The well-traveled Winnik provides stability for any team in which he finds a home.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound forward brings a hard-working determination and defensive-minded approach to his game, the style of play teams consistently want to add to their lineup.
The well-traveled Winnik provides stability for any team in which he finds a home.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound forward brings a hard-working determination and defensive-minded approach to his game, the style of play teams consistently want to add to their lineup.
Winnik was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the ninth round (No. 265) in the 2004 NHL Draft following his freshman year at the University of New Hampshire. As a sophomore, Winnik saw his production take a dramatic jump, improving from four goals and 14 points to 18 goals and 40 points as he earned All-Tournament honors at the Northeast Regional in the NCAA postseason. As a junior, he was named a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star, finishing fifth in scoring in Hockey East with 41 points.
Winnik left New Hampshire to turn pro and had a seven-game stint with San Antonio in the American Hockey League in 2005-06 before a full season in 2006-07.
In 2007-08, Winnik earned a full-time spot out of camp with the Coyotes, where he played 202 games over three seasons before he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on June 28, 2010. After a season-plus with the Avalanche, Winnik was traded to the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 27, 2012, and he finished the 82-game regular season with 84 games played as a result of the trade.
A free agent, Winnik signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks in the summer of 2012 and was part of two Pacific Division championships, but two years later he left to sign a free agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline on Feb. 25, 2015, and played the final 21 games of the 2014-15 season before returning to the Maple Leafs as a free agent that summer.
He signed a two-year contract, but with teams looking for help at the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs traded him to the Washington Capitals on Feb. 28, 2016.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- Hockey East Second All-Star Team (2006)
- Traded to Colorado by Phoenix for Colorado's 4th round pick (Rhett Holland) in 2012 NHL Draft, June 28, 2010.
- Traded to San Jose by Colorado with T.J. Galiardi and Anaheim's 7th round pick (previously acquired, San Jose selected Emil Galimov) in 2013 NHL Draft for Jamie McGinn, Michael Sgarbossa and Mike Connolly, February 27, 2012.
- Signed as a free agent by Anaheim, July 20, 2012.
- Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 28, 2014.
- Traded to Pittsburgh by Toronto for Zach Sill, Pittsburgh's 4th round pick (later traded to Edmonton, later traded to Ottawa -- Ottawa selected Chris Wolanin) in 2015 NHL Draft and Pittsburgh's 2nd round pick (later traded back to Pittsburgh -- Pittsburgh selected Kasper Bjorkqvist) in 2016 NHL Draft, February 25, 2015.
- Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 1, 2015.
- Traded to Washington by Toronto with Anaheim's 5th round pick (previously acquired, Washington selected Beck Malenstyn) in 2016 NHL Draft for Brooks Laich, Connor Carrick and Washington's 2nd round pick (Carl Grundstrom) in 2016 NHL Draft, February 28, 2015.
- Signed as a free agent by Minnesota, October 4, 2017.