Texas Born/Raised Professional Hockey Players

Article written by Adam Hayes




Despite having an extremely successful hockey NHL team, Texas will never be seen as a hockey hotbed. The short winters that rarely bring cold temperatures make it hard for children to focus on playing hockey when they can play football or baseball throughout the entire year. Despite the lack of ideal conditions, Texas has still produced a few great professional hockey players. These are the three current NHL Players that were born in the state of Texas.




Tyler Meyers, Winnipeg Jets


Tyler Meyers is easily the most successful of the three Texans currently playing in the NHL. Meyers was born in Houston, but he never considered playing hockey until moving to Calgary at the age of 10. A successful career in the Western Hockey League helped the big defensemen get drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres. Myers quickly became one of the most important players on a young Sabres squad. Tallying 48 points in his rookie season win the 2010 Calder Memorial Trophy. After failing to live up the promise of his rookie season, the Buffalo Sabres traded Tyler Meyers to the Winnipeg Jets before the 2014-2015 season.




Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets


Seth Jones was destined to be a professional athlete thanks to his great pedigree. Seth's dad, Popeye Jones played in the NBA for 12 seasons, and he is currently a coach on the Indiana Pacers. Seth was born in Arlington while his dad was playing for the Dallas Mavericks, but he didn't pick up the game until the age of while living in Denver. Seth Jones learned the fundamentals of hockey at a young age before his family moved to Frisco, Texas, when he was 12. Jones continued his love for hockey after returning to Texas, he eventually became a member of the U.S. National Development Team. His unprecedented size and athleticism help Seth get drafted with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators. Nashville eventually traded Jones for Yan Johansen before the start of the 2015-2016 season. Despite struggling mightly in his rookie year. Seth Jones has quickly become one of the top young defensemen in the NHL.




Stefan Noesen, Anaheim Ducks


Stefan Noesen is a right winger currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks was born in Plano, Texas before moving to Canada as a child. Noesen had a successful junior hockey career with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League before getting drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Despite being a top draft pick. Stefan Noesen never appeared in a game during his two seasons with the Ottawa Senators. The team eventually traded Noesen and Silfverberg to the Anaheim Ducks for Bobby Ryan. Noesen appeared in two games during his first two pro seasons, but is finally getting extended time this season. Stefan Noesen scored the first goal of his career on December 7th, 2016, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Poll Question: Which NHL Signed Prospect will make the NHL 1st?

It's time for a new poll question that I like for you to sound off on? Of the two Southwest Based NHL prospects that have already signed NHL Entry Level Contracts in Matt Donovan (New York Islanders) & Stefan Noesen (Ottawa Senators). Who will get their chance to make their NHL Debut 1st?

Vote on our poll question and post your comments on who you think will get to be the 1st Born & Trained Player from the Southwestern Part of the Country to crack the National Hockey League?

Stefan Noesen signs NHL Entry Level Deal with the Ottawa Senators

Just over 6 months Stefan Noesen made history as Texas' 1st ever 1st Round Pick in the NHL Draft, he officially signed his NHL Entry Level Deal with the Ottawa Senators back on December 29. He's continued to make big strides in his development on all sides on the ice, from looking to be a grinder on defense, to being one his leading scorers on offense.

Currently he has an impressive scoring streak right now where he has at least a point in 16 of his last 18 games, including a recent 4 Point Game where he had a hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Saginaw Spirit. Prior to his game on November 11 where he had another 4 point game against the Guelph Storm that really set his season into Overdrive.

With him now officially signed, he is now looking to reach the NHL sooner rather then later & still has a couple of years of Junior Egilibity left in the Ontario Hockey League. Because of the current Egilibity rules, he is not allowed to play in the American Hockey League (AHL), so it would be either in Ottawa or Plymouth, as he looks forward to training camp next year as he looks to make a serious attempt to make his NHL Debut next year. Because of the current Rules, he would not be allowed to play for the Ottawa Senators' AHL Team in Binghamton, N.Y. of the same name who by the way are also the defending AHL Calder Cup Champions.

As for this year's Plymouth Whalers, they are having a really strong season which includes a 10 point in the West Division and they just 2 points back of the London Knights for the OHL's Western Conference Lead. After a slow start, it not just taking notice in the standings, but in the CHL Top 10 Rankings as well. After pulling off a big 1st Round Upset over the highly touted Kitchener Rangers in the OHL Playoffs last year, they have their sets even higher this season as they will look to be major contenders for the OHL & CHL Memorial Cup Championships this spring.

It would be huge for him to have a big OHL Playoff run, to not only show the Senators that he is Professional Ready, but to show USA Hockey that they made a wrong decision by not having him on their current World Junior Hockey Championship Team that is currently playing in Alberta, Canada right now that has them in the Relegation Round after going 1-3-0 with losses to Finland, the Czech Republic & Canada in the Group Stage.

They are now going to have to fight for their Tournament Spot for next year along with Switzerland, Denmark & Latvia instead of fighting for a championship like they won in 2010 in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Last year, Noesen had an impressive point-a-game pace where he also lead the team in goals with 6. His best game last year came in Game 4 of the OHL Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Kitchener Rangers where he had a 4 PT Night including a critical assist with less then 10 seconds to tie the game at 5-5, then midway through the 1st OT, scored the game winner from a feed from Beau Schmitz to win 6-5 where the Whalers went on to pull off a big 1st Round upset of the Kitchener Rangers.

Going into last year's OHL Playoffs, many experts were thinking that Kitchener was capable of making a long playoff run with the likes of Gabriel Landeskog who was the 2nd overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche & Ryan Murphy who was picked 12th Overall by Carolina as well in last year's draft. As well as players like Jerry D'Amigo as well.

They are currently ranked #6 in the Top 10 Rankings only behind the likes of the defending QMJHL & CHL Memorial Cup Champion St. John Seadogs, Conference Rival London Knights & the Tri-City Americans who currently hold the Best Record in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

For Noesen himself, he's played in 32 games played and is tied for the team scoring lead with 39 points (16G 23A) and has a +/- ranking of +9 with 34 penalty minutes as well.

Stefan Noesen OHL Player Profile:

Plymouth Whalers (OHL) Website

Ontario Hockey League Website:

OHL News Radio Edition, 9/30 Episode

Stefan Noesen on The Pipeline Show on 4/19/11

Canadian Hockey League

Press Release from the Ottawa Senators

From Ottawa, Ontario: The Ottawa Senators announced today that the club has signed forwards Stefan Noesen & Matt Pumpel to three year entry level contracts.

Noesen, 18, was Ottawa's 2nd 1st Round Pick (21st Overall) in the 2011 National Hockey League Draft. A 6'1", 198 pound right winger from Plano, Texas, Noesen has scored 13 goals, 21 assists and recorded 32 penalty minutes in 30 games with the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers this season.

Pumpel, 18, was Ottawa's third 1st Round Pick (24th Overall) in the 2011 National Hockey League Draft. A 6'1", 201 pound from Essex, Ontario, Pumpel has scored 17 goals, 15 assists and recorded 27 penalty minutes in 29 games this year with the OHL's Peterborough Petes.

Both Noesen and Pumpel participated in the 2011 Senators Summer Development Camp and played for Ottawa's winning team at the 2011 Rookie Tournament held in September in Oshawa, Ontario.