Patrick Rissmiller is a professional hockey player playing for the Florida Panthers as of 2011. His primary position is of winger, that is, as a left or right side offensive player. He was born on October 26, 1968 in Belmont, Massachusetts. He is considered a journeyman player with plenty of pro experience as his main asset.
High School and College Career
Fun fact: Patrick Rissmiller was cut from the varsity squad of his first high school, Belmont High. After high school, Rissmiller first made his mark on the varsity hockey squad at College of the Holy Cross. He was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the 2001-2002 season, his senior year.
San Jose Sharks
Rissmiller was undrafted at the end of his college career. After a few seasons in the minor leagues, Rissmiller was named Most Valuable Player for the Cleveland Barons for the 2005-2006 season. He was then called up to play for the San Jose Sharks midway through the same season. Rissmiller played two more full seasons with the Sharks, helping the team earn a spot in the playoffs every season he played for them. He scored two goals and one assist in the 2006 playoffs and one goal plus three assists in the 2007 playoffs before San Jose was eliminated each year.
Minor Leagues
At the end of the 2007-2008 season, Rissmiller became a free agent. He chose to sign with the New York Rangers. Unfortunately, he was injured in his debut game with his new team. After his recovery, he failed to regain a spot with the team and was sent down to the minors. He would spend three seasons in the American Hockey League playing for several different squads including the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Lake Erie Monsters before returning to the NHL.
Florida Panthers
In 2010 Rissmiller finally had his chance to rejoin the National Hockey League when he was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he played as a left winger at the time of publication. He scored nine goals and one assist in the 2010-2011 season.
Rissmiller on Rissmiller
Patrick Rissmiller told "NHL Home Ice" on the occasion of his trade to Florida that "I'll draw upon my success in San Jose, I'm a big guy, I think I can play physical; I can also skate and skating's a good asset of mine. I'm good down low with the puck. I'm willing to accept any role but obviously I'd like to produce offensively."
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