Mike Vecchione

For the zoologist, see Michael Vecchione.

Mike Vecchione
Vecchione with the Hershey Bears in 2023
Born (1993-02-25) February 25, 1993 (age 31)
Saugus, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
AHL team
Former teams		 Hershey Bears
Philadelphia Flyers
Washington Capitals
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2017–present

Michael Vecchione (born February 25, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Prior to turning professional, Vecchione played for Union College where he was named to the All-ECAC Rookie Team, ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team All-ECAC Hockey Third Team, ECAC Player of the Year and AHCA East First-Team All-American during his four-year career. He won the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament as a first year and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a senior.

Playing career

Early career

Vecchione began his youth hockey career with the Valley Junior Warriors in Saugus Youth Hockey program. While a member of the 1993 team, the Valley Junior Warriors won four state championships.[1]

While attending Malden Catholic High School, Vecchione was drafted in the 2010 United States Hockey League (USHL) Draft by the Tri-City Storm.[2] That season, as team captain, he led his team to the Super 8 semifinals vs Hingham High School.[1][3]

On August 21, 2012, while playing for the Storm, Vecchione committed to Union College for the 2013–14 season. He had previously been committed to the University of New Hampshire.[4] On November 6, 2012, Vecchione was named an alternate captain for the Storm after assistant captain Heikki Liedes was injured.[5]

Collegiate

Vecchione with the Union Dutchmen in 2014

In his freshman year at Union, Vecchione led the team rookies in scoring with 34 points in 38 games and ranked fourth across the ECAC. At the conclusion of the season, after having helped lead Union to their first NCAA Division 1 title, he was ranked ninth across the league in rookie scoring and was named to the All-ECAC Rookie Team.[6] He was also named to the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team[7] and All-Tournament Team.[6]

In his sophomore year, Vecchione was named an alternate captain in December.[8] He led ECAC in assists with 31 in 39 games.[6] Vecchione was selected for the Frozen Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team[9] and was again named to the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team while majoring in history.[10]

Prior to his junior year, Vecchione was named a co-captain for Union alongside Matt Wilkins, becoming the first captain pairing for Union since 2008.[11] He became the fastest player in Union Division I history to record 100 points when he recorded an assist against Princeton in his 96th career game on January 8, 2016. He became the 26th player in the program's Division 1 history to score 100 points.[12][13] He was named to the All-ECAC Hockey Third Team on March 18 for the first time in his collegiate career. He ended the season with a team leading 29 points scored in 34 games.[14]

In his last year with Union, Vecchione was again named team captain. On February 3, 2017, Vecchione became Union's all time Division I leading scorer when he recorded his 158th and 159th career point in a 5–3 loss to Cornell.[15] As a result of his breakout season, Vecchione was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist and the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year.[16] He was also named to the All-ECAC Hockey First Team and won Union's William M. Jaffe Award for most outstanding male student-athlete.[6] On June 21, Vecchione was named an AHCA East First-Team All-American.[17]

Professional

Vecchione signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 31, 2017.[18] He made his NHL debut on April 4, 2017, in a game against the New Jersey Devils.[19]

On July 1, 2017, Vecchione, as a restricted free agent, accepted a two-year, two-way deal to continue with the Philadelphia Flyers.[20] On September 27, 2017, he was loaned to the Flyers American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to play the 2017–18 season.[21] During the season, Vecchione was named AHL October Rookie of the Month after he recorded 10 points in 10 games.[22] However, due to an injury on December 9 during a game against the Hershey Bears, he was forced to miss more than two weeks to recover.[23] Despite this, Vecchione concluded his first professional season with 40 points in 65 games.

Vecchione attended the Flyers 2018 Training Camp but was reassigned to the AHL on September 20, 2018.[24]

After parts of three seasons in the Flyers organization, Vecchione left as a free agent to sign on a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2019.[25] He attended the Blues 2019 training camp, before he was placed on waivers and assigned to the AHL to join affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage for the 2019–20 season. He led the Rampage with 21 goals and placed second with 36 points before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a free agent from the Blues after the conclusion of his contract, Vecchione agreed to a one-year, two-way contract to join the Colorado Avalanche on October 9, 2020.[26] In the shortened 2020–21 season, Vecchione was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Limited to 18 games through injury, Vecchione still contributed with 7 goals and 10 points for the Eagles.

Having concluded his contract with the Avalanche, Vecchione as a free agent signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals on August 5, 2021. He signed another one-year, two-way contract with the Capitals on March 28, 2022. Vecchione signed a two-year contract with the Hershey Bears on February 14, 2023.[27]

On June 21, 2023, Vecchione scored the series-winning goal in overtime of game seven of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals. He won another Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears on June 24, 2024.

Personal life

Vecchione was born to parents Diane and Joe and grew up in Saugus with his two older siblings, Michelle and Joe.[28]

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Tri-City Storm USHL 49 10 19 29 28 2 0 2 2 0
2012–13 Tri-City Storm USHL 63 26 34 60 75 — — — — —
2013–14 Union Dutchmen ECAC 38 14 20 34 32 — — — — —
2014–15 Union Dutchmen ECAC 39 19 31 50 18 — — — — —
2015–16 Union Dutchmen ECAC 34 9 20 29 30 — — — — —
2016–17 Union Dutchmen ECAC 38 29 34 63 45 — — — — —
2016–17 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2017–18 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 65 17 23 40 24 12 3 4 7 2
2018–19 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL 67 15 23 38 36 — — — — —
2019–20 San Antonio Rampage AHL 61 21 15 36 23 — — — — —
2020–21 Colorado Eagles AHL 18 7 3 10 2 2 0 1 1 2
2021–22 Hershey Bears AHL 59 16 28 44 37 3 0 1 1 0
2021–22 Washington Capitals NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Hershey Bears AHL 68 23 32 55 25 20 5 3 8 2
2023–24 Hershey Bears AHL 67 17 21 38 33 20 2 8 10 14
NHL totals 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —

Awards and honors

Award Year
College
ECAC All Academic Team 2014, 2015, 2016 [6]
All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team 2013–14
ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team 2014
NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship 2014 [29]
All-ECAC Hockey Third Team 2015–16 [14]
AHCA East First-Team All-American 2016–17 [17]
ECAC Player of the Year 2017 [30]
Hobey Baker Award Finalist 2017
AHL
AHL Rookie of the Month October 2017–18 [22]
Calder Cup 2023, 2024 [31][32]

References

  1. ^ a b Joe McConnell (April 5, 2017). "Saugus' Mike Vecchione's Wide World of Hockey". Community Newspaper Company. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  2. ^ "Tri-City Storm Gears up for 2011-12 Season". nebraska.tv. September 12, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Joe McConnell (April 1, 2016). "Former Malden Catholic hockey captain, Saugus resident Mike Vecchione reflects on Super 8 run of championships". Community Newspaper Company. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "Storm's Vecchione commits to powerhouse Union College". Kearney Hub. August 21, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  5. ^ "Tri-City Storm add an assistant captain". Kearney Hub. November 6, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Mike Vecchione 2016-17 Men's Ice Hockey Union College". unionathletics.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  7. ^ "SEVENTEEN DUTCHMEN EARN ECAC HOCKEY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM HONORS". unionathletics.com. July 15, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  8. ^ Schott, Ken (March 27, 2015). "Union's Vecchione knows he's not ready for pros". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  9. ^ "Vecchione Named to Frozen Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team". jrwarriors.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "18 Dutchmen Named to ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team". unionathletics.com. July 29, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  11. ^ "Vecchione, Wilkins Named Dutchmen Captains". ecachockey.com. October 5, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  12. ^ "Vecchione records 100th career point as Dutchmen skate to 4-4 tie with Princeton". unionathletics.com. January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "Mike Vecchione of Saugus records 100th career point for Union College against Princeton". Community Newspaper Company. January 9, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Vecchione earns All-ECAC Hockey honors". unionathletics.com. March 18, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  15. ^ "Vecchione becomes Union's all-time Division I leading scorer in loss to Cornell". unionathletics.com. February 3, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  16. ^ Panaccio, Tim (April 7, 2017). "Flyers' Mike Vecchione beat out by Will Butcher for 2017 Hobey Baker Award". nbcsports.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "2016–2017 All-American Team". The American Hockey Coaches Association. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  18. ^ "Flyers Sign F Mike Vecchione to Entry Level Contract". Philadelphia Flyers. March 31, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  19. ^ "OTF: Morin, Vecchione to make NHL debuts against NJD". Philadelphia Flyers. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  20. ^ "Flyers sign Vecchione, Knight and Varone". Philadelphia Flyers. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  21. ^ "Forward Mike Vecchione Loaned to Phantoms". phantomshockey.com. September 27, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  22. ^ a b "Phantoms F Mike Vecchione Named CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month". phantomshockey.com. November 1, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  23. ^ Meltzer, Bill (May 18, 2018). "MELTZER: Vecchione valuable in Phantoms playoff run". NHL.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  24. ^ Boruk, John (September 20, 2018). "German Rubtsov, Mike Vecchione among Flyers' 11 cuts". nbcsports.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  25. ^ "Blues agree to two-way contract with six players". St. Louis Blues. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  26. ^ "Avalanche re-signs Dries, adds three forwards". Colorado Avalanche. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  27. ^ "Capitals sign forward Michael Vecchione". Washington Capitals. August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  28. ^ Joe McConnell (April 5, 2017). "Nobody's stronger than Saugus' Team Vecc: Family support carries Vecchione to the pros". Community Newspaper Company. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  29. ^ "Union beats Minnesota for first title". ESPN. April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  30. ^ "Vecchione rewrites Union record books, named ECAC Hockey Player of the Year". uscho.com. March 17, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  31. ^ "Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Calder Cup". American Hockey League. June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "It Bears repeating: Hershey wins Calder Cup again". American Hockey League. June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by ECAC Hockey Player of the Year
2016–17 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NCAA Ice Hockey Scoring Champion
with Zach Aston-Reese and Tyler Kelleher
2016–17 		Succeeded by
Preceded by AHL Rookie of the Month
October 2017 		Succeeded by