Topic: Tom Preissing

Thomas Joseph Preissing (born December 3, 1978 in Arlington Heights, Illinois) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. He was raised in Rosemount, Minnesota.

Out of high school where he played four years on the varsity team at Rosemount High School as a forward Preissing played two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL where then coach Mark Osiecki converted Preissing to a defenceman, paving the way for his future hockey successes. Preissing was signed as a free agent out of college. He played for Colorado College and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, he also captained CC his senior year. He earned NCAA - West First All-American honors. He holds the WCHA record for most goals by a defenseman in a season with 23 in 2002-03.

Preissing was the San Jose Sharks' rookie of the year in the 2004 season, where he had two goals and seventeen assists in 69 games. He was praised for making the step directly from college to the NHL without stopping in the AHL. In the 2006 season, he has taken a huge step, scoring 43 points in seventy-four games to have the second-highest-scoring season by a defenseman in Sharks history (first being Sandis Ozolinsh).