Andy Welinski Bio
Andrew Philip Welinski, known professionally as Andy Welinski, is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for Löwen Frankfurt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany. Welinski was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round, 83rd overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 205 pounds, he shoots right and has built a journeyman career across the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League, and top European leagues.
Early Life and Background
Andrew Philip Welinski was born on April 27, 1993, in Duluth, Minnesota, in the United States. He grew up in a region long associated with strong amateur and collegiate hockey, which gave him early and frequent access to rinks and competitive programs. He attended Duluth East High School, where he developed the foundation of his game as a young defenseman in Minnesota’s deep hockey culture.
Coming out of high school, Welinski joined the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League beginning in 2010, a leading junior league that has produced many NHL players. The experience sharpened his defensive detail and his offensive instincts from the blue line. After two seasons in the USHL, he was ready for the next step at the collegiate level.
Path to Hockey
Welinski’s path to professional hockey moved through the USHL before he enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2012. In his first college season, he was named to the 2012-13 Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Rookie Team, an early signal of his two-way potential. By his senior year he had become team captain and earned a place on the College Hockey News Preseason All-America Team and the All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference Preseason Team. He closed his Bulldogs career with 154 appearances, 24 goals, and 53 assists.
Andy Welinski Career
Junior and Collegiate Foundations
With the Green Bay Gamblers, Welinski’s second USHL season was his breakthrough. He helped the club capture both the Anderson Cup and the Clark Cup, while earning USHL Defenseman of the Year honors and a place on the All-USHL First Team. That same year he was presented with the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award.
At the University of Minnesota Duluth, Welinski was a steady four-year contributor. He made the All-NCHC Second Team in back-to-back seasons, including his senior campaign of 2015-16, when he also served as captain. On the international stage, he represented the US Select Team at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge.
Anaheim Ducks Era (2016-2019)
On April 4, 2016, Welinski signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks and was quickly assigned to the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, on an amateur tryout agreement. He made his American Hockey League debut on April 6, 2016, beginning a long stint in the minors. Welinski finally made his NHL debut on December 11, 2017, against the Carolina Hurricanes, the franchise that had originally drafted him into the pro pipeline.
Philadelphia Flyers and Return to Anaheim (2019-2021)
As a free agent after the 2018-19 season, Welinski signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 1, 2019. After training camp he was waived and assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL for 2019-20, where he posted 8 goals and 21 points from the blue line but did not earn a recall. On October 10, 2020, he returned to the Anaheim Ducks organization on another one-year, $750,000 deal. In the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season, Welinski played 13 NHL games as a depth defenseman.
Calgary Flames and New York Rangers (2021-2023)
Welinski signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames on July 29, 2021, spending one season in that organization. He then moved to the New York Rangers on a one-year, two-way deal on July 14, 2022. After clearing waivers out of Rangers training camp, he was assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, where he recorded 4 goals and 16 points in 40 games while providing veteran leadership.
Chicago Blackhawks and Later Stops (2023-2024)
On February 28, 2023, Welinski was part of a three-team trade that sent him, along with two draft picks, from the New York Rangers to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Patrick Kane and minor league defenseman Cooper Zech. During the 2023-24 preseason, he signed a professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues on September 18, 2023, but was released on September 29, 2023. He later signed a PTO with the AHL’s Iowa Wild on October 24, 2023, posting 3 goals and 10 points in 27 games, and then joined the Charlotte Checkers on a PTO on March 14, 2024.
Löwen Frankfurt and Free Agency (2024-2025)
On September 16, 2024, Welinski signed a professional tryout with the New Jersey Devils and was assigned to the Utica Comets on a PTO to start the 2024-25 season. He appeared in 8 games for the Comets before being released on November 26, 2024. He then moved abroad to join Löwen Frankfurt of Germany’s top-tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the most recent team on his professional résumé.
Driving Style and Strengths
Welinski is a right-shot defenseman whose game centers on smart positioning, dependable gap control, and an active first pass out of the defensive zone. His college scoring totals and USHL point production show an offensive ceiling from the blue line, while his steady AHL seasons reflect a reliable, veteran two-way presence. He has typically filled a depth and penalty-kill role at the NHL level, leaning on his skating and hockey sense rather than physical dominance.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Welinski’s career are his 2011 NHL Draft selection by the Anaheim Ducks, his Anderson Cup and Clark Cup double with the Green Bay Gamblers, and his NHL debut on December 11, 2017, against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was also part of the high-profile three-team trade that sent Patrick Kane to the Rangers in February 2023, one of the most talked-about deadline deals of that season.
Andy Welinski Career Wins
Andy Welinski’s trophy case is built primarily on junior and collegiate success rather than NHL silverware. His most prominent team wins came in the USHL, and he collected individual recognition at both the junior and college levels. Because the inputs do not provide a complete, verified list of professional championships, this section focuses only on fully supported titles and honors.
Junior and Collegiate Highlights
Welinski’s biggest team win was the 2011 Clark Cup championship with the Green Bay Gamblers, paired with the regular-season Anderson Cup that same season. He added the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award and USHL Defenseman of the Year honors during that 2011-12 campaign. At the University of Minnesota Duluth, he earned All-NCHC Second Team recognition in 2014-15 and again in 2015-16, when he also served as team captain.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his junior hardware, Welinski represented the United States at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge as a member of the US Select Team. He has also posted productive AHL seasons with the San Diego Gulls, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Hartford Wolf Pack, Iowa Wild, Charlotte Checkers, and Utica Comets, though no further championship hardware from those stops is confirmed in the available sources.
Andy Welinski Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available information about Andy Welinski’s parents and extended family is limited, and the available sources do not detail a broader family sports lineage. What is clear is that he grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, a city with deep hockey roots, and that environment clearly shaped his path to the game.
Personal Life
Welinski keeps his personal life largely private, and no spouse, partner, or children are documented in the verified sources used for this profile. He has spent most of his professional career based in North American hockey markets, with his most recent engagement taking him to Germany with Löwen Frankfurt.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Andy Welinski’s most recent action came with Löwen Frankfurt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, after a brief PTO stint with the Utica Comets of the AHL earlier in the 2024-25 season. His time in Germany’s top league represented a new chapter in a career that has moved between the NHL and AHL since 2016. The 2025 outlook centers on whether he secures another professional contract, either back in North America or in Europe.
With his versatility as a right-shot defenseman, AHL scoring touch, and willingness to accept short-term deals, Welinski remains a viable depth option for teams seeking blue-line help. His combination of USHL pedigree, four years at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and NHL experience with the Anaheim Ducks gives him a résumé suited to both AHL top-four minutes and spot NHL duty. The remainder of 2025 will likely be defined by where, and at what level, he lands next.