Teddy Blueger
Teodors Bļugers | |||
---|---|---|---|
![]() Bļugers with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 | |||
Born |
Riga, Latvia | 15 August 1994||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
Position | Forward | ||
Shoots | Left | ||
NHL team | Pittsburgh Penguins | ||
National team |
![]() | ||
NHL Draft |
52nd overall, 2012 Pittsburgh Penguins | ||
Playing career | 2016–present |
Teodors Bļugers (anglicized as Theodor "Teddy" Blueger; born 15 August 1994) is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 52nd overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Penguins,[1] making him the third-highest selected Latvian hockey player in the NHL Entry Draft, behind Zemgus Girgensons and Sandis Ozoliņš.[2]
Playing career[]
Bļugers began playing hockey in BHS hockey school, founded by former Dinamo Rīga player Helmuts Balderis.[3]
In 2009 Bļugers moved to North America to play junior hockey. He committed to a collegiate career with Minnesota State University, Mankato and played four seasons in the NCAA from 2012 to 2016.[4] Bļugers was named to the All-Tournament Team for the 2014 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.[5] In 2015–16, Bļugers was named to the All-WCHA First Team.[6]
On 22 March 2016, Bļugers signed an entry-level agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins.[7] He finished the 2015–16 season with Penguins' AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins playing in 10 games. In his first full season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Bļugers set a new franchise record for plus-minus rating by a rookie with a +24.[8]
Bļugers made his NHL debut on 30 January 2019, in Pittsburgh's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.[9][10][11] On 1 February 2019, Bļugers scored his first NHL goal, against the Ottawa Senators in a 5–3 Penguins win.[12]
On 16 July 2019, Bļugers re-signed with the Penguins on a two-year, one-way contract with an average annual value of $750,000.[11]
On 14 July 2021, Bļugers was re-signed to a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension with the Penguins.[13]
International play[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Teodors_Blugers%2C_Denmark_U20_-_Latvia_U20%2C_19.12.2013.jpg/230px-Teodors_Blugers%2C_Denmark_U20_-_Latvia_U20%2C_19.12.2013.jpg)
Bļugers has represented Latvia at the international junior level, appearing in the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships and four World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He made his senior debut when he was selected to play for Latvia at the 2017 IIHF World Championship.[14] The following year, he was again named to the Latvia national team to compete at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.[15]
Personal life[]
Bļugers has a younger brother, Roberts who also plays hockey.[16]
Career statistics[]
Regular season and playoffs[]
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2009–10 | Shattuck St. Mary's | Midget | 53 | 20 | 40 | 60 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Shattuck St. Mary's | USHS | 54 | 24 | 42 | 66 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011–12 | Shattuck St. Mary's | USHS | 51 | 24 | 64 | 88 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Minnesota State | WCHA | 37 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Minnesota State | WCHA | 40 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2014–15 | Minnesota State | WCHA | 37 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2015–16 | Minnesota State | WCHA | 41 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2015–16 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
2016–17 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 54 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
2017–18 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 70 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
2018–19 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 45 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2018–19 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 28 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2019–20 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 69 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
2020–21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 43 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
NHL totals | 140 | 22 | 32 | 54 | 56 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
International[]
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Latvia | WJC18 D1 | 11th | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
2012 | Latvia | WJC | 9th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
2012 | Latvia | WJC18 | 9th | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
2013 | Latvia | WJC | 10th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |
2014 | Latvia | WJC D1A | 12th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
2017 | Latvia | WC | 10th | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
2018 | Latvia | WC | 8th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
2019 | Latvia | WC | 10th | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
Junior totals | 40 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 42 | ||||
Senior totals | 19 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 |
Awards and honours[]
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
College | ||
WCHA All-Tournament Team | 2014 | |
All-WCHA First Team | 2015–16 | [17] |
References[]
- ^ NHL. "Pittsburgh Penguins 2012 draft 2nd round selections". nhl.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ^ LETA (22 March 2016). "Bļugers paraksta sākuma līmeņa līgumu ar NHL klubu 'Penguins'" (in Latvian). delfi.lv. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
- ^ EliteProspects. "HOCKEY PLAYERS FROM BHS". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ^ "TEDDY BLUEGER". msumavericks.com. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Mavericks Win 2014 WCHA Final Five Championship". Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics.
- ^ "2015-16 WCHA Awards | Nelson, Blueger, Gervais, Huggins, Coatta & Brickley Feted". Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics.
- ^ Pittsburgh Penguins (22 March 2016). "Penguins Sign Forward Teddy Blueger to a Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract". nhl.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ^ "2018 Calder Cup playoffs Wilkes-Barre /Scranton Penguins Player Bios and Season Stats" (PDF). wbspenguins.com. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "With Derick Brassard out with an injury, Teddy Blueger makes NHL debut". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ "Penguins' Teddy Blueger back in the lineup after short minor league stay | TribLIVE.com". triblive.com.
- ^ a b "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Teddy Blueger to a Two-Year Contract". NHL.com.
- ^ "Teddy Blueger picks up first NHL goal and impresses his coach". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ "Penguins Re-Sign Forward Teddy Blueger to a Two-Year Contract". NHL.com. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ Cole, Brian (3 May 2017). "BLUEGER JOINS TEAM LATVIA AFTER EXPECTATION-SHATTERING SEASON". wbspenguins.com. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ Merk, Martin (10 May 2018). "Latvia adds Blugers". new-iihf.com. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
- ^ "Roberts Blueger". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Awards - NCAA (WCHA) First All-Star Team". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
External links[]
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- 1994 births
- Living people
- Latvian ice hockey centres
- Minnesota State Mavericks men's ice hockey players
- Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks
- Pittsburgh Penguins players
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players
- Sportspeople from Riga