Riley Holzapfel

Riley Holzapfel (born August 18, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently contracted by the Vienna Capitals in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL).

Riley Holzapfel
Born	(1988-08-18) August 18, 1988 (age 36) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
EBEL team Former teams	Vienna Capitals Chicago Wolves St. John's IceCaps Syracuse Crunch Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins HV71 Karlskrona HK
NHL draft	43rd overall, 2006 Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career	2008–2020

Playing career

Holzapfel played major junior hockey for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, chosen 43rd overall. On September 6, 2007, Riley signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Thrashers.^[1] In 2008, he played for Canada in the IIHF World U20 Championship where Canada went on to win gold in a 3-2 victory over Sweden.

On February 13, 2012, Holzapfel was traded by the Winnipeg Jets to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Maxime Macenauer.^[2] He was then immediately assigned to Ducks AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

He signed a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2012,^[3] but spent the season in AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In July 2013, he signed a two-year deal with the Swedish Hockey League club HV71.^[4]

After a further third season in Sweden with newly promoted Karlskrona HK in 2015–16 season, Holzapfel left as a free agent to sign a one-year deal with Austrian club, the Vienna Capitals of the EBEL on July 20, 2016.^[5] After leading the Capitals with 53 points in 54 games in the 2016–17 season, and contributing with 23 points in just 12 post-season games, he received the Ron Kennedy Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player.^[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004–05	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		63	15	13	28	32		5	1	2	3	8
2005–06	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		64	19	38	57	46		22	7	9	16	20
2006–07	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		72	39	43	82	94		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL		49	18	23	41	43		6	3	5	8	12
2007–08	Chicago Wolves	AHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Chicago Wolves	AHL		73	13	19	32	38		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Chicago Wolves	AHL		60	7	16	23	30		14	0	3	3	6
2010–11	Chicago Wolves	AHL		68	12	15	27	20		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	St. John's Ice Caps	AHL		29	8	7	15	8		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		28	8	14	22	34		4	0	1	1	4
2012–13	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		76	21	30	51	93		15	4	6	10	8
2013–14	HV71	SHL		48	10	12	22	49		4	0	0	0	0
2014–15	HV71	SHL		49	7	6	13	14		6	0	0	0	0
2015–16	Karlskrona HK	SHL		48	9	16	25	24		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Vienna Capitals	AUT		54	22	31	53	20		12	12	11	23	8
2017–18	Vienna Capitals	AUT		53	21	26	47	20		2	1	2	3	0
2018–19	Vienna Capitals	AUT		53	19	34	53	24		18	3	6	9	10
2019–20	Vienna Capitals	AUT		48	18	28	46	18		3	2	0	2	0
AHL totals				335	69	101	170	223		33	4	10	14	18
AUT totals				208	80	119	199	82		35	18	19	37	18

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2008 Pardubice

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada	WJC			7	0	0	0	8
Junior totals					7	0	0	0	8

Awards and honours

Award	Year
WHL
CHL Top Prospects Game	2006
East First All-Star Team	2007
EBEL
Ron Kennedy Trophy (MVP)	2017	[6]