| Team | Free agent |
|---|---|
| Former teams | Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Pittsburgh Penguins Tampa Bay Lightning Fehérvár AV19 |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| Height | 6 ft |
| Height in | 1 |
| Weight lb | 203 |
| Birth date | March 19, 1990 (age 36) |
| Birth place | Sudbury, Ontario, Canada |
| Draft (2008) | 50th overall |
| Draft team | Colorado Avalanche |
| Career start | 2010 |
Cameron Gaunce (born March 19, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played under contract with Fehérvár AV19 of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). Gaunce was selected by Colorado Avalanche in the second round, 50th overall, of the 2008 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
Gaunce grew up in Markham, Ontario, playing minor ice hockey with the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) Markham Waxers, where he was a teammate of Steven Stamkos, Michael Del Zotto and Cody Hodgson.[citation needed] He played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with Markham.[1] He was selected 50th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2008 NHL entry draft.[citation needed] Gaunce played with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for three seasons, and on May 11, 2009, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche and attended the 2009 Avalanche's training camp before returning for his final year with the Majors in the 2009–10 season.[2]
In his first professional season, in 2010–11, Gaunce was assigned to Colorado's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. After 54 games with the Monsters, he was called up to the NHL and made his NHL debut in Colorado's 5–3 defeat against the Nashville Predators on February 12, 2011.[3] In his third game with the Avalanche, he scored his first NHL goal and point against Marc-André Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 3–2 loss on February 16.[4]
During the 2012–13 season, while playing with the Monsters and in the final year of his entry-level contract, on April 2, 2013, Gaunce was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Tomáš Vincour.[5] On December 17, 2013, Gaunce was called up to the Stars.[6]
In September 2014, after failing to make the Stars' NHL roster out of training camp, Gaunce was assigned to Dallas' AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars.[citation needed]
On July 1, 2015, after he was not tendered a qualifying offer to remain with the Stars, Gaunce signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers.[7] Gaunce was assigned to add leadership to Florida's AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates, for the duration of the 2015–16 season. He responded by setting career-high numbers offensively with 37 points in 75 games.[citation needed]
On July 1, 2016, as a free agent, Gaunce signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.[8] In the 2016–17 season, he began playing in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. With Pittsburgh suffering a depleted blueline through injury, Gaunce was recalled and eclipsed his previous efforts in the NHL to record a career-high 1 goal and 4 points in 12 games.[citation needed]
On July 1, 2017, as a free agent for the third straight year, Gaunce signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.[9] In the 2017–18 season, after attending the Blue Jackets' training camp, Gaunce was reassigned to Columbus' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. In making his return to his first professional club in the Monsters, Gaunce added a veteran presence on the blueline and led the defence in scoring with 21 assists and 24 points.[citation needed]
On July 1, 2018, Gaunce signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.[10]
Following two productive seasons within the Lightning organizations, Gaunce left as a free agent leading into the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season. Unable to secure an NHL deal, Gaunce agreed to a one-year AHL contract with the Ontario Reign, affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings, on January 28, 2021.[11] In the shortened AHL season, Gaunce contributed with 3 goals and 13 points in 24 games. In his second season with the Reign in the 2021–22 season, Gaunce featured regularly in 61 regular season games, collecting 7 goals and 27 points. He played in all five playoff games with the Reign in their divisional semi-final defeat to the Colorado Eagles.
On July 27, 2022, Gaunce opted to return for a third season with the Reign, re-signing to a one-year contract.[12]
Following his fourteenth North American professional season, Gaunce as a free agent opted extend his career by pursuing a career abroad in signing a one-year contract with Hungarian club, Fehérvár AV19 of the ICEHL, on August 26, 2024.[13]
Personal
Gaunce's younger brother Brendan currently plays as a left winger in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization.[14] Brendan, who was selected second overall by the Belleville Bulls in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection, was selected in the first round, 26th overall, by the Canucks in the 2012 NHL entry draft.[15]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2005–06 | Markham Waxers | OMHA | 72 | 11 | 60 | 71 | 122 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Markham Waxers | OPJHL | 45 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors | OHL | 63 | 10 | 30 | 40 | 99 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2008–09 | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors | OHL | 67 | 17 | 47 | 64 | 110 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 20 | ||
| 2009–10 | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors | OHL | 55 | 6 | 31 | 37 | 112 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 34 | ||
| 2010–11 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 61 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 75 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 61 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 98 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Texas Stars | AHL | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Texas Stars | AHL | 65 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 73 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 2013–14 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Texas Stars | AHL | 73 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 113 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Portland Pirates | AHL | 75 | 2 | 35 | 37 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2016–17 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 49 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Cleveland Monsters | AHL | 67 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 59 | 10 | 36 | 46 | 65 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 52 | 4 | 28 | 32 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Ontario Reign | AHL | 24 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Ontario Reign | AHL | 61 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 63 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ||
| 2022–23 | Ontario Reign | AHL | 52 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 40 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 44 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | Fehérvár AV19 | ICEHL | 44 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| NHL totals | 37 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| AHL | ||
| Calder Cup (Texas Stars) | 2014 | |
| AHL All-Star Game | 2016, 2020 | |
References
- ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA". Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-16.
- ^ "Avalanche signs Gaunce". Colorado Avalanche. May 11, 2009. Archived July 14, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ "Markham's Gaunce makes NHL debut with Colorado". York Region. February 14, 2011. Archived July 18, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
- ^ "Pens prevail in OT, deal Avalanche ninth loss in row". CBS Sports. February 16, 2011. Archived December 27, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
- ^ "Stars acquire Gaunce from Avalanche for Vincour". Dallas Stars. April 2, 2013. Archived December 17, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ "Dallas Stars place Vernon Fiddler on IR; Recall Cameron Gaunce from Texas Stars". NHL.com. Archived December 17, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
- ^ "Florida Panthers agree to terms with Cameron Gaunce and Brent Regner". Florida Panthers. 2015-07-01. Archived July 2, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- ^ "Penguins sign defenseman Cameron Gaunce". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2016-07-01. Archived July 3, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
- ^ "Blue Jackets sign Cameron Gaunce to two-year, two-way contract". Sportsnet.ca. 2017-07-01. Archived July 2, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
- ^ "Lightning sign defenseman Cameron Gaunce". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2018-07-01. Archived July 2, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-07-01.
- ^ "Reign add Gaunce, Lethemon on AHL contracts". Ontario Reign. January 28, 2021. Archived January 28, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ "Reign re-sign defender Cameron Gaunce". Ontario Reign. July 27, 2022. Archived July 27, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ "Fehérvár AV19 sign defenseman with NHL experience" (in Hungarian). Fehérvár AV19. August 26, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^ "Thank You - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps"
- ^ "2012 Draft ranking finals". International Scouting Services. June 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2012.