| Born: | Mar 16, 1979 | Draft: | 1998 Blackhawks, 183rd Overall |
| Hometown: | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Position: | Centre |
| Known For: | NCAA Champion (2001) | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | United States | Current Status: | Retired |
Tyler Arnason (born March 16, 1979) is a retired American ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL split with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2008-09 season. Drafted 183rd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Arnason opted to play for St. Cloud State University, spending a full three seasons with the team. His first professional season was split between the Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals, and he became an NHL regular by the 2002-03 season.
Arnason spent three seasons with the Blackhawks, even becoming an alternate captain, before his trade to the Ottawa Senators was finalized during the 2005-06 season. After 19 games and being a healthy scratch during the playoffs, Arnason was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Senators and became an unrestricted free agent, choosing then to sign with the Avalanche. Arnason played in three seasons with the Avalanche, before moving on to stints in Europe with Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss National League (NL), and the Blues of the Finnish SM-Liiga.
Arnason represented the United States at the 2007 Ice Hockey World Championships, finishing in 5th place. He was well-regarded prior to his draft year, often seen as a skilled centre with a piercing shot and play-making skills. Criticism early on centred around his inconsistencies defensively, as well as a lack of explosiveness in his skating, however he shook those concerns off in his NHL rookie year, being named to the NHL YoungStars Game and also a part of the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2003.
Tyler Arnason Statistics
Deeper Dive
Achievements
- MJHL Rookie of the Year (1997)
- USHL First All-Star Team (1998)
- NCAA (WCHA) All-Rookie Team (1999)
- NCAA (WCHA) Second All-Star Team (2000)
- NCAA (WCHA) Champion (2001)
- NCAA (WCHA) Tournament MVP (2001)
- AHL All-Rookie Team (2002)
- AHL All-Star Game (2002)
- AHL Rookie of the Year (Red Garrett Memorial Award) (2002)
- NHL All-Rookie Team (2003)
- NHL YoungStars Roster (2003)