Christopher William Tancill (born February 7, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey

right winger In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

who played in 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).

Early life

Tancill was born in

Livonia, Michigan Livonia ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Livonia is located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 95,535. Originally organized as ...

. As a youth, he played in the 1981

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...

with a

minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...

team from

Southfield, Michigan Southfield is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Southfield borders Detroit to the north, roughly northwest of downtown Downtown Detroit, Detroit. As of the 2020 Uni ...

Career

Tancill was drafted by the

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1 ...

in the 1989 NHL Supplemental Draft. After playing four seasons at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...

, Tancill made his professional debut with 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 ...

Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were two separate minor professional ice hockey franchises, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The original Indians were founding members of the American Hockey Leagu ...

in the 1990–91 season and was one of the stars leading the team to the

Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...

championship in that year. He also made his NHL debut with the Whalers that same season, appearing in nine games, scoring one goal and adding one assist. Tancill was traded to the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

during the 1991–92 season in exchange for

Daniel Shank Daniel Shank (born May 12, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League. After playing four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Shank made his professional debut with the Adiron ...

. For the 1993–94 season, he joined the

Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...

. After one season with the Stars, he spent three with the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...

organization. Tancill played in two more NHL games with the Dallas Stars during the 1997–98 season. He then went to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and spent six seasons in Nationalliga A. He retired following the 2003–04 season. In his NHL career, Tancill appeared in 134 games. He scored 17 goals and added 32 assists. He also appeared in 11

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...

playoff games, scoring one goal and adding one assist.

Awards and honors

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* 1968 births Adirondack Red Wings players American men's ice hockey right wingers Dallas Stars players Detroit Red Wings players EV Zug players Hartford Whalers draft picks Hartford Whalers players Ice hockey players from Michigan Ice hockey people from Livonia, Michigan Kalamazoo Wings (1974–2000) players Kansas City Blades players Kentucky Thoroughblades players EHC Kloten players Living people NHL supplemental draft picks San Jose Sharks players SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers players Springfield Indians players Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey players NCAA men's ice hockey national champions 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-icehockey-winger-stub