Thomas Pöck

Thomas Dietmar Pöck (born 2 December 1981) is an Austrian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders.
==Playing career==
As a youth, Pöck played in the 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Austria.
Pöck was a star forward turned defenceman for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen, an NCAA Division I Hockey East team. Pöck was never drafted in the NHL, but signed his first pro contract upon completing his senior year on 23 March 2004 with the New York Rangers. He immediately made his NHL debut at the end of the 2003–04 season.
Pöck played eight games for the New York Rangers in the 2005–06 season, scoring one goal, getting one assist, and accumulating four penalty minutes. He spent the majority of the season however with Rangers affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, accumulating an impressive 61 points in 65 games, to finish second in the league amongst defenseman and earn a selection to the AHL Second All-Star Team. During the following 2006–07 season, Pöck played in 44 games for the Rangers, scored four goals, collected four assists, and was assessed 16 penalty minutes. He also played in four first-round playoff games, amassing three assists.
After only playing in one game with the Rangers to start the 2007–08 season, Pöck was sent down passing waivers, to play with the AHL's Wolf Pack due to the Rangers having seven other healthy defencemen on the roster. 
 
On 29 September 2008, Pöck was claimed on waivers by the Rangers' arch rivals, the New York Islanders. Pöck joined the Islanders for training camp and played a career high 59 games with the Islanders in the 2008–09 season. 
 
On 28 May 2009, with lack of NHL interest, Pöck signed with Swiss team Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Swiss National League A (NLA) on a two-year contract. In his two seasons with the Lakers, despite missing the playoffs in each year, Pöck led the team amongst defenseman in points.
Upon his contract expiring with the Lakers, Pöck signed a one-year contract as a free agent, with Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien on 28 April 2011. In helping Modo return to playoffs in the 2011–12 season, Pöck was the clear offensive threat among the blueline, scoring 25 points in 55 games.
With the intention of returning for another opportunity in the NHL, Pöck signed a one-year two-way contract with the Colorado Avalanche on 2 July 2012. Due to the 2012 NHL lockout and the absence of NHL training camps, Pöck was directly reassigned by the Avalanche to AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. In adding a veteran puck-moving presence to the Monsters blueline during the 2012–13 season, Pöck led the defense with 11 goals and finished second with 33 points in 62 games.
Unable to add to his NHL experience, Pöck signed a two-year contract to return to his native Austria with original club, EC KAC, of the EBEL on 10 April 2013. After three seasons in Klagenfurt, he was not tendered a new contract. On 3 October 2016, he belatedly signed a contract with the Graz 99ers to remain in the EBEL. In the 2016–17 season, Pöck continued his scoring contributions to the blueline, in adding 6 goals and 30 points in 46 games. However, after a short playoff-run his contract with the 99ers was not renewed resulting in his release as a free agent.
Pöck retired at the end of 2017 and was named head coach of the Boston Pride in the National Women's Hockey League. He left the Pride after one season. He was later named coach for the Northern Cyclones of the USPHL Elite.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1998–99 	EC KAC 	AUT 		31 	0 	0 	0 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Team Kärnten 2006 	AUT–2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	EC KAC 	IEHL 		33 	4 	11 	15 	48 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	EC KAC 	AUT 		13 	1 	4 	5 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Team Kärnten 2006 	AUT–2 		2 	2 	4 	6 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	University of Massachusetts Amherst	HE 		33 	6 	6 	12 	59 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	University of Massachusetts Amherst	HE 		23 	5 	7 	12 	26 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	University of Massachusetts Amherst	HE 		37 	17 	20 	37 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	University of Massachusetts Amherst	HE 		37 	16 	25 	41 	48 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	New York Rangers 	NHL 		6 	2 	2 	4 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	AHL 		50 	1 	5 	6 	55 		6 	0 	1 	1 	8
2004–05 	Charlotte Checkers 	ECHL 		3 	0 	2 	2 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	AHL 		67 	15 	46 	61 	99 		6 	0 	3 	3 	15
2005–06 	New York Rangers 	NHL 		8 	1 	1 	2 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	New York Rangers 	NHL 		44 	4 	4 	8 	16 		4 	0 	3 	3 	4
2006–07 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	AHL 		4 	0 	1 	1 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	New York Rangers 	NHL 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Hartford Wolf Pack 	AHL 		74 	7 	37 	44 	63 		5 	0 	0 	0 	8
2008–09 	New York Islanders 	NHL 		59 	1 	2 	3 	35 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Rapperswil–Jona Lakers 	NLA 		49 	11 	22 	33 	58 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Rapperswil–Jona Lakers 	NLA 		47 	8 	17 	25 	40 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2011–12 	Modo Hockey 	SEL 		55 	9 	16 	25 	32 		6 	0 	0 	0 	6
2012–13 	Lake Erie Monsters 	AHL 		62 	11 	22 	33 	61 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	EC KAC 	EBEL 		52 	10 	15 	25 	50 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	EC KAC 	EBEL 		54 	6 	26 	32 	70 		9 	2 	3 	5 	12
2015–16 	EC KAC 	EBEL 		52 	8 	17 	25 	60 		6 	0 	0 	0 	8
2016–17 	Graz 99ers 	EBEL 		46 	6 	24 	30 	38 		5 	0 	0 	0 	14
AUT/EBEL totals	AUT/EBEL totals 	AUT/EBEL totals		248 	31 	86 	117 	234 		20 	2 	3 	5 	34
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 		257 	34 	111 	145 	280 		17 	0 	4 	4 	31
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 		118 	8 	9 	17 	55 		4 	0 	3 	3 	4
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 		GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1998 	Austria 	EJC C 		4 	3 	4 	7 	6
1999 	Austria 	WJC C 		4 	0 	2 	2 	10
1999 	Austria 	WJC18 B 		5 	6 	7 	13 	2
2000 	Austria 	WJC C 		4 	4 	7 	11 	2
2002 	Austria 	OLY 		4 	0 	0 	0 	2
2002 	Austria 	WC 		6 	1 	1 	2 	4
2003 	Austria 	WC 		6 	1 	0 	1 	4
2004 	Austria 	WC 		6 	0 	0 	0 	10
2005 	Austria 	OGQ 		3 	0 	1 	1 	2
2005 	Austria 	WC 		3 	0 	1 	1 	2
2010 	Austria 	WC D1 		5 	2 	0 	2 	6
2013 	Austria 	WC 		7 	0 	3 	3 	18
2014 	Austria 	OLY 		4 	0 	1 	1 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		17	13	20	33 	20
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		44	4 	7 	11 	48
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	Notes
College 	College 	College
All-Hockey East Second Team 	2002–03 	
Hockey East All-Tournament Team 	2003, 2004	
All-Hockey East First Team 	2003–04 	
AHCA East First-Team All-American	2003–04 	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
Second All-Star Team 	2006 	
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1981 births
Category:Austrian ice hockey defencemen
Category:Charlotte Checkers (1993–2010) players
Category:Graz 99ers players
Category:Hartford Wolf Pack players
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:EC KAC players
Category:Lake Erie Monsters players
Category:Modo Hockey players
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Austria
Category:SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers players
Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players
Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni
Category:UMass Minutemen ice hockey players
Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans