Alex Killorn

Alexander Joseph Killorn (born September 14, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Killorn won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

Early life
Although born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he grew up in Beaconsfield, Quebec, with two sisters. He attended Loyola High School in Montreal and played Lakeshore minor hockey. He played midget AAA hockey for the Lac St. Louis Lions before attending Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts for two seasons.

Collegiate
Killorn was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in the third round, 77th overall, during the summer before his senior year at Deerfield. He then played collegiate hockey in the United States with Harvard University in the NCAA Men's Division I ECAC Hockey conference. In his senior year, Killorn's outstanding play was recognized when he was selected to the 2011–12 ECAC Hockey First Team.

Tampa Bay Lightning (2012–2023)
After finishing his season with Harvard, Killorn was assigned to the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) at the end of the 2011–12 AHL season. Killorn turned out to be a key player for the Admirals as they went on to win the Calder Cup. On May 19, 2012, Killorn signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. During the 2012–13 lockout, Killorn played for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL then came up to the NHL for the Lightning after the lockout ended. On February 10, 2013, he recorded his first career NHL assist and point on a goal scored by Vincent Lecavalier, against the New York Rangers. On February 16, Killorn scored his first goal against the Florida Panthers. Killorn finished his rookie year, the 48-game lockout-shortened 2012–13 season with seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 38 games.

Killorn finished the 2013–14 season, his second in the NHL, playing in all 82 games with 17 goals, 24 assists and 41 points recorded. Killorn made his playoff debut on April 16, 2014, in a 5–4 loss against the Montreal Canadiens, recording a goal on Carey Price and an assist on a goal scored by captain Steven Stamkos. On June 19, 2014, the Lightning announced that they had re-signed Killorn to a two-year contract extension. Killorn played 71 games in the 2014–15 season, recording 15 goals, 23 assists and 38 points. During the 2015 playoffs Killorn had a successful post season run with the Lightning, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Lightning ended up falling to the Blackhawks in six games. Despite the loss, Killorn had a strong post season for the team, and also posted several records for former players from Harvard. Killorn's game 1 goal on Corey Crawford was the first goal scored by a Harvard alum in a Stanley Cup Finals game. Killorn added a second goal in game four on Crawford to become the first alum with multiple goals or assists in a Stanley Cup Finals series. His 2015 postseason scoring totaled (nine goals, nine assists, 18 points in all 26 games played), which are all single-post season records among the twelve Harvard alumni who have played in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Killorn's ten goals over two post seasons is second only to Dominic Moore (11 goals) on the Harvard all-time list, which was achieved in only 30 playoff games to Moore's 88.

On October 12, 2015, Killorn recorded his 100th career NHL point with an assist on a goal by Valtteri Filppula in a 6–3 Lightning win over the Boston Bruins. In the 2015–16 season, Killorn appeared in 81 games with the team, recording 14 goals and 40 points. Killorn also skated in all 17 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring five goals, eight assists and 13 points.

On July 17, 2016, Killorn signed a seven-year, $31 million extension with the Lightning. On March 23, 2017, Killorn recorded his 100th career assist on a goal scored by Jonathan Drouin in a 6–3 win against the Boston Bruins. Killorn finished the 2016–17 season with 81 games played and 19 goals, 17 assists and 36 points recorded.

On November 3, 2017, the NHL Department of Player Safety fined Killorn $5,000 for an incident that occurred during a game against the New York Rangers the previous night. Killorn completed the 2017–18 season playing all 82 games and recording 15 goals, 32 assists and 47 points.

On February 19, 2019, Killorn recorded his 100th career NHL goal against Carter Hart in a 5-2 Lightning victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. On February 28, Killorn played his 500th NHL game in a 4–1 loss over the Boston Bruins. Killorn recorded his first career NHL hat-trick against the Washington Capitals on March 16. Killorn ended the 2018–19 season playing all 82 games once more and putting up 18 goals, 22 assists and 40 points.

Killorn was named alternate captain for the Lightning during the 2019–20 season The last three weeks of the 2019–20 season would get canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the playoffs would get postponed until the summer resulting in Killorn finishing the regular season playing in 68 games with 26 goals, 23 assists and 49 points recorded. On September 10, 2020, Killorn was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety for boarding Brock Nelson during the Eastern Conference final playoff game against the New York Islanders the previous day at Rogers Place. Killorn and the Lightning would eventually defeat the Dallas Stars in six games in the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals to clinch the Stanley Cup. Killorn was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy following the season but did not win it.

Killorn finished the 2020–21 pandemic-shortened season playing in all 56 games with 15 goals, 18 assists and 33 points recorded. Killorn sustained a broken fibula in game 1 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals when blocking a shot from Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry; he did not play the rest of the series although he tried to do so after returning to practice just days after the injury occurred. The Lightning went on to defeat the Canadiens in five games to win the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season.

On October 28, 2021, Killorn recorded his 200th NHL assist on a goal scored by Andrej Sustr in a 5–1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Killorn kept up his durability in the 2021–22 season by playing all 82 games again and putting up 25 goals, 34 assists and 59 points. Killorn and the Lightning would go to another run to the Stanley Cup Finals and would go on to lose in six games to the Colorado Avalanche. Following the season, Killorn was again nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Killorn finished the 2022–23 season playing in all 82 games again and putting up career highs in goals (27), assists (37) and points (64).

Anaheim Ducks (2023–present)
On July 1, 2023, after 11 seasons with the Lightning, Killorn signed a four-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. After missing the first ten games of the 2023–24 season due to a broken finger in the preseason, Killorn made his season and Ducks debut on November 5 in a 4–2 Ducks win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Killorn scored his first goal for Anaheim in a 5–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on November 24. On December 2, Killorn recorded his 200th NHL goal on goaltender Ivan Prosvetov in a 4–3 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Killorn ended the 2023–24 season playing in 63 games with 18 goals, 18 assists and 36 points recorded.

International play
On April 19, 2017, Killorn was named to Canada's men's national ice hockey team for the 2017 IIHF World Championship. On May 21, 2017, Killorn earned a silver medal with Team Canada when they were defeated by Team Sweden 2–1.