Austin Watson

For the professional wrestler, see Austin Watson (wrestler).

Austin Watson
230px
Born	(1992-01-13) January 13, 1992 Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Position	Center
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Nashville Predators
NHL Draft	18th overall, 2010 Nashville Predators
Playing career	2011–present

Austin Watson (born January 13, 1992) is an American ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 18th overall by the Predators in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life

Austin Watson was born January 13, 1992, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he grew up with his father and mother, Mike and Mary Watson. He is the oldest of ten children, nine boys and one girl. He went to school one year at Detroit Catholic Central High School, and one year at Father Gabriel Richard High School before he was drafted into the OHL, where he attended St. Anne's High School, and after being traded to Peterborough, finishing high school there. Watson played for the high school golf team at Father Gabriel Richard, where they went to state finals.

Playing career

Early career

Before the OHL, Watson played all of his early hockey with the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors, whose home arena is Compuware Arena. While playing for the Ambassadors, Watson received early exposure to OHL hockey, as Compuware Arena is also home to the Plymouth Whalers.

Junior hockey

At first, Watson did not show interest in the OHL, and verbally committed to the University of Maine Black Bears, planning on playing for the US U-17 team. Because of his plans to play college, although he was projected to go second overall in the OHL draft, he ended up going 36th overall. Because the U-17 delayed on giving him a spot, Watson decided to forgo his verbal commitment to Maine and play with the Windsor Spitfires.

Windsor Spitfires

Although it was a gamble, the Spitfires took a chance and drafted Watson. Their bet paid off. Watson came into the OHL with a bang, surprising people with his fast skating and smart playing. Despite the fact that Watson hit a slump mid-season, he came out with 10 goals and 19 assists, for a total of 29 points. During playoffs, after a total of 20 games played, he snatched up 3 more points in the form of assists. While Watson had a remarkable rookie season, he accompanied the Spitfires to becoming the most elite in the league, the CHL Memorial Cup champions, at the same time breaking the record and becoming the first team to ever come back for an overall win from fourth place in the finals. Also, it was the first Spitfires franchise win of the Memorial Cup.

Peterborough Petes

On January 11, 2010, the Spitfires traded Watson to the Peterborough Petes. The trade was smart for him career-wise as he now receives a chance at more playing time on this younger team. Watson played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game for Team Cherry, and played well, as he, among other things, broke up a 5-on-3 penalty kill, though unfortunately broke his ankle blocking a second shot and could not play for a month with the Petes.

While playing with the Spitfires, Watson was projected to go 25th according to the International Scouting Service(ISS) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but after an advantageous trade to the Petes, he jumped in rank 11 places and was ranked 14th in April, where the NHL Central Scouting Final Ranks place him. According to the ISS he ranks 12th.

Watson was drafted 18th overall by the Nashville Predators. His entire family was there to support him – all eight siblings including another one on the way.

London Knights

On January 9, 2012, Watson was traded to the London Knights.

International play

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing United States
IIHF World U18 Championship
	2010 WJC U18

Watson was selected to play for the USA national team for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Despite the fact that the US did not win, Watson played well. He tied the US record for the most points in a single game.

He was selected to play for the U.S. National team, Watson played with them to win the gold medal ultimately, even though he was ejected from the game 5 minutes in for a boarding call.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008–09	Windsor Spitfires	OHL		63	10	19	29	41		20	0	3	3	15
2009–10	Windsor Spitfires	OHL		42	11	23	34	14		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Peterborough Petes	OHL		10	9	11	20	8		4	2	0	2	2
2010–11	Peterborough Petes	OHL		68	34	34	68	54		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Milwaukee Admirals	AHL		5	0	0	0	0		3	0	0	0	0
2011–12	Peterborough Petes	OHL		32	14	19	33	33		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	London Knights	OHL		29	11	24	35	14		19	10	7	17	10
2012–13	Milwaukee Admirals	AHL		72	20	17	37	22		4	1	0	1	0
2012–13	Nashville Predators	NHL		6	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Milwaukee Admirals	AHL		76	22	24	46	24		3	0	0	0	6
2014–15	Milwaukee Admirals	AHL		76	26	18	44	34		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				6	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010	United States	WJC18			7	2	1	3	33
2012	United States	WJC	7th		6	3	6	9	0
Junior totals					13	5	7	12	33

Awards and honors

Award	Year	Ref
Wayne Gretzky 99 Award - OHL Playoff MVP	2011–12
CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team	2012

• Won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with the London Knights in 2012.
• OHL Wayne Gretzky 99 Award 2012 Playoff MVP. 1st American to ever win it.
• OHL Academic Player of the Month of the West Division for the month of December 2008.
• Won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Windsor Spitfires in 2009.
• Won the Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires in 2009.

External links

• Austin Watson Player Profile
• Austin Watson's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Ryan Ellis	Nashville Predators first round draft pick 2010	Succeeded by Seth Jones