Thomas Schemitsch (born 27 March 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is known for his tenure in major junior hockey with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and for being selected in the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Early life and junior career
Schemitsch was born in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. He began playing organized hockey in his native province before joining the OHL, where he spent four seasons (2013–2017) with the Saginaw Spirit. Over his junior career, he developed a reputation as a mobile, two‑way defenceman with a left‑handed shot.
Professional draft and contracts
In the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Schemitsch in the third round, 81st overall. Following his draft selection, he signed an entry‑level contract with the Blackhawks organization in 2016.
North American professional play
After turning professional, Schemitsch was assigned to the Blackhawks’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. He appeared in a limited number of AHL games and also played in the ECHL with affiliated clubs to gain further experience. In 2018, his rights were traded to the Montreal Canadiens organization, after which he joined the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Later career
Subsequent to his time with the Laval Rocket, Schemitsch has competed in various North American minor‑league teams. Details of his most recent club affiliation are not comprehensively documented in publicly available sources as of 2023.
Playing style
Schemitsch is noted for his size (approximately 6 ft 2 in, 200 lb) and defensive positioning. He contributes offensively with occasional point production from the blue line, while primarily fulfilling a shutdown role against opposing forwards.
Personal life
Outside of hockey, Schemitsch has maintained a low public profile, and no further personal details have been widely reported.
This entry reflects information compiled from publicly available hockey records and draft listings. No speculative or unverifiable details have been included.