David Ling

Lore & Background

Ling played junior hockey with the Charlottetown Abbies of the MRJHL, scoring 33 goals and 75 points in 30 games at age 17. He was drafted by the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and made his OHL debut in 1992–93, recording 17 goals and 63 points in 64 games. His breakout came in 1994–95 when he led the OHL with 61 goals and finished second in league scoring with 135 points, earning the Red Tilson Trophy, Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy, and CHL Player of the Year honors. His number 17 was later retired by the Frontenacs.

After being drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1993, Ling's NHL rights were transferred to the Colorado Avalanche when the Nordiques relocated. He was traded to the Calgary Flames before ever playing for Colorado. Ling made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens in 1996–97, appearing in two games without a point. He later played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars organizations before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent in 2001.

With the Blue Jackets, Ling spent most of his time with their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, but appeared in 90 NHL games over three seasons (2001–02 to 2003–04), recording eight points and 105 penalty minutes. He played his final NHL game in 2003–04. Ling continued his career in the AHL, Russia, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, England, and the ECHL, playing until 2018 at age 43. He never formally retired but played senior hockey afterward.

Reader's Guide

David Ling's significance lies in his remarkable longevity and his ability to produce offensively across multiple leagues over a 23-year professional career. Though his NHL impact was modest—eight points in 93 games, all with Columbus—he was a dominant scorer at lower levels. He led the OHL in goals and won the CHL Player of the Year award in 1994–95, and later finished third in AHL scoring in 2004–05 with 88 points. Ling also led Spartak Moscow in scoring in 2005–06 and topped the Italian league in scoring in 2011–12. He won a triple (league, cup, playoff) with the Nottingham Panthers in 2012–13, earning league MVP and top scorer honors. His career is a testament to persistence and adaptability, spanning the NHL, AHL, IHL, ECHL, and several European leagues. Ling was the second oldest active professional player behind Jaromir Jagr in his final seasons. His legacy includes being one of the few players to have his OHL number retired by the Kingston Frontenacs.

Did You Know?

• Ling was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 7th round (179th overall) of the 1993 NHL entry draft.
• He won the Red Tilson Trophy as OHL Most Outstanding Player in 1994–95 after scoring 61 goals and 135 points.
• Ling played his final NHL games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, recording 8 points in 90 games over three seasons.
• He was the second oldest active professional player behind Jaromir Jagr during his final ECHL seasons.