Alex Biega (ice hockey)
Alex Biega | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1988 Canada |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey defenceman (retired) |
| Years active | 2010–2022 |
| Known for | NHL career with Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs |
Alex Biega (born April 4, 1988) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman. Selected in the 5th round, 147th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres during the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Biega is best known for his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks.
Playing career
During his youth, Biega competed in the 2001 and 2002 editions of the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament representing a minor hockey team from Montreal's West Island.
Amateur
Although chosen 11th overall by the Rimouski Océanic in the 2004 QMJHL Entry Draft, Biega decided to pursue high school hockey at Connecticut’s Salisbury School. He subsequently played four seasons of NCAA Division I hockey with the Harvard Crimson at Harvard University. Early in his collegiate career, he earned a spot on the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie team and was honored with the John Tudor Memorial Cup as his team’s MVP during his junior year. In his senior season, he held the role of team captain.
Professional
After being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2006, Biega signed a two-year deal with them on May 27, 2010. Following training camp with Buffalo, he was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates, where he made his professional debut on October 9, 2010, and netted his first professional goal on November 20. Throughout the 2010–11 AHL season, Biega appeared in 61 regular-season games and participated in 12 playoff contests. The following season (2011–12), he spent the entire year with Buffalo’s new AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, tallying five goals and totaling 25 points across 72 games.
On July 5, 2013, Biega inked a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks and was assigned to their AHL team, the Utica Comets. He played a career-high 73 games during the 2013–14 season, accumulating 22 points. Vancouver re-signed him on July 1, 2014, to a $600,000 contract. After recording 10 points in 25 games with Utica that season, Biega was promoted to Vancouver’s NHL roster. He made his NHL debut on February 16, 2015, scoring the decisive goal in a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Wild. That year he appeared in seven NHL games scoring once; meanwhile, with Utica he contributed three goals and 19 points in 69 games plus four points during 16 playoff games as the Comets reached the Calder Cup finals.
Biega was named captain of Utica for the following season and received a call-up to Vancouver in December. He registered his first NHL assist on December 20, 2015. On February 2, 2016, he secured a two-year one-way contract extension valued at $1.5 million. In the 2016–17 NHL season, Biega made Vancouver’s opening roster but only played one game before being sent down for conditioning in the AHL. During the 2017–18 season, he appeared in 31 NHL contests providing six assists and signed another two-year extension worth $1.65 million on February 28, 2018. Though starting the 2018–19 NHL season with Vancouver, he was briefly reassigned to Utica before being quickly recalled. He concluded that season having played in 41 games with two goals and totaling 16 points.
On September 30, 2019, Vancouver placed Biega on waivers; after clearing waivers on October 1, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for David Pope on October 6. He made his debut for Detroit against Vancouver on October 15 and finished that season with three points over 48 games. On March 9, 2020, Biega agreed to a one-year contract extension with Detroit. During the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 NHL season, he was waived for assignment to Detroit’s taxi squad and ended up playing three points in thirteen games.
As an unrestricted free agent, Biega signed a one-year two-way contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 28, 2021. Limited to just two NHL appearances and playing in thirty-one AHL games for their affiliate Toronto Marlies, he was traded to the Nashville Predators for future considerations on March 21, 2022. He was then assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Biega officially announced his retirement from professional hockey on December 19, 2022.
Personal life
Alex Biega's brother, Danny Biega, also pursued a professional ice hockey career, most recently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes. In addition to Danny, Alex has two other siblings named Marc and Michael. Notably, Alex, Danny, and Michael all competed in hockey at Harvard University, marking the first time since 2000 that three brothers played for the same institution.
Biega met his spouse, Diana, in Boston, and together they welcomed a son in April 2015. During his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks, he was actively involved in the National Hockey League Players' Association Core Development Program, which aids former NHL athletes in navigating their post-retirement transitions.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | West Island Lions | QMAAA | 37 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 58 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | Salisbury School | USHS | 27 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Salisbury School | USHS | 28 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Harvard University | ECAC | 33 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Harvard University | ECAC | 34 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | Harvard University | ECAC | 31 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Harvard University | ECAC | 33 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 61 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 52 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 65 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 72 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | Utica Comets | AHL | 73 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Utica Comets | AHL | 62 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | Utica Comets | AHL | 14 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 51 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 22 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–17 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 36 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–17 | Utica Comets | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 44 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 32 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | Utica Comets | AHL | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 41 | 2 | (14) | (16) | (22) | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 31 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 28 | — | — | — | — | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |= |= |= |= | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 15 |=3 |=4 |=7 |=14 |=2 |=0 |=0 |=0 |= | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AHL totals | 397 | 24 | 105 | 129 | 287 | 42 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHL totals | 243 | 4 | 38 | 42 | 122 |
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Awards and honours
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