Sam Rinzel
American ice hockey player (born 2004)
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Sam Rinzel (born June 25, 2004) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Blackhawks 25th overall in the 2022 NHL entry draft. He played college ice hockey for the University of Minnesota.
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| Sam Rinzel | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rinzel with the Minnesota Golden Gophers in February 2024 | |||
| Born |
June 25, 2004 Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team | Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| NHL draft |
25th overall, 2022 Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| Playing career | 2025–present | ||
Playing career
At the conclusion of his junior season with the University of Minnesota in 2024–25, Rinzel concluded his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on March 29, 2025.[1] He played in nine games in the 2024–25 NHL season and registered five assists.
During the 2025–26 season, Rinzel scored his first NHL goal during a 3–2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on October 11, 2025.[2] On December 8, after recording eight points in 28 games, he was assigned to the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.[3]
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
Representing  United States | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
 | 2024 Sweden | |
On December 16, 2023, Rinzel was named to the United States junior team to compete at the 2024 World Junior Championships.[4]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2019–20 | Chaska High | USHS | 25 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Chaska High | USHS | 19 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Chaska High | USHS | 27 | 9 | 29 | 38 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 21 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 58 | 9 | 27 | 36 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | University of Minnesota | B1G | 39 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | University of Minnesota | B1G | 40 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | United States | HG18 | 5th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2024 | United States | WJC |  |
7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||
Awards and honors
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year | 2025 | |
| All-Big Ten First Team | 2025 | |
| All-Big Ten Second Team | 2024 | [5] |
| All-Big Ten Freshman Team | 2024 | |
| AHCA West First Team All-American | 2025 | [6] |
