Stéphane Da Costa Stéphane Da Costa ( born July 11 , 1989 ) is a French professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) . A forward , Da Costa was the 2010 winner of the Hockey Commissioners ’ Association and the Hockey East Rookie of the Year awards while playing at Merrimack College . Da Costa moved from his native country of France to the United States to play junior hockey for the Texas Tornado of the NAHL at the age of 17 , and not being able to speak English . With the Tornado in 2006 - 07 , Da Costa had 23 goals and 40 points in 50 games to finish tied for third in team scoring . Da Costa moved to the USHL in 2007 - 08 , as he joined the Sioux City Musketeers . In his first season with the team , Da Costa had 12 goals and 37 points in 51 games , helping the team qualify for the playoffs . In four playoff games , Da Costa had a goal and three points . Playing career . Junior . He returned to the Musketeers for a second season in 2008 - 09 , as he led the team in scoring with 31 goals and 67 points in 48 games , however , Sioux City failed to qualify for the post - season . Merrimack Warriors . Da Costa joined Merrimack College of Hockey East in North Andover , Massachusetts for the 2009 - 10 season . In his second game of his freshman season , Da Costa scored five goals against the Army Black Knights . He finished the season with 16 goals and 45 points in 34 games . After the season , Da Costa won the National Rookie of the Year , USCHO Rookie of the Year , Inside College Hockey Rookie of the Year , College Hockey News Rookie of the Year , and Hockey East Rookie of the Year . After receiving numerous offers from NHL teams to sign as a free agent , Da Costa decided on returning to Merrimack for a second season in 2010 - 11 . He once again led the team in scoring with 14 goals and 45 points in 33 games . He missed some games in February due to a knee injury he suffered . Ottawa Senators . On March 30 , 2011 , Da Costa signed as an undrafted free agent with the Ottawa Senators of the NHL . He made his NHL debut in the 2010 - 11 season , appearing in four games with the Senators and registering no points . His first NHL game was on April 2 , 2011 against the Toronto Maple Leafs . Da Costa became the sixth player born in France to play in the NHL , joining Cristobal Huet , Philippe Bozon , Pat Daley , Paul MacLean and Andre Peloffy , and the third French - born and trained NHL player ( along with Bozon and Huet ) . After an impressive training camp to start the 2011 - 12 season , Da Costa joined the Senators for their first game . He got his first NHL point on October 8 in his second game of the season ; a goal in a 6 - 5 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs against James Reimer . Da Costa was reassigned to Ottawa ' s AHL affiliate , the Binghamton Senators , on November 27 , 2011 . Da Costa scored his first professional hat trick on December 26 , 2011 , in an 8 - 3 Binghamton victory over the Albany Devils . International career . Da Costa plays his international hockey with France , and played in his first international tournament at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I held in [ [ Bad Tolz ] , [ [ Germany ] ] . In five games with France , Da Costa had five goals and 10 points , however , France finished with a 1 - 4 - 0 record . Da Costa returned for the [ [ 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I ] ] held in [ [ Herisau ] ] , [ [ Switzerland ] ] , as he scored four goals and 13 points in five games , helping France to a 3 - 2 - 0 record . Da Costa played for the French team at the [ [ 2009 IIHF World Championship ] ] held in [ [ Bern ] ] and [ [ Kloten ] ] , [ [ Switzerland ] ] where he had two assists in six games , as France finished in 12th place . Da Costa was once again named to France for the [ [ 2010 IIHF World Championship ] ] held in [ [ Cologne ] ] , [ [ Mannheim ] ] and [ [ Gelsenkirchen ] ] , [ [ Germany ] ] as he scored a goal and three points in five games , however , France fell to 14th place . In the [ [ 2011 IIHF World Championship ] ] held in [ [ Bratislava ] ] and [ [ Kosice ] ] , [ [ Slovakia ] ] , Da Costa was held to an assist in five games as France finished in 12th place . Personal . A native of [ [ Paris , France ] ] , Da Costa is the son of a French father and Polish mother . His two brothers , [ [ Teddy Da Costa | Teddy ] ] and Gabriel , also play hockey in the [ [ Polska Liga Hokejowa | Polish ] ] and [ [ Ligue Magnus | French ] ] leagues , respectively . External links . [ [ Category : French ice hockey players ] ] [ [ Category : Born in 1989 ] ] [ [ Category : Merrimack Warriors players ] ] [ [ Category : Ottawa Senators players ] ] [ [ Category : Sioux City Musketeers alumni ] ] [ [ Category : Texas Tornado alumni ] ] [ [ Category : Undrafted ] ] [ [ Category : IIHF Player ] ] [ [ Category : 2010 Debut ] ]