Casey Cizikas
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Casey Cizikas (born February 27, 1991) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
centre for the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). He spent four seasons with the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he had two 20-goal seasons. Cizikas was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round, 92nd overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He began playing for their minor league affiliate, the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL)'s
Bridgeport Sound Tigers The Bridgeport Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who own the franchise. The team started in 200 ...
, two years after the draft, during the 2011–12 season; he was recalled to the Islanders' NHL roster mid-season.


Playing career

The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors selected Cizikas with their first selection, third overall, in the 2007 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection draft. He made his OHL debut in the 2007–08 season, finishing tenth in rookie scoring with 41 points in 62 games. At the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Cizikas was selected by the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
with their fourth round pick, 92nd overall. He returned to the Majors for the 2009–10 season, where he tied for the team lead in scoring with 62 points and led with a plus-minus rating of +32. Cizikas served as their
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in the 2010–11 season, where he recorded 64 points. He added 19 more in the OHL playoffs that year, leading the Majors to the championship series, which they ultimately lost to the Owen Sound Attack in seven games. Cizikas spent the majority of the 2011–12 season in the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) with the Islanders' minor league affiliate, the
Bridgeport Sound Tigers The Bridgeport Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who own the franchise. The team started in 200 ...
. He scored his first two goals with the team on October 18, 2011, against the Providence Bruins, and was second in team scoring with 45 points by the end of the season. He was recalled by the Islanders during the season, and made his NHL debut on February 24, 2012, against the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
. He appeared in 15 games with the Islanders that season and recorded four assists. His first two NHL points came on March 1, 2012, against the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. After returning to the Sound Tigers, an upper body injury prevented him from playing in the team's last five games of the regular season, but he returned in time for the playoffs. As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Cizikas began the season with the Sound Tigers. He had 21 points in 31 games with Bridgeport before the labour dispute was settled and he was recalled to the Islanders. He then scored his first career NHL goal on January 29, 2013, against goaltender Marc-André Fleury of the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
. Cizikas finished the season with six goals and 15 points in 45 regular season games, then added four points in six Stanley Cup playoff games. During the 2015–16 campaign, Cizikas' line, consisting of him, Matt Martin, and Cal Clutterbuck was considered to be the best 4th line in the NHL by hockey analysts. Cizikas is commonly considered to be one of the best fourth line players in the NHL. On June 2, 2016, Cizikas signed a new five-year contract with the Islanders. On April 5, 2018, Cizikas was presented with the Islanders' Bob Nystrom Award for 2017–18. On May 24, 2019, Cizikas received his second Bob Nystrom Award. On September 1, 2021, Cizikas was re-signed to a six-year, $15 million contract by the Islanders. On April 21, 2023, he scored the first playoff goal at UBS Arena.


International play

Cizikas made two appearances with the Canadian national junior team program during the 2008–09 season. He was first a member of the Team Ontario squad that won the gold medal in the 2008 World U17 Hockey Challenge during the season, then won gold with the under-18 national team at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament following his OHL season. During the 2011–12 season, Cizikas was a surprise pick for the national junior team at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He recorded two goals and one assist to help Canada win a silver medal.


Playing style

Cizikas, in his first full season with the Islanders, was described as a player with a lot of energy and intensity whose offensive skills have improved over time. His forecheck has been called relentless and he became known for being willing to create energy by throwing his body around the ice.


Personal life

During a
rugby football Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union or rugby league. Rugby football started at Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, where the rules were first codified in 1845. Forms of football in which the ball ...
game in 2007, Cizikas tackled Manny Castillo in what was described by Cizikas as a "headlock." Castillo died of a head injury two days later; it was noted by physicians that two weeks prior to the battle with Cizikas, Castillo suffered a major
concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...
. One doctor testified that Castillo's concussion was severe enough that it should have kept him out of competition with physical contact for a full year. The Castillo family supported Cizikas throughout his ordeal and believed the death to have been accidental, asking that Cizikas be spared punishment. Their request could not be met, however, because Peel Regional Police supported Cizikas' conviction, as the tackle led to a death. Castillo's father provided a statement that called for fighting in youth hockey to be abolished, but again did not blame Cizikas for his son's death. In 2009, Cizikas was found guilty of
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
by Judge Bruce Duncan, who believed Cizikas used "unnecessary force." He was given a sentence of one year probation and 100 hours of
community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community contributing to a noble cause. In many cases, people doing community service are compensated in other ways, such as gettin ...
.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


References


External links

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Casey Cizikas statistics
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Yahoo! Sports
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cizikas, Casey 1991 births Living people Bridgeport Sound Tigers players Canadian ice hockey centres Canadian people of English descent Canadian people of Lithuanian descent Ice hockey people from Toronto Mississauga St. Michael's Majors players New York Islanders draft picks New York Islanders players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States 21st-century Canadian sportsmen