Paul Postma

Paul Edward Postma (born February 22, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for EC KAC of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). He was drafted 205th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. During his major junior career with the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Postma won the WHL Plus-Minus Award and was a WHL East First Team All-Star in 2009.

Paul Postma
Postma with the Bruins in October 2017
Born (1989-02-22) February 22, 1989
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
ICEHL team
Former teams
EC KAC
Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Boston Bruins
Ak Bars Kazan
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
HC Lugano
NHL Draft 205th overall, 2007
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career 2009present

Playing career

Postma has played major junior in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos and Calgary Hitmen. After a 24-point season in 2006–07, he was drafted in the 7th round, 205th overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The next season, he was traded to the Calgary Hitmen, where he recorded 14 goals and 42 points. In 2008–09, Postma emerged with a 23-goal, 84-point campaign, first among league defencemen, setting team records for single-season goals (surpassed Kenton Smith's 19 goals in 1998–99)[1] and points (tied with Matt Kinch) by a defenceman.[2]

Postma with the Winnipeg Jets in 2013.

He earned WHL East First Team All-Star honours, along with teammates Brandon Kozun and Brett Sonne and a nomination for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenceman, opposite Jonathon Blum of the Vancouver Giants.[3] With a league-high +67 plus-minus rating, he won the WHL Plus-Minus Award. During the second round of the subsequent 2009 playoffs, Postma was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Thrashers.[4] He finished the 2009 playoffs with 13 points in 18 games, as the Hitmen were defeated in the finals by the Kelowna Rockets.

While playing for the Winnipeg Jets, Postma scored his first NHL goal on February 1, 2013, against Anders Lindbäck of the Tampa Bay Lightning.[5] In 2013–14, Postma missed most of the season due to injury, including a blood clot that had him sidelined for 47 games. Postma played a total of 42 games for the Jets during the 2014–15 season, but was sidelined in March, due to a lower-body injury.[6]

On July 10, 2015, Postma signed a two-year, $1,775,000 contract extension with the Jets.[7]

After spending his first eight professional seasons with the Thrashers/Jets franchise, Postma left as a free agent in agreeing to terms with the Boston Bruins on a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 1, 2017.[8] He split the 2017–18 season between Boston and AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

As a free agent from the Bruins, Postma opted to halt his North American career, agreeing to a one-year contract with Russian champions, Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), on August 15, 2018.[9] In the 2018–19 season, Postma regained his scoring touch in the KHL, posting 8 goals and 28 points through 57 regular season games.

On May 1, 2019, Postma left Ak Bars as a free agent to sign a one-year contract with Russian outfit, Metallurg Magnitogorsk.[10] He made just 10 appearances with Magnitogorsk to open the 2019–20 season before opting to leave the KHL on October 6, 2019. Moving to continue his career in Switzerland, after a successful tryout, Postma joined HC Lugano of the National League (NL) on a one-year deal on November 6, 2019.

On December 8, 2020, Postma belatedly joined Austrian club, EC KAC of the ICEHL, as a free agent on an initial one-year contract.[11]

Personal life

Postma attended Gateway Christian School and Notre Dame High School in Red Deer, Alberta. He is the son of John and Janet Postma and has three sisters; Alissa, Jamie-Lea and Sharlene. Alissa is married to former NHL defenceman Noah Welch.[12][13] while his other sister, Sharlene is married to American ice hockey player Rhett Rakhshani.

Paul married Brooke Sutter, daughter of Brent Sutter during the summer of 2023.

Records

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05Swift Current BroncosWHL40000
2005–06Swift Current BroncosWHL582911640000
2006–07Swift Current BroncosWHL70519244260110
2007–08Swift Current BroncosWHL20002
2007–08Calgary HitmenWHL66142842301664104
2008–09Calgary HitmenWHL702361842818581310
2009–10Chicago WolvesAHL631514292470220
2010–11Chicago WolvesAHL6912334520
2010–11Atlanta ThrashersNHL10000
2011–12St. John's IceCapsAHL561331443215191014
2011–12Winnipeg JetsNHL30000
2012–13St. John's IceCapsAHL277111816
2012–13Winnipeg JetsNHL344596
2013–14Winnipeg JetsNHL201238
2013–14St. John's IceCapsAHL41564
2014–15Winnipeg JetsNHL4224616
2015–16Winnipeg JetsNHL262024
2015–16Manitoba MooseAHL71232
2016–17Winnipeg JetsNHL651131415
2017–18Boston BruinsNHL140112
2017–18Providence BruinsAHL13189440330
2018–19Ak Bars KazanKHL57820281242130
2019–20Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL100222
2019–20HC LuganoNL202796
2020–21EC KACICEHL20814222
2021–22EC KACICEHL3512172926938116
2022–23EC KACICEHL451020302791230
AHL totals23950104154102261141514
NHL totals20510253549

Awards and honours

Award Year
WHL
East First All-Star Team 2009 [3]
WHL Plus-Minus Award 2009
CHL Second All-Star Team 2009
AHL
All-Star Game 2011, 2012
First All-Star Team 2012 [14]

References

  1. "Postma claims spot in Hitmen history". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  2. "A look at the 2008-09 WHL Award Finalists". Western Hockey League. 2008-03-26. Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  3. "WHL Announces 2008-09 Conference All-Stars and Award Finalists". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  4. "Postma inks contract with Thrashers". CanWest News Services. 2009-04-11. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  5. "Winnipeg - Tampa Bay Boxscore". National Hockey League. 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
  6. "Byfuglien returns to practice for Jets, but Postma out with lower-body injury". nhl.com. March 16, 2015.
  7. "Jets agree to terms with Postma on two-year contract". nhl.com. July 10, 2015.
  8. "Bruins sign depth players Kenny Agostino, Paul Postma to one-year, one-way deals". CSNNE. 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  9. "Ak Bars agree contract with Paul Postma" (in Russian). Ak Bars Kazan. 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
  10. "Paul Postma signs with Metallurg" (in Russian). Metallurg Magnitogorsk. 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  11. "EC KAC strengthens with Paul Postma signing" (in German). EC KAC. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  12. Atchue, A.J. (March 24, 2011). "Postma has dedicated himself to both ends of ice". NHL.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018. his older sister, Alissa, will marry his current teammate and roommate, defenseman Noah Welch.
  13. Shinzawa, Fluto. "Olympics will be just fine without the NHL". edition.pagesuite.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018. Not only does Welch have his Brighton and Cambridge connections, he is married to Alissa Postma, sister of Bruin Paul Postma.
  14. "Paul Postma's AHL player profile". American Hockey League. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
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