Chris Tierney (ice hockey)
Canadian centre who played for five NHL teams and won OHL titles.
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Chris Tierney (born July 1, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for HC Ambrì-Piotta in Switzerland’s National League. He was drafted 55th overall in the second round of the 2012 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks, and has also suited up for the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils.
Junior
Tierney’s junior career began when the London Knights selected him 19th overall in the 2010 OHL priority selection draft. He put up 11 points in 47 games as a rookie, then the following season played on a line with Josh Anderson and Bo Horvat, notching 11 goals and 34 points in 65 games. The Knights won the OHL’s J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2012 and reached the Memorial Cup final, where they lost 2–1 to the Shawinigan Cataractes. London repeated as OHL champions in 2013, with Tierney posting 21 points in 21 playoff games; they fell in the Memorial Cup semifinals to the Portland Winterhawks.
In his final junior season, Tierney was named Knights captain. London hosted the Memorial Cup but finished last. He ended his Knights tenure with 191 points in 247 games.
Professional
Turning pro in 2014–15 after signing a three-year entry-level contract with San Jose, Tierney made the Sharks’ opening-night roster. He recorded his first NHL point (an assist) in his debut on October 8, 2014, and scored his first goal on February 5, 2015, in a 5–1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
He also spent time that season with San Jose’s AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks. The following year he played 79 regular-season games and appeared in 24 playoff contests as the Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. In 2016–17 he played 80 games, scoring 11 goals and 23 points.
After signing a one-year, $735,000 extension in July 2017, Tierney led all Sharks in penalty-killing ice time during the 2017–18 season, registering 17 goals and 40 points in 82 games and two points in ten playoff games. He signed a two-year extension in July 2018 but was traded to the Ottawa Senators on September 13, 2018, as part of the package for defenceman Erik Karlsson. Tierney made his Senators debut in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on October 4, 2018, assisting on Colin White’s power-play goal. He scored his first Ottawa goal two days later against Frederik Andersen in a 5–3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Lore & Background
Tierney began his major junior career with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), who selected him 19th overall in the 2010 priority selection draft. He played on a line with Josh Anderson and Bo Horvat during his second season, scoring 11 goals and 34 points in 65 games. The Knights won the OHL's J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2012 and again in 2013, with Tierney recording 21 points in 21 playoff games during the latter championship run. He was named captain in his final junior season and finished his Knights career with 191 points in 247 games.
Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2012, Tierney turned professional in 2014–15 and made the Sharks' opening night roster. He scored his first NHL goal on February 5, 2015, and played 79 games for the Sharks in 2015–16, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. After signing a one-year contract extension in 2017, he led all Sharks in penalty killing time on ice during the 2017–18 season. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators in September 2018 as part of the package for defenceman Erik Karlsson.
Tierney later signed with the Florida Panthers in 2022, was claimed off waivers by the Montreal Canadiens in February 2023, and joined the New Jersey Devils on a one-year, two-way contract in July 2023. He made his Devils debut on October 20, 2023, and finished the season with 12 points in 52 games. After a season with HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, he signed with HC Ambrì-Piotta in June 2025.
Reader's Guide
Chris Tierney's career illustrates the trajectory of a reliable two-way centre who contributed at both the NHL and junior levels. His time with the London Knights established him as a leader, captaining the team to a third consecutive Memorial Cup appearance. In the NHL, he was a key penalty killer for the Sharks and provided depth scoring for multiple franchises, including a 17-goal season in 2017–18. His trade to Ottawa as part of the Erik Karlsson deal placed him in a prominent role, where he finished sixth in team scoring during the pandemic-shortened season.
Tierney's later moves—through waivers to Montreal and a one-year stint with New Jersey—demonstrate his adaptability as a veteran forward. His shift to the KHL and then to Switzerland's National League reflects a continued professional career abroad. While not a star, Tierney's consistency and ability to fill various lineup roles made him a useful player across five NHL organizations.
Career statistics and honours
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2010–11 | London Knights | OHL | 47 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | London Knights | OHL | 65 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 20 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| 2012–13 | London Knights | OHL | 68 | 18 | 39 | 57 | 12 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 6 |
| 2013–14 | London Knights | OHL | 67 | 40 | 49 | 89 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 29 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 43 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 79 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
| 2016–17 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 80 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 82 | 17 | 23 | 40 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018–19 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 81 | 9 | 39 | 48 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 71 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 55 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 70 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 20 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 23 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 52 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 60 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| NHL totals | 649 | 80 | 168 | 248 | 135 | 40 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 8 | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Chris Tierney (ice hockey) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Chris Tierney (ice hockey) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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