Joe Hicketts Bio
Joseph Hicketts is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League while under contract with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Born May 4, 1996, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Hicketts has built a pro career since 2016 that includes time with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Detroit Red Wings, the Iowa Wild and the Ontario Reign, and he has represented Canada at multiple junior international tournaments.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Hicketts was born in Kamloops, British Columbia, and developed as a youth player within the British Columbia minor hockey system, including a season with the Kamloops Bantam AAA Jardine Blazers where he produced significant offense for his age group. He spent the 2011–12 season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, British Columbia, a formative year that prepared him for major-junior competition in the Western Hockey League.
Hicketts was selected 12th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft by the Victoria Royals, which set the stage for his junior career and provided early exposure to top-level Canadian junior coaching and competition. His size and puck skills drew attention while he produced strong offensive totals from the blueline during his time with the Royals, establishing himself as a leading defense prospect in the WHL.
Path to Hockey
Hicketts moved into the WHL with the Victoria Royals and became a steady presence on their blue line, playing regular minutes and developing playmaking instincts that would define his junior years. After his breakout junior seasons he drew NHL interest despite going undrafted, earning invitations to Detroit Red Wings development camp and the NHL prospects tournament where he impressed enough to earn an entry-level contract.
His junior résumé includes leadership roles and individual honors that helped bridge the gap to professional hockey: he served as an assistant captain with the Royals, set franchise records for career points by a defenceman and power-play assists, and finished seasons among the WHL leaders in scoring from the back end, all of which led to professional assignments in the American Hockey League.
Joe Hicketts Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Following an invitation to Detroit Red Wings training camp, Hicketts signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings on September 24, 2014 and was returned to the Victoria Royals to continue his development. In 2014–15 he ranked second among WHL defensemen in scoring with 12 goals and 52 assists in 62 games and was named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team after setting new franchise marks for points and power-play assists by a Royals defenseman.
Hicketts continued his offensive output in 2015–16, recording eight goals and 53 assists in 59 games and finishing the WHL season tied for second among defensemen in assists and seventh overall in scoring with 61 points, achievements that earned him the WHL Western Conference Top Defenceman honor and a place on the Western Conference First All-Star Team as well as a nomination for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy.
Grand Rapids Griffins and Detroit Red Wings Breakthrough (2016–2019)
Hicketts began his professional career in 2016 when he was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League after attending Detroit Red Wings training camp, and he became a regular in the Griffins’ lineup while developing the defensive and penalty-killing elements of his game. His work in Grand Rapids led to multiple NHL recalls by Detroit during the 2017–18 season, and he made his NHL debut on January 22, 2018 against the New Jersey Devils, logging 15:13 of ice time and contributing on the penalty kill.
Hicketts earned his first NHL points with the Detroit Red Wings on March 27, 2018, when he recorded two assists in a 5–2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, finishing that stint with three assists in five NHL appearances and a plus-five rating. He split time between the Griffins and the Red Wings over the 2017–2019 window, was re-signed by Detroit on July 17, 2019, and continued to provide depth on the left side, serving as a reliable AHL leader while answering NHL calls when required.
Iowa Wild and Free Agency (2021–2023)
After several seasons within the Red Wings organization, Hicketts signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 28, 2021 and spent that contract with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. During his time with Iowa he continued as a steady, two-way blueliner, focusing on transitional play, puck movement and special teams minutes while remaining a veteran presence in the AHL.
At the conclusion of his contract with the Wild Hicketts entered unrestricted free agency and remained a player with professional AHL experience and occasional NHL experience, positioning him for the next NHL depth opportunity that arrived in 2023.
Los Angeles Kings Era (2023–Present)
Hicketts signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 2, 2023 and has been rostered with the Ontario Reign in the AHL while under contract to the Kings. The move reunited him with a Pacific Division organization and returned him to the AHL environment where he has been a consistent contributor since turning professional in 2016.
Under the Kings organization Hicketts has continued to deliver reliable defensive minutes, quarterback power-play sequences at times in the AHL and provide veteran leadership for younger defense prospects on the Reign while remaining available for NHL recall as organizational depth on the left side.
Playing Style and Strengths
Hicketts is a left-shot defenseman known for his puck-moving ability, power-play vision and competitive penalty-killing work; his junior scoring pace demonstrated offensive instincts while his professional role has emphasized transitional passing, gap control and smart positioning. At 5 ft 8 in and listed at 180 lb, Hicketts plays with a competitive edge that compensates for modest size, relying on skating, anticipation and decision-making to be effective in pro minutes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Hicketts’ career include setting Victoria Royals franchise records for career points by a defenseman and power-play assists, earning WHL conference defensive honors and individual awards in 2015–16, making his NHL debut for the Detroit Red Wings in January 2018 and recording his first NHL points with two assists against the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2018. Internationally, he captained Canada at youth tournaments and was a member of Canada’s gold-medal squad at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.
Joe Hicketts Career Wins
Hicketts’ career highlights are anchored by junior-level awards and international medals, consistent AHL performance with Grand Rapids and other affiliates, and NHL experience that includes his debut, first points and multiple recall stints; those milestones reflect a career built on steady development and adaptability between the AHL and NHL ranks.
WHL Highlights
During his time with the Victoria Royals Hicketts produced significant offensive totals for a defenseman, posting 12 goals and 52 assists in 62 games in 2014–15 and following with eight goals and 53 assists in 59 games in 2015–16, achievements that led to Western Conference All-Star honors and recognition as the conference’s top defenceman in 2015–16.
Other Wins & Perfromances
On the international stage Hicketts captained Canada’s Winter Youth Olympic team to bronze in 2012, captained Team Pacific at the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, won a bronze medal at the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships and was part of Canada’s gold-medal roster at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, contributing as a playmaking blueliner in those tournaments.
Joe Hicketts Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joseph Hicketts was born and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia; public records and sources list his birthplace but do not provide verified details on parents or extended family for publication. His development followed a common Canadian junior pathway from local minor hockey through Okanagan Hockey Academy to the WHL.
Personal Life
Hicketts maintains a professional profile focused on his hockey career; publicly available information does not list verified details regarding marital status or children, and personal relationships have not been provided as part of his verified profile.
2025 Season Performance
For 2025 Hicketts is listed with the Ontario Reign in the AHL while under contract with the Los Angeles Kings through 2025, carrying professional experience that includes NHL recalls and leadership roles at the AHL level. His role entering the 2025 season centers on providing veteran depth, special-teams ability and steady defensive minutes for the Reign while remaining available for NHL duty as the Kings manage their defensive group.
Across the 2025 season outlook, Hicketts’ track record of power-play creation in junior, penalty-killing responsibilities in the pros and adaptability between leagues positions him as a reliable organizational defense option, and his international junior experience remains a notable element of his playing résumé.
