Blake Wheeler
| Blake Wheeler | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Wheeler in October 2014.
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| Born |
August 31, 1986 Plymouth, Minnesota |
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| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
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NHL team Former teams |
Winnipeg Jets Boston Bruins Atlanta Thrashers EHC München |
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| National team |
 United States
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| NHL Draft | 5th overall, 2004 Phoenix Coyotes |
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| Playing career | 2008–present | ||
Blake James Wheeler (born August 31, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, fifth overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Wheeler was born in Plymouth, Minnesota, but grew up in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. After failing to come to terms on a contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, he signed with the Boston Bruins as a Free Agent. Wheeler was a part of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, even though he was traded at the trade deadline of that season.
Wheeler attended Breck School his freshman year through his junior year. There, during his junior year, Wheeler had his breakout season, putting up a state-high 45 goals and 55 assists in 2003–04. He led his team to a Class A State Hockey Championship that season, and scored a hat trick in the final game.
Wheeler opted to forgo his senior year to play in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Green Bay Gamblers. After playing one season with the Gamblers, Wheeler attended the University of Minnesota. In 2005–06, his freshman year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, he recorded 23 points in 39 games, playing alongside future Boston Bruins teammate Phil Kessel. Wheeler is praised for his deceptive speed with his large body frame, and his ability to stick handle at such high speeds.
In the 2007 WCHA Final Five tournament, Wheeler recorded a hat trick in a 4–2 win in the semifinal game against the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In the championship game, Wheeler scored the game-winning goal in a 3–2 overtime win against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The play was featured on ESPN's SportsCenter and quickly gained notoriety for its similarity to the game-winning goal in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, scored by Minnesota's Neal Broten, also against North Dakota. Wheeler was named the tournament MVP.
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