Kyle Quincey

Kyle Quincey (born on August 12, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a member of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He has also played for the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche.

Early Playing Career
Kyle grew up in the Caledon, Ontario area playing most of his minor hockey for the Halton Hurricanes AAA program of the OMHA.

He was drafted in the third round (47th overall) of the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the London Knights.

Kyle was drafted 132nd overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft after finishing his first Major junior hockey season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League in 2002–03.

At the beginning of the 2003–04 season in early October, he was traded from the London Knights to the Mississauga IceDogs in a blockbuster deal for star Rob Schremp.

He helped the IceDogs to the OHL final in 2004 before the IceDogs were swept in four games by the Guelph Storm.

Developing as an offensively able defensive defenceman, he was named in the OHL second All-Star Team in the 2004–05 season after finishing with 46 points in 59 games.

Selected as the Eastern Conferences Best Defensive Defenceman, Kyle also placed third in voting for the OHL's top defenceman award the Max Kaminsky Trophy.

NHL Career
On July 28, 2005, Kyle was signed by the Detroit Red Wings to a three-year entry level contract.

He was assigned to the Wings' American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, to begin his first professional season in 2005–06.

Kyle finished the season fifth among rookie defenceman in the AHL with seven goals and 33 points in 70 games while also making his NHL debut with Detroit against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on November 25, 2005.

He was again assigned to the Griffins the following season. As a late call-up, Kyle scored his first NHL goal in the last game of the Red Wings' 2006–07 regular season in a 7–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on April 7, 2007.

He scored in the second period against Patrick Lalime which turned out to be the final Red Wing goal of the regular season.

After injuries to defencemen Niklas Kronwall and Mathieu Schneider, Kyle was thrust into play just as the playoffs had begun.

He first played in game six, an overtime victory for Detroit against the Calgary Flames that enabled the Wings to move on to the second round against the San Jose Sharks.

The Red Wings eventually lost to the Anaheim Ducks in six games in the Conference final.

Slated to make the Detroit roster after an impressive 13-game playoff performance, Kyle suffered a setback after suffering a broken hand in training camp resulting in missing the entire 2007–08 pre-season.

He later returned and played the majority of the year with Grand Rapids scoring 20 points in 66 games.

Kyle was used as an call-up from the Griffins in February to play six games for Detroit in the regular season.

During the 2008 playoffs, he was on the practice roster for the whole playoffs as the Red Wings captured the Stanley Cup.

Although the Red Wings included him on the Stanley Cup winning picture, he was not awarded a Stanley Cup ring and did not qualify to be inscribed on the Stanley Cup.

Going into the 2008–09 season, Kyle was re-signed to a two-year contract with the Red Wings on September 9, 2008.

Unable to crack the talent-laden Red Wings and due to salary cap compliance issues, Kyle was placed and claimed off waivers on October 13, 2008 by the Los Angeles Kings.

Posting an assist in his Kings debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 17, 2008, he quickly became an important part of a young Kings defensive corps, especially early in the season due to the injury of Jack Johnson, playing on the power play and penalty killing units.

Kyle finished his breakthrough season leading the Kings defence in scoring with 34 assists and 38 points in 72 games before suffering from a herniated disc on April 1, 2009.

On July 3, 2009, he was traded (along with defenceman Tom Preissing and a fifth-round pick) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for left winger Ryan Smyth.

In the 2009–10 season, Kyle made his Avalanche debut on opening night in a 5–2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on October 1, 2009.

He joined Todd Gill to become just the second player to play on the Avalanche after previously appearing for the rival Detroit Red Wings.

Kyle quickly established himself within the re-building Avalanche defence to lead the team in average ice time and record a career high of six goals for 29 points in 79 games.

On July 2, 2010, he was signed by the Avalanche to a two-year contract. In July and August 2011, Kyle captained Canada in an three-game exhibition series against USA in New Zealand.

On February 21, 2012 (in the last year of his contract with the Avalanche), Kyle was traded by Colorado to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Steve Downie. Moments later, Tampa Bay traded him to the Detroit Red Wings for a 2012 first-round pick and minor league player Sebastien Piche.

Marking his progression in returning to his original draft team in which his initially left on a waiver, Kyle appeared in all 18 games and the Red Wings first round defeat to the Predators to end the 2011–12 season.

As a restricted free agent on July 18, 2012, Quincey re-signed with the Red Wings on a two-year contract

With the NHL lockout cancelling the start of the 2012–13 season, Kyle (who still resided in Denver, Colorado from his tenure with the Avalanche) signed with the inaugural Denver Cutthroats of the Central Hockey League under the influence of former Kings team-mate and now Cutthroats head coach Derek Armstrong on October 12, 2012.

With the intention to give back to the community, he posted 11 points in 12 games with the Cutthroats before ending his tenure with the team on November 19, 2012. When the lockout ended in January of 2013, he returned to Detroit.

Awards & Achievements

 * 2003–04: OHL All-Star Game (Eastern Conference)
 * 2004–05: Team OHL (ADT Canada-Russia Challenge)
 * 2004–05: OHL All-Star Game (Eastern Conference representative)
 * 2004–05: OHL hardest-shot competition; co-winner with Mark Methot (95 mph)
 * 2004–05: OHL coaches poll (best defensive defenceman, Eastern Conference)
 * 2004–05: OHL second-team all-star

Personal Life
Kyle hails from Orangeville, Ontario and cites former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bill Berg as one of his childhood idols.

According to Kyle:

"When I was young, my dad took me to see a Kings game in Toronto. I was watching Wayne Gretzky, but my dad said to me, ‘watch the way Bill Berg plays. Look at him working in the corners, not being afraid to get his nose dirty, and doing all of the little things.’ Berg became one of my favorite players to watch after that because of the effort he put and how he never took a night off. I feel like I have taken a similar approach to working hard and being confident to do whatever is asked of me."

He celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup from the Detroit Red Wings in Caledon, Ontario with family and friends.

Kyle also took the Cup to Alder Street Recreation Centre for Autographs and pictures.