Christian Wolanin (born March 17, 1995) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL). Prior to this, he won the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. Wolanin was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 107th overall, in the 2015 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

Wolanin began his hockey career with the Green Bay Gamblers and Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL). While with the Lumberjacks, Wolanin was named to the USHL Second All-Star Team. After playing in the USHL, Wolanin committed to the University of North Dakota.

While majoring in communications at North Dakota, Wolanin played in 32 games during his freshman season, and ranked third in the conference among rookie defensemen in scoring as UND won the national championship. He was named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team at the conclusion of the season. In his sophomore season, Wolanin tied for fifth amongst NCHC defensemen in scoring but led all conference defensemen during the playoffs. Wolanin helped the Fighting Hawks qualify for the 2017 Frozen Faceoff after he recorded the game-tying goal in game two of the NCHC Quarterfinals against the St. Cloud Huskies to send the game to overtime.

After playing three seasons with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Wolanin signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Senators. He made his NHL debut on March 22, 2018, in a 6–2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He scored his first NHL goal April 2, 2018 in a game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Wolanin spent the beginning of the 2018–19 season with the Senators American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Belleville Senators, but was recalled to the NHL on October 25. On January 23, 2019, Wolanin was added to the 2019 AHL All-Star Game roster.

On July 4, 2019, Wolanin was signed to a two-year, $1.8 million contract extension with the final year on a one-way basis. Wolanin was hampered by injuries throughout the duration of his two-year contract. While in his final season under contract in the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, Wolanin was traded by the Senators to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Michael Amadio on March 29, 2021.

Wolanin during the 2023 AHL All-Star Skills Competition.

Wolanin re-signed with the Kings on July 6, 2021, agreeing to a one-year, $750,000 contract extension. After attending the Kings 2021 training camp, Wolanin remained on the roster to open the 2021–22 season. Before making an appearance, Wolanin was placed on waivers and subsequently claimed by the Buffalo Sabres on October 16, 2021. Wolanin remained with the Sabres as added blueline depth insurance featuring in a lone contest, going scoreless in a 5–3 defeat to the Washington Capitals on November 8, 2021. Wolanin's brief tenure with the Sabres ended on December 1, 2021, after he was re-claimed off waivers by the Kings and was immediately re-assigned to AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.

As a free agent in the following off-season, Wolanin was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 14, 2022.

Following the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, Wolanin remained un-signed over the summer and was belatedly signed into the 2025–26 season to a professional tryout contract with the Providence Bruins, affiliate to the Boston Bruins. The Providence Bruins later signed Wolanin to a one-year contract on December 7, 2025.

Personal life

Wolanin's father, Craig, played in 695 NHL games and won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. As a result of his father's career, Wolanin lived in Quebec City, Denver, Tampa and Toronto before his family permanently settled in Rochester, Michigan. He is a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States. and chose to play for the U.S. national team for the first time at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2012–13Green Bay GamblersUSHL540887041012
2013–14Green Bay GamblersUSHL2314530—————
2013–14Muskegon LumberjacksUSHL325162144—————
2014–15Muskegon LumberjacksUSHL561427411071235820
2015–16University of North DakotaNCHC324111520—————
2016–17University of North DakotaNCHC376162237—————
2017–18University of North DakotaNCHC4012233550—————
2017–18Ottawa SenatorsNHL101230—————
2018–19Belleville SenatorsAHL407243124—————
2018–19Ottawa SenatorsNHL3048126—————
2019–20Belleville SenatorsAHL91017—————
2019–20Ottawa SenatorsNHL30000—————
2020–21Ottawa SenatorsNHL150336—————
2020–21Belleville SenatorsAHL10000—————
2020–21Ontario ReignAHL20332—————
2020–21Los Angeles KingsNHL30002—————
2021–22Buffalo SabresNHL10000—————
2021–22Ontario ReignAHL37117182251344
2021–22Los Angeles KingsNHL81122—————
2022–23Abbotsford CanucksAHL49649552261452
2022–23Vancouver CanucksNHL160334—————
2023–24Abbotsford CanucksAHL42524292062130
2024–25Abbotsford CanucksAHL58436404417281012
NHL totals866172320—————

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2019United StatesWC7th60000
2021United StatesWC101560
Senior totals161560

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
USHL
All-USHL Second Team2015
College
NCHC Academic All-Conference Team2016, 2017
AHL
Eddie Shore Award2022-23
Calder Cup Champion2025

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or