Playing Career
Purcell moved to the United States to study at and play hockey for Lake Forest Academy, a prep school north of Chicago, Illinois. He then played junior hockey for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League (USHL) where he set the career scoring mark, scoring 138 points on 39 goals and 99 assists in 2 seasons with the RoughRiders. He was the team leader in scoring his first season with the RoughRiders scoring 67 points. In his second season, he was outscored by teammate Chad Costello by 1 point, scoring 71 points. Undrafted by a National Hockey League club, he then played one season of college hockey at the University of Maine in 2006-2007.
In 2007-2008, his first professional season, Purcell played most of the year with the Monarchs but also spent 10 games up in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings. On February 15, 2008, Purcell scored his first NHL goal against the Calgary Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Back in the AHL, he was named to the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic and became the first rookie to score an All-Star Classic hat trick. He also scored the decisive goal in the shootout to give the Canadian All Stars a 9–8 win over the PlanetUSA All-Stars. Purcell was named the game's MVP. Finishing his rookie AHL season with 83 points in 67 games, Purcell won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the league's top rookie. In 2008-2009, Purcell split the season between the Monarchs and Kings, playing 40 games in the NHL while scoring 4 goals and 12 assists for a total of 16 points.
At the trade deadline in 2010, Purcell was traded with a 3rd round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Jeff Halpern.Purcell finished the 2009-2010 season with 15 points and 10 PIM. On July 6, 2010 new Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman resigned Purcell along with former Maine Hockey player, Mike Lundin for one-year contracts. Purcell blossomed under new Lightning Coach Guy Boucher. On February 23, 2011 Purcell scored his first NHL hat-trick, against the Phoenix Coyotes. Purcell went on to finish with 51 points in the regular season, and 17 points in 18 games during the post-season.
On July 20, 2011, Purcell avoided arbitration by signing a $4.75 million contract for two years with the Tampa Bay Lightning just hours before his arbitration meeting. On April 7 2012 the Tampa Bay Lightning played in their last game of the season. This season was a breakout season for Purcell. The Tampa Bay Lightning won 4-3 in overtime and Purcell recorded his second career hat-trick. He was named to the 2012 Canadian team playing in the IIHF World Hockey Championships.
On July 10, 2012 he signed a three-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning to keep him with the club through to the 2015-2016 season.
Read more about this topic: Teddy Purcell
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