Eric Wellwood

Eric Wellwood (born March 6, 1990) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current head coach for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played parts of three National Hockey League (NHL) seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the younger brother of Kyle Wellwood.

Wellwood was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round (172nd overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on March 4, 2010, after playing four seasons of junior hockey with the Windsor Spitfires, with whom he helped win two straight Memorial Cup championships in 2009 and 2010. Wellwood was called up from the Adirondack Phantoms on November 1, 2010, in the wake of Flyers forward Danny Briere's three-game suspension and made his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on a line with James van Riemsdyk and Mike Richards. Wellwood recorded his first NHL point on November 6 against the New York Islanders, assisting on Andreas Nodl's game-winning goal at 14:35 of the third period. During the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flyers called up Wellwood and a few other players, but he did not dress for a game. Wellwood scored his first NHL goal February 18, 2012, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, an unassisted goal against Marc-Andre Fleury.

On April 7, 2013 during an AHL game, Wellwood was injured after his left skate accidentally cut the back of his right leg after falling awkwardly into the boards. His achilles tendon was 70 percent severed and three additional tendons were completely severed. Wellwood was expected to miss nine months. After missing the entire 2013–14 season, Wellwood retired and was hired as an assistant coach by the Oshawa Generals.

On May 20, 2016, Wellwood was named assistant coach for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). On October 18, 2018, Wellwood was named head coach of the Firebirds.