Mitchell Ryan Love (born June 15, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).
As a player, Love played the role of both a pest and an enforcer, as well as being an experienced fighter. During his time on the ice, he averaged 3.4 penalty minutes a game over his entire career. Love ranks 31st in all-time penalty minutes among Western Hockey League (WHL) players with 901, and no player in the league since has surpassed his total.
In his major junior career, Love played for three different WHL teams across six seasons: the Moose Jaw Warriors, Swift Current Broncos, and the Everett Silvertips. Love played a very physical game, once leading the league with 327 penalty minutes and 40 fights during the 2002–03 WHL season, capturing a long-standing team record for single-season penalty minutes with the Broncos in the process. Love is regarded as one of the greatest Silvertips players of all time, and is the only person to have their jersey retired by the team.
Undrafted at the NHL level, Love nonetheless managed to spend several years as a professional hockey player. During his professional career, Love played for seven different teams over six seasons, primarily in the American Hockey League (AHL). He spent time under an NHL contract with the Colorado Avalanche, but never played in the NHL. A hard-hitting defenceman and later left winger, Love found a place in the league due to his physical play, including posting 34 fights during the 2008–09 AHL season, more than any other professional hockey player in the world that year.
Early life
Love was born on June 15, 1984, in Quesnel, British Columbia to parents Harley and Melanie Love. Love's younger sister Jill was also a hockey player, most notably playing for the University of Regina Cougars. His father Harley worked at a local sawmill, and was a goaltender, playing in the BCHL as well as professionally in Germany, eventually serving as a scout for the multiple WHL teams. Love's mother Melanie worked several jobs to support Mitch and Jill's hockey endeavours. Love grew up watching the Prince George Cougars, where he dreamed of eventually playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Playing career
Junior
1999–2003: Early years
Moving away from home at 15 years old, Love played bantam, midget, and junior ice hockey for Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, a school noted for producing high quality athletes, as well as its scouting presence. Undrafted at the major junior level, Love was able to make the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors for a pair of games in the 1999–00 season after attending their training camp. Love's play and maturation landed him a full-time role with the Warriors for the 2000–01 season. In October 2001 Love was traded to the Swift Current Broncos where he would bring an element of toughness to the team, fighting 18 times during the 2001–02 season. Love would go on to lead the league and capture a Broncos record during the 2002–03 season with 327 penalty minutes, including 40 fighting majors.
2003–2005: Everett Silvertips
Prior to the 2003–04 season, Love was traded by the Broncos to the expansion franchise Everett Silvertips along with teammate Torrie Wheat for Matěj Trojovský and a 6th Round pick in the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft. Love was named an alternate captain for the Silvertips, and played on the first defensive pairing for most of the season as well as posting career highs in goals and assists. The Silvertips would go on to have one of the most successful inaugural seasons in hockey history, and Love's work aided the team during their deep playoff run, scoring a game-winning goal in the western conference final.
Prior to the 2004–05 season, Love was named captain of the Silvertips for his final season in the WHL, again having a career year in terms of points, despite playing significantly less than a full season. On November 6, 2004, Love would have the best game of his WHL career in terms of points, with one goal and four assists in a 5–2 win against the Saskatoon Blades. His high-scoring performance was followed up with what Love himself would describe as his "worst game of the year" three nights later in a 3–1 loss against his former team the Moose Jaw Warriors. Love would sit out due to injury multiple times during the season, including during their first-round matchup against the Portland Winterhawks during the 2005 WHL playoffs.