Willie Mitchell is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 15 seasons. He was born on April 23, 1977, in Port McNeill, British Columbia, Canada.
Mitchell started his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Regina Pats in the 1994-95 season. He played for the Pats for three seasons before being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the eighth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. However, Mitchell did not play for the Devils and instead played for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany River Rats, for two seasons.
In the 2000-01 season, Mitchell made his NHL debut with the Minnesota Wild. He played for the Wild for four seasons before being traded to the Dallas Stars in 2006. Mitchell played for the Stars for one season before signing with the Vancouver Canucks in 2007.
Mitchell played for the Canucks for four seasons and was a key player in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011. However, the Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games. Mitchell then signed with the Los Angeles Kings in 2010 and played for them for four seasons.
During his time with the Kings, Mitchell won two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. He was known for his defensive skills and was a key player in the Kings' success. However, Mitchell suffered a knee injury in the 2013-14 season and missed the entire 2014-15 season due to complications from the injury.
Mitchell returned to the NHL for the 2015-16 season and signed with the Florida Panthers. However, he only played in 15 games before announcing his retirement from professional hockey on April 11, 2016.
Throughout his NHL career, Mitchell played in 907 games and scored 33 goals and 140 assists for a total of 173 points. He was known for his physical play and defensive skills and was a respected leader in the locker room. Mitchell was also involved in various charitable organizations and was known for his philanthropic work off the ice.
In conclusion, Willie Mitchell had a successful NHL career spanning over 15 seasons. He played for various teams and won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings. Mitchell was known for his defensive skills and physical play and was a respected leader in the locker room. He retired from professional hockey in 2016 and is now involved in various philanthropic endeavors.
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