Meet the Heat – Bill Arnold
While the roster is far from set, we’re running a new feature giving you, the fans, an opportunity to get to know players that we could see suiting up for Stockton this season or in future seasons.
Bill Arnold lifts the Beanpot trophy in 2012 after scoring an OT winner against Boston College’s biggest rival, Boston University.
We’ve featured two big (literally) players that we may see in Stockton already, so lets feature a guy that may not have the big size, but makes a big impact on the ice every time he’s on it. That player would be Bill Arnold.
Arnold is a 6’0”, 195-lb. forward coming off of his first pro season in Adirondack where he finished the year tied for fourth on the team in both points (38) and assists (23).
He also finished the year tied for third on the team in power-play goals (5) and was the second-most efficient shooter on the team, scoring goals on 17.2% of his shots on goal.
The former 2010 fourth-round pick of the Calgary Flames made his name at Boston College playing alongside another fourth-round pick of the Flames, Johnny Gaudreau.
During his career at Boston College, Arnold registered 144 points (58 goals, 86 assists) in 159 games and won a National Championship in 2012.
At the age of 23, the Needham, Massachusetts-native is already a highly decorated player.
Add to the 2012 National Championship 3 Hockey East Championships, Hockey East All-Rookie and All-Academic Team bids in 2010-11, a Hockey East ‘Best Defensive Forward’ Award in 2013-14 and a World Juniors U-18 Gold Medal with the United States in 2010.
Prior to his time with BC, Arnold also suited up for the U.S. National Development Team during the 2009-10 season, the same year he won the U-18 gold with Team USA.
Not only is Arnold talented offensively, but he’s responsible defensively as well, seen here wearing the “A” for Team USA and attempting to get in front of a shot.
Arnold also played for the US in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and while the team finished seventh that year, Arnold was a big contributor on that team, scoring 3 goals and adding 3 assists to go a point-per-game.
Not only has Arnold played in the AHL though, he’s also received a look at the NHL level after his time with Boston College ended, suiting up for the Flames in his only NHL contest on April 13, 2014, a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Arnold was held off the scoresheet, had 16 shifts where he skated 13:35, and finished five of nine in the faceoff circle.
All these successes have led to a promising start for Arnold’s pro career and convinced the Flames to give him a qualifying offer during this offseason, which he signed, giving him a one-year deal with Calgary for the 2015-16 season.
If he so happens to suit for Stockton at any point, he will be a top-6 scoring threat with a nose for the net and legitimate two-way abilities.
Just look to his highlights from the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, British Columbia, where Arnold made a beautiful pass through traffic to find Andrew Mangiapane for a one-timer goal. Then, he followed that up with a power-play goal of his own, on which he made a nasty double-pump move to get the goaltender off his feet and deposited the puck easily under the crossbar.
Those types of skill plays are what Arnold combines with his 200-foot game that could make him a fan-favorite in Stockton this season.
Read the other Meet the Heat’s:
Jon Gillies – Goaltender
Hunter Smith – Forward
