Scottie Upshall

Scott Upshall (born October 7, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was selected in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators in the first round, sixth overall.

Playing career

Amateur

As a youth, Upshall played in the 1996 and 1997 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Fort McMurray.

Upshall played with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL in 1999-2000 as a sixteen-year-old. In 52 games, Upshall had 26 goals and 52 points, helping the Oil Barons to the Royal Bank Cup. In five games at the Royal Bank Cup, Upshall had two goals and six points, helping the Oil Barons to the championship.

Upshall joined the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL in 2000–01. Upshall had a memorable rookie season, scoring 42 goals and 87 points in 70 games, helping Kamloops to the playoffs. In four playoff games, Upshall had two assists. After the season, he was named to the WHL All-Rookie Team, the CHL All-Rookie Team, and won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year in the WHL, as well as the CHL Rookie of the Year.

Upshall had another very solid season with the Blazers in 2001–02, as he had 32 goals and 83 points in 61 games, followed by a goal and three points in four playoff games. Upshall also played for Canada at the 2002 World Juniors, where he had three goals and six points in seven games, helping the Canadians to the silver medal. After beginning the 2002–03 season with the Nashville Predators, Upshall was sent back to Kamloops on November 7, 2002. He then scored 25 goals and 56 points in 42 games with the Blazers. In six playoff games, Upshall had two assists. Upshall once again represented his country at the 2003 World Juniors. Serving as team captain, Upshall recorded four goals and five points en route to a second straight silver medal.

Professional

Nashville Predators

Upshall appeared in eight games with the Nashville Predators in 2002–03, where he scored a goal. He was then sent back his junior hockey team, the Kamloops Blazers. After his junior season was over, the Predators assigned Upshall to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, where in two games, he had a goal, followed by going pointless in six playoff games.

In 2003-04, Upshall had an injury plagued season, appearing in 31 games with the Admirals, scoring 13 goals and 24 points. Upshall also had a brief stint with the Predators in the NHL, where he had an assist in seven games. Back with Milwaukee for the playoffs, Upshall had three goals in eight games, as the Admirals won the 2004 Calder Cup. Upshall spent the entire 2004–05 with the Admirals, as Upshall had 19 goals and 46 points in 62 games, followed by two goals and four points in five playoff games.

Upshall spent a majority of the 2005–06 season with the Nashville Predators, as he scored eight goals and 24 points in 48 games with the team. Upshall also appeared in two playoff games with Nashville, getting no points. He also appeared in 23 games with Milwaukee in 2005–06, scoring 17 goals and 33 points. In 14 playoff games with the Admirals, Upshall had six goals and 16 points.

Upshall began the 2006–07 splitting time between Milwaukee and Nashville. In five games with the Admirals, Upshall had an assist, while in 14 games with the Predators, Upshall had two goals and three points. On February 15, 2007, the Predators traded Upshall, Ryan Parent, the Predators first and third round draft picks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft to the Philadelphia Flyers for Peter Forsberg.

Philadelphia Flyers

Upshall joined a rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers club to finish the 2006–07 season, and in 18 games with the team, he had six goals and 13 points. Upshall became a full-time NHL player in 2007–08, as he scored 14 goals and 30 points in 61 games with the Flyers. In 17 playoff games, Upshall had three goals and seven points, as the Flyers lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals. Upshall became a fan favorite in Philadelphia.

Upshall had a slow start to the 2008–09 season, as in 55 games with Philadelphia, he had seven goals and 21 points. On March 4, 2009, the Flyers traded Upshall and a second round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft to the Phoenix Coyotes for Daniel Carcillo.

Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus

Upshall scored a goal in his first game with the Phoenix Coyotes, and finished the 2008–09 season with eight goals and 13 points in 19 games with Phoenix. After the season, Upshall played for Canada at the 2009 World Hockey Championship, where he had an assist in eight games. In 49 games with the Coyotes in 2009–10, Upshall had 18 goals and 32 points. Due to injuries, Upshall wasn't able to play with the team in the playoffs. Upshall returned to Phoenix in 2010–11, where he had 16 goals and 27 points in 61 games. On February 28, 2011, the Coyotes traded Upshall and Sami Lepisto to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Rostislav Klesla and Dane Byers.

Florida Panthers

Upshall signed a four-year contract worth $14 million with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2011. During his first season with the Panthers in 2011–12, Upshall only skated in 26 games as he was plagued by both a hip injury and sports hernia surgery respectively.

Upshall on was only able to play in 27 games the following season, mainly due to an ankle injury.

St. Louis Blues

Upshall attended training camp with the St. Louis Blues on a professional tryout contract ahead of the 2015–16 season. Upshall earned a contract with the club, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract on October 5 worth $700,000.

On June 22, 2016, the Blues re-signed Upshall to a one-year, $900,010 contract. In the 2016–17 season, Upshall improved upon his offensive numbers with the Blues, providing 10 goals and 18 points in 73 regular season games.

The Blues chose not to re-sign Upshall, making him an unrestricted free agent. On September 8, 2017, the Vancouver Canucks signed Upshall to a professional tryout. Upshall was later released from his PTO with the Canucks after the Blues suffered a rash of injuries. On September 30, 2017, the Blues signed Upshall to a professional tryout. The following day, the Blues signed him to a one-year, $800,000 contract for the 2017–18 season. Returning to play alongside Kyle Brodziak, Upshall found a regular role on the checking lines of the Blues, registering 7 goals and 19 points in 63 games.

In the off-season, Upshall spent the summer as an unsigned free agent. He agreed to a professional tryout contract with his favorite childhood team, the Edmonton Oilers, on August 19, 2018. He was then dropped by Edmonton on September 24, 2018, failing to appear in a single preseason game.

After sitting out for the duration of the 2018-19 season while rehabbing a knee injury, Upshall was signed to a professional tryout contract by the Dallas Stars on August 26, 2019. The team released him from his tryout on September 22.

Switzerland

On October 30, it was reported that Upshall signed a two-month contract with HC Ambrì-Piotta of the National League (NL) in Switzerland; the contract was confirmed by the club on November 4.

Retirement

On February 24, 2020, Upshall announced his retirement from professional ice hockey.

Upshall, along with fellow former NHL players Shane O' Brien and Jimmy Hayes, hosts the "Missin' Curfew" podcast, where the trio share road stories from their careers and offer commentary on current league news and events. The show debuted in August 2020.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Upshall, Scottie
1983 births
Living people
Canadian ice hockey right wingers
Columbus Blue Jackets players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Florida Panthers players
Fort McMurray Oil Barons players
Ice hockey people from Alberta
Kamloops Blazers players
Milwaukee Admirals players
Nashville Predators draft picks
Nashville Predators players
NHL first-round draft picks
Sportspeople from Fort McMurray
Philadelphia Flyers players
Phoenix Coyotes players
St. Louis Blues players
21st-century Canadian sportsmen