Matt Taormina
| Matt Taormina | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
October 20, 1986 Warren, MI, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams |
Tampa Bay Lightning Syracuse Crunch (AHL) New Jersey Devils | ||
| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2009–present | ||
Matthew Angelo Taormina (born October 20, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey defenceman playing within the Tampa Bay Lightning organization of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Taormina began his amateur career playing in the North American Hockey League with the Texarkana Bandits. Earning a place in the Second All-Star Team, the All-Rookie Team and winning the NAHL's Rookie of the year, Matt then committed to play collegiate hockey in the Hockey East with Providence College. With a selection to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team as a junior, Matt progressed to join the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League after completing his senior year at the end of the 2008–09 season.
As an undrafted Free Agent, Taormina was signed to an AHL contract for the 2009–10 season by the New Jersey Devils on August 20, 2009.[1] Taormina scored 50 points in 75 games to lead the Lowell Devils in assists and signed a one-year contract extension with the Devils on February 26, 2010.
With an impressive training camp and with the advantage of familiarity under head coach John MacLean with Lowell, Matt opened the 2010–11 season on the New Jersey Devils roster.[2] In his fifth game, Matt scored his first NHL goal on October 15, 2010, a powerplay goal, against Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-2 defeat.[3]
Taormina signed a one-year two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL on July 6, 2012.[4]
In his second season with Tampa Bay, at the 2013–14 trade deadline, Taormina was traded by the Lightning, along with Dana Tyrell, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jonathan Marchessault and Dalton Smith on March 5, 2014.[5]
On September 26, 2014, the Worcester Sharks announced they had signed Taormina to a one-year AHL contract.[6] In the 2014-15 season, Taormina returned to form to lead the Sharks in scoring from the blueline with 38 points in 72 games.
On July 1, 2015, Taormina returned to the Tampa Bay Lightning, in signing a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent.[7] On April 19, 2016, Taormina played in first career Stanley Cup Playoffs game, which was a 3-2 Lightning win over the Detroit Red Wings.[8]
On June 28, 2016 the Lightning announced the re-signing of Taormina to a one-year, two-way contract. Taormina skated in three games with the Lighting last season. Taormina also skated in three Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2016. He also appeared in 61 games with the Crunch last season, recording 13 goals and 41 points. This ranked Taormina second among Crunch defensemen for points and led all defensemen for goals with 13.[9]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Texarkana Bandits | NAHL | 52 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Providence College | HE | 36 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Providence College | HE | 35 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Providence College | HE | 39 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Providence College | HE | 34 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Lowell Devils | AHL | 75 | 10 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 17 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 30 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Albany Devils | AHL | 33 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 55 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 41 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 76 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 61 | 13 | 28 | 41 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 59 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| All-Hockey East Second Team | 2007–08 | |
References
- ↑ "Devils sign 5 players to AHL contracts". New Jersey Devils. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ↑ "Rookie defenseman Matt Taormina won't forget his first goal for Devils". NJ.com. 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ↑ "Devils lose to Avalanche 3-2, now 1-3-1 to start season". NJ.com. 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ↑ "Lightning sign defenseman Matt Taormina". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
- ↑ "Lightning shake up Crunch with trades of Tyrell, Taormina". Syracuse.com. 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ "Worcester Sharks sign defenseman Matt Taormina". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ↑ Tampa Bay Lightning (2015-07-01). "Tampa Bay bring back Taormina". Twitter. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- ↑ Harris, Paul (April 19, 2016). "Power play gives Lightning Game 4 win". NHL.com. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
- ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (June 28, 2016). "Lightning Re-Sign Forward Tye McGinn, Defenseman Matt Taromina to One-Year Contracts". Tampa Bay Lightning. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
External links
- Matt Taormina's player profile at NHL.com
- Matt Taormina's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
- Matt Taormina's profile on TSN.ca