Jason Garrison is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was born on November 13, 1984, in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada. Garrison started his hockey career playing for the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in 2002. He played for the Clippers for two seasons before moving on to play for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2004 to 2008.
After completing his college career, Garrison signed as an undrafted free agent with the Florida Panthers in 2008. He spent most of his first professional season playing for the Panthers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Garrison made his NHL debut for the Panthers in the 2009-10 season and played in 39 games, scoring five goals and nine assists.
Garrison established himself as a reliable defenseman for the Panthers over the next few seasons, playing in 81 games in the 2011-12 season and scoring a career-high 16 goals and 17 assists. He was also a key player for the Panthers in the playoffs that year, scoring two goals and three assists in their first-round series against the New Jersey Devils.
In July 2012, Garrison signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks. He played two seasons for the Canucks, scoring 18 goals and 36 assists in 128 games. Garrison was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in June 2014, where he played for two seasons and scored 13 goals and 26 assists in 139 games.
Garrison's final NHL season was in 2017-18, where he split time between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers. He played in 58 games that season, scoring a goal and six assists.
Overall, Garrison played in 538 NHL games over his career, scoring 56 goals and 88 assists. He was known for his strong defensive play and his ability to contribute offensively with his powerful shot from the point. Garrison retired from professional hockey in 2019.
🏒