Ryan Lannon Ryan Lannon ( born December 14 , 1982 ) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently playing for the KalPa Kuopio of the Finnish Elite League ( SM - Liiga ) . Playing career . As a defensive - defensman , Ryan was first selected to play with the U . S . National Development Team Program in the NAHL in the 1998 – 99 season . After one season Lannon left the development program and played two seasons of high school hockey in Massachusetts with Cushing Academy Penguins . Lannon attended Harvard University and played collegiate hockey in the ECAC from 2001 until 2005 . After his freshman season , Ryan was drafted in the eighth round , 239th overall , by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft , joining fellow Harvard teammate and childhood friend , Noah Welch as a Penguins prospect . Lannon scored 4 goals and had 34 assists for 38 points and missed only two games throughout his college career as he helped the Crimsons win the ECAC in 2002 and 2004 . As a stay - at - home defenseman , he ranked in the top three in Plus / minus in all four of his seasons with Harvard and in his senior year was named U . S Hockey Onlines " Unsung Hero " , Harvards Raplh " Cooney " Weiland Award as the teams most spirited , selfless player and earned selection to the Second All - Ivy team . On August 3 , 2005 , Lannon was then signed , alongside Noah Welch , by the Penguins to a two - year entry level contract . Lannon was assigned to Pittsburgh ' s AHL affiliate , the Wilkes - Barre / Scranton Penguins , for the entirety of his entry - level contract , helping the " Baby Pens " to the Calder Cup playoffs in each season . He then re - signed with the Penguins on a one - year deal on July 27 , 2007 . In the following 2007 – 08 season , Lannon received his first NHL recall on January 6 , 2008 . However after traveling with Pittsburgh for two weeks he failed to make his Penguins debut and was returned to the Baby Pens on January 20 , 2008 . In 75 regular season games with Wilkes - Barre / Scranton , he scored 3 goals and 13 points and as a leader on the Penguins defense he scored 7 points in 23 post - season games before suffering defeat in the Calder Cup finals . After three years with the Penguins , he signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 15 , 2008 , and was later assigned to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL . On October 16 , 2008 , he was recalled to the Coyotes but with two games as a healthy scratch was again unable to make his NHL debut after he was re - assigned to the Rampage on October 19 . Remaining with the Rampage for the remainder of the season , Ryan compiled only 5 assists in 63 games but contributed to the San Antonio community off the ice to win the team ' s Man of the Year Award and nominee for the AHL ' s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award . On July 23 , 2009 , Lannon signed as a free agent to a one - year contract by the Minnesota Wild . He was then assigned to AHL affiliate , the Houston Aeros for the 2009 – 10 season . Shortly after appearing in his 300th career AHL game on December 15 , 2009 , Ryan was injured and subsequently only played in 27 games for the year , recording a goal and an assist . Once again a free agent at season ' s end , Lannon was invited to the Philadelphia Flyers training camp prior to the 2010 – 11 season , before he was later released on September 26 , 2010 . On December 4 , 2010 , he was signed to a professional try - out contract with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL . After 7 games with the Monsters , Lannon was released and briefly joined the Worcester Sharks before leaving for Europe to sign with Finnish team , KalPa of the SM - liiga , on January 27 , 2011 . After impressing in 15 games with KalPa , Lannon was signed to a one - year contract extension on March 16 , 2011 .