Tyler Motte
Forward drafted by Chicago, played for seven NHL teams.
Tyler Motte, an American professional ice hockey forward, was born on March 10, 1995. He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 NHL entry draft with the 121st overall pick, and after 33 games with the club in 2017, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. His NHL career has also included stints with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Detroit Red Wings. Most recently, he played on a professional try-out for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.
Motte’s youth hockey included a stint with the Detroit Honeybaked U16 team during the 2010–11 season, where he put up 22 goals and 14 assists in 33 games. That team won USA Hockey’s Tier 1 national championship, and Motte contributed three goals and three assists in six tournament games, including two third-period goals in a 3–2 comeback win over Shattuck St. Mary’s. He later trained with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, playing for the U-17 team in 2011–12 (25 goals, 16 assists in 53 games) and the U-18 team in 2012–13 (26 goals, 19 assists in 67 games).
At the University of Michigan, Motte played three seasons for the Wolverines. As a freshman in 2013–14, he scored nine goals and nine assists in 34 games, earning Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors twice. In his sophomore year, he recorded nine goals and 22 assists in 35 games, leading all Michigan forwards with 43 blocked shots. His junior season in 2015–16 was a standout: he notched 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games, ranking third nationally in scoring. He posted a career-high five points twice, including his first hat-trick, and was named a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He also earned AHCA First Team All-American honors and was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team. During the 2016 NCAA tournament, he scored the overtime game-winner in the regional semifinals against Notre Dame.
Turning professional, Motte signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 6, 2016. He finished that season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, collecting two goals and five points in five regular-season games and two goals in three playoff games. He opened the 2016–17 season with the Blackhawks and scored his first NHL goal on October 21, 2016, in a 3–2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1995-03-10
- Birth Place
- St. Clair, Michigan, U.S.
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 192
- Position
- Forward
- Shoots
- Left
- Team
- Free agent
- Former Teams
- Chicago Blackhawks / Columbus Blue Jackets / Vancouver Canucks / New York Rangers / Ottawa Senators / Tampa Bay Lightning / Detroit Red Wings
- Ntl Team
- USA
- Draft
- 121st overall
- Draft Year
- 2013
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Motte played youth hockey for the Detroit Honeybaked U16 team, winning a USA Hockey Tier 1 national championship in 2010–11. He trained with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program before playing college hockey at Michigan. In his junior season (2015–16), Motte recorded 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games, ranking third in the nation in scoring. He was named a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and earned AHCA First Team All-American honors. Motte signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 6, 2016. He scored his first NHL goal on October 21, 2016, but was demoted to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs in January 2017. On June 23, 2017, Motte was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a blockbuster deal involving Artemi Panarin and Brandon Saad. He spent most of the 2017–18 season shuttling between Columbus and their AHL affiliate. Motte was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on February 26, 2018. He set career highs in goals (9), assists (7), and points (16) in 2018–19. During the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, Motte scored two goals in Game 5 and two more in Game 6 of Vancouver's first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. He was later traded to the New York Rangers in March 2022, then signed with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent in September 2022. He was traded back to the Rangers in February 2023.
Reader's Guide
Tyler Motte's NHL career is defined by frequent trades and a role as a depth forward. Drafted by Chicago in 2013, he played 33 games for the Blackhawks before being included in a major trade to Columbus in 2017. Motte never established a long-term home, playing for seven NHL organizations. His most productive season came with Vancouver in 2018–19, where he posted 16 points. He gained attention during the 2020 playoffs by scoring two goals in consecutive games against the St. Louis Blues. Motte's career illustrates the path of a mid-round draft pick who carved out a journeyman role in the NHL, moving between teams and leagues. He most recently played on a professional try-out for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL.
Did You Know?
- Motte scored his first career NHL goal on October 21, 2016, against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- He was part of a blockbuster trade in 2017 that sent Artemi Panarin to Columbus and Brandon Saad to Chicago.
- Motte scored two goals in 11 seconds during a game against the New York Rangers on March 13, 2019.
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