Photos – Kristin Isley:
Jon played 110 games with the Bonnyville PONTIACS from 2003 to 2005 scoring 69 points and amassing 263 penalty minutes. The next year Jon would leave for Mankato State to play NCAA Division 1 hockey.
In 2006-07 KALINSKI enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign at Minnesota State and was drafted at age 20 by the NHL Philadelphia Flyers.
In 2007-08, in his third and final season with Minnesota State-Mankato (WCHA), Kalinski would play in a career-high 39 games with the club. He recorded 18 points with the team before moving to the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL). In five regular season games with the Phantoms, he recorded three assists and added a goal and two more helpers in 10 postseason games with the club.
In 2008-09 Jon would spend most of the season with the Phantoms, registering 10 goals and 7 assists. He would manage to dress up in 12 games with the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring his first NHL goal.
Jon would play a total of 22 games in the National Hockey League and 279 games in the American Hockey League for Philadelphia, Hersey, Norfolk and Adirondack before retiring in 2014.
Kalinski's NHL value as a player was his emerging abilities as a prime agitator. He gained a knack for riling up opposing players and drawing penalties. He was also always willing to stand in and take physical punishment for the chance to make a play, a quality which made him popular among teammates. He was a true 'sacrifice player' with outstanding intangible abilities. Jon Kalinski was also a very good two-way forward who developed a knack for scoring timely goals.
After retiring Jon returned to Bonnyville where he makes his home with his wife Kelsey and two daughters Olivia and Nora.
