Derrick Pouliot
Canadian defenceman drafted eighth overall by the Penguins in 2012.
Derrick Pouliot is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League while under contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He has previously suited up in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars. The Penguins selected him eighth overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft.
Pouliot began his midget career with a brief five-game stint for the Moose Jaw Warriors Midget AAA team in 2008–09, while still eligible for bantam hockey. Regarded as a top prospect, he was chosen first overall in the 2009 WHL bantam draft by the Portland Winterhawks, who placed him on their protected list. He returned to Moose Jaw for the full 2009–10 season, averaging a point per game with 14 goals and 29 assists, finishing as the team’s top-scoring defenceman and fourth in overall scoring. That season, he also played seven games for the Winterhawks—first in January and again after Moose Jaw’s season ended—recording one assist while competing against players three to four years older.
Pouliot joined the Winterhawks full-time for the 2010–11 season. On a talented roster featuring Ryan Johansen, Nino Niederreiter, Sven Bärtschi, and Joe Morrow, he posted 30 points in 66 games. He played for Canada-West at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, notching three assists in five games as the team lost the fifth-place game. Portland finished the regular season with 103 points, edging Spokane for the top spot in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Pouliot scored a goal in a 7–2 Game 2 win over Everett in the opening round, then added assists in the first two games of the conference finals against Kootenay, including a helper on Ty Rattie’s overtime power-play winner in Game 1. Portland lost the series 4–1, and Pouliot’s four points in 21 playoff games were seen as a drop-off from his regular-season production. That summer, he helped Canada win gold at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
In his draft year of 2011–12, Pouliot recorded four assists in his second game of the season. Though his scoring pace slowed later, he improved significantly overall, finishing with 59 points in all 72 games—nearly double his previous total.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1994-01-16
- Birth Place
- Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 0
- Weight Lb
- 208
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Prospect League
- AHL
- Prospect Team
- Rockford IceHogs
- Former Teams
- Pittsburgh Penguins / Vancouver Canucks / St. Louis Blues / Vegas Golden Knights / Seattle Kraken / San Jose Sharks / Dallas Stars
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pouliot played midget hockey for the Moose Jaw Warriors Midget AAA in 2008–09, then was selected first overall in the 2009 WHL bantam draft by the Portland Winterhawks. He joined the Winterhawks full-time in 2010–11, finishing with 30 points in 66 games. In his draft year of 2011–12, he nearly doubled his output to 59 points in 72 games, helping Portland reach the WHL finals. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected him eighth overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft.
Returning to Portland for the 2012–13 season, Pouliot became the team's star offensive defenceman, posting 45 points in 44 games. He led all defencemen in playoff scoring with 20 points in 21 games and led all defencemen in scoring at the Memorial Cup. In 2013–14, he won the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as WHL's top defenceman and was named Canadian Hockey League Defenceman of the Year. He made his NHL debut with the Penguins on December 20, 2014, scoring his first NHL goal on his first shot against Roberto Luongo.
Reader's Guide
Derrick Pouliot's career is defined by his early promise as a high draft pick and his journey through multiple NHL organizations. Selected eighth overall by the Penguins in 2012, he was expected to become a top offensive defenceman after dominating the WHL with Portland, where he won the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenceman and was named CHL Defenceman of the Year. His NHL debut was notable: he scored his first goal on his first shot against Roberto Luongo. However, he never established a permanent role in Pittsburgh, eventually moving to the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars. As of his most recent assignment, he plays for the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL while under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks. His career illustrates the gap between junior hockey stardom and consistent NHL performance, as he became a journeyman defenceman despite his draft pedigree. His WHL achievements—including leading all defencemen in playoff scoring and winning the Bill Hunter Trophy—remain the high points of his professional story.
More in Dallas Stars Players 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced