Professional
He made his NHL debut on November 14, 2009, against the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored his first NHL goal that game against Flyers' goalie Ray Emery. Ennis spent most of the 2009-10 season with the Portland Pirates of the AHL. He finished the campaign with 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points. His 23 goals tied for the AHL lead among rookies. At the end of the season, Ennis became the second straight Pirates player selected by the AHL's coaches, players and media to receive the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie in the AHL, following teammate Nathan Gerbe. After center Tim Connolly went out with injury, Ennis was called up for the Sabres' final nine regular season games, ending the NHL regular season with nine points in ten games and earning a spot as a consistent starter in the playoffs for the Sabres. He finished the playoffs with a team-best three assists and tied with Jason Pominville with a team-best four points. During the 2010-11 season, Ennis played all 82 games registering 20 goals and 29 assists while the Sabres clinched the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference. They battled the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals. Ennis played a key role during this series notching 2 goals and 2 assists including the overtime game-winning goal on Michael Leighton in Game 5. The Sabres were eventually eliminated by the Flyers in Game 7. The following season Ennis was placed on the injured reserve twice for a lingering ankle sprain that first occurred in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ennis rejoined the Sabres after the 2012 NHL All-Star Game. At this time the Sabres were ranked last in the Eastern Conference. In an attempt to shake things up in Buffalo, Coach Lindy Ruff moved Ennis from left wing to centre, his natural position, playing alongside Drew Stafford and rookie Marcus Foligno. Their line caught immediate chemistry leading the Sabres offensively, thriving for a spot in the playoffs. The Sabres ultimately fell short in their quest for the playoffs, finishing 9th. Ennis finished with 15 goals and 19 assists in 48 games. The following season, while the lockout lingered on, Ennis along with best friend Jared Spurgeon signed to play for the SCL Tigers of the National League A in Switzerland.
Read more about this topic: Tyler Ennis, Playing Career
Famous quotes containing the word professional:
“... all professional ideologies are high-minded. Hunters, for instance, would not dream of calling themselves the butchers of the woods.”
—Robert Musil (1880–1942)
“I trust it will not be giving away professional secrets to say that many readers would be surprised, perhaps shocked, at the questions which some newspaper editors will put to a defenseless woman under the guise of flattery.”
—Kate Chopin (1851–1904)
“I sometimes wonder whether, in the still, sleepless hours of the night, the consciences of ... professional gossips do not stalk them. I myself believe in a final reckoning, when we shall be held accountable for our misdeeds. Do they? If so, they have cause to worry over many scoops that brought them a day’s dubious laurels and perhaps destroyed someone’s peace forever.”
—Mary Pickford (1893–1979)