Ben Hanowski

Ben Hanowski (born Benjamin Robert Hanowski on October 18, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently under contract to Augsburger Panther in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

An alumnus of the St. Cloud State Huskies, he was a third round selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins (63rd overall) at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

He was dealt to the Calgary Flames prior to turning professional as part of the trade that sent Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh.

He made his NHL debut late in the 2012–13 NHL season, scoring his first goal in his first game.

Early Playing Career
Ben played ice hockey for Little Falls High School. He is the all-time leading scorer in Minnesota High School ice hockey history, recording 405 points in 117 games.

He was a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award and named Minnesota Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 2008–09 following a season in which he scored 73 goals and 62 assists in 31 games.

Prior to embarking on a professional career, he attended St. Cloud State University first as a business major before switching to finance.

College Playing Career
Ben played four years for the St. Cloud State Huskies (SCSU), completing his college career with 62 goals and 51 assists for 113 points in 156 games.

He was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) scholar athlete in 2012, and was named to the all-WCHA Academic team twice.

Ben began his college career in 2009–10, scoring his first two goals on October 23, 2009 against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs en route to a 19-point season.

Following a sophomore season in which he scored 20 points, Ben was named one of three captains for the 2011–12 campaign. He led the team with 128 shots, 23 goals and 43 points.

Ben returned for his senior season in 2012–13 as co-captain with Drew LeBlanc and finished the year with 37 points in 31 games and a semifinal appearance in the 2013 national championship.

Professional Playing Career
Ben's NHL rights were traded late in his senior season as the Penguins dealt him to the Calgary Flames along with Kenny Agostino and a first round draft pick in exchange for Calgary captain Jarome Iginla.

Immediately following SCSU's elimination from the 2013 Frozen Four and the conclusion of his college season, he signed a two-year entry level contract with the Flames worth $810,000 per season.

Ben made his NHL debut on April 15, 2013 in Calgary against his hometown team, the Minnesota Wild, and scored his first goal in a 4–3 loss

As a free agent from the Flames and with little interest from fellow NHL organizations, Ben signed a one-year contract with German club, Augsburger Panther of the DEL on September 7, 2015.