Mark Friedman Bio
Mark Isaac Friedman (born December 25, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Selected 86th overall in the 3rd round of the 2014 NHL entry draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, Friedman has spent his career moving between the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, suiting up for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, and Nashville Predators organizations before taking his game overseas. Standing 180 cm tall and weighing 84 kg, Friedman is recognized for a competitive, feisty style that has helped him carve out a role as a dependable depth defenceman.
Before turning professional, Friedman played three seasons of NCAA hockey with the Bowling Green Falcons, where his development earned him WCHA All-Rookie Team and First Team All-WCHA honours. He is the second Jewish player in Philadelphia Flyers history and has spoken openly about how his family and faith have shaped his approach to the game.
Early Life and Background
Mark Isaac Friedman was born on December 25, 1995, in Toronto, Ontario, to parents Jeff Friedman and Joanne Friedman. Ice hockey ran deep in the Friedman family. His father and uncle both played minor ice hockey and were coached by Friedman’s grandfather. He is Jewish, and he was named after his paternal grandfather, Mark Friedman, who played golf for the University of Miami. This family connection to sport helped shape his early competitive instincts.
Friedman began ice skating at around the age of three and started playing hockey shortly afterwards. He grew up in the Greater Toronto area, where he often found himself in trouble at school and was known among his peers for his highly competitive nature in athletic competitions. Friedman has described himself as a pretty feisty guy growing up, a trait he attributes in part to being physically smaller than many of his teammates and wanting to stand out. That mentality pushed him to develop a hard-nosed approach to the game at a young age.
Path to Hockey
Friedman spent his adolescence playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) with the Don Mills Flyers, the same program his father and uncle had once played for. During the 2009-10 season, Friedman and the Don Mills Flyers captured the Kraft Cup as the GTHL’s regular-season champions. That year, he scored 20 goals and 64 points in 85 games while racking up 125 penalty minutes, showing both offensive touch and a physical edge.
While still with Don Mills, Friedman joined the North York Rangers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for two games during their 2010-11 season. The following season, he moved to the Rangers full-time and led the team’s defencemen in scoring with nine goals and 27 points in 48 regular-season games, adding a goal and three assists in four postseason games. His play in the OJHL helped him earn a spot with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League, where he played in 2012-14 and was named to the USHL Second All-Star Team in 2014.
That same year, Friedman was selected 86th overall in the 3rd round of the 2014 NHL entry draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. After being drafted, he took his game to the NCAA, joining the Bowling Green Falcons on a full hockey scholarship. As a freshman, he was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and the Falcons’ co-Rookie of the Year, then earned First Team All-WCHA honours in his sophomore season after being invited to the Flyers’ prospect development camp.
Mark Friedman Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
Friedman signed an entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 21, 2017, and was immediately reassigned to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He spent the next two seasons developing his game in the AHL, working on his defensive play and adjusting to the professional ranks while continuing to represent the Flyers organization.
On April 6, 2019, Friedman made his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, becoming the second Jewish player in Philadelphia Flyers history. He remained a regular call-up option for the Flyers over the next two seasons, splitting time between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley as he continued to round out his game.
Philadelphia Flyers to Pittsburgh Penguins (2019-2021)
In July 2020, Friedman and the Flyers agreed to a two-year, one-way contract extension with an average annual value of $725,000. He remained on the Flyers roster for the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season and made four appearances from the blueline before being placed on waivers on February 23, 2021. On the following day, Friedman was claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins under the influence of newly hired general manager Ron Hextall, a former Flyers executive.
Friedman quickly made an impact in Pittsburgh. He scored his first NHL goal against his former Philadelphia team in an eventual 4-3 loss, though the moment was cut short when he left the game early after a hit from Nolan Patrick. Since joining the Penguins, Friedman has been vocal about his preference for Pittsburgh, once describing Philadelphia as noisy and dirty, and he became a steady presence on the Penguins’ back end.
Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators Era (2023-2025)
On October 17, 2023, Friedman was traded alongside Ty Glover to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Karel Plášek and Jack Rathbone. He spent the bulk of his time with Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, before being traded to the Nashville Predators on February 7, 2025, in exchange for future considerations. With the Predators, he played out the remainder of his contract assigned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although ice hockey defencemen are not typically described in racing terms, Friedman’s on-ice style has always reflected his personality. He is known for a feisty, physical, compete-first approach, regularly throwing his body around despite a relatively modest 180 cm, 84 kg frame. His ability to log penalty-kill minutes, deliver timely hits, and move the puck out of the defensive zone with simple, efficient decisions has been the foundation of his professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the signature moments of Friedman’s career came on April 6, 2019, when he made his NHL debut for the Philadelphia Flyers and became the second Jewish player in franchise history. His first NHL goal, scored against the Flyers shortly after being claimed by Pittsburgh, also stands out as a defining milestone. More recently, his decision to sign overseas with Rögle BK marked another major life and career milestone as he began a new chapter in Sweden.
Mark Friedman Career Wins
Mark Friedman’s career has been built more on reliability and steady defensive play than on trophy-case accolades. His most prominent individual honours came during his college years, where he earned WCHA All-Rookie Team and First Team All-WCHA recognition with the Bowling Green Falcons, along with a USHL Second All-Star Team nod in 2013-14 with the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Junior and College Highlights
During the 2009-10 GTHL season, Friedman helped the Don Mills Flyers capture the Kraft Cup as regular-season champions. In the OJHL, he led the North York Rangers’ defencemen in scoring during his full season with the club, then earned USHL Second All-Star Team honours in 2013-14. At Bowling Green, he was named co-Rookie of the Year and a WCHA All-Rookie Team member in his freshman season before being named First Team All-WCHA as a sophomore.
Other Wins and Performances
At the professional level, Friedman’s most consistent stretch came with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he earned a regular role on the blueline and scored his first NHL goal against his former team. He has also posted dependable minutes in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Abbotsford Canucks, and Milwaukee Admirals, helping each club in depth defensive duties.
Mark Friedman Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mark Isaac Friedman comes from a close-knit, sports-minded family based in Toronto. He was born to parents Jeff Friedman and Joanne Friedman. His father and uncle both played minor ice hockey, and they were coached by Friedman’s grandfather, making hockey a true multi-generational tradition in the family. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Mark Friedman, who went on to play golf for the University of Miami.
Personal Life
Friedman is Jewish, a heritage he has spoken about publicly, and he became the second Jewish player in Philadelphia Flyers history when he made his NHL debut in 2019. He has generally kept his personal life private, and public records do not list a spouse or children.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a significant transition for Mark Isaac Friedman. After spending the early part of the 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, he was traded to the Nashville Predators on February 7, 2025, in exchange for future considerations. He finished his contract assigned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, logging steady minutes on the blue line.
As a pending free agent, Friedman opted to take a different path than returning to North America. On June 5, 2025, he signed a two-year contract with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League, embarking on his first professional chapter overseas. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to compete in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Heading into the back half of 2025 and the start of the 2025-26 SHL season, Friedman is expected to slot in as a veteran depth defenceman for Rögle BK. His experience in the NHL and AHL, combined with his competitive style, should make him a reliable addition for the Swedish club as he adapts to the international game.