Willie Mitchell William Reid Mitchell ( born April 23 , 1977 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He is known primarily as a physical defensive defenceman . Mitchell played Junior A in the British Columbia Hockey League ( BCHL ) and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League ( SJHL ) , before joining the college ranks with the Clarkson Golden Knights of ECAC Hockey in 1997 . He won an ECAC championship with Clarkson in 1999 , while also earning playoff MVP and ECAC First Team All - Star honours . Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft , he played two seasons with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) while earning limited playing time with the Devils over two seasons . In 2001 , he was traded to the Minnesota Wild where he played four seasons before a brief stint with the Dallas Stars . He signed with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2006 off - season and was named the team ' s top defenceman twice , in 2008 and 2009 . After four seasons in Vancouver , Mitchell signed with Los Angeles in August 2010 . Internationally , he has represented Team Canada once at the 2004 World Championships , capturing a gold medal . Early life . Mitchell was born on April 23 , 1977 , to Reid and Nadija Mitchell . He has a sister named Chantal . His father works as a heavy - duty mechanic with Western Forest Products , while his mother is a Croatian - born immigrant who works as a terminal service agent for B . C . Ferries . Mitchell ' s grandfather , Les Mitchell played amateur senior hockey and once earned a tryout with the New York Rangers during the Original Six - era . Mitchell was born and raised in Port McNeill , British Columbia , a small logging town on Vancouver Island . He grew up working on the docks in his hometown unloading fish and cleaning equipment . He first began skating at the age of four and took figure skating . Growing up as a Vancouver Canucks fan , his father would take him across to the mainland to see games at the Pacific Coliseum . He played minor hockey as a winger with the North Island Eagles and won back - to - back double - A provincial titles in pee wee and bantam with the club . At the age of 15 , he left home after being recruited to play for Athol Murray College of Notre Dame , a high school in Wilcox , Saskatchewan . It was there that he switched from wing to defence . He played with the Notre Dame Hounds ' midget team of the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League ( SMHL ) and recorded 15 points over 31 games in 1993 – 94 . From there , he earned an athletic scholarship with Clarkson University in New York . Playing career . Junior and college hockey ( 1994 – 99 ) . As a junior hockey player , Mitchell began in the BCHL with the Kelowna Spartans in 1994 – 95 , recording 11 points over 42 games . After one season with Kelowna , he joined the Melfort Mustangs of the SJHL . Following his first season with Melfort in 1995 – 96 , he was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the eighth round , 199th overall , in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft . He returned to Melfort for a second season and recorded 56 points in 64 games to earn the Top Defenceman Award and SJHL First All - Star Team honours . Beginning in 1997 – 98 , Mitchell began two seasons of college hockey with Clarkson University Golden Knights of the ECAC . In his freshman year , he recorded 26 points over 34 games , fourth among league defencemen , and was named co - Rookie of the Year with Clarkson teammate Erik Cole . He also earned ECAC All - Rookie and ECAC Second All - Star honours . Clarkson advanced to the ECAC Tournament final against Princeton Tigers , but lost by a 5 – 4 score in double overtime . The following season , Mitchell led all Golden Knights defencemen in scoring with 29 points ( 10 goals and 19 assists ) and a plus - 13 rating in 34 games . He finished the season with a league player of the week recognition on March 1 , 1999 . As Clarkson met Pricenton in the 1999 ECAC semi - final , Mitchell scored the game winning goal with a slap shot from centre ice with three seconds remaining in regulation . Clarkson went on to defeat the St . Lawrence Skating Saints 3 – 2 in the final to capture the ECAC championship . Mitchell earned tournament MVP honours and was also named to the ECAC First All - Star Team and NCAA East Second All - American Team . New Jersey Devils ( 1999 – 2001 ) . Following his sophomore season with Clarkson , Mitchell decided to forego his final two seasons of college eligilibity to turn professional in the New Jersey Devils system . He played the final six games of the 1998 – 99 AHL season with the Devils ' minor league affiliate , the Albany River Rats , registering a goal and three assists . In his first Devils ' training camp in September 1999 , he broke a finger in his left hand during a fight in a rookie game against the Boston Bruins . The injury required three pins to set the finger in place . Although sidelined , the Devils signed him to a rookie contract in September 1999 . After recovering , he was assigned to the River Rats . Mitchell received a call - up late in the season and made his NHL debut on March 27 , 2000 , in a 5 – 2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs . He stayed with the Devils for a week before being returned to the AHL . He finished the 1999 – 2000 season with 19 points over 63 games with the River Rats and no points in two games with the Devils . The following season , Mitchell made the Devils ' opening lineup , but was a regular healthy scratch . After appearing in 11 games , he was returned to the AHL on November 22 , 2000 . He registered his first NHL point , an assist , during his initial stint . After injuries to Devils defencemen Scott Niedermayer and Brian Rafalski , Mitchell was recalled on February 10 , 2001 . The following month , after having been sent back down to the AHL , he was traded to the Minnesota Wild on March 4 , 2001 , in exchange for defenceman Sean O ' Donnell . Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars ( 2001 – 06 ) . Following the trade , Mitchell became a full - time NHLer , playing in 17 games with the Wild to finish the season . He completed his rookie NHL season with a goal and 10 assists over 33 games between the Devils and Wild . In his first full season with the Wild in 2001 – 02 , he recorded three goals and 13 points in 68 games , while earning $ 550 , 000 from his initial rookie contract with the Devils . He missed 14 games due to three separate shoulder , groin and wrist injuries . Establishing himself as a top - four defenceman on the team , paired with Brad Bombardir , Mitchell ranked third on the team in average ice time with 21 : 25 minutes per game . The following season , he improved to a third - ranked plus - 13 on the team after going minus - 16 the previous season . He went on to help the club make a run in the 2003 playoffs to the semi - finals , leading the team with a plus - 5 rating in 18 post - season games . He suffered a cheekbone injury during the first round against the Colorado Avalanche that required him to wear a fully visored helmet for the remainder of the playoffs . After defeating the Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks in the first two rounds , the Wild were eliminated in four games by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the semi - finals . In the off - season , he was re - signed to a one - year contract by the Wild on August 11 , 2003 . He recorded 14 points over 70 games in 2003 – 04 , while leading the Wild with a plus - 12 rating and ranking second in average ice time at 22 : 35 minutes per game . Minnesota failed to qualify for the playoffs . On June 30 , 2004 , the Wild tendered Mitchell a qualifying offer , but he later filed for arbitration on July 7 . The two sides avoided arbitration by agreeing on a one - year , $ 1 . 775 million deal on August 12 , 2004 . However , due to the NHL lockout , Mitchell was inactive in 2004 – 05 . With NHL play set to resume for 2005 – 06 , he re - signed with the Wild to another one - year , $ 1 million contract on August 9 , 2005 . In December 2005 , he was named team captain as part of the Wild ' s monthly rotating captaincy ( he was then succeeded by Brian Rolston in February 2006 ) . At the 2005 – 06 trade deadline , Mitchell was traded away to the Dallas Stars as a rental player in exchange for defencemen Martin Skoula and Shawn Belle on March 9 , 2006 . Mitchell closed the season playing 16 games and one playoff round with Dallas before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off - season . Vancouver Canucks ( 2006 – 2010 ) . On July 1 , 2006 , the Vancouver Canucks signed Mitchell to a four - year , $ 14 million contract . Canucks general manager Dave Nonis had previously attempted to acquire him at the previous season ' s trade deadline before he was sent to Dallas . His acquisition as a free agent followed the signings of goaltender Roberto Luongo and head coach Alain Vigneault , which reflected an effort from Nonis to develop a defence - first system . Early in the 2006 – 07 season , Mitchell suffered a concussion on October 23 and missed nine games . He then missed 11 more games due to a recurring groin injury in February and March 2007 . He finished his first season with the Canucks recording a goal and 11 points in 62 games . His 4 : 57 minutes of average shorthanded ice time per game ranked third in the league behind Derian Hatcher and Adam Foote . He helped the team to the second round of the 2007 playoffs , where they were defeated by the Anaheim Ducks in five games . During his second season with Vancouver , he missed ten games with a fractured vertebra . The injury was sustained on December 31 , 2007 , in a loss to the Calgary Flames , while trying to dodge a check . However , Mitchell continued to play with the injury for nine games afterwards . He recorded two goals and 12 points , while leading the team with 108 blocked shots and 1 , 646 : 20 minutes in total ice time . At the end of the 2007 – 08 season , he was awarded his first Babe Pratt Trophy as the Canucks ' top defenceman . With the departure of long - time Canucks captain Markus Näslund to free agency in the 2008 off - season , Mitchell was considered a leading candidate for captaincy . The Canucks instead appointed team MVP Roberto Luongo as the first goaltender to be a captain since 1947 – 48 on September 30 , 2008 . Mitchell was named alternate captain along with forward Ryan Kesler and defenceman Mattias Öhlund . Due to Luongo ' s limitations as a goaltender , Mitchell was designated the captain ' s traditional role of disputing calls by the officials and relaying messages to the coach . During the subsequent 2008 – 09 season , Mitchell recorded career - highs with three goals , 20 assists , 23 points and a team - best plus - 29 rating , earning his second conecutive Babe Pratt Trophy . He added two assists and led all Canucks in average ice time at 24 : 12 minutes per game in the post - season . He helped the Canucks advance to the second round , where they were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games . Early on in the 2009 – 10 season , Mitchell delivered an open - ice hit that concussed Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews in the two teams ' first game against each other since the 2009 playoffs . Mitchell had just exited the penalty box when he caught Toews with his head down receiving a pass in the neutral zone ; the hit was deemed legal as Mitchell checked Toews with his shoulder . Toews was sidelined for six games as a result . Later on in the season , Mitchell suffered a concussion himself , receiving a hit from opposing forward Evgeni Malkin , causing his head to hit the end boards , during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 16 . He was sidelined for the remainder of the season with post - concussion syndrome , finishing with 12 points and a plus - 13 rating in 48 games . Unsure if the injury had ended his career , Mitchell later recalled his subsequent recovery as " the toughest year of [ his ] life . " Not speaking to the media until after the Canucks were eliminated in the playoffs , he expressed criticism towards both Malkin for the hit resulting in his concussion and to NHL Senior Vice President Colin Campbell for not taking any disciplinary action . He denounced Campbell for being " inconsistent . . . hand [ ing ] down suspensions and fines on result [ instead of the nature of a hit ] , " as Mitchell ' s injury was not immediately apparent following the game . Mitchell ' s four - year deal with the Canucks expired on July 1 , 2010 , and he became an unrestricted free agent . Mitchell was still involved in negotiations with Vancouver to re - sign , but concerns over his head injury , as well as the new defensive acquisitions of Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis in the off - season factored against the possibility of remaining with the Canucks . Los Angeles Kings ( 2010 – " present " ) . On August 25 , 2010 , Mitchell signed a two - year deal worth $ 3 . 5 million per season with the Los Angeles Kings . He had interest from several other teams , including the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks . The Canucks were also offering a one - year contract between $ 1 . 8 and $ 2 million , but were not willing to match the Kings ' deal . Mitchell expressed disappointment in leaving the Canucks , but stated he was " looking forward to going to a team which , I get the feeling , is really passionate about having me there . " Mitchell began the season on a defensive pairing with Drew Doughty . Nearly a month into the campaign , he notched his first goal as a King , scoring short handed against the Dallas Stars in a 5 – 2 victory on October 28 , 2010 . In November 2010 , he sustained a wrist injury during a game against the Nashville Predators , sidelining him for 12 games . After recovering , he suffered a knee injury , keeping him from another 11 games . Later in the season , during a game against the Phoenix Coyotes , on March 3 , 2011 , Mitchell was hit in the face by a shot from opposing forward Kyle Turris , requiring 53 stitches . He did not miss any additional games , however . Mitchell finished the season with 5 goals and 5 assists over 57 games , ranking third in average ice time per contest with the Kings . He added a goal and an assist in six playoff games as the Kings were eliminated by the San Jose Sharks in the first round . International play . Mitchell has made one international appearance for Canada in his career . After the Minnesota Wild failed to qualify for the 2004 playoffs , he was named to the national team for the 2004 World Championships in the Czech Republic . He was joined on the squad by Wild teammate Nick Schultz in the first group of players chosen by general manager Jim Nill on April 5 , 2004 . Appearing in nine games , Mitchell helped Canada to a gold medal , defeating Sweden 5 – 3 in the final . Playing style . Mitchell plays in the style of a stay - at - home defenceman . While with the Canucks , he established himself as the their top shutdown defenceman , being matched up against opposing teams ' best players and spending a lot of time on the penalty kill . He had usually formed a defensive pairing on the Canucks with the often offensive - minded Kevin Bieksa . Bieksa has credited Mitchell with teaching him to be more aware of game situations before jumping into the rush . In order to defend effectively , Mitchell opts to use a longer - than - usual hockey stick . Prior to a game against the Calgary Flames on February 17 , 2009 , opposing head coach Mike Keenan accused Mitchell of playing with an illegal hockey stick . Mitchell responded by asserting he uses the league maximum length at 63 inches . Mitchell is also known for his leadership qualities , serving as an alternate captain on the Canucks . During his tenure with the Wild , he was named captain once for the months of December 2005 and January 2006 as part of the Wild ' s rotating captaincy system . Personal life . Mitchell married Minnesota - native Megan on August 17 , 2006 , in Napa Valley , California . They reside in the Yaletown neighbourhood in downtown Vancouver , while returning to Mitchell ' s hometown of Port McNeill during the summer , where he fishes avidly . Mitchell is an active philanthropist around the Port McNeill community . In 2004 , he hosted the first Willie Mitchell Classic , a celebrity golf tournament to raise scholarship funds for high school students around his hometown . He has also regularly donated game - used equipment to fundraise for his former minor hockey team , the North Island Eagles . In the summer of 2009 , Mitchell threw the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Safeco Field in Seattle , Washington .