Hockey fans in 2024 can tune into the NHL on TNT and watch Paul Bissonnette analyze nationally televised contests and the action of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
When Bissionette isn’t in front of the camera, he’s talking hockey on one of the most listened-to podcasts, Spittin’ Chiclets.
Like many former NHL players, Bissonnette found a way to stay in the game, providing daily commentary on the latest news while giving fans a behind-the-scenes look into the life of the sport’s biggest names.
Initially drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003 in the fourth round (121st overall), he briefly played 15 games with the organization before spending the rest of his career with the then-Phoenix Coyotes.
While wearing a No. 16 black and gold sweater, Bissonnette recorded an assist and had 22 penalty minutes, averaging 3:31 a game.
In September 2009, he was placed on waivers when the Coyotes claimed him. During his first season in the desert, he scored three goals and had five points with a career-high 117 penalty minutes.
Bissonnette played in 202 NHL games, scoring seven goals and 22 points, racking up 340 penalty minutes and 367 hits. His career ice time average was 5:18 a night.
While trying to carve out a role in the NHL, he played 270 games in the American Hockey League, skating with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Manchester Monarchs, Portland Pirates, and Ontario Reign.
During his time in the minors, he scored 16 goals, 43 points, and 653 penalty minutes. He was a member of the Monarchs, who won the Calder Cup in 2015.
Following his retirement from professional hockey in 2017, Bissonnette hopped right into the broadcast booth, joining the Coyotes radio team as a color commentator, a role he served until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Bissonnette may be on TV and podcasts now, but his NHL journey began with the Penguins at the 2003 Entry Draft, and he recorded his first point with the club.
Since he’s deeply associated with the Coyotes organization, most current fans may have forgotten that he once called Pittsburgh home.
