Vinny Saponari

Vinny Saponari
Saponari in 2023
Born (1990-02-15) February 15, 1990 (age 34)
Powder Springs, Georgia, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
DEL2 team
Former teams		 Eispiraten Crimmitschau
St. John's IceCaps
Milwaukee Admirals
Hartford Wolf Pack
Portland Pirates
Lake Erie Monsters
Frisk Asker
HC Sparta Praha
Krefeld Pinguine
Augsburger Panther
NHL draft 94th overall, 2008
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career 2013–present

Vinny Saponari (born February 15, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey right winger who is currently under contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau of the DEL2.

Playing career

Saponari was drafted 94th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.[1] After his draft selection, Saponari began playing for Boston University[2] but was dismissed in 2010 along with his brother Victor.[3] Following this, he spent a season in the United States Hockey League for the Dubuque Fighting Saints before returning to college hockey with two seasons at Northeastern University.

Saponari signed with the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League at the tail-end of the 2012–13 season, playing in seven regular season games and scoring a goal and an assist. He signed with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL for the 2013–14 season in what would be his only consistent season in the league, playing fifty-eight games and scoring thirty-three points. Afterwards, he played predominantly in the ECHL over the next two seasons and only made brief appearances in the AHL for the Hartford Wolf Pack, Portland Pirates and the Lake Erie Monsters before returning to the Admirals for a brief spell there as well.

On September 10, 2016, Saponari left North America and signed for Frisk Asker of Norway's GET-ligaen.[4] On May 15, 2017, he moved to the Czech Republic and signed for HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga,[5][6] but only played fifteen games for the team before returning to Frisk Asker on December 3, 2017, for the remainder of the season.[7] On July 22, 2018, Saponari signed with the Krefeld Pinguine of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.[8]

In the midst of his third season with Krefeld Pinguine in 2020–21, Saponari registered just 2 assists through 8 regular season contests before opting to mutually terminate his contract on February 1, 2021.[9]

On June 1, 2021, Saponari returned to the DEL, signing an initial one-year deal with Augsburger Panther.[10]

In his second year with Augsburg in the 2022–23 season, Saponari posted 3 goals and 15 points through 39 regular season games, however was unable to help prevent the Panthers finish in a relegation position. He left the club at the conclusion of his contract on March 17, 2023.[11]

On June 13, 2023, Saponari opted to continue his career in Germany, joining second tier club, ETC Crimmitschau of the DEL2.[12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2005–06 Culver Military Academy USHS 42 16 37 53 24 — — — — —
2006–07 U.S. National Development Team NAHL 35 9 10 19 43 — — — — —
2007–08 U.S. National Development Team NAHL 15 1 7 8 0 — — — — —
2008–09 Boston University HE 44 8 9 17 39 — — — — —
2009–10 Boston University HE 38 12 18 30 32 — — — — —
2010–11 Dubuque Fighting Saints USHL 56 18 46 64 35 11 5 4 9 6
2011–12 Northeastern University HE 34 7 16 23 14 — — — — —
2012–13 Northeastern University HE 34 7 22 29 24 — — — — —
2012–13 St. John's IceCaps AHL 7 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL 14 1 10 11 4 — — — — —
2013–14 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 58 15 18 33 14 2 0 0 0 0
2014–15 Greenville Road Warriors ECHL 68 18 51 69 16 — — — — —
2014–15 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2015–16 Portland Pirates AHL 6 1 3 4 6 — — — — —
2015–16 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2015–16 Greenville Swamp Rabbits ECHL 40 6 11 17 12 — — — — —
2015–16 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 11 0 3 3 0 — — — — —
2016–17 Frisk Asker GET 43 15 36 51 14 17 7 14 21 36
2017–18 HC Sparta Praha ELH 15 1 6 7 6 — — — — —
2017–18 Frisk Asker GET 17 5 11 16 6 10 3 6 9 6
2018–19 Krefeld Pinguine DEL 43 9 9 18 10 — — — — —
2019–20 Krefeld Pinguine DEL 50 8 23 31 12 — — — — —
2020–21 Krefeld Pinguine DEL 8 0 2 2 2 — — — — —
2020–21 Kassel Huskies DEL2 20 4 19 23 4 11 5 8 13 2
2021–22 Augsburger Panther DEL 46 12 12 24 16 — — — — —
2022–23 Augsburger Panther DEL 39 3 12 15 14 — — — — —
DEL totals 186 32 58 90 54 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2007 United States U18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 2 2 4 0
2008 United States U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 0 3 3 33
Junior totals 14 2 5 7 33

References

  1. ^ Atlanta Thrashers Draft History
  2. ^ Vinny Saponari - Men's Ice Hockey - Boston University Athletics
  3. ^ BU Players Dismissed, Suspended
  4. ^ SISTE BRIKKEN ER PÅ PLASS! (in Norwegian)
  5. ^ POSILOU DO ÚTOKU JE AMERIČAN VINNY SAPONARI (in Czech)
  6. ^ SAPONARI: SPARTA HAS GREAT REPUTATION AND QUALITY
  7. ^ SUPPORTERFAVORITTEN ENDELIG KLAR (in Norwegian)
  8. ^ VINNY SAPONARI ENTSCHEIDET SICH FÜR DIE PINGUINE (in German)
  9. ^ Krefeld Pinguine (February 1, 2021). "Pinguine, Saponari part ways". Facebook. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "Saponari first newcomer" (in German). Augsburger Panther. June 1, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "Further personnel decisions at the Panthers" (in German). Augsburger Panther. March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "Vinny Saponari becomes an Ice Pirate" (in German). Eispiraten Crimmitschau. June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.