View source for Tom Preissing

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| image = 
| image_size = 
| played_for = [[San Jose Sharks]]<br>[[Ottawa Senators]]<br>[[Los Angeles Kings]]<br>[[Colorado Avalanche]]<br>[[Barys Astana]]<br>[[EHC Biel]]<br>[[Rögle BK]]<br>[[HC TPS|TPS]]
| position = [[Defenseman|Defense]]
| shoots = Right
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 197
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|12|03}}
| birth_place = [[Arlington Heights, Illinois|Arlington Heights]], [[Illinois|IL]], [[United States|USA]]
| draft = Undrafted
| career_start = 2003
| career_end = 2013
}}

'''Thomas Joseph Preissing''' (born December 3, 1978) is an [[United States|American]] former professional [[ice hockey]] player who played six seasons in the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL). Preissing played in 326 NHL games with the [[San Jose Sharks]], [[Ottawa Senators]], [[Los Angeles Kings]] and the [[Colorado Avalanche]]. Preissing was born in [[Arlington Heights, Illinois]], but grew up in [[Rosemount, Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnselects.com/page/show/110218-tom-preissing|title=Tom Preissing | publisher =Minnesota Selects | year = 2004 | accessdate = January 29, 2014}}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Amateur===
Preissing played four years as a forward on the varsity team at [[Rosemount High School]] before moving on to play two seasons with the [[Green Bay Gamblers]] of the [[USHL]]. It was with the Gamblers that then coach Mark Osiecki converted Tom to a defenseman, paving the way for his future hockey successes. Preissing played for [[Colorado College]] of the [[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]] and was a top 10 finalist for the [[Hobey Baker Award]], he also captained the Tigers in his senior year.<ref name="Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/article.asp?intID=2237 |title=Two Leaguers are Hobey Baker finalists |publisher=iveleaguesports.com |date=March 24, 2003 |accessdate=July 6, 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223172533/http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/article.asp?intID=2237 |archivedate=February 23, 2006 }}</ref> He earned NCAA - West First All-American honors and holds the WCHA record for most goals by a defenseman in a season with 23 in 2002–03.

===Professional===
Preissing was signed as an undrafted free agent by the [[San Jose Sharks]] on April 4, 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/5964/san_jose_sharks_sign_two_top_college_prospects/|title=San Jose Sharks sign two top college prospects | publisher =hockeysfuture.com | date = May 8, 2003 | accessdate = July 6, 2009}}</ref> After a strong training camp with the Sharks, Preissing was a surprise inclusion on the opening night roster for the [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]] season. Tom played the full season with the Sharks where he had two goals and seventeen assists in 69 games. He was praised for making the step directly from college to the NHL without stopping in the [[American Hockey League|AHL]] and was named San Jose's rookie of the year in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/7083/sharks2004_rookie_review/|title=Sharks 2004 rookie review | publisher =hockeysfuture.com | date = July 7, 2004 | accessdate = July 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wreg.com/marketplace/realestate/la-hmw-hotproppreissing27-2009may27,0,6266350.story|title=Hockey player Tom Preissing lists Manhattan beach home | publisher =wreg.com | date = May 27, 2009 | accessdate = July 6, 2009}}</ref> In the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]] season, Preissing broke out, scoring 43 points in seventy-four games to have the second-highest-scoring season by a defenseman in Sharks history behind only [[Sandis Ozolinsh]]. He also carried a +17 [[Plus-minus (ice hockey)|plus-minus]] rating, which ranked first among Sharks defensemen.

On July 9, 2006, Preissing and [[Josh Hennessy]] were traded by the Sharks to the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] for [[Mark Bell (hockey)|Mark Bell]]. The Hawks immediately traded the two, along with [[Michal Barinka]] and a second-round draft pick in the [[2008 NHL Entry Draft]] to the [[Ottawa Senators]] for [[Martin Havlat]] and [[Bryan Smolinski]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2514959|title=Blackhawks obtain Sens' Havlat in three team deal | publisher =[[ESPN]] | date = July 9, 2006 | accessdate = February 26, 2009}}</ref> Tom then spent the [[2006–07 Ottawa Senators season|2006–07]] season with Ottawa, recording 38 points in 80 games and posting the third-best [[Plus-minus (ice hockey)|plus-minus]] rating (+40) of any NHL player. He helped the Senators reach the [[Stanley Cup]] final, in which they lost to the [[Anaheim Ducks]] in five games.

On July 2, 2007, Preissing signed a four-year, $11 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kings.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=327023&page=NewsPage&service=page|title=Kings sign free agent defenseman Tom Preissing | publisher =[[Los Angeles Kings]] | date = July 2, 2007 | accessdate = July 6, 2009}}</ref> In the [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]] season, his first with the Kings, Preissing suffered in production, scoring only 24 points in 77 games, and his plus-minus slipped to -6. Preissing was benched for four games into the early stages of the [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09]] season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2008-11-07-151785563_x.htm|title=Kings snap skid with 3-2 win over Panthers | publisher =[[USA Today]] | date = November 7, 2008 | accessdate = July 6, 2009}}</ref> After stepping up his play Preissing was then hampered by illness and upon recovery was assigned to the Kings affiliate, the [[Manchester Monarchs (AHL)|Manchester Monarchs]] of the [[American Hockey League|AHL]] on March 4, 2009, for the rest of the season.

On July 3, 2009, Preissing was traded by the Kings, along with [[Kyle Quincey]] and a fifth-round draft pick in the [[2010 NHL Entry Draft]], to the Colorado Avalanche for [[Ryan Smyth]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_12752022|title=Avs shed Smyth's hefty contract in Kings trade | publisher =[[Denver Post]] | date = July 3, 2009 | accessdate = July 6, 2009 | first=Adrian | last=Dater}}</ref> Preissing missed training camp and the start of the [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10]] season having a scope on his right knee.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2009-11-14-581413906_x.htm|title=Avs' Tom Preissing back from right knee injury | publisher =''[[USA Today]]'' | date = November 14, 2009 | accessdate = February 23, 2010}}</ref> After a conditioning stint with Colorado's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, Tom made his Avalanche debut in an 8-2 loss to the [[Vancouver Canucks]] on November 14, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gamecenter/recap/NHL_20091114_VAN@COL|title=H Sedin collects his first hat-trick as Canucks melt Avalanche | publisher =''[[CBS Sports]]'' | date = November 14, 2009 | accessdate = February 23, 2010}}</ref> On November 29, 2009, after playing in four games with the Avs, Preissing was placed on waivers and reassigned back to the Monsters.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13886923|title=Hejduk out with injury | publisher =''[[Denver Post]]'' | date = November 29, 2009 | accessdate = February 23, 2010}}</ref> Despite leading the Monsters defense with 31 points in 49 games, his considerably large contract meant he was placed on waivers for the purpose of a buy out of his final year from the Avalanche on June 30, 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326149 | title = McKenzie: Looks like Ellis is going to Market | publisher = ''[[The Sports Network|TSN]]'' | date = June 30, 2010 | accessdate = July 4, 2010 }}</ref>

Without NHL interest, Preissing returned to Europe for the first time since 2005, signing a one-year contract with [[Oulun Kärpät|Kärpät]] of the [[Finland|Finnish]] SM-liiga on September 16, 2010. Under the agreement, Tom first joined [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] team, [[Barys Astana]] of the Russian KHL, to start the [[2010–11 KHL season|2010–11]] season on a two-month loan through to November in order to attain game conditioning.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.oulunkarpat.fi/2009/uutiset.php?uutisid=1270&arkistosivu= | title = NHL defenseman Tom Preissing joins Kärpät | publisher = ''[[Oulun Kärpät]]'' | date = September 16, 2010 | accessdate = September 16, 2010 | language = Finnish }}</ref> On September 17, Preissing made a successful debut with Astana scoring a goal in a 6-5 overtime loss to [[Salavat Yulaev Ufa]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.hcbarys.kz/ru/news/view/baryis-salavat-yulaev-5-6-po-bullitam&prev=_t&r | title = Barys 5, UFA 6 | publisher = ''[[Barys Astana]]'' | date = September 23, 2010 | accessdate = October 12, 2010 | language = Russian}}</ref> However, just two days later in his second game in a 4-1 victory against [[Metallurg Novokuznetsk]], Preissing's tenure in the KHL was cut short when he suffered a serious knee injury. Due to return to Kärpät in November, but with the prospects of being unable to play from the injury, Preissing came to a mutual agreement to terminate his contract on October 11, 2010.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.oulunkarpat.fi/2009/uutiset.php?uutisid=1278&arkistosivu= | title = Tom Preissing contract terminated | publisher = ''[[Oulun Kärpät|Kärpät]]'' | date = October 11, 2010 | accessdate = October 12, 2010 | language = Finnish }}</ref>

On July 11, 2011, Preissing signed a one-year contract with Swiss team EHC Biel for the 2011–12 season.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://ehcb.ch/de/news/details.php?mel_id=722 | language = German | publisher = ehcb.ch | date = July 11, 2011 | accessdate = July 13, 2011 | title = EHCB verpflichtet Tom Preissing}}</ref> In 29 games, Preissing contributed with 7 points before leaving at years end to sign with Swedish club, [[Rögle BK]] of the [[Swedish Hockey League|Elitserien]] on a one-year contract on July 15, 2012.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.roglebk.se/natmagasinet/visa/1873_ny_nhlmeriterad_back_forstarker_rogle | title = NHL defender reinforces Rögle BK | language = Swedish | publisher = ''[[Rögle BK]]'' | date = July 15, 2012 | accessdate = July 15, 2012}}</ref>

In the [[2012–13 Elitserien season|2012–13]] season, Priessing offensively produced early with Rögle BK but with defensive performance below expectations, he was released by Rögle having scored 12 points in 29 games on December 5, 2012.<ref>{{cite web| url =  http://www.roglebk.se/natmagasinet/visa/2067_rogle_bryter_med_backduo | title = Rogle breaks with defense duo | publisher = ''[[Rögle BK]]'' | date = December 5, 2012 | accessdate = December 6, 2012 | language = Swedish}}</ref> On January 14, 2013, Preissing continued his well traveled European tour, by signing for the remainder of the Finnish season with [[HC TPS|TPS]] of the [[Liiga|SM-Liiga]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://hc.tps.fi/uutiset-ajankohtaista-tom_preissing_tpsn_takalinjoille | title = Tom Preissing to TPS Blueline | publisher = ''[[HC TPS|TPS]]'' | date = January 14, 2013 | accessdate = January 14, 2013 | language = Finnish}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" 
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" 
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   
! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   
! colspan="5" | [[Regular season]] 
! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   
! colspan="5" | [[Playoffs]] 
|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" 
! [[Season (sports)|Season]] 
! Team 
! League 
! GP 
! [[Goal (ice hockey)|G]] 
! [[Assist (ice hockey)|A]] 
! [[Point (ice hockey)|Pts]] 
! [[Penalty (ice hockey)|PIM]] 
! GP 
! G 
! A 
! Pts 
! PIM 
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[1997–98 USHL season|1997–98]]
| [[Green Bay Gamblers]]
| [[USHL]]
| 56
| 8
| 13
| 21
| 30
| 4
| 0
| 2
| 2
| 2
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 
| [[1998–99 USHL season|1998–99]]
| Green Bay Gamblers
| USHL
| 53
| 18
| 37
| 55
| 40
| 6
| 3
| 6
| 9
| 2
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[1999–2000 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1999–00]]
| [[Colorado College]]
| [[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]]
| 36
| 4
| 14
| 18
| 20
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 
| [[2000–01 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2000–01]]
| Colorado College
| WCHA
| 33
| 6
| 18
| 24
| 26
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2001–02 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2001–02]]
| Colorado College
| WCHA
| 43
| 6
| 26
| 32
| 42
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 
| [[2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2002–03]]
| Colorado College
| WCHA
| 42
| 23
| 29
| 52
| 16
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]]
| [[San Jose Sharks]]
| [[National Hockey League|NHL]]
| 69
| 2
| 17
| 19
| 12
| 11
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2004–05 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season|2004–05]]
| [[Krefeld Pinguine]]
| [[Deutsche Eishockey Liga|DEL]]
| 33
| 1
| 6
| 7
| 32
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06]]
| San Jose Sharks
| NHL
| 74
| 11
| 32
| 43
| 26
| 11
| 1
| 6
| 7
| 4
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]]
| [[Ottawa Senators]]
| NHL
| 80 
| 7
| 31
| 38
| 18
| 20
| 2
| 5
| 7
| 10
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2007–08 NHL season|2007–08]]
| [[Los Angeles Kings]]
| NHL
| 77 
| 8
| 16
| 24
| 16
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09]]
| Los Angeles Kings
| NHL
| 22 
| 3
| 4
| 7
| 6
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2008–09 AHL season|2008–09]]
| [[Manchester Monarchs (AHL)|Manchester Monarchs]]
| [[American Hockey League|AHL]]
| 14 
| 2
| 4
| 6
| 6
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center"  bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2009–10 AHL season|2009–10]]
| [[Lake Erie Monsters]]
| AHL
| 49 
| 9
| 22
| 31
| 38
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2009–10 NHL season|2009–10]]
| [[Colorado Avalanche]]
| NHL
| 4 
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 0
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center"  bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2010–11 KHL season|2010–11]]
| [[Barys Astana]]
| [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]]
| 2 
| 1
| 0
| 1
| 0
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" 
| [[2011–12 NLA season|2011–12]]
| [[EHC Biel]]
| [[National League A|NLA]]
| 29 
| 5
| 2
| 7
| 4
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 2
| 0
|- ALIGN="center"  bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[2012–13 Elitserien season|2012–13]]
| [[Rögle BK]]
| [[Swedish Hockey League|SEL]]
| 29 
| 5
| 7
| 12
| 10
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center"
| [[2012–13 SM-liiga season|2012–13]]
| [[HC TPS|TPS]]
| [[Liiga|SM-l]]
| 20 
| 3
| 5
| 8
| 16
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals
! 326
! 31
! 101
! 132
! 78
! 42
! 3
! 12
! 15
! 14
|}

==Awards and honors==
{| class="wikitable"
! Award
! Year
!
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
| colspan="3" | [[United States Hockey League|USHL]]
|-
| Defenseman of the Year
| 1999
| 
|-
| First All-Star Team
| 1999
|
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
| colspan="3" | [[NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship|College]]
|-
| All-[[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]] [[List of All-WCHA Hockey Teams#Third Team|Third Team]]
| [[2000–01 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2001]]
| 
|-
| All-[[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]] [[List of All-WCHA Hockey Teams#Third Team|Third Team]]
| [[2001–02 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2002]]
| 
|-
| All-[[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]] [[List of All-WCHA Hockey Teams#First Team|First Team]]
| 2003
|
|-
| WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year
| 2003
|
|-
| [[American Hockey Coaches Association|AHCA]] [[List of Division I AHCA All-American Teams|West First-Team All-American]]
| [[2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2002–03]]
| <ref name = "Award"/>
|-
| [[Western Collegiate Hockey Association|WCHA]] [[List of WCHA All-Tournament Team|All-Tournament Team]]
| [[2003 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament|2003]]
| <ref name= tournament>{{cite news|title=WCHA Tourney History|url=http://wcha.com/men/tourney/history.php|publisher=WCHA|accessdate=2014-06-26}}</ref>
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{hockeydb|49763}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Preissing, Tom}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:American ice hockey defensemen]]
[[Category:Barys Astana players]]
[[Category:Colorado Avalanche players]]
[[Category:Colorado College Tigers men's ice hockey players]]
[[Category:EHC Biel players]]
[[Category:Green Bay Gamblers players]]
[[Category:Ice hockey people from Illinois]]
[[Category:Ice hockey people from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Krefeld Pinguine players]]
[[Category:Lake Erie Monsters players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Kings players]]
[[Category:Manchester Monarchs (AHL) players]]
[[Category:Ottawa Senators players]]
[[Category:People from Arlington Heights, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Eagan, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Rögle BK players]]
[[Category:San Jose Sharks players]]
[[Category:HC TPS players]]
[[Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players]]