| Position | Centre |
|---|---|
| Shoots | Left |
| Height | 6 ft |
| Height in | 2 |
| Weight lb | 224 |
| Birth date | November 25, 1984 (age 41) |
| Birth place | Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada |
| Draft (2003) | 287th overall |
| Draft team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Career start | 2005 |
| Career end | 2017 |
| Played for | Tampa Bay Lightning Nashville Predators Florida Panthers Vityaz Chekhov |
Nick Tarnasky (born November 25, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He most recently played for the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2016–17 season. Tarnasky previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers.
Playing career
Tarnasky was drafted in the ninth round, 287th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut in the 2005-06 season for the Lightning, and would also play the following two seasons with the team. On September 29, 2008, he was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft. On November 27, 2008, he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Wade Belak.[1] Tarnasky was released by the Panthers in 2010.
In 2010, Tarnasky attended training camp with the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. After being cut, he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who assigned him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. Tarnasky previously played with the Falcons from 2004 through 2006.
On July 3, 2011, Tarnasky signed with Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). During the 2011–12 season, he scored 4 goals in 36 games.
On July 17, 2012, Tarnasky returned to North America to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Buffalo Sabres. He was assigned to the club's AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, for the duration of the 2012–13 season.
On July 6, 2013, Tarnasky left the Sabres as a free agent to sign a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens.[2] He was assigned to the club's AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs for the duration of the 2013–14 season.
On July 3, 2014, Tarnasky signed a two-year, two-way contract with the New York Rangers.[3]
After two seasons with the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, Tarnasky left at the conclusion of the 2015–16 season as a free agent. On September 8, 2016, he signed a one-year contract with the AHL's San Diego Gulls.[4]
Post-career
Tarnasky took on coaching role after playing in the AHL. As of 2025, he is coaching the U17 Red Deer AAA North Stars.[5]
In July 2025, a video recording of Tarnasky engaging in a physical altercation on Alberta Springs Golf Resort outside Red Deer, Alberta with another golfer was posted on the internet.[6] The video went viral gaining tens of millions of views on various social media sites.[7] The RCMP conducted an investigation into the altercation, finding no probable cause to charge Tarnasky.[8] The other man in the altercation later apologized, saying he "played 36 holes of golf, drank way too much and my mouth ran faster than my brain."[9] Tarnasky was additionally cleared to resume coaching.[6]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2000–01 | Leduc Oil Kings AAA | AMHL | 35 | 39 | 29 | 68 | 95 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Delta Ice Hawks | PIJHL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Drayton Valley Thunder | AJHL | 20 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 39 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 30 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 71 | 26 | 23 | 49 | 108 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 80 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 176 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 68 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 77 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| 2007–08 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 80 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 34 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Florida Everblades | ECHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Springfield Falcons | AHL | 66 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 150 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Vityaz Chekhov | KHL | 36 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 173 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 74 | 16 | 10 | 26 | 138 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 76 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 144 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 26 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 59 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 32 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 486 | 80 | 65 | 145 | 881 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| NHL totals | 245 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 297 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||||
References
- ^ "Panthers trade Wade Belak to Nashville". miamiherald.com. 2008-11-27. Archived 2021-05-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
- ^ "Canadians sign Nick Tarnasky to one-year contract". Montreal Canadiens. 2013-07-06. Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
- ^ "Rangers agree to terms with Tarnasky". The Sports Network. 2014-07-03. Archived 2014-08-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
- ^ "Gulls sign 7 players to AHL contracts". San Diego Gulls. 2016-09-08. Archived from the original on 2016-09-10. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
- ^ https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2025/08/06/nick-tarnasky-cleared-to-coach-by-red-deer-minor-hockey-following-viral-golf-course-brouhaha/
- ^ Mulcahy, Karyn (2025-08-14). "Red Deer hockey coach clear to return to the bench after golf course fight". CTVNews. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
- ^ Staples, David (July 8, 2025). "'Cry about it!': Hockey world buzzes as ex-NHL enforcer brawls slowpoke golfer on Alberta course". Edmonton Journal. Archived July 9, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
- ^ "Ex-NHLer Nick Tarnasky cleared by RCMP in Alberta golf course fight". CBC News. 2025-07-09. Archived 2025-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
- ^ Amato, Angela (2025-07-13). "‘Not my finest moment’: Man beaten up at Red Deer golf course apologizes". CTVNews. Archived 2025-07-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-07-13.