#28
#28 Ian Cole
- Position Defenseman
- Height 6’1”
- Weight 237
- Shoots Left
- Born February 21, 1989 (36)
- Birthplace Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Acquired Signed as a free agent, July 1, 2024
- Drafted 2007, St. Louis’ 1st choice (1st round, 18th overall)
CAREER STATISTICS
Career Highs
Highs
- Most Goals, Game 1 – 35 times (last: 11/2/24 at VGK)
- Most Assists, Game 2 – 14 times (last: 10/28/24 vs. SJS)
- Most Points, Game 2 – 24 times (last: 10/28/24 vs. SJS)
- Most PIM, Game 22 – 2/7/19 at WSH
- Most Shots, Game 5 – 7 times (last: 3/23/23 at OTT)
- Longest Goal Streak None
- Longest Assist Streak 5 games – 3/29/15-4/7/15
- Longest Point Streak 5 games – 3/29/15-4/7/15
- Hat Tricks None
- Multi-Point Games 24 (last: 10/28/24 vs. SJS)
First
- First NHL Game 11/6/10 at BOS (2-1 SOW)
- First NHL Goal 3/9/11 at CBJ (Garon)
- First NHL Assist 3/9/11 at CBJ (Stewart)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2024-25
- Played the first 82-game season of his 15-year NHL career, tallying 17 points (1g, 16a)
- Led the NHL with a career-high 211 blocked shots and ranked third on the team in hits (106) and fourth in ice time per game (20:17)
- Also ranked second on the team in shorthanded ice time per game (2:53) and tallied a shorthanded assist vs. TBL (3/22) for the second shorthanded point of his NHL career
- Posted a season-long, three-game point streak from 10/28-11/2 (1g, 2a), with his first Utah goal at VGK (11/2) and his first Utah multi-point game (2a) vs. SJS (10/28)
- Tallied his 200th career NHL point with an assist vs. WSH (11/18), becoming the sixth blueliner selected in the 2007 NHL Draft to reach the milestone
- Skated in his 900th career NHL game at CHI (3/30), becoming the 14th Michigan native to accomplish the feat
2023-24
- Led the Canucks in blocked shots (166) and shorthanded ice time per game (2:39), averaging at least 2:30 for the third straight season
- Skated in all 13 playoff games for Vancouver, tallying two assists
- Appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, one of only six NHL skaters and two defensemen (Mattias Ekholm) to accomplish the feat over that span
2022-23
- Registered 17 points (3g, 14a) and a career-high 33 takeaways in 78 games during his lone season with Tampa Bay
- Finished third among Lightning defensemen in ice time per game (19:23) and second in shorthanded ice time per game (2:53)
- Tied for the most goals (1) and points (3) of any Tampa Bay blueliner over the team’s six postseason contests
2021-22
- Earned 19 points (2g, 17a) in 75 games with Carolina, his most games played in any season since 2016-17
- Ranked second on the team in blocked shots (104) and third in shorthanded ice time per game (2:30), contributing to the NHL’s top penalty kill (88.0%)
- Recorded a shorthanded assist at WSH (3/28), marking his first career shorthanded point
- Tallied two points (1g, 1a) in 14 postseason contests for the Hurricanes, netting the first overtime goal of his NHL career in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round vs. NYR (5/18)
2020-21
- Split the season between Colorado and Minnesota, totaling eight points (1g, 7a) in 54 contests
- Ranked third in blocked shots (92) among Wild defensemen
- Appeared in all seven Stanley Cup Playoff games for Minnesota
2019-20
- Set a new career high in assists (22) and matched his career high in points (26) during his second season with the Avalanche
- Ranked second on the team in blocked shots (122) and finished third in assists and tied for third in points among defensemen
- Trailed only Cale Makar (31) for the most even-strength points (26) of any Colorado blueliner
- Earned two assists in 15 postseason contests in the bubble
2018-19
- Finished fifth in the NHL in blocked shots (178), third in shorthanded ice time per game (3:17) and fourth in penalty minutes (115) during his first campaign with Colorado, leading the Avalanche in all three categories
- Averaged more than 3:00 of shorthanded ice time for the first time despite also setting career highs in penalty minutes and fights (4)
- Added five assists in 12 playoff games for Colorado, with his second career postseason multi-point outing (2a) in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round vs. CGY (4/15)
2017-18
- Split the season between Pittsburgh and Columbus, totaling 20 points (5g, 15a) in 67 contests
- Matched his career high in goals for the second straight season
- Added three assists in six playoff games with Columbus, ranking tied for second in that category among Blue Jackets defensemen
2016-17
- Set a career high with 26 points (5g, 21a) over 81 games with the Penguins
- Ranked third in the NHL with a team-high 194 blocked shots and led Pittsburgh blueliners with a career-high 164 hits
- Posted a four-game assist/point streak from 11/30-12/5 (1g, 6a), with two points in three straight wins from 12/1-12/5 (1g, 5a)
- Scored the first game-winning goal of his NHL career at VAN (3/11)
- Skated in all 25 playoff games for Pittsburgh, tallying nine assists to help lead the Penguins to a second consecutive Stanley Cup
- Trailed only Erik Karlsson (13) for the most even-strength assists of any NHL defenseman during the postseason
2015-16
- Registered 12 assists in 70 contests during his first full season with Pittsburgh, tying future Mammoth teammate Olli Määttä for the third-most even-strength helpers of any Penguins defenseman
- Tied for the team lead in blocked shots (122)
- Skated in all 24 playoff games for Pittsburgh, recording three points (1g, 2a) to help the Penguins win their second Stanley Cup
- Opened the scoring in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at SJS (6/6) with his first career playoff goal
2014-15
- Split the season between St. Louis and Pittsburgh, totaling 17 points (5g, 12a) in 74 contests
- Established new single-season career highs in goals and tallied double-digit assists for the first time
- Posted a career-long, five-game assist streak with the Penguins from 3/29-4/5 (6a)
- Added two assists in five playoff games, with his first postseason point in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round at NYR (4/18)
2013-14
- Played his first full NHL season with St. Louis, registering 11 points (3g, 8a) in 46 games
- Finished seventh on the team in plus/minus (+15) and blocked 5.88 shots per 60 minutes of ice time, the second-highest rate of any Blues defenseman
- Factored on both of St. Louis’ goals (1g, 1a) in a 2-1 win at NSH (3/6)
2012-13
- Skated in 34 AHL games with Peoria during the NHL lockout, earning 14 points (3g, 11a)
- Registered one assist in 15 games with St. Louis during the shortened NHL campaign
2011-12
- Averaged 15:55 of ice time over 26 games with the Blues
- Posted his lone multi-point outing (1g, 1a) at ANA (12/8)
- Skated in two postseason contests, with his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. LAK (4/30)
2010-11
- Recorded four points (1g, 3a) in 26 NHL games with St. Louis during his first full professional season
- Made his NHL debut at BOS (11/6) and earned his first NHL points (1g, 1a) at CBJ (3/9)
- Assessed his first NHL fighting major at SJS (1/15), dropping the gloves with Benn Ferriero
2009-10
- Registered 19 points (3g, 16a) in 30 games during his third and final season at Notre Dame
- Posted a collegiate career-long, six-game point streak from 1/2-1/16 (2g, 4a)
- Signed with St. Louis after Notre Dame’s season ended and skated in nine AHL games with Peoria, earning five points (1g, 4a)
- Tallied his first two professional points (1g, 1a) in his second AHL game vs. Houston (3/27)
2008-09
- Named First-Team All-CCHA and First-Team West All-American as a sophomore with the Irish
- Set collegiate highs in assists (20) and points (26), with a career-high four points (2g, 2a) vs. Northern Michigan (2/13)
- Tallied four assists in five games to help Notre Dame win the CCHA title and was named to the conference’s All-Tournament Team
2007-08
- Posted 20 points (8g, 12a) in 43 games as a freshman at Notre Dame, finishing tied for first in goals and sixth in points among all first-year defensemen in DIvision I
- Scored his first collegiate goal vs. Alabama-Huntsville (11/23), on future Minnesota Wild teammate Cam Talbot
- Earned seven points (4g, 3a) in nine postseason games, including two assists in two Frozen Four contests (4/10-4/12), as Notre Dame fell to Boston College in its first national title game appearance
- Selected as the CCHA Rookie of the Month for both March and April
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Won silver at the 2007 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, pacing all tournament defensemen with five points (4g, 1a) in seven contests
- Represented the United States at two IIHF World Junior Championships (2008-09), recording four points (2g, 2a) in six games in 2009
TRANSACTIONS
- Jun 22, 2007 – Selected by St. Louis in the first round (18th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft
- Mar 22, 2010 – Signed with St. Louis to a three-year, entry-level contract
- May 28, 2013 – Re-signed with St. Louis to a two-year contract
- Mar 2, 2015 – Acquired by Pittsburgh from St. Louis in exchange for Robert Bortuzzo and a seventh-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft (Filip Helt).
- Jun 29, 2015 – Re-signed with Pittsburgh to a three-year contract
- Feb 23, 2018 – Acquired by Ottawa from Pittsburgh as part of a three-team trade with Vegas; Ottawa also received Filip Gustavsson, a first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (K’Andre Miller) and a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft (Anttoni Honka) from Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh received Derick Brassard, Vince Dunn and a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (Justus Annunen) from Ottawa, as well as Tobias Lindberg from Vegas; and Vegas received Ryan Reaves and a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (Slava Demin) from Pittsburgh
- Feb 26, 2018 – Acquired by Columbus from Ottawa in exchange for Nick Moutrey and a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (Alex Laferriere)
- Jul 1, 2018 – Signed with Colorado to a three-year contract as a free agent
- Jan 19, 2021 – Acquired by Minnesota from Colorado in exchange for Greg Pateryn
- Jul 28, 2021 – Signed with Carolina to a one-year contract as a free agent
- Jul 13, 2022 – Signed with Tampa Bay to a one-year contract as a free agent
- Jul 1, 2023 – Signed with Vancouver to a one-year contract as a free agent
- Jul 1, 2024 – Signed with Utah to a one-year contract as a free agent
- Mar 5, 2025 – Signed with Utah to a one-year contract extension
PERSONAL
Ian’s nickname is “Colesy”... Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong was the Blues’ Director of Amateur Scouting when St. Louis drafted Cole in 2007… Ian started playing hockey at age 2 and began his youth career with the Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association (AAAHA)... His first job was setting up soccer fields for Ann Arbor Parks & Rec… Ian was the Ann Arbor city champion in wrestling in seventh grade… He grew up a fan of the Detroit Red Wings, and his favorite players were Nicklas Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman… Ian’s favorite sport to watch is football, and Tom Brady was one of his favorite non-hockey athletes… His favorite road city is New York, and his favorite restaurant is Alinea in Chicago… He has worn #28 for most of his career because his father wore #14 on his men’s league team, but that number was always taken.
CAREER vs. NHL
| Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | 40 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 31 |
| Boston Bruins | 25 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 28 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 29 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 24 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 22 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 38 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 41 |
| Calgary Flames | 26 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 41 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 37 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 34 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 38 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 38 |
| Dallas Stars | 32 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 32 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 28 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 32 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 27 |
| Florida Panthers | 23 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 36 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 34 |
| Minnesota Wild | 31 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 25 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| New Jersey Devils | 28 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 31 |
| Nashville Predators | 32 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 23 |
| New York Islanders | 24 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 29 |
| New York Rangers | 28 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 25 |
| Ottawa Senators | 24 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 19 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 27 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 29 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 31 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 18 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| Seattle Kraken | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| San Jose Sharks | 40 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 48 |
| St. Louis Blues | 36 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 17 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 19 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 19 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 24 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 23 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 24 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 26 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 25 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
| Washington Capitals | 31 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 44 |
| Totals | 911 | 35 | 175 | 210 | 825 |
