James Sheppard

James Sheppard (born April 25, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, and New York Rangers.

Playing career Junior After growing up playing hockey in Hockey Nova Scotia's minor hockey system, Sheppard played for the Dartmouth Subways of the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League (NSMMHL) in 2003–2004. He grew up in his elementary and junior high years attending Cavalier Drive School in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. In his rookie season with the Subways, Sheppard scored 92 points in 61 games. That following summer, Sheppard was drafted 1st overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. As the season progressed, Sheppard represented Team Atlantic at the World Under-17 Championship. Sheppard wore the honour of team captain and scored ten points in six games, leading his team to a bronze medal. Sheppard eventually finished the 2004–2005 QMJHL season fourth in team scoring with 45 points. In January 2006, Sheppard was one of ten QMJHL participants to represent Team Orr in the CHL Top Prospects game, where he recorded one assist. Sheppard went on to finish the 2005–06 season second in team scoring with 84 points. Sheppard wore the honour of team captain for the 2006–07 season but was omitted from Canada's roster for the 2006 IIHF World Under-20 Hockey Championship. Sheppard was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round, ninth overall, in the 2006 NHL entry draft.

Professional Sheppard signed an entry-level contract with the Wild in September 2007 This helped him set a Wild record for games played by a rookie with 78. Sheppard and "several other NHL players" were on a guided tour in Vail, Colorado, when Sheppard was forced to swerve off the ATV course due to an oncoming truck and eventually hit a tree. Sheppard had knee surgery the following day, but was suspended by the team due to a "no ATV riding" clause within his contract. Because of Sheppard's non-hockey related injury, it was announced on October 6, 2010, that Sheppard will be designated as an "injured non-roster player" for the season.

Ten weeks after the accident, Sheppard appeared to the media to discuss the incident, saying he was not fooling around on the ATV and that it was on a guided tour. Sheppard was able to return to skating in mid-December, but was back off the ice again in late February due to soreness in his kneecap.

On August 6, 2011, Sheppard was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2013 NHL entry draft. Sheppard spent much of the 2011–12 season rehabilitating from a leg injury.

On March 1, 2015, Sheppard was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft.

As an unsigned free agent after his contract expired following the 2014–15 season, Sheppard attended the Columbus Blue Jackets' training camp ahead of the 2015–16 season on a professional try-out (PTO) contract, but was released by the team on September 25, 2015.

On October 9, 2015, Sheppard signed abroad with the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss National League A. At the end of the 2015–16 season, having scored a respectable 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games, Kloten opted not to offer him a contract extension, making him a free agent.

On September 13, 2016, having returned to North America, Sheppard agreed to sign a PTO contract to attend the Vancouver Canucks' training camp ahead of the 2016–17 season. On October 5, he was cut by Vancouver. On October 12, 2016, Sheppard returned to the Kloten Flyers for the 2016–17 season. On February 23, 2017, Sheppard was suspended for three games and fined 2,920 Swiss francs by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF) for a stick to the face of EHC Biel's Jan Neuenschwander.

On July 14, 2017, Sheppard signed a one-year contract with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

After three seasons with Berlin, on March 27, 2020, Sheppard left as a free agent and agreed to a two-year contract with Kölner Haie to remain in the DEL. Sheppard recorded 16 goals and 32 points through 36 regular season games during the 2020–21 season with Kölner Haie before leaving the club in the off-season.

On October 8, 2021, Sheppard moved to the neighbouring ICE Hockey League in agreeing to a contract with Austrian based club, Vienna Capitals.

Personal life Sheppard lived with former Minnesota Wild player Darby Hendrickson during his rookie season in 2007–08. At the time, Darby was working for FSN North.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2003–04 Dartmouth Subways Midget 61 38 54 92 46 — — — — — 2004–05 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 65 14 31 45 40 5 1 3 4 2 2005–06 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 66 30 54 84 78 9 2 5 7 12 2006–07 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 56 33 63 96 62 16 8 12 20 14 2007–08 Minnesota Wild NHL 78 4 15 19 29 6 0 1 1 4 2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL 82 5 19 24 41 — — — — — 2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 64 2 4 6 38 — — — — — 2011–12 Worcester Sharks AHL 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2012–13 Worcester Sharks AHL 34 8 15 23 52 — — — — — 2012–13 San Jose Sharks NHL 32 1 3 4 12 11 0 0 0 4 2013–14 San Jose Sharks NHL 67 4 16 20 35 7 2 4 6 6 2014–15 Worcester Sharks AHL 2 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2014–15 San Jose Sharks NHL 57 5 11 16 28 — — — — — 2014–15 New York Rangers NHL 14 2 0 2 9 13 1 1 2 8 2015–16 Kloten Flyers NLA 37 11 14 25 67 4 1 0 1 6 2016–17 EHC Kloten NLA 34 5 11 16 30 5 2 2 4 2 2017–18 Eisbären Berlin DEL 52 11 22 33 50 18 6 8 14 20 2018–19 Eisbären Berlin DEL 45 12 22 34 68 8 3 3 6 12 2019–20 Eisbären Berlin DEL 52 13 22 35 93 — — — — — 2020–21 Kölner Haie DEL 36 16 16 32 24 — — — — — 2021–22 Vienna Capitals ICEHL 35 11 25 36 26 11 4 3 7 18 2022–23 Vienna Capitals ICEHL 35 10 21 31 34 11 3 0 3 6 NHL totals 394 23 68 91 192 37 3 6 9 22 DEL totals 185 52 82 134 235 26 9 11 20 32

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2005 Canada Atlantic U17 6 6 4 10 6 2005 Canada U18 5 1 3 4 18 Junior totals 11 7 7 14 24