Tambellini left the University of North Dakota for the Western Hockey League joining the Calgary Hitmen in early January after being aquired in a trade with the Portland Winterhawks.
Tambellini was recruited by the Vipers. Started the 2011-12 season in Vernon before being traded to Surrey on the BCHL trade deadline in January 2013 along with future considerations (Michael Roberts) for Mason Blacklock & future considerations (Jordan Klimek and Demico Hannoun). In 52 games with the Vipers & Eagles last season Tambellini collected (36-goals-30-assists-65-points). In 91 regular season games with the Vipers Tambellini collected (49-goals-46-assists-95-points). Tambellini was drafted 64th overall in the 3rd Round by the New York Rangers at the 2013 NHL Draft.
Adam Tambellini's Player Profile:
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=103529
This was in the Vancouver Province Newspaper:
Adam Tambellini finds fast fit with Calgary Hitmen
Freshman centre leaves the NCAA for the WHL, hoping increased ice time will fast-track his development
By Steve Ewen, The Province February 7, 2014
When he steps on the Pacific Coliseum ice Friday, Adam Tambellini will have played for both a WHL club and an NCAA team in the same season in rinks separated by only a few kilometres.
Here’s betting that’s a record.
Tambellini was a freshman centre with the University of North Dakota squad that played against the UBC Thunderbirds and SFU Clan in the Great Northwest Showcase at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby in early January. He left the program days later, opting to join the Calgary Hitmen.
The Hitmen, one of the favourites to claim the WHL’s Eastern Conference crown, visit the Vancouver Giants Friday at the Coliseum (7:30 p.m., Team 1040/Shaw TV).
Tambellini has seemingly found a fast fit with Calgary, with five goals and 15 points in 13 games. In 16 games with North Dakota, he had two goals and four points.
“I think, for me, it was mostly a hockey decision,” said the 6-foot-3, 182-pound Tambellini, a 2013 third-round draft choice of the New York Rangers.
“I thought my development would be better playing more games.”
The son of one former Vancouver Canuck (Steve Tambellini) and the brother of another (Jeff Tambellini), the 19-year-old says his family was “very supportive” of his decision. He said the same about the Rangers.
He spent last season in the BCHL, splitting time between the Vernon Vipers and Surrey Eagles, where he played under current Giants assistant coach Matt Erhart.
The Portland Winterhawks held the Edmonton native’s WHL rights initially, but he told them that he’d rather go to Calgary, since he had relatives there and friends on the team, including former high school classmate Greg Chase.
Portland obliged and received a 2014 first-round bantam pick and a conditional 2015 fourth-round selection from Calgary in exchange for Tambellini’s rights two days prior to the Jan. 10 trade deadline.
If the Hitmen go on the lengthy playoff run most expect they will, Calgary could wind up playing in excess of 90 regular-season and postseason games combined. Yale won the NCAA title last year and played 37 games total.
The Hitmen (33-15-3-3) do come to the Coliseum stumbling, losers in five of their past seven (2-4-1-0). They’re five points in back of the Edmonton Oil Kings (38-13-0-1) for top spot in the Eastern Conference. Edmonton does have two games in hand.
Meanwhile, Vancouver (27-19-6-3) heads into the contest with points in five of their past six games (4-1-1-0).
They hold down the sixth spot in the Western Conference, four points behind the fifth-place Spokane Chiefs (31-17-3-2) and three in front of the seventh-place Everett Silvertips (26-20-7-1). Spokane has two games in hand on the Giants, Everett has one.
Giants captain Dalton Thrower (ankle), the team’s best defenceman, is expected to miss his sixth straight game Friday.
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