Karl Stollery
A determined defenceman who crafted a professional hockey journey through sheer perseverance across North American and European leagues.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: November 21·Millennials
Biography
Karl Stollery's hockey story is one of the journeyman's grit. Undrafted after his junior career in the Alberta junior leagues, he took the road less traveled, playing NCAA hockey at Merrimack College where he developed into a reliable, two-way defender. His professional path was a global map of opportunity: starting in the American Hockey League, he earned brief NHL call-ups with Colorado, San Jose, and New Jersey, often as a dependable injury replacement. When a full-time NHL spot proved elusive, Stollery reinvented himself as a mainstay in Europe, with stops in Sweden, Germany, and finally Italy. His career wasn't defined by a single highlight, but by a sustained professionalism and adaptability that allowed him to play the game at its highest levels for over a decade on his own terms.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Karl was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Karl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Karl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 49 regular-season games in the NHL across stints with the Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, and New Jersey Devils.
- Served as team captain for the AHL's San Jose Barracuda during the 2017-18 season.
- Won the DEL (German league) championship with the Eisbären Berlin in 2022.
Did You Know?
He played his final professional season with HC Bolzano in the Italian ICE Hockey League (ICEHL).
Stollery was a standout at Merrimack College, earning All-Conference honors in Hockey East.
He announced his retirement from professional hockey in 2023.
His older brother, Shawn Stollery, also played professional hockey, primarily in the minor leagues.
“I just wanted to prove I could play at this level, wherever that took me.”
