Ryan Whitney Ryan Whitney ( born February 19 , 1983 ) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . After playing with his high school team from Thayer Academy and the USA National Development Program , Whitney joined the college ranks with Boston University in 2001 . Upon completing his freshman year , he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins fifth overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft . Following parts of three seasons with the Penguins minor league affiliate , the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins , Whitney played his NHL rookie season in 2005 – 06 . Whitney remained in Pittsburgh for three - and - a - half seasons , helping the club to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals . He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 after a brief stint with the Anaheim Ducks . Whitney has competed internationally for the United States . He won a silver medal with the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . Playing career . Early years . Whitney enrolled at Thayer Academy , a college - prep school in Braintree , Massachusetts in 1998 , and logged significant playing time with their hockey team . Head coach Jack Foley often paired Whitney , a freshman , with senior Brooks Orpik , his future Pittsburgh Penguins teammate . Whitney ' s size and skill drew the attention of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program . After initially resisting the programs invitations , he left Thayer for the program , based in Ann Arbor , Michigan , for his senior year of high school . After graduating from high school , Whitney accepted a full scholarship to play for Boston University under Jack Parker . In his freshman year , he recorded 21 points in 35 games and was named to the 2002 Hockey East All - Rookie Team . He was then selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins , as the fifth overall pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft . Upon completing his third year with Boston , he opted to forego his senior year of college eligibility to turn professional . He was subsequently assigned by Pittsburgh to their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins , for the 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs . He played in 20 games , recording 10 points , however , Wilkes - Barre / Scranton was defeated by the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals . Following his professional debut in the AHL playoffs , Whitney joined Wilkes - Barre / Scranton for the 2004 – 05 season . Under head coach Michel Therrien , Whitney played in 80 games in 2004 – 05 , recording 41 points and 101 penalty minutes . Pittsburgh Penguins . Whitney made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh in the 2005 – 06 NHL season , playing in 68 games . He was called up on October 31 , 2005 , to replace injured defenseman Dick Tärnström and remained on the team until the season ended . His first NHL goal came on December 1 , against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers . He finished the season with 6 goals and 32 assists . In his second NHL season , Whitney emerged as a top offensive defenseman in the league with 59 points in 2006 – 07 . Under the guidance of new general manager , Ray Shero , the Penguins improved from a last - place finish in the Eastern Conference the year before , to a playoff berth , with Whitney part of the youth movement in Pittsburgh that included forwards Sidney Crosby , Evgeni Malkin , Jordan Staal and goaltender Marc - André Fleury . During the 2007 off - season , Whitney signed a six - year , $ 24 million contract with a no - trade clause , avoiding his pending restricted free agency . His offensive production dropped in the subsequent 2007 – 08 season , posting 40 points in 76 games . However , the Penguins finished second in the Eastern Conference and Whitney contributed six points in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs , as Pittsburgh made it to the Finals against the Detroit Red Wings . Pittsburgh was defeated in game six of the series on June 4 , 2008 . In the 2008 off - season , it was revealed that Whitney had been suffering from a chronic foot injury throughout the season . It was later discovered that Whitney was born with abnormally high arches ( hollow foot ) in both of his feet . After an attempt using orthopedic inserts in his skates failed , Whitney underwent osteotomy , a surgical procedure to realign the bones in his left foot , on August 15 , 2008 . It was expected that Whitney would miss five months of the 2008 – 09 season . After playing one game with Wilkes - Barre / Scranton , as part of a conditioning stint , Whitney made his return to Pittsburgh , in a 2 – 0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning , on December 23 , 2008 . Anaheim Ducks . On February 26 , 2009 , Whitney was traded to the Anaheim Ducks , in exchange for Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi . He scored one goal and five assists during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs , as the Ducks made it to game seven of the Western Conference Semi - Finals , losing to the Detroit Red Wings . Edmonton Oilers . On March 3 , 2010 , Whitney was traded along with a 2010 6th round draft pick ( Brandon Davidson ) to the Edmonton Oilers , in exchange for defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky . The deal marked the second time that Whitney had been traded within a year , even though he has a no - trade clause in his contract . Whitney made his Oilers debut at Rexall Place on March 5 , against the Minnesota Wild . His first goal for his new team would come later in the month , as the Oilers defeated the Detroit Red Wings on March 19 . Whitney flourished in his new surroundings , as he finished the 2009 – 10 season in Edmonton with 11 points from 19 games , one of those goals coming against former team , Anaheim . He also tied with injured winger , Ales Hemsky , as the Oilers team leader for plus / minus totals , with + 7 . Whitney underwent a second osteotomy in May 2010 , this time to realign the bones in his right foot . On December 28 , 2010 , in a game against the Buffalo Sabres , Whitney suffered from a right ankle injury . It was later announced that Whitney would miss the remainder of the 2010 – 11 season , needing surgery . International play . Whitney first represented USA Hockey at the 2000 World U - 17 Hockey Challenge . He played six games , and scored his first international goal . The United States finished the tournament in fourth place . A year later , he would play in the 2001 IIHF U18 Championships . Whitney picked up a single assist , in six games , as the United States finished in sixth place . The next year , he moved onto the United States ' U20 team at the 2002 World Juniors . It was here Whitney picked up his first international goal . He posted 3 points ( one goals and two assists ) in seven games , as the United States finished in fifth place . He would also play the following year in the 2003 World Juniors . Whitney posted better numbers than the year previous , picking up 5 points ( one goal and four assists ) in seven games , as the United States finished in fourth place . With injuries to fellow defensemen Paul Martin and Mike Komisarek , Whitney was selected as a replacement to represent the United States in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games , held in Vancouver , British Columbia . This marked Whitney ' s first time as an Olympic competitor . He and his team were runners - up and won the Silver Medal . It was Whitney ' s former teammate , Sidney Crosby , who scored the game - winning goal , which saw Canada defeat the United States 3 – 2 , in overtime . Whitney played in all six games , not collecting any points . During this time , Whitney also wrote a blog throughout the games , sharing his thoughts , feelings and experiences . Personal life . Ryan has a younger brother , Sean , who is also an aspiring hockey player . He is currently playing his junior year at Cornell University , as a defenseman .