Brandon Yip

Brandon Michael Harry Yip (Chinese: 叶劲光; pinyin: Yè Jìnguāng; born April 25, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right wing who is currently playing with Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and the Phoenix Coyotes. He is of 3/4 Chinese and 1/4 Irish descent.[1]

Brandon Yip
Born	(1985-04-25) April 25, 1985 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
KHL team Former teams	Kunlun Red Star Colorado Avalanche Nashville Predators Phoenix Coyotes Adler Mannheim Düsseldorfer EG
NHL Draft	239th overall, 2004 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2009–present

Playing career

Yip was drafted by the Avalanche in the 8th round, 239th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played amateur junior hockey with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL before enrolling to play collegiate hockey with Boston University of the Hockey East. In his freshman year in 2005–06, Yip scored 31 points in 39 games and was named Hockey East rookie of the year.[2] In his junior year with the Terriers in 2007–08, Yip served an indefinite suspension for breaking team rules before returning to finish with 23 points in 37 games.[3] After winning the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship with the Terriers in his senior year in 2008–09, Yip graduated from Boston University with high honors with a B.S. in criminal justice.[4]

On July 22, 2009, Yip signed a one-year entry level contract with the Avalanche.[5] Prior to his first pro season in 2009–10, Yip suffered a broken hand in a pre-season game that sidelined him for the first two months of the year.[6] He made his professional debut with the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, for a six-game stint. He was recalled by Colorado on December 19, 2009, to make his NHL debut in a 5-2 home win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.[7] Yip scored his first goal three days later against Jonas Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks.[8] In his first 22 games he scored 11 goals before suffering a separated shoulder against the Detroit Red Wings on March 1, 2010.[9] Yip ended his 2009-10 campaign leading all rookies in goals per game average. After finishing second on the Avalanche in playoff scoring with four points against the San Jose Sharks in the conference quarterfinals, Yip was re-signed to a two-year contract on July 7, 2010.[10] On November 6, 2010 he registered a Gordie Howe hat trick during a 5-0 victory over the Dallas Stars.

During the 2011–12 season, after 10 scoreless games with the Avalanche Yip was placed on waivers and claimed by the Nashville Predators on January 19, 2012.[11] On January 24, he had his debut for the Predators in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.[12] Yip established a role on the Predators lower checking lines, scoring 3 goals, including two in two games against his former club Colorado, and 7 points in 25 games.

Yip was re-signed by the Predators to a one-year contract on June 21, 2012.[13] In the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Yip transitioned quickly to contribute 5 points in his first 10 games of the campaign before finishing with 8 points in 34 games. He missed the final 8 games of the year due to injury.

On July 19, 2013, Yip was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes to a one-year, two-way contract.[14] After attending the Coyotes training camp, Yip failed to make the opening night roster and was assigned to the AHL for the first time since 2009 with affiliate, the Portland Pirates. In the early stages of the 2013–14 season, Yip was recalled to Phoenix to appear in 2 games before he was reassigned to the Pirates for the remainder of the campaign.

Unsigned into the off-season, Yip accepted an invite to attend the Anaheim Ducks 2014 training camp on a professional try-out contract on September 18, 2014.[15] Yip failed to earn an NHL contract with the Ducks, however was reassigned and signed with AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals to begin the 2014–15 season. Yip produced 12 points in 31 games with the Admirals before he was loaned to play in the ECHL for the first time in his career with the Utah Grizzlies on January 15, 2015.

After 7 games with the Grizzlies, Yip sought a release from his contract with Norfolk and on February 6, 2015 it was announced that Yip had signed his first contract abroad with German club Adler Mannheim for the rest of the DEL season.[16] On October 20, 2016, he inked a deal with another German side, putting pen to paper on a contract for the remainder of the 2016–17 campaign with Düsseldorfer EG.[17]

As a free agent, with the ambition to follow his Chinese origins and represent at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Yip left Germany and signed a contract with Chinese club, HC Kunlun Red Star of the KHL on June 5, 2017.[18]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003–04	Coquitlam Express	BCHL		56	31	38	69	87		4	1	2	3	14
2004–05	Coquitlam Express	BCHL		43	20	42	62	92		7	6	1	7	12
2005–06	Boston University	HE		39	9	22	31	59		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Boston University	HE		18	5	6	11	29		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Boston University	HE		37	11	12	23	28		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Boston University	HE		45	20	23	43	118		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		6	2	0	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		32	11	8	19	22		6	2	2	4	6
2010–11	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		71	12	10	22	54		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		10	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Nashville Predators	NHL		25	3	4	7	20		10	1	1	2	6
2012–13	Nashville Predators	NHL		34	3	5	8	26		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Portland Pirates	AHL		66	14	20	34	87		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		31	3	9	12	8		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Utah Grizzlies	ECHL		7	1	3	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Adler Mannheim	DEL		6	1	1	2	2		14	0	4	4	38
2015–16	Adler Mannheim	DEL		44	10	6	16	134		3	0	0	0	2
2016–17	Düsseldorfer EG	DEL		41	11	8	19	118		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Kunlun Red Star	KHL		48	9	9	18	44		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Kunlun Red Star	KHL		62	21	15	36	89		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Kunlun Red Star	KHL		50	15	16	31	51		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				174	29	27	56	130		16	3	3	6	12

Awards and honours

Award	Year
College
All-Hockey East Rookie Team	2005–06
HE Rookie of the Year	2006	[2]

References

1. Frei, Terry (2009-09-12). "Rookie Yip looking to make impression, big club". Denver Post. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
2. "BC, BU dominate Hockey East awards". USCHO.com. 2006-03-16. Archived from the original on 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
3. "BU suspends four indefinitely". USCHO.com. 2007-12-06. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
4. "Yip signs with NHL's Avalanche". bclocalnews.com. 2009-07-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
5. "Avalanche signs Brandon Yip". Colorado Avalanche. 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
6. Joe Nguyen (2010-03-11). "FacetoFace with Colorado Avalanche rookie Brandon Yip". asiaxpress.com. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
7. Dater, Adrian (2009-12-19). "Yip receives his dream call". Denver Post. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
8. "Getzlaf lifts Ducks to late win over Avalanche". Yahoo.com. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
9. Terry Frei (2010-04-11). "Avalanche looks for Yip to regain his scoring touch". Denver Post. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
10. "Avalanche give Yip two-year , $1.45 million deal". Denver Post. 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
11. "Predators claim Yip off waivers". The Sports Network. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
12. "Predators 3, Blackhawks 1". Nashville Predators. 2012-01-24. Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
13. "Preds sign Brandon Yip to one-year contract". Nashville Predators. 2012-06-21. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
14. "Coyotes ink Yip to one-year, two-way deal". The Sports Network. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
15. "Anaheim Ducks 2014-15 training camp roster" (PDF). Anaheim Ducks. 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
16. "Eagles take Brandon Yip under contract" (in German). Adler Mannheim. 2015-02-06. Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
17. "DEG announce signing of former NHL player Brandon Yip" (in German). Düsseldorfer EG. 2016-10-20. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
18. "A new season on the horizon, a new team taking shape". HC Kunlun Red Star. 2017-06-05. Retrieved 2017-06-05.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Peter Vetri	Hockey East Rookie of the Year 2005–06	Succeeded by Teddy Purcell
Sporting positions
Preceded by Alexei Ponikarovsky	Kunlun Red Star captain 2018–present	Succeeded by Incumbent