Vinni Lettieri

Vinni Lettieri (born February 6, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey center for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Vinni Lettieri
Lettieri with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2020
Born (1995-02-06) February 6, 1995
Excelsior, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams		 Minnesota Wild
New York Rangers
Anaheim Ducks
Boston Bruins
National team  United States
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2017–present

Playing career

After playing two seasons with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, Lettieri committed to the University of Minnesota.[1] He played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four seasons and helped them win the Big Ten regular season title in four straight seasons.

On March 27, 2017, Lettieri signed a two-year entry-level contract as a free agent with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL).[2] He was invited to the Rangers training camp before the 2017–18 season but was cut and sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack before the final roster was made.[3] On December 29, 2017, Lettieri made his NHL debut in a 3–2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, in which he scored his first NHL goal.[4] He was recalled multiple times in January and February before finally being assigned back to the AHL on February 26 after playing in a total of 19 NHL games that season.[5]

Lettieri spent the 2018–19 season rotating between the NHL and AHL getting called up for longer stints in the second half of the season. He finished the season with one goal and two assists. His lone goal came on a one-timer shot on March 25, 2019, against the Pittsburgh Penguins for his first career goal at Madison Square Garden.[6]

After four seasons within the Rangers organization, Lettieri left as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks on October 10, 2020.[7] On July 13, 2021, Lettieri was signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension by the Ducks.[8]

On July 13, 2022, Lettieri was signed to a one-year, two-way contract by the Boston Bruins.[9]

After impressive play for the Bruins AHL affiliate the Providence Bruins, Lettieri was named an AHL All-Star, representing the Atlantic Division.[10] Later, Lettieri was called up to the NHL squad on January 26, 2023. However, he suffered an injury just one day later, causing him to be placed on IR.[11] Once healed, Lettieri was then placed on waivers without having played a game for the Bruins, where he cleared.[12] Towards the end of the 2022-23 season, with the Bruins comfortable in the standings, Lettieri was once again called up in order to rest key players. He played one game for the NHL squad before being sent back down.[13]

As a free agent from the Bruins, Lettieri returned to his home state in agreeing to a two-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 1, 2023.[14]

Personal life

Lettieri's grandfather, Lou Nanne, played, coached and was the general manager of the Minnesota North Stars.[15] His father, Tino, played professional soccer, while his uncle Marty Nanne was drafted 161st overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft and played in the International Hockey League (IHL) for three seasons. His cousins are also ice hockey players – Tyler Nanne was drafted 142nd overall by the New York Rangers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, while Louis Nanne was drafted 188th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2010–11 Minnetonka High School USHS 25 15 22 37 12 2 2 1 3 2
2011–12 Minnetonka High School USHS 25 22 36 58 24 3 1 1 2 0
2011–12 Lincoln Stars USHL 15 4 4 8 14 7 0 1 1 0
2012–13 Lincoln Stars USHL 61 28 28 56 35 5 1 2 3 0
2013–14 University of Minnesota B1G 37 2 6 8 8 — — — — —
2014–15 University of Minnesota B1G 37 9 3 12 14 — — — — —
2015–16 University of Minnesota B1G 37 7 19 26 18 — — — — —
2016–17 University of Minnesota B1G 38 19 18 37 36 — — — — —
2016–17 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 9 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 55 23 13 36 31 — — — — —
2017–18 New York Rangers NHL 19 1 4 5 0 — — — — —
2018–19 New York Rangers NHL 27 1 2 3 14 — — — — —
2018–19 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 48 23 25 48 22 — — — — —
2019–20 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 61 25 22 47 46 — — — — —
2020–21 Anaheim Ducks NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL 22 14 12 26 12 3 1 2 3 4
2021–22 San Diego Gulls AHL 24 8 14 22 8 — — — — —
2021–22 Anaheim Ducks NHL 31 5 5 10 6 — — — — —
2022–23 Providence Bruins AHL 48 23 26 49 34 4 1 0 1 6
2022–23 Boston Bruins NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 83 7 11 18 20 — — — — —

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2012 United States IH18 7th 4 2 2 4 6
2022 United States WC 4th 10 0 0 0 4
Junior totals 4 2 2 4 6
Senior totals 10 0 0 0 4

Awards and honors
Award Year
USHL
USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2013
All-Rookie Team 2013
College
B1G Honorable Mention All-Star Team 2017
B1G Sportsmanship Award 2017

References
  1. "VINNI LETTIERI". gophersports.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. "Rangers Agree to Terms With Forward Vinni Lettieri". NHL.com. March 27, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  3. "Rangers Reduce Training Camp Roster by Seven". NHL.com. September 28, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  4. Calamia, Matt (December 30, 2017). "Lettieri Scores in Debut but Rangers Lose in Shootout to Detroit". NHL.com. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  5. "VINNI LETTIERI RETURNS TO WOLF PACK". hartfordwolfpack.com. February 26, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  6. Murphy, Mike (May 12, 2019). "2019 Report Card: Vinni Lettieri". Blueshirt Banter. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  7. "Ducks sign De Leo, Welinski, Poturalski and Lettieri to contracts". Anaheim Ducks. October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  8. "Ducks Sign Carrick Brothers, Lettieri to Contract Extensions". NHL.com. July 13, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  9. "Bruins Sign Five Players On Opening Day Of Free Agency". NHL.com. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. https://www.providencebruins.com/news/detail/bussi-and-lettieri-named-to-atlantic-division-all-star-team
  11. https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/bruins-vinni-lettieri-promoted-suffers-injury/
  12. https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2023/02/jordie-benn-and-vinni-lettieri-placed-on-waivers.html
  13. "Vinni Lettieri returned to AHL". CBS Sports. April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  14. "Minnesota Wild signs forwards Vinni Lettieri and Jake Lucchini". Minnesota Wild. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  15. Brooks, Larry (December 28, 2017). "Kreider's replacement gives Rangers an instinct they've craved". New York Post. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
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