Chase De Leo Bio
Chase De Leo is an American professional ice hockey player born on October 25, 1995, in La Mirada, California. A forward by position, De Leo has built a career across junior, American Hockey League, National Hockey League and international competition, and most recently joined the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
Early Life and Background
Chase De Leo was born to parents John and Janie, who operate a wholesale plumbing supply company in California. He originally played baseball as a child before his mother encouraged a move to roller hockey; that change set De Leo on the path to organized hockey and eventual transition to the ice.
De Leo began on roller hockey teams including the Orange County Blades and later played youth ice hockey as a goaltender for the Norwalk Knights before switching positions. As a youth he played for the Los Angeles Selects and appeared in the 2008 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament; meetings with established players such as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy influenced his decision to pursue hockey as a career.
Path to Hockey
De Leo advanced through Southern California minor hockey into major junior ranks with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. His steady development in the WHL attracted attention from NHL scouts and led to his selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Internationally, De Leo represented the United States at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, an experience that complemented his junior success and provided exposure on a global stage. Those performances helped bridge his move from junior hockey to professional play beginning in 2015.
Chase De Leo Career
Early Career (2011–2015)
De Leo spent his junior career with the Portland Winterhawks from 2011 to 2015, where he developed into a high-scoring center. Over four WHL seasons he recorded 251 points in 279 regular season games and produced back-to-back 39-goal campaigns while also contributing 58 points in 81 playoff games, including a role on the Winterhawks squad that won the 2013 WHL championship and advanced to the Memorial Cup final.
Those junior results led to De Leo being selected 99th overall in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets, setting the stage for his transition to professional hockey in 2015.
American Hockey League and NHL Debut (2015–2018)
After completing junior hockey in 2015 De Leo was assigned to the Manitoba Moose, the Winnipeg Jets’ American Hockey League affiliate, and began his professional career in the AHL. He spent the bulk of his first seasons developing in Manitoba, earning a brief NHL recall and making his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets on March 20, 2016 against the Anaheim Ducks before returning to the AHL to continue his development.
De Leo consolidated his professional game in the AHL over the next two seasons with the Moose, using regular minutes at center and continuing to refine his playmaking and goal-scoring instincts as he sought a permanent NHL role.
Anaheim Ducks Organization (2018–2021)
On June 30, 2018 the Winnipeg Jets traded De Leo to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Nic Kerdiles, and De Leo joined the Ducks organization for the 2018–19 season. He began that season with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL and established new professional highs, recording 20 goals and 55 points in 66 games before earning a recall and making his Anaheim Ducks NHL debut on March 30, 2019 against the Edmonton Oilers.
During his time in the Ducks organization De Leo served in leadership roles with the Gulls, including alternate captain duties, and continued to be a reliable scorer and two-way forward at the AHL level through the 2020–21 period.
New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets (2021–2022)
As a free agent after his time with Anaheim, De Leo signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 29, 2021 and was assigned to the Utica Comets in the AHL. In Utica he led the team in scoring with 21 goals and 56 points in 55 games, demonstrating consistent offensive production and earning a recall to the NHL later that season.
De Leo made his New Jersey Devils debut on November 24, 2021 in a 3–2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, representing another NHL opportunity earned through his AHL success and steady play in North American pro leagues.
Return to Anaheim, European Stints and North American Return (2022–2025)
De Leo returned to the Anaheim organization on a two-year, two-way contract signed July 14, 2022 and rejoined the San Diego Gulls, where he was named team captain for the 2022–23 season. He produced strong scoring rates with the Gulls but suffered a knee injury in the 2023–24 preseason that delayed his play and led to a waiver placement and AHL assignment later that season.
In September 2024 De Leo signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League and later joined the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League for the 2024–25 season; both European stops were brief and concluded with De Leo returning to North America as a free agent. Before joining the Charlotte Checkers following that return, De Leo was placed on waivers and on January 18, 2025 was claimed by the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, the club he most recently joined.
Playing Style and Strengths
De Leo is a left-shooting center known for a combination of playmaking and goal scoring developed during his junior and AHL career. His junior scoring touch translated into reliable secondary scoring in the AHL, and his experience in leadership roles with the San Diego Gulls highlights his work ethic and value within a team structure.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in De Leo’s career include the 2013 WHL championship with the Portland Winterhawks, selection by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, his NHL debut for the Jets in March 2016 and subsequent NHL appearances with Anaheim and New Jersey. Internationally, his selection to represent Team USA at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships is a notable highlight from his early professional years.
Chase De Leo Career Wins
Across junior and professional levels De Leo has accumulated numerous individual achievements and scoring seasons, highlighted by his WHL production, AHL scoring campaigns and leadership roles. His most notable statistical seasons include back-to-back 39-goal campaigns in the WHL and a 55-point AHL season in 2018–19 with the San Diego Gulls.
WHL Highlights
De Leo’s WHL career with the Portland Winterhawks stands as a defining early period: he totaled 251 regular season points in 279 games and was a significant contributor to the Winterhawks’ 2013 WHL championship and Memorial Cup run. Those seasons established De Leo as a prolific junior scorer and prepared him for the professional ranks.
Other Wins & Perfromances
At the professional level De Leo has recorded career-high offensive totals in the AHL, including his 20-goal, 55-point season with the San Diego Gulls and a 21-goal, 56-point campaign with the Utica Comets. Those seasons underline his capacity to lead an AHL offense and to respond to increased roles and responsibilities.
Chase De Leo Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
De Leo grew up in La Mirada, California, the son of John and Janie De Leo. His family background outside hockey includes a family business in wholesale plumbing supply, and his parents played a role in shifting him from baseball to roller and ice hockey during his youth.
Personal Life
Public records list De Leo’s parents by name and identify his early development through Southern California youth hockey programs and the Portland junior system. No further personal relationships or family details are presented in the available verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
De Leo entered 2025 as a member of the Milwaukee Admirals after being claimed off waivers on January 18, 2025. His immediate outlook with the Admirals centers on reestablishing consistent game action in the AHL after a period of short stints in Europe and recovery from injury, and on contributing secondary scoring and veteran leadership to a team affiliated with the Nashville Predators.
For the remainder of the 2025 season De Leo’s role is likely to emphasize reliable two-way center play, special teams contributions when applicable and an opportunity to translate prior AHL scoring form into steady production for Milwaukee as he pursues further professional opportunities.