Paul Bissonnette Explained

Paul Bissonnette
Birth Date:11 March 1985
Birth Place:Welland, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:216
Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
Played For:Pittsburgh Penguins
Phoenix Coyotes
Cardiff Devils
Draft:121st overall
Draft Year:2003
Draft Team:Pittsburgh Penguins
Career Start:2005
Career End:2017

Paul Albert Bissonnette[1] (born March 11, 1985), nicknamed "Biz Nasty",[2] is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Phoenix Coyotes.

Bissonnette is currently a studio analyst for NHL on TNT, the analyst for the Arizona Coyotes TV/radio, and a co-host alongside former NHL defenceman Ryan Whitney on the Barstool Sports hockey podcast Spittin' Chiclets.

Early life

Bissonnette was born March 11, 1985, in Welland, Ontario, to parents Yolande and Cam Bissonnette. His mother was an office administration professor at Niagara College for 30 years in Southern Ontario, while his father was a steel worker.[3] Bissonnette is French Canadian and attended French-language schools until he was in the seventh grade. He is of biracial origin, as his mother is half black.[4] [5] Bissonnette is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, both prior to his professional career and since retirement.[6]

At age 16, Bissonnette was drafted 31st overall by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s North Bay Centennials in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection. He played in 57 games as a rookie and scored three goals and three assists. Following the 2001–02 season, the Centennials relocated and became the Saginaw Spirit.

Bissonnette was named co-captain on the Spirit and also became a member of Canada's under-18 team that won gold medals at the 2013 Nations Cup. During the 2003 Home Hardware Top Prospects Game, Bissonnette was named Team Orr player of the game after recording a goal and fighting Dion Phaneuf.[7]

Playing career

Early career

Bissonnette was selected in the fourth round, 121st overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. When drafted, he was playing with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. During the 2003–04 season, Bissonnette served as the Spirit captain and finished ninth in points. He played another half season with the Spirit before being traded to the Owen Sound Attack, where he finished the 2004–05 season.[8]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Penguins

Bissonnette began his professional career during the 2005–06 season with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. He appeared in 14 games for the Nailers, while also playing 55 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL). On November 12, 2005, Bissonnette received his first professional fighting major when he fought Jordan Smith of the Portland Pirates. The following season, Bissonnette played 65 games with the Nailers, while only skating in three with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Bissonnette scored his first professional goal in the AHL on February 25, 2006, on goaltender Maxime Ouellet of the Manitoba Moose. After 22 games with the Nailers during the 2007–08 season, Bissonnette was recalled by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he would spend the remainder of the season. While in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, teammates Dennis Bonvie and Deryk Engelland worked with Bissonnette, often practicing fighting techniques. During his time in Wheeling, he was also named to the ECHL all-star game twice.

Bissonnette earned a spot on Pittsburgh's roster to begin the 2008–09 season. He earned his first NHL fighting major on October 16, 2008, when he fought Matt Bradley of the Washington Capitals. During the fight, Bissonnette knocked Bradley to the ice, bloodying his nose. On January 13, 2009, Bissonnette recorded his first career NHL point, assisting on a goal by Tyler Kennedy against the Philadelphia Flyers. On May 5, during a playoff game between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Hershey Bears, Bissonnette was hit awkwardly by Greg Amadio and Steve Pinizzotto. He was deeply cut by the skate of one of Hershey's players on his left wrist and suffered nerve damage in his left hand.[9]

Phoenix Coyotes

On October 1, 2009, Bissonnette was claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes after failing to make the Penguins' NHL roster out of training camp.[10] On October 12, Bissonnette's first fight as a Coyote occurred against Jody Shelley of the San Jose Sharks. On November 12, he scored his first of seven NHL goals, against goaltender Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in a 4–2 loss.[11]

On October 5, 2011, Bissonnette signed a two-year contract extension with the Coyotes.[12] During the 2011–12 season, on November 19, Bissonnette scored the game-winning goal, playing in front of his mother and grandparents for the first time as an NHL player. The Coyotes went on to win 4–2 over the Buffalo Sabres.[13]

With the 2012–13 NHL lock-out in effect, on November 1, 2012, Bissonnette signed with the Cardiff Devils of the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).[14] In 10 games for Cardiff, Bissonnette recorded six goals and 15 assists for 21 points before returning to the Coyotes.

Various teams

Bissonnette left the Coyotes' organization after five seasons following the 2013–14 season. On September 16, 2014, he accepted a tryout agreement from the St. Louis Blues to attend their training camp.[15] After playing the entirety of the pre-season, Bissonnette was released from his tryout on October 4.[16] A few weeks later, on October 24, Bissonnette returned to the Cardiff Devils of the EIHL. He re-joined the team "on a temporary basis while he still looks for opportunities in the NHL".[17] Bissonnette returned to the Coyotes' organization just three days later on October 27, when he signed a professional tryout agreement with the club's AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates.[18] After just eight games, Bissonnette was released from his tryout on December 9.[19]

Manchester Monarchs/Ontario Reign

On the same day, Bissonnette signed a tryout agreement with the Manchester Monarchs, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.[20] After 19 games, on February 3, 2015, the Monarchs signed Bissonnette to a standard AHL contract for the remainder of the season.[21] Bissonnette and the Monarchs won the Calder Cup after defeating the Utica Comets in five games.[22]

With the Monarchs moving to the ECHL, the team was replaced by the Ontario Reign as the Kings' AHL affiliate.[23] On July 8, 2015, the Reign signed Bissonnette to a one-year contract.[24] He played 35 games for the team during the 2015–16 season. On July 6, 2016, he returned to the Reign after signing a one-year extension.[25]

Post-playing career

On June 24, 2017, it was announced that Bissonnette would join the Coyotes' radio booth as a color commentator, replacing Nick Boynton.[26] On September 7, Bissonnette officially confirmed his retirement from professional ice hockey.[27]

On April 11, 2018, Bissonnette was announced as a new member of the Barstool Sports' podcast, Spittin' Chiclets, joining former Penguins' teammate Ryan Whitney.[28] On May 14, Bissonnette released a mockumentary series named BizNasty Does BC, which he co-created with Pasha Eshghi. The series features 17 past and present NHL stars and shows off the beauty of the province of British Columbia.[29]

In February 2019, Bissonnette partnered with CaniBrands,[30] a CBD health and wellness company as the company's Sports and Media Ambassador.[31]

In 2021, Turner Sports announced that Bissonnette would be joining the company as a pregame and intermission analyst for the NHL on TNT, alongside Wayne Gretzky, Anson Carter, and Rick Tocchet.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2001–02North Bay CentennialsOHL573362150002
2002–03Saginaw SpiritOHL677162357
2003–04Saginaw SpiritOHL675141996
2004–05Saginaw SpiritOHL2816746
2004–05Owen Sound AttackOHL35211134681342
2005–06Wheeling NailersECHL1437104
2005–06Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL5515660110114
2006–07Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL30000
2006–07Wheeling NailersECHL65103242115
2007–08Wheeling NailersECHL223141743
2007–08Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL46358145700011
2008–09Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL1501122
2008–09Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL57971617680229
2009–10Phoenix CoyotesNHL41325117
2010–11Phoenix CoyotesNHL481017110000
2011–12Phoenix CoyotesNHL3110141300015
2012–13Cardiff DevilsEIHL11615218
2012–13Phoenix CoyotesNHL2806636
2013–14Phoenix CoyotesNHL3926853
2014–15Portland PiratesAHL80000
2014–15Manchester MonarchsAHL48167167110005
2015–16Ontario ReignAHL35213511311217
2016–17Ontario ReignAHL1803348
AHL totals2701627436535014546
NHL totals20271522340400015

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2002CanadaU1850002
2003Canada WJC1870110
Junior totals 120112

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
ECHL
All-Star Game2007
AHL
Calder Cup champion2015[32]

Notes and References

  1. BigNasty2point0 . 101803374411923456 . August 11, 2011. No ones going to guess my middle name. It's Albert, yes Albert. So next question is who was my first NHL game against? .
  2. Web site: Boivin. Paola. Phoenix Coyotes' Paul 'Bignasty' Bissonnette proves players willing to bite back online. 12 News & The Arizona Republic. July 23, 2014.
  3. News: Fitz-Gerald. Sean. Mom wishes Paul Bissonnette's Twitter feed had cleaner … grammar. May 1, 2018. National Post. November 18, 2011.
  4. Bissonnette . Paul . Paul Bissonnette . BizNasty2point0 . 1182024172425207808 . October 9, 2019 . I'm biracial. My mother Yolande is half black. Please do research before typing next time. Thanks. . May 31, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514013102/https://twitter.com/BizNasty2point0/status/1182024172425207808 . May 14, 2021 . live.
  5. Bissonnette . Paul . Paul Bissonnette . BizNasty2point0 . 867079821091684352 . May 23, 2017 . I know. To my defense I'm French Canadian and started going to English speaking School in 7th grade. Spelling is my kryptonite.. May 31, 2021.
  6. Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs . . . 9 April 2022.
  7. Web site: Fritsche goal caps Cherry comeback in Home Hardware CHL Top Prospects Game . CHL . January 22, 2003 . January 22, 2003.
  8. News: Chalk . Dan . Spirit trade Bissonnette . Midland Daily News . November 24, 2004.
  9. Web site: Bombulie, Jonathan . Ins and Outs of Playoff Hockey – Penguins Insider – Community Server . July 9, 2009 .
  10. Web site: Bernreuter . Hugh . Phoenix Coyotes claim Paul Bissonnette off waivers . mlive . November 22, 2023 . October 1, 2009.
  11. Web site: Canadiens snap two-game skid with win over Coyotes . ESPN . November 22, 2023 . November 12, 2009.
  12. Web site: Coyotes extend Paul Bissonnette . ESPN.com . November 22, 2023 . October 5, 2011.
  13. Web site: Radim Vrbata, Paul Bissonnette score 66 seconds apart to sink Sabres . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122154652/https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/400047434 . dead . November 22, 2023 . ESPN . November 22, 2023 . November 19, 2011.
  14. Web site: NHL player Paul Bissonnette joins Cardiff Devils . . 2012-11-01 . 2012-11-01.
  15. Web site: Peters . Chris . Paul 'BizNasty' Bissonnette earns tryout invite from Blues . CBS Sports . September 16, 2014 . September 16, 2014.
  16. Web site: Rutherford . Jeremy . Blues release Bissonnette from tryout . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . October 4, 2014 . October 4, 2014.
  17. Web site: Bissonnette signs with Britain's Devils . Sportsnet . October 24, 2014.
  18. Web site: McLellan . Sarah . Paul Bissonnette returning to Coyotes organization . USA Today . October 27, 2014.
  19. Web site: Silverman . Catherine . Bidding Biznasty Farewell: Paul Bissonnette Released From PTO . Howlin' Hockey . December 8, 2014. December 8, 2014 .
  20. Web site: Monarchs Sign Bissonnette to PTO . Manchester Monarchs . December 9, 2014 . September 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180918123603/http://manchestermonarchs.com/news/?article_id=482 . dead .
  21. Web site: Monarchs Sign Bissonnette to AHL Contract . Manchester Monarchs . February 3, 2015.
  22. Web site: AT LAST, MONARCHS RULE THE AHL . AHL . June 13, 2015 . June 13, 2015.
  23. News: Clinton . Jared . ECHL WILL REPLACE THREE RELOCATED AHL TEAMS IN 2015-16 . The Hockey News . January 30, 2015. January 30, 2015 .
  24. Web site: Bissonnette signs a one-year, one-way deal with Kings' affiliate. July 8, 2015. July 8, 2015. NBC Sports. Mahiban. Dhiren.
  25. Web site: BISSONNETTE RETURNING TO REIGN . AHL . July 6, 2016 . July 6, 2016.
  26. Web site: Paul Bissonnette to join Coyotes radio broadcast team . Arizona Sports 98.7 FM . June 24, 2017. June 24, 2017 .
  27. Web site: Bissonnette . Paul . Well. That's all she wrote. . https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BYv1F-bjMsh . 2021-12-24 . limited. Instagram . September 7, 2017.
  28. Web site: Grinnell . Mike . BREAKING NEWS: BIG NASTY IS JOINING SPITTIN' CHICLETS . Barstool Sports . April 11, 2018.
  29. Web site: Bissonnette's new mockumentary aims to show lighter side of NHL players . SportsNet. February 26, 2019.
  30. CaniBrands Goes Live to 550K Listeners on Barstool Sports https://www.canibrands.com/canibrands-goes-live-to-550k-listeners-on-barstool-sports/ Retrieved, 2018.
  31. Web site: CaniBrands Expands Reach with New Products and Influencers. July 6, 2020 . July 6, 2020.
  32. Web site: Manchester defeats Utica to win Calder Cup . . 2015-06-19 . 2015-06-19.