Mark Friedman Bio
Mark Isaac Friedman is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). A right-shooting defenceman, he was selected 86th overall in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and has also suited up for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, and Nashville Predators at the professional level. Before turning pro, Friedman spent three seasons with the Bowling Green Falcons of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), where he earned conference-wide recognition for his two-way play.
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 185 pounds, Friedman has built his career on mobility, hockey sense, and a competitive edge. His path from the Greater Toronto Hockey League to the United States Hockey League, the NCAA, and the NHL has carried him across North America and, most recently, to Scandinavia.
Early Life and Background
Mark Isaac Friedman was born on December 25, 1995, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to parents Jeff Friedman and Joanne Friedman. Hockey was embedded in the family long before Mark picked up a stick. His father and uncle both played minor ice hockey, and the two brothers were once coached by Friedman’s paternal grandfather, after whom Mark was named. His grandfather went on to play golf for the University of Miami, and the family remained closely tied to athletics.
Friedman first stepped onto the ice at about three years old and began playing organized hockey shortly thereafter. He has described himself as a pretty feisty guy growing up, a trait he links to being smaller than many of his teammates and feeling the need to stand out. That competitive personality often carried over into the classroom, where he frequently clashed with teachers and school administrators.
As an adolescent, Friedman played for the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), the same organization his father and uncle had once represented. During the 2009-10 season, he helped the Don Mills Flyers capture the Kraft Cup, awarded to the GTHL’s regular-season champions, while posting 20 goals and 64 points in 85 games. He later joined the North York Rangers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), first for a two-game stint in 2010-11 and then as a full-time defenceman the following season, leading the team’s blueliners in scoring with nine goals and 27 points in 48 regular-season contests.
Path to Hockey
Friedman’s junior hockey progression continued with a move to the United States Hockey League (USHL), one of the top development circuits in North America. He spent two seasons with the Waterloo Blackhawks from 2012 to 2014, refining his game against older competition and establishing himself as a dependable two-way defenceman. His strong 2013-14 campaign was rewarded with a selection to the USHL Second All-Star Team, a notable honor for a draft-eligible player.
The exposure paid off at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, where the Philadelphia Flyers selected Friedman 86th overall in the third round. The pick reflected both his USHL performance and the projection that his skating, edge work, and competitive temperament could translate to the professional level. After being drafted, Friedman committed to Bowling Green State University on a full hockey scholarship, joining a program in the WCHA known for developing hard-nosed, defensively responsible defencemen.
At Bowling Green, Friedman quickly stood out. As a freshman, he was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and recognized as the Falcons’ co-Rookie of the Year, achievements that earned him an invitation to the Flyers’ prospect and development camp the following summer. In his sophomore year, he was elevated to the First Team All-WCHA, cementing his status as one of the top collegiate defencemen in the conference before making the jump to professional hockey.
Mark Friedman Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
Friedman signed an entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 21, 2017, and was immediately reassigned to the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He spent the better part of two seasons refining his defensive game, penalty killing, and puck-moving skills in the minors while making steady progress in the Flyers’ system.
On April 6, 2019, Friedman made his National Hockey League debut against the Carolina Hurricanes. In doing so, he became the second Jewish player ever to appear in a game for the Philadelphia Flyers, a milestone that added a layer of historical significance to his first NHL shift.
Philadelphia Flyers Era (2019-2021)
Following his debut, Friedman split time between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley as he worked to establish himself as a full-time NHL defenceman. In July 2020, he and the Flyers agreed to a two-year, one-way contract extension carrying an average annual value of $725,000, signaling the organization’s belief in his long-term potential.
During the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season, Friedman made four appearances from the Flyers’ blueline before being placed on waivers on February 23, 2021. The very next day, the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by newly hired and former Flyers general manager Ron Hextall, claimed Friedman off waivers, setting the stage for the next chapter of his career.
Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2021-2023)
Friedman quickly became a contributor for the Pittsburgh Penguins after joining the team in February 2021. He scored his first NHL goal against his former Flyers teammates in an eventual 4-3 loss, though the moment was cut short when a hit from Nolan Patrick forced him from the game early. Despite the inauspicious ending, the marker marked an important personal milestone.
From that point on, Friedman carved out a regular role on the Penguins’ blueline, logging minutes in all situations and showing the kind of physical, no-nonsense style Pittsburgh valued. He has been vocal about his preference for Pittsburgh over Philadelphia, once describing the City of Brotherly Love as noisy and dirty, comments that reflected his comfort with his new organization. He remained with the Penguins through the 2022-23 season.
Vancouver, Nashville, and Rögle BK Era (2023-Present)
On October 17, 2023, Friedman was traded, alongside Ty Glover, to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Karel Plášek and Jack Rathbone. The move opened a new opportunity on the West Coast, though Friedman spent much of the 2024-25 season with the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, before being dealt to the Nashville Predators on February 7, 2025, in exchange for future considerations. He finished the year assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL.
As a pending free agent, Friedman opted to begin a new chapter abroad. On June 5, 2025, he signed a two-year contract with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League, leaving North American professional hockey to compete in one of Europe’s top leagues. The signing marked his first commitment outside the Flyers-Penguins-Canucks-Predators pipeline.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Friedman’s career are his 2019 NHL debut, in which he became the second Jewish player in Philadelphia Flyers history, his first NHL goal against his former Flyers team, and his selection to the USHL Second All-Star Team in 2014. His decision to sign in Sweden in 2025 also stands as a notable turning point, reflecting a willingness to embrace an entirely new hockey culture late in his twenties.
Mark Friedman Career Wins
Friedman’s competitive résumé features standout achievements at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels rather than a long list of championship trophies. His most celebrated wins include the Kraft Cup with the Don Mills Flyers in 2010, individual USHL and WCHA honors, and steady contributions to playoff pushes in both the AHL and NHL. He is recognized more for his reliability and defensive acumen than for headline-grabbing point totals.
Junior and Collegiate Highlights
During his time with the Don Mills Flyers, Friedman helped the club capture the GTHL’s Kraft Cup in 2009-10, a regular-season title that remains one of the signature achievements of his teenage years. He later led the North York Rangers’ defencemen in scoring during his OJHL season and earned USHL Second All-Star Team recognition in 2013-14 with the Waterloo Blackhawks.
At Bowling Green, Friedman was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and was the Falcons’ co-Rookie of the Year as a freshman, then elevated to First Team All-WCHA in his sophomore year. These honors established him as one of the top two-way defencemen in the conference during his time in the NCAA.
Mark Friedman Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mark Friedman’s connection to hockey runs through his father’s side of the family. His father, Jeff Friedman, and his uncle both played minor ice hockey, and the two were coached by Mark’s paternal grandfather, after whom Mark was named. That same grandfather, also named Mark Friedman, played golf for the University of Miami, illustrating a wider family tradition of competitive athletics. Mark’s mother, Joanne Friedman, has also been a steady presence throughout his upbringing in Toronto.
Personal Life
Friedman is Jewish, a heritage that became a small piece of NHL history when he debuted for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2019. He grew up in the Toronto area and has continued to embrace his roots as his career has taken him from Ontario to Pennsylvania, British Columbia, Tennessee, and Sweden. Beyond his family ties and faith, Friedman has kept much of his personal life out of the public eye, focusing public attention instead on his on-ice work.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a clear transition point in Mark Friedman’s career. He began the season within the Vancouver Canucks organization, spending the early months with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL, where he was trusted with top-four minutes and a leadership role on the blueline. On February 7, 2025, he was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations and was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals for the remainder of his North American contract.
With his Predators deal set to expire, Friedman reached one of the most significant decisions of his professional life, choosing to move overseas. On June 5, 2025, he signed a two-year contract with Rögle BK of the SHL, signaling both a vote of confidence in his game and a desire to extend his career in a new environment.
Heading into the 2025-26 SHL campaign, Friedman is expected to compete for a spot on Rögle BK’s defensive depth chart, bringing his North American experience, penalty-killing ability, and physical edge to one of Sweden’s top professional leagues. The move offers him a chance to broaden his résumé, showcase his game in front of European scouts, and pursue new team success abroad.