Dominic James (ice hockey)
| Dominic James | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
July 3, 2002 | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Tampa Bay Lightning | ||
| NHL draft |
173rd overall, 2022 Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| Playing career | 2025–present | ||
Dominic James (born July 3, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey centre for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 173rd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Junior
James played four seasons in the United States Hockey League with the Lincoln Stars and recorded 14 goals and 34 assists during his tenure with the Stars.[1]
He committed to play college ice hockey with the Minnesota Duluth University and started his college career during the 2020–21 season. As a freshman he recorded six goals, 12 assists and 18 points.[2]
That summer he was selected 173rd overall in the 2022 NHL entry draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He was also named to the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship that was ultimately canceled.[3]
James was named an alternate captain for his junior season, but that season was prematurely ended for him due to a season-ending injury that required surgery.[4] He was named captain entering his senior year with the Bulldogs.[5] He finished his collegiate career with 30 goals and 77 points in 111 games.[6]
Professional
On September 20, 2025, James signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League, after failing to reach an agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks.[7] On October 23, 2025, he made his NHL debut with the Lightning at Benchmark International Arena.[8] In his eighth career game on November 6, 2025, James tallied his first NHL goal and assists against the Vegas Golden Knights, finishing the night with three points.[9]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2018–19 | Lincoln Stars | USHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Lincoln Stars | USHL | 47 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Lincoln Stars | USHL | 52 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | University of Minnesota Duluth | NCHC | 39 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | University of Minnesota Duluth | NCHC | 35 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | University of Minnesota Duluth | NCHC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | University of Minnesota Duluth | NCHC | 35 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NCAA totals | 111 | 30 | 48 | 78 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | United States | WJC | 5th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||
References
- ^ "Dominic James Makes NHL Debut". ushl.com. October 15, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Dominic James Makes NHL Debut". umdbulldogs.com. May 6, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "2022 NHL Draft: Blackhawks select Dominic James with No. 173 pick". secondcityhockey.com. July 8, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "No. 14 UMD loses junior center to season-ending injury". northernnewsnow.com. July 8, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Dominic James, UMD Men's Hockey Team Captain: A Profile". thebarkumd.com. November 14, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Lightning sign forward Dominic James to a two-year, entry-level contract". nhl.com. September 20, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Ex-Blackhawks prospect Dominic James explains decision to reject contract, sign with Lightning instead". chicago.suntimes.com. October 23, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ "Former UMD men's hockey captain Dominic James makes NHL Debut". wdio.com. October 23, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
- ^ Wellens, Matt (7 November 2025). "Dominic James has career-night for Lightning in Las Vegas". Duluth News Tribune.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from The Internet Hockey Database