acquire forward Dylan Gambrell from San Jose . . October 24, 2021 . October 24, 2021.
  19. Web site: Ottawa Senators add depth with trade for center Dylan Gambrell from San Jose Sharks . ABC 7 News . October 24, 2021 . February 20, 2023.
  20. Web site: Senators sign forward Dylan Gambrell to one-year contract extension . Toronto Star . The Canadian Press . June 15, 2022 . February 20, 2023.
  21. Web site: Maple Leafs sign forward Dylan Gambrell . . July 3, 2023 . July 3, 2023.
  22. Web site: Maple Leafs Waive Martin Jones and Others to Clear Cap Space Ahead of NHL Regular Season Roster Submission Deadline . Barden . Nick . The Hockey News . October 8, 2023 . October 24, 2023.
  23. Web site: Blue Jackets sign Dylan Gambrell . . July 2, 2024 . July 2, 2024 .
  24. Web site: Four Pioneers named for individual awards . . March 8, 2018 . April 3, 2018.