{{Short description|American ice hockey player (born 1990)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}{{Infobox ice hockey player | alt = | name = Aaron Ness | image = Aaron Ness 2019-11-11.jpg | caption = Ness with the Arizona Coyotes in 2019 | image_size = 230px | team = Hershey Bears | league = AHL | prospect_team = | prospect_league = | former_teams = New York Islanders<br />Washington Capitals<br />Arizona Coyotes | position = Defense | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|5|18}} | birth_place = Roseau, Minnesota, U.S.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://capitals.nhl.com/club/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=27&year=2008 | title = Aaron Ness draft prospect detail | publisher = Washington Capitals | date = 2016-04-03 | accessdate = 2016-04-03 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160826014335/http://capitals.nhl.com/club/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=27&year=2008 | archivedate = 2016-08-26 }}</ref> | ntl_team = USA | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 10 | weight_lb = 170 | shoots = Left | draft = 40th overall | draft_team = New York Islanders | draft_year = 2008 | career_start = 2011 | career_end = }} {{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
'''Aaron Douglas Ness''' (born May 18, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and captain for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the New York Islanders in the 2nd round (40th overall) of the 2008 NHL entry draft.
==Playing career== Ness played High School hockey at Roseau High School in Roseau, Minnesota, and in 2008 he received the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award as the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota.<ref>{{cite news|author=Minnesota Wild |url=http://wild.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=356372&page=NewsPage&service=page |title=Roseau's Aaron Ness named 2008 Mr. Hockey |publisher=Minnesota Wild |accessdate=2008-03-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311153526/http://wild.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=356372 |archivedate=2008-03-11 }}</ref> In an effort to be able to play collegiate hockey one year earlier than projected, Ness accelerated his course load during his junior year of high school in order to graduate early. A combination of 8 classes at school as well as 3.5 credits online, however, did not stop him from leading his team to a fourth-place finish at the 2008 2A State Tournament.<ref>Rand, Michael. "BOYS' HOCKEY NOTES; Aaron Ness of Roseau wins Mr. Hockey award." ''Star Tribune'' [Minneapolis, MN] 10 Mar. 2008: 10C.''Business Insights: Essentials''. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.</ref> Ness then attended the University of Minnesota, where he played three seasons of NCAA Division I college hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
On March 16, 2011, the New York Islanders signed Ness to a three-year entry-level contract.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=556296 | title = Islanders Agree to Terms on Entry-Level Contract with Ness | publisher = New York Islanders | date = 2011-03-11 | accessdate = 2011-03-11}}</ref> In the 2014–15 season, Ness served as team captain of AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://eyesonisles.com/2011/12/15/isles-defense-gets-another-injury-as-dallas-comes-calling/ | title = Isles Defense gets another injury as Dallas comes calling | publisher = EyesOnIsles.com | date = 2011-12-15 | accessdate = 2011-12-15 | archive-date = 2012-04-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426052525/http://eyesonisles.com/2011/12/15/isles-defense-gets-another-injury-as-dallas-comes-calling/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>
On July 1, 2015, Ness left the Islanders organization as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773536 | title = Capitals sign Carter Camper, Aaron Ness, Mike Moore and Sean Collins | publisher = Washington Capitals | date = 2015-07-01 | accessdate = 2015-07-01}}</ref> He later re-signed with the Capitals on May 16, 2018, to another one-year two-way contract.<ref>{{cite web |title=Capitals re-sign defenceman Aaron Ness to two-way deal |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/capitals-re-sign-defenceman-aaron-ness-two-way-deal/ |website=sportsnet.ca |accessdate=June 11, 2018 |date=May 16, 2018}}</ref>
The Capitals called Ness up from Hershey on November 8, 2018, together with fellow defenceman Jonas Siegenthaler, to be available to play against the Columbus Blue Jackets the next night at home in his first NHL game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-recall-ness-and-siegenthaler-from-hershey/c-301762428|title=Capitals Recall Ness and Siegenthaler from Hershey|website=NHL.com|date=9 November 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-09}}</ref> Veteran Caps defencemen Brooks Orpik (injured reserve) and John Carlson (day-to-day) were both unavailable to play.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2018/11/09/john-carlson-out-day-to-day-with-lower-body-injury-capitals-recall-aaron-ness-and-jonas-siegenthaler/|title=John Carlson out day-to-day with lower-body injury, Jonas Siegenthaler to make NHL debut|last=Oland|first=Ian|date=2018-11-09|work=Russian Machine Never Breaks|access-date=2018-11-09|language=en-US}}</ref>
After four seasons within the Capitals organization, Ness left as a free agent to sign a two-year, two-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes on July 1, 2019.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/coyotes-sign-miele-ness-and-bennett/c-308151802 | title = Coyotes sign Miele, Ness and Bennett | publisher = Arizona Coyotes | date = July 1, 2019 | accessdate = July 1, 2019}}</ref>
Having left the Coyotes organization as a free agent, Ness was signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Providence Bruins on September 30, 2021, and was invited to the Boston Bruins training camp on a professional try-out.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/MarkDivver/status/1443234950652866560 | title = Providence signs Ness and Dougherty to AHL contracts | publisher = Twitter | author = Mark Divver | date = September 30, 2021 | accessdate = September 30, 2021}}</ref> He was later signed to an AHL contract with affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
On July 5, 2022, Ness as a free agent, opted to continue his career in the AHL by returning to his former club, the Hershey Bears, on July 5, 2022.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.hersheybears.com/news/detail.php?id=6665 | title = Aaron Ness returns to Hershey | publisher = Hershey Bears | date = July 5, 2022 | accessdate = July 5, 2022}}</ref>
On October 23, 2024, Ness was promoted to captain of the Hershey Bears, after Dylan McIlrath went up to Washington.<ref>{{ cite web |url=https://www.hersheybears.com/news/hershey-bears-name-aaron-ness-captain/ |title=Hershey Bears Name Aaron Ness Captain |date=October 23, 2024 | access-date=October 23, 2024 }}</ref>
== Personal life == Aaron's father, Jay, also grew up in Roseau and played collegiate hockey for the University of North Dakota. Jay was drafted in the 7th round of the 1982 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.<ref>Spiros, Dean. "Taking the fast track to stardom; Acceleration is at the forefront for Roseau's Aaron Ness, be it on the ice or in the classroom."''Star Tribune'' [Minneapolis, MN] 8 Feb. 2008: 01C. ''Business Insights: Essentials''. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.</ref><ref>Jay Ness at eliteprospects.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019, from https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/194976/jay-ness.</ref>
== Career statistics == ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2005–06||Roseau High School||HS-MN||30||3||18||21||8||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2006–07||Roseau High School||HS-MN||31||13||38||51||12||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2007–08||Roseau High School||HS-MN||31||28||44||72||16||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2007–08||U.S. NTDP U18||USDP||9||0||6||6||2||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2008–09||University of Minnesota||WCHA||37||2||15||17||16||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2009–10||University of Minnesota||WCHA||39||2||10||12||24||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2010–11||University of Minnesota||WCHA||35||2||12||14||41||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2010–11||Bridgeport Sound Tigers||AHL||13||1||3||4||4||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2011–12||Bridgeport Sound Tigers||AHL||69||5||22||27||36||3||0||0||0||4 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2011–12||New York Islanders||NHL||9||0||0||0||2||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2012–13||Bridgeport Sound Tigers||AHL||76||3||24||27||30||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2013–14||Bridgeport Sound Tigers||AHL||48||6||14||20||47||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2013–14||New York Islanders||NHL||20||1||2||3||10||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2014–15||Bridgeport Sound Tigers||AHL||74||8||37||45||62||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2015–16||Hershey Bears||AHL||62||6||21||27||22||21||0||12||12||12 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2015–16||Washington Capitals||NHL||8||0||2||2||2||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2016–17||Hershey Bears||AHL||51||5||12||17||24||9||0||1||1||0 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2016–17||Washington Capitals||NHL||2||0||0||0||0||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2017–18||Washington Capitals||NHL||8||0||1||1||8||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2017–18||Hershey Bears||AHL||55||4||25||29||26||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2018–19||Hershey Bears||AHL||71||5||50||55||40||6||0||2||2||0 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2019–20||Tucson Roadrunners||AHL||17||2||7||9||14||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2019–20||Arizona Coyotes||NHL||24||0||1||1||0||—||—||—||—||— |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2020–21||Arizona Coyotes||NHL||1||0||0||0||0||—||—||—||—||— |- | 2021–22||Providence Bruins||AHL||55||3||16||19||16||2||0||1||1||2 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2022–23||Hershey Bears||AHL||69||5||14||19||44||16||1||0||1||8 |- | 2023–24||Hershey Bears||AHL||68||4||19||23||24||10||1||1||2||2 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2024–25||Hershey Bears||AHL||52||3||9||12||34||8||0||0||0||10 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 72 ! 1 ! 6 ! 7 ! 22 ! — ! — ! — ! — ! — |}
===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2008 | United States | WJC18 | {{bronze3}} | 7 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 |- bgcolor=f0f0f0 | 2022 | United States | OG | 5th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=4 | Junior totals ! 7 ! 0 ! 6 ! 6 ! 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=4 | Senior totals ! 4 ! 0 ! 1 ! 1 ! 2 |}
==Awards and honors== {| class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | colspan="3" | College |- | WCHA All-Academic Team | 2010–11<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.eliteprospects.com/awards.php?award=NCAA%20%28WCHA%29%20All-Academic%20Team | publisher = EliteProspects.com | title = All-Academic Team | date = 2012-04-13 | accessdate = 2012-04-13}}</ref> |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | colspan="3" | AHL |- | Second All-Star Team | 2018–19<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/2018-19-american-hockey-league-first-and-second-all-star-teams-named/n-5470254 |title=2018-19 American Hockey League First and Second All-Star Teams Named |publisher=OurSports Central |date=April 11, 2019}}</ref> |- | Calder Cup | 2023, 2024 | <ref>{{cite web | url = https://theahl.com/sweeter-by-the-dozen-hershey-wins-12th-cup | title = Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Calder Cup | publisher = American Hockey League | date = June 21, 2023 | accessdate = June 21, 2023 | archive-date = June 22, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230622085304/https://theahl.com/sweeter-by-the-dozen-hershey-wins-12th-cup | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://theahl.com/it-bears-repeating-hershey-wins-calder-cup-again | title = It Bears repeating: Hershey wins Calder Cup again | publisher = American Hockey League | date = June 24, 2024 | accessdate = June 24, 2024 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Ice hockey stats}} * {{AHL profile|4026}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ach}} {{succession box | before = Ryan McDonagh | title = Minnesota Mr. Hockey | years = 2007–08 | after = Nick Leddy}} {{s-sports}} {{s-bef|before = Dylan McIlrath}} {{s-ttl|title = Hershey Bears captain|years = 2024–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ness, Aaron}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Roseau, Minnesota Category:American men's ice hockey defensemen Category:Arizona Coyotes players Category:Bridgeport Sound Tigers players Category:Hershey Bears players Category:Ice hockey players from Minnesota Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey players Category:New York Islanders draft picks Category:New York Islanders players Category:Providence Bruins players Category:Tucson Roadrunners players Category:Washington Capitals players Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics Category:Olympic ice hockey players for the United States Category:21st-century American sportsmen