Paul Szczechura

Paul Szczechura (/ʃɪˈhʊərə/;[1] born November 30, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Paul Szczechura
Born	November 30, 1985 Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
team Former teams	GKS Tychy Tampa Bay Lightning Buffalo Sabres HC Lev Praha Dinamo Riga Dinamo Minsk Traktor Chelyabinsk Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2007–present

Early life

Szczechura grew up in the small town of Brantford, Ontario which is the hometown of other professional hockey players such as Wayne Gretzky, Pat Hickey, Chris Gratton, Keith Jones and Adam Henrique. He is of Polish descent.[2]

Playing career

Szczechura grew up playing hockey in his hometown of Brantford playing minor hockey for both the Brantford Saints and Brant Bandits AAA hockey programs. He played in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with Brantford.[3]After being drafted in the 11th round of the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the Barrie Colts, Szczechura decided to pursue an NCAA scholarship and played three seasons with the Brantford Golden Eagles of the OHA Midwestern Ontario Jr.B. League. He accepted a scholarship to Western Michigan University in 2003.

Previously, Szczechura played for Western Michigan University (CCHA), the Iowa Stars (AHL) and the Norfolk Admirals (AHL). He signed with the Lightning as a free agent on April 24, 2008, and debuted against the Philadelphia Flyers on December 2, 2008. He scored his first NHL goal against Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins on December 8, 2008.[4] Szczechura scored his second career goal and assisted on another Lightning goal on December 23, 2008 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and was named the first star of the game. He was later signed by the Buffalo Sabres to play with their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. On November 26, 2011, the Sabres recalled Szczechura.[5]

On May 22, 2012, it was announced that Szczechura signed a one-year contract to join Czech team, HC Lev, for their first foray into the Kontinental Hockey League.[6] Szczechura appeared in three games to start the 2012–13 season, before losing his place in the high flying Lev squad. On September 26, 2012, Szczechura signed contract to transfer over with fellow KHL, club Dinamo Riga.[7] After two seasons, in May 2014 he signed a two-year contract with HC Dinamo Minsk.[8] After his contract had expired, he moved fellow to KHL outfit Traktor Chelyabinsk, signing in May 2016.

As a free agent from Chelyabinsk after three seasons, Szczechura extended his KHL career in agreeing to a one-year contract with his fifth KHL club, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on July 16, 2019.[9]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Brantford Golden Eagles	OMHA		42	29	41	70	28		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Western Michigan University	NCAA		39	9	11	20	12		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Western Michigan University	NCAA		37	6	23	29	22		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Western Michigan University	NCAA		40	10	26	36	47		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Western Michigan University	NCAA		37	19	26	45	26		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Iowa Stars	AHL		14	3	4	7	19		10	3	1	4	8
2007–08	Iowa Stars	AHL		29	2	3	5	15		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		24	14	12	26	16		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		33	13	16	29	26		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		31	4	5	9	12		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		35	8	21	29	24		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		52	5	2	7	18		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		79	22	30	52	43		3	1	0	1	4
2011–12	Rochester Americans	AHL		56	21	26	47	26		3	0	1	1	0
2011–12	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		9	1	3	4	4		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	HC Lev Praha	KHL		3	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Dinamo Rīga	KHL		43	8	20	28	20		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Dinamo Rīga	KHL		53	17	18	35	42		7	0	4	4	6
2014–15	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		55	14	26	40	38		5	0	1	1	0
2015–16	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		45	13	15	28	32		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Traktor Chelyabinsk	KHL		60	14	27	41	32		6	1	2	3	2
2017–18	Traktor Chelyabinsk	KHL		55	20	22	42	26		14	1	5	6	6
2018–19	Traktor Chelyabinsk	KHL		41	10	5	15	14		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	KHL		40	4	11	15	12		4	0	0	0	0
NHL totals				92	10	10	20	20		—	—	—	—	—
KHL totals				395	100	144	244	216		36	2	12	14	14

References

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCgaXyr6BKY
2. Paul Szczechura - the man who put Brantford on KHL map. KHL
3. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
4. "Paul Szczechura player profile". Tampa Bay Lightning. December 12, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
5. "SABRES SIGN MICHAEL RYAN, PAUL SZCZECHURA TO ONE-YEAR DEALS". Buffalo Sabres. August 9, 2011. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
6. "Szczechura thanks fans for support". SabreNoise.com. May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
7. "Dinamo Riga agree with Paul Szczechura" (in Latvian). Dinamo Riga. September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
8. "КХЛ. Канадский форвард Щехура перешел в минское "Динамо"" (in Russian). May 5, 2014.
9. "Szczechura becomes a torpedo player". Kontinental Hockey League. July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database