Robbie Bina Robert Bina ( born 4 January 1983 ) , commonly known as Robbie Bina , is an American professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga ( DEL ) . A graduate of the University of North Dakota , Robbie Bina overcame a serious injury in his sophomore year to start his professional career in American minor league hockey in 2008 . With the Las Vegas Wranglers in his second season , Bina developed an offensive talent that was rewarded with a starting position in the 2010 ECHL All - Star Game , although he chose to forego the opportunity in favour of playing overseas . In Norway , he helped the Stavanger Oilers win their first ever title , the 2010 Norwegian Championship , and was named the most valuable player of the tournament . He was subsequently signed by Wolfsburg on a one year contract . Playing career . College hockey . Robbie Bina , a native of Grand Forks , attended the University of North Dakota from 2003 to 2008 . While there , he was a member of the university ' s Fighting Sioux ice hockey team ( he also played American football and baseball ] ) , competing in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association ( WCHA ) of the NCAA . In his debut season , Bina led the Fighting Sioux rookie defencemen with eight points in 31 games , scoring the first goal of his college hockey career against the Denver Pioneers on 21 November 2003 . In the Semi - final of the 2005 WCHA playoffs against Denver , Bina sustained a career - threatening injury during a delayed penalty call against North Dakota . Having reached for the puck to stop play , he was hit illegally from behind by Denver winger Geoff Paukovich , causing him to crash into the boards and break his neck . Paukovich , who was " deeply regretful " about the incident , initially received a two - minute minor penalty for boarding , but was later given a one - game suspension by the NCAA and another from his coach , George Gwozdecky . Bina underwent surgery to repair a shattered vertebra and was out for the remainder of the WCHA and NCAA tournaments ( in which the Fighting Sioux reached the Final of the Frozen Four ) , as well as the entire 2005 – 06 season . Having fully recovered from his injury , Bina returned with a more offensive game in 2006 – 07 , recording 10 goals and 22 assists in 43 games and helping his team reach their third consecutive Frozen Four . With 32 points in the season , he ranked first among the Fighting Sioux defencemen and fourth overall ; on a national level he ranked fifteenth among defencemen in points per game . He scored two short handed goals , including one from 170 feet out against Minnesota . In the 2007 – 08 season , his senior year , Bina recorded two goals and 23 assists in 43 games , including a career high three assists against Colorado College on 2 November 2007 , and was ranked second overall in terms of number of assists . North Dakota made the Frozen Four yet again , and Bina was named to the WCHA All - Academic team for the second year in a row . Professional career . Upon graduating from the University of North Dakota , Robbie Bina signed his first professional contract with the Edmonton Oilers organization in July 2008 , a one year , two - way deal with affiliates , the Springfield Falcons of the AHL and Stockton Thunder of the ECHL . Appearing at the Edmonton training camp in September , he was " reunited " with Geoff Paukovich , who had played for Stockton since 2007 . Having never spoken to each other about the incident until then , the two settled their differences quickly , becoming close teammates and friends . Bina ended up splitting the season between the AHL and ECHL , with similar results on each level : eight points in 37 games with the Falcons and eight points in 28 games with the Thunder . He enjoyed a solid postseason , scoring six points in 14 games with the Thunder , who were eventually eliminated in the Division Finals . A free agent , Bina moved to Las Vegas ahead of the 2009 – 10 season , joining the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL . Having produced only modest offensive results during his rookie season , he was given the chance by Wranglers coach Ryan Mougenel to show off more of his playmaking potential , to which he responded positively . " He ' s never been put in that role as someone who can be counted on for offensive output . That ' s what he needed . . . He just skates so well . He ' s got great wheels and great vision . He creates that second wave of attack , which actually ends up paying dividends . " Bina scored three goals and made 11 assists in 14 games ; on 17 November , he was signed to a professional try - out with affiliates San Antonio Rampage of the AHL , but was released on 7 December after making only two appearances . Back in Las Vegas , Bina continued where he had left off , picking up another goal and three assists before the end of 2009 , placing him near the top of the points standings among defencemen in the league . On 31 December he was selected as a starter in the 2010 ECHL All - Star Game . " It ' s great to be chosen . . . There are going to be a lot of great players and I ' m lucky to be there , it ' s an exciting thing . " Two weeks later , however , Bina left the Wranglers to play in Europe , thereby missing out on what would have been the first all - star game appearance of his career . On 15 January , the Stavanger Oilers of the Norwegian Eliteserien announced that they had acquired his services until the end of the season . Bina ' s stay in Norway was short but productive . With only 10 games left in the regular season , the American made little impact , with five points recorded in total , although Stavanger were able to advance from fifth to third place in the standings . Of far greater significance was his performance in the playoffs , where he scored four goals and made 16 assists to become the second leading points scorer . The Oilers knocked out Lørenskog in the Quarter - finals and the Sparta Warriors in Semi - finals , eventually taking home their first ever Norwegian Championship title by defeating perennial favourites Vålerenga in six games in the Finals . Bina was named most valuable player by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association for his efforts , and was also selected to the league ' s All - Star Team . Following the playoffs , the Oilers worked hard to get Bina onboard for another season , but despite their best efforts , he elected instead to sign a one year deal with the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . Having scouted Bina during the playoffs , Grizzlys general manager Karl - Heinz Fliegauf described him as a very good skater who acted intelligently on the ice , especially during power plays . Fliegauf also emphasized Bina ' s right - handed shot when making the decision to sign him .