Byron Bitz Byron John Bitz ( born July 21 , 1984 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Vancouver Canucks organization of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . A third - or fourth - line forward , he is known for his size and physicality . A native of Saskatchewan , Bitz played minor hockey in his hometown Saskatoon . After earning rookie of the year honours in the British Columbia Hockey League ( BCHL ) with the Nanaimo Clippers , he was selected 107th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins . Before turning professional with the Bruins organization , he spent four years playing college hockey with the Cornell Big Red , helping the team to an ECAC Hockey championship in 2005 and serving as captain in 2006 – 07 as a senior . After signing with the Bruins in August 2007 , Bitz played one season in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) with the Providence Bruins , Boston ' s minor league affiliate . The following season , he earned a spot on Boston ' s roster . In March 2010 , he was traded to the Florida Panthers . His tenure with Florida was beset with injuries , however , and he missed the entire 2010 – 11 season with a sports hernia . Becoming an unrestricted free agent in July 2011 , he signed with the Vancouver Canucks . Playing career . Junior and college . After playing minor hockey in Saskatchewan with the Saskatoon AAA Contacts of his hometown , Bitz joined the Junior A ranks with the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League ( BCHL ) in 2002 – 03 . As a rookie , he recorded 27 goals and 73 points over 58 games in his lone season with the Clippers . His performance earned him the Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy as the Coastal Conference ' s rookie of the year . During the off - season , Bitz was selected in the fourth round , 107th overall , in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins . Upon being drafted , he joined the Cornell Big Red of the NCAA ' s ECAC Hockey conference . In his freshman year ( 2003 – 04 ) , he recorded 5 goals and 21 points over 31 games . The following season , he registered 5 goals and 15 points over 29 games , helping the Big Red to the Whitelaw Cup as ECAC Hockey ' s 2005 playoff champion . They defeated the Harvard Crimson 3 – 1 in the final . Qualifying for the 2005 NCAA Tournament , the Big Red lost their regional final to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 – 1 in overtime . In 2005 – 06 , he notched a college career - high 10 goals and 28 points over 35 games . His efforts earned him an honourable mention on the All - Ivy Team . During Bitz ' s senior year , he served as team captain and tallied 8 goals and 24 points over 29 games . He earned First Team All - Ivy and Third Team All - ECAC Hockey honours , in addition to being distinguished with numerous team and university awards . He received the Mark Weiss Award for determination and passion and the Ironman Award for overcoming injury ; Bitz was additionally selected for membership in the Quill and Dagger Senior Honor Society . Professional . After signing an entry - level contract with Boston on August 6 , 2007 , Bitz began his professional career in 2007 – 08 with the Providence Bruins , Boston ' s American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate . After debuting with the team on October 17 , in a game against the Lowell Devils , he scored his first AHL goal against goaltender Frank Doyle in a 5 – 1 win against the Lowell 10 days later . Bitz finished the season with 27 points ( 13 goals and 14 assists ) over 61 games , tying for 39th among league rookies . In the 2008 playoffs , he added a goal and an assist over 10 games as the Bruins advanced to the second round , where they were eliminated by the Portland Pirates . After beginning the 2008 – 09 season in the AHL , Bitz was called up and played his first career NHL game with the Bruins on January 10 , 2009 , against the Carolina Hurricanes . He registered an assist on a Mark Stuart goal as the Bruins lost the game 5 – 1 . Nearly a month later , during his 13th NHL game on February 7 , he recorded his first NHL goal in a 4 – 3 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers . Bitz scored after a shot from Mark Stuart rebounded off goaltender Martin Biron towards him . Later that month , on February 24 , Bitz had his first multi - goal game , scoring the third and fourth Bruins goals in a 6 - 1 home victory over the Florida Panthers . Needing one more goal for a hat trick , Bruins fans at the stadium began chanting " We Want Bitz " late in the game . Remaining with Boston for the remainder of the season , he totalled four goals and seven points over 35 games . Prior to his call - up , he had registered 3 goals and 10 points over 37 AHL games . Boston entered the 2009 playoffs first seed in the Eastern Conference , coinciding with Bitz ' s NHL post - season debut . After the Bruins eliminated Montreal Canadiens in the opening round , Bitz scored his first NHL playoff goal on May 14 , during Game 7 of the second round versus the Carolina Hurricanes . His goal opened the scoring in the contest , which the Bruins lost 3 – 2 in overtime , eliminating them from the playoffs . Bitz finished with a goal and an assist over five playoff games . During his first season , Bitz established himself as a physical player in the NHL , a trait for which he became a fan favourite in Boston . After 45 games with the Bruins in 2009 – 10 , however , he was traded to the Florida Panthers , along with Craig Weller and a second round selection in the 2010 draft , in exchange for Dennis Seidenberg and Matthew Bartkowski , on March 3 , 2010 . Eight days after his acquisition from the Panthers , he suffered a lower - body injury , sidelining him for four games . In his first game back , he scored his first and only goal as a Panther on March 20 in a 3 – 1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres . Soon thereafter , he suffered an elbow injury that forced him to miss the remaining eight contests of the season . Between Boston and Florida , Bitz totalled 5 goals and 11 points over 52 games in his second NHL season . During the Panthers ' training camp in September 2010 , Bitz suffered an injury that was originally reported as a groin strain . The following month , he underwent surgery for a sports hernia and was projected to return to the lineup within six weeks . By mid - November , he told reporters he was close to returning , but complications in his recovery caused him to miss the entire 2010 – 11 season . In the subsequent off - season , he was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Panthers , making him an unrestricted free agent . Nearly a month into the free agency period , Bitz signed a one - year , two - way contract worth $ 700 , 000 at the NHL level with the Vancouver Canucks on July 25 , 2011 .