Timothy Todd Wallace (born August 6, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey center and ice hockey coach. He is currently signed to National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) side Milton Keynes Lightning as Player/Coach and Director of Hockey Development.[2]

Tim Wallace
Wallace with the Charlotte Checkers in 2013
Born (1984-08-06) August 6, 1984 (age 40)
Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Center/Right Wing[1]
Shoots Right
Played for Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders
Tampa Bay Lightning
Carolina Hurricanes
Örebro HK
Brynäs IF
Grizzlys Wolfsburg
Sheffield Steelers
Milton Keynes Lightning
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2006–present

Between May 2019 and January 2022, Wallace was head coach of UK EIHL side Nottingham Panthers.[3][4] Wallace also previously served as joint Player/Coach between 2018–19 for fellow English club Milton Keynes Lightning, alongside Ryan Lannon.[5][6]

Before starting his professional career, Wallace played four seasons with the University of Notre Dame of the CCHA. A product of the U.S. National Team Developmental Program, he was a member of gold-medal teams at both the 2002 Under-18 World Championships and the Under-17 World Challenge in 2001.

Playing career

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As a youth, Wallace played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Alaska.[7]

College

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Wallace played four collegiate seasons (2002–2006) at the University of Notre Dame, where he set a school record by playing in all 153 games during his career. He scored 25 goals with 34 assists for 59 points and had 39 penalties for 86 minutes. As a senior, he notched 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points to finish fifth on the team in scoring.[8]

Professional

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Wallace with the Lightning in 2012.

An undrafted free agent, Wallace was signed to a contract after attending a tryout camp with Pittsburgh in the fall of 2006. In his first season, he split time between the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers and the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, seeing action in 51 games with 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points and 62 penalty minutes. He played in 11 playoff games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, scoring a goal and an assist. In 2007-08, Wallace played in 74 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, accruing 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points and 83 minutes in penalties. He played in 22 postseason games in helping the Baby Penguins advance to the Calder Cup finals against Chicago. He had two goals and six assists for eight points and 21 penalty minutes in the playoffs.[8]

Wallace made his NHL debut on December 10, 2008, against the New Jersey Devils. He registered his first NHL point, an assist, on December 18, 2008 vs. the Atlanta Thrashers.[9]

On February 23, 2012 Wallace was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay Lightning from the New York Islanders after playing 31 games in the NHL season.

After seven professional seasons within North America, Wallace left as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League on August 6, 2013.[10] In his debut season in Sweden, Wallace adapted quickly in Örebro, posting 15 goals and 32 points in 55 games to earn a one-year contract extension on April 3, 2014. In the midst of the 2014–15 season, having been unable to replicate his previous seasons form with Örebro, Wallace was loaned to fellow SHL outfit Brynäs IF on December 10, 2014.

On September 7, 2015, having left Sweden after two-years as a free agent, Wallace agreed to a one-year contract with German club, Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.[11]

As a free agent after three seasons abroad, Wallace opted to return to his hometown in Anchorage, and agreed to play in third tier ECHL, signing a standard contract with the Alaska Aces on October 13, 2016.[12]

On May 25, 2017, Wallace again left North America and moved to the UK to sign a one-year deal with the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL.[13]

After a season in Sheffield, Wallace moved to league rivals Milton Keynes Lightning in 2018. Wallace and teammate Ryan Lannon subsequently replaced Doug McKay as Lightning head coach early into the 2018–19 EIHL season. He later re-signed as a Milton Keynes Lightning player in January 2022 following his departure from Nottingham, and will combine his playing role with the title of Director of Hockey Development.

He re-signed as a Milton Keynes player for the 2022–23 season, where he will serve as the club's Player/Coach following the departure of Lewis Clifford.

Coaching career

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After a spell as Player/Coach of Milton Keynes Lightning, Wallace was hired in 2019 by Nottingham Panthers director of hockey Guillaume Doucet to be the club's new head coach - replacing Rich Chernomaz.[14] Wallace was relieved of his duties in Nottingham in January 2022.[15]

In May 2022, Wallace replaced Lewis Clifford and returned for a second spell as Player/Coach with Milton Keynes Lightning, combining the role with his title of Director of Hockey Development.[16]

Wallace won the NIHL cup as Player/coach in the 2023/24 Season with Milton Keynes Lightning beating Hull Seahawk 10-5 on aggregate over 2 legs

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 U.S. National Under-18 Team NAHL 56 8 11 19 45
2001–02 U.S. National Under-18 Team USHL 21 4 7 11 16
2002–03 Notre Dame CCHA 40 6 5 11 28
2003–04 Notre Dame CCHA 39 3 8 11 10
2004–05 Notre Dame CCHA 38 5 9 14 20
2005–06 Notre Dame CCHA 36 11 12 23 28
2006–07 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 32 5 9 14 39 11 1 1 2 2
2006–07 Wheeling Nailers ECHL 19 6 11 17 23
2007–08 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 74 12 14 26 82 22 2 6 8 21
2008–09 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 58 11 8 19 51 7 0 2 2 2
2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 16 0 2 2 7
2009–10 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 78 27 14 41 61 4 0 0 0 2
2009–10 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 1 0 0 0 0
2010–11 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 62 20 17 37 61 10 1 4 5 6
2010–11 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 7 0 0 0 5
2011–12 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 24 9 11 20 13
2011–12 New York Islanders NHL 31 0 1 1 6
2011–12 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 18 3 5 8 10
2012–13 Charlotte Checkers AHL 47 9 13 22 44 3 1 1 2 0
2012–13 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 28 1 1 2 17
2013–14 Örebro HK SHL 55 15 17 32 30
2014–15 Örebro HK SHL 27 3 5 8 14
2014–15 Brynäs IF SHL 25 4 6 10 8 4 0 3 3 4
2015–16 Grizzlys Wolfsburg DEL 45 4 13 17 34 6 0 2 2 2
2016–17 Alaska Aces ECHL 63 18 29 47 42
2016–17 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 7 1 1 2 0
2017–18 Sheffield Steelers EIHL 55 6 24 30 57 2 0 1 1 0
2018–19 Milton Keynes Lightning EIHL 60 21 36 57 58
2021–22 Milton Keynes Lightning NIHL 21 6 14 20 22 8 6 8 14 2
2022–23 Milton Keynes Lightning NIHL 55 23 67 90 47 2 0 2 2 0
NHL totals 101 4 9 13 45
Medal record
Representing the   United States
Ice hockey
IIHF World U18 Championships
  2002 Slovakia

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2002 United States WJC18   8 2 5 7 6
Junior totals 8 2 5 7 6

References

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  1. ^ "Tim Wallace". Eliteprospects.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "TIM WALLACE IS AIB MK LIGHTNING'S PLAYER HEAD COACH". Mk-lightning.co.uk. June 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "190530 | Tim Wallace Checks in - Nottingham Panthers". Panthers.co.uk.
  4. ^ "220105 | Wallace - Nottingham Panthers". Panthers.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Lannon: I wouldn't have taken the MK job if it wasn't for the team". Britishicehockey.co.uk. November 29, 2018.
  6. ^ "Steelers sign ex-NHL forward Wallace". EIHL. May 25, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Tim Wallace Makes NHL Debut With Pittsburgh Penguins". Und.cstv.com. December 11, 2008.
  9. ^ "Wallace Assigned To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton". Penguins.nhl.com. January 12, 2009. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009.
  10. ^ "Tim Wallace ready for Orebro" (in Swedish). Örebro HK. August 6, 2013. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  11. ^ "Grizzlys take Tim Wallace under contract" (in German). EHC Wolfsburg. September 7, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  12. ^ "Former NHLer Tim Wallace of Anchorage signs with Alaska Aces". Alaska Dispatch News. October 13, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  13. ^ "NHL'er Tim Wallace joins the Steelers". Sheffield Steelers. May 25, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "Nottingham Panthers appoint Tim Wallace as head coach". BBC Sport. May 30, 2019.
  15. ^ "220105 | Wallace - Nottingham Panthers". Panthers.co.uk.
  16. ^ "We are pleased to confirm that Tim Wallace will be returning to All In Black Milton Keynes Lightning ⚡️ as Head Coach, Player 🏒 and Director of Player Personnel and Development for the 2022/23 Season". Twitter.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
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