Jordan Szwarz

Lore & Background

Szwarz played junior hockey with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League, where he was selected in the second round (25th overall) of the 2007 OHL Priority Draft. Over four seasons with the Spirit, he became the team's third all-time leading scorer with 204 career points and served as captain in his final season. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player and received the Heart and Soul Award. After being drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes, he made his professional debut with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL in 2010 and signed an entry-level contract with the Coyotes in 2011. He spent most of his early professional career with the Portland Pirates, where he was named team captain, and made his NHL debut on October 29, 2013, scoring his first NHL goal two nights later. After stints with the Coyotes and their affiliates, he joined the Boston Bruins organization in 2016, signing an AHL contract with Providence before earning a two-way NHL deal. He played 12 games for Boston over two seasons and was named captain of the AHL Bruins. In 2019, he signed with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent and was assigned to Belleville, where he was named team captain. After the 2019–20 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved to Russia's KHL with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, then signed with Adler Mannheim of the German DEL in 2021. He later moved to Schwenninger Wild Wings.

Reader's Guide

Jordan Szwarz's career illustrates the path of a mid-round draft pick who carved out a professional career across multiple leagues and countries. His NHL tenure included 47 games across three organizations—Phoenix/Arizona, Boston, and Ottawa—where he recorded three goals and six assists. His most consistent success came in the AHL, where he served as captain for both Portland and Providence, and set career highs of 22 goals and 54 points with Providence in 2016–17. His move to Europe after the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season marked a new chapter, as he played in the KHL and then the DEL, signing a contract extension with Mannheim through 2025 before joining Schwenninger. His career demonstrates the value of depth players who adapt to different roles and leagues, and his captaincies in both junior and professional hockey reflect his leadership within teams.

Did You Know?

• Szwarz was named captain of the Saginaw Spirit in his final OHL season as voted by the players.
• He scored his first NHL goal on October 31, 2013, against Carter Hutton of the Nashville Predators.
• He was named captain of the AHL's Providence Bruins for the 2018–19 season.
• He represented Providence at the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic as a replacement for the injured Ryan Fitzgerald.