Carter Ashton

Carter Ashton
With the Maple Leafs in 2012.
Born	April 1, 1991 Winnipeg, MB, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Draft	29th overall, 2009 Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career	2009–present

Carter David Ashton (born April 1, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Ashton was drafted 29th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Playing career

Junior

Ashton was drafted by the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the first round, seventh overall, in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft.^[1] He appeared in two games with the Hurricanes in the 2006-07 season, earning no points.

Ashton's rookie season in the WHL was in 2007–08. He played only 40 games, missing significant time due to injury. During the WHL playoffs that season, Ashton helped the Hurricanes reach the finals of the WHL playoffs.

Ashton had a breakout season in 2008–09, as he appeared in 70 games with the Hurricanes, scoring a team-high 30 goals while adding 20 assists for 50 points, which was the fourth highest total on the club. In the post-season, Ashton appeared in 11 games, earning three points.^[1] During the 2008–09 season, Ashton played for Team Cherry in the CHL Top Prospects Game.^[2] After the season, Ashton was selected 29th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He attended training camp with the Lightning and the team signed him to an entry-level contract on October 2, 2009.^[3]

Ashton began the 2009–10 season with the Hurricanes, and after recording 13 goals and 26 points in 28 games, the Hurricanes traded him to the Regina Pats.^[4] With Regina, Ashton had 11 goals and 25 points in 37 games, as the Pats failed to qualify for the playoffs.

On December 10, 2010, Ashton was traded to the Tri-City Americans.^[5]

Professional

On February 27, 2012, Ashton was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenceman Keith Aulie.^[6] Ten days later, into the 2011–12 season, on March 7, 2012, Ashton made his debut with the Maple Leafs and played in his first NHL game in a 3–2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On November 6, 2014 Ashton was suspended 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Ashton claimed to have unknowingly ingested a banned substance while using an un-prescribed inhaler for exercise-induced asthma. The suspension came with a mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment.^[7]

On February 6, 2015, Ashton was traded from the Maple Leafs back to Tampa Bay in a deal that included David Broll and a conditional seventh-round Pick in 2016 from the Lightning.^[8]

On July 21, 2015, Ashton signed as a restricted free agent from the Lightning, with Russian club, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL.^[9]

International play

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2011 USA

Ashton played for Team Saskatchewan at the 2007 Canada Winter Games which were held in Whitehorse, Yukon.^[10] He also played for Team West at the 2007 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he served as an alternate captain on the team that won the bronze medal.^[10]

After his rookie season in the WHL, Ashton played for Team Canada at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, helping the team to a gold medal. Ashton finished the tournament with one goal and two assists in four games, including a goal in the gold medal win against Russia.^[11]

Carter played for Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in Buffalo, New York. He finished with one goal and two assists as Canada won the silver medal.

Personal

• Carter's father, Brent Ashton, played in 998 NHL games in a career that spanned from 1979 to 1993. His father was the player traded most in NHL history until record was tied by Mike Sillinger. Carter was born in Winnipeg during his father's stint with the Jets.
• Carter is close friends with fellow former WHLers Brayden Schenn, Jared Cowen and Jimmy Bubnick from their minor hockey days in Saskatoon.^[1]

Awards and honours

• Invited to take part in Canada’s 2011 national junior team selection camp ^[12]
• Named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for October 2–9, 2011
• Named Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for November 2011 ^[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Carter Ashton warming up in his first AHL game with the Toronto Marlies.

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006–07	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		40	5	4	9	21		19	0	1	1	12
2008–09	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		70	30	20	50	93		11	1	2	3	15
2009–10	Lethbridge Hurricanes	WHL		28	13	13	26	52		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Regina Pats	WHL		37	11	14	25	57		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		11	1	0	1	6		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Regina Pats	WHL		29	16	11	27	44		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Tri-City Americans	WHL		33	17	27	44	62		10	3	5	8	4
2010–11	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		—	—	—	—	—		2	0	0	0	0
2011–12	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		56	19	16	35	58		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Toronto Marlies	AHL		7	2	1	3	8		6	1	2	3	8
2011–12	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		15	0	0	0	13		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Toronto Marlies	AHL		53	11	8	19	67		9	3	2	5	4
2013–14	Toronto Marlies	AHL		24	16	7	23	30		12	4	5	9	16
2013–14	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		32	0	3	3	19		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		7	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Toronto Marlies	AHL		12	4	4	8	8		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		29	3	11	14	61		3	0	0	0	7
NHL totals				54	0	3	3	32		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada Western	WHC17			6	1	5	6	2
2009	Canada	IH18			4	1	2	3	0
2011	Canada	WJC			7	1	2	3	6
Junior totals					17	3	9	12	8

References

1. "Carter Ashton, Regina Pats". Western Hockey League. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
2. "Five WHL Players selected in 1st Round of 2009 NHL Entry Draft". Western Hockey League. 2009-06-26. Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
3. "Tampa Bay Lightning signs Carter Ashton". 2009-10-02. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
4. "Regina Pats get NHL prospect in multi-player trade with Lethbridge Hurricanes". Regina Leader post. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
5. "Big move between Pats and Americans". Western Hockey League. 2010-12-10. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
6. "Leafs trade Keith Aulie to Lightning". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). 2012-02-27.
7. NHL.com (November 6, 2014), Maple Leafs' Ashton suspended 20 games, NHL, retrieved November 6, 2014
8. "Lightning acquire Carter Ashton, David Broll from Leafs". National Hockey League. 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
9. "Torpedo agree to terms with Cater Ashton" (in Russian). Championnat.com. 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
10. "CANADA'S NATIONAL MEN'S SUMMER UNDER-18 TEAM". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
11. Hockey Canada
12. Hockey Canada Selection Camp: Team Profile
13. Ashton named AHL Rookie of the Month - Tampa Bay Lightning - News

External links

• Carter Ashton's player profile at NHL.com
• Carter Ashton's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Carter Ashton's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Carter Ashton player profile on the Western Hockey League site