Philip Gogulla

Playing career

Gogulla began his professional career at age 15 in 2002 with the Krefeld Pinguine, but his DEL debut came two years later with the Kölner Haie. He became a regular for that team and also played for the German national team on several occasions. In the 2005 NHL entry draft, the Buffalo Sabres selected him in the second round, 48th overall. On 1 June 2007, he signed an entry-level contract with the Sabres to prevent him from re-entering the draft. NHL rules required prospects to be signed before 5:00pm EDT on 1 June or the team's rights would expire. Gogulla was signed by that deadline, but the contract needed NHL approval; a delay in approval meant the deal could not be announced, leading to an assumption that management had failed to sign him in time. On 2 June 2007, the contract was approved and announced as a three-year entry-level deal. During the first two seasons of that contract, Gogulla remained in Köln on loan from the Sabres. On 22 March 2008, he scored 8:16 into the sixth overtime period to end the longest German hockey game ever and the second longest worldwide, a 5–4 victory over the Mannheim Eagles. In the 2009–10 season, after attending the Sabres' 2009 prospects camp at Dwyer Arena from 6–10 July 2009, he stayed in North America. Following his third NHL training camp, he was reassigned to the AHL affiliate Portland Pirates, where he spent the entire season, contributing 15 goals and 35 points in 76 games. After the Pirates' post-season, the Sabres recalled him to their taxi squad for the playoffs. Although he did not make his NHL debut, he was named to the German extended squad for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. On 8 June 2010, as a restricted free agent from the Sabres, he opted to return to the Kölner Haie and the DEL, signing a three-year deal starting in the 2010–11 season.