Will Acton had to fight tooth and nail for everything he would eventually earn in his hockey career.

The undrafted forward played his junior hockey with Stouffville Spirit before spending four years with Lake Superior State University.

With his NCAA career at an end, as a free agent, Acton signed an ATO for the Toronto Marlies at the end of the 2010-11 campaign.

The Minnesota native spent two memorable seasons with the Toronto Marlies, who were genuine contenders in both campaigns.

Acton was a rookie the year Toronto first made the Calder Cup finals in 2012.

Primarily placed in a bottom-six role, Acton would earn himself a role on the penalty kill and was quickly trusted by Head Coach Dallas Eakins in key moments of games, especially closing out wins.

During his two seasons with Toronto, Acton put up a respectable 35 points in 134 games in his limited offensive role.

He tended to create offense with an excellent work ethic and sheer tenacity but certainly wasn’t without skill or talent in front of goal.

He may not have looked the most menacing person off the ice but on it, Acton played physically and seemed to enjoy laying his body on the line.

The American forward also wasn’t afraid to drop the mitts and did so a few times in his career, including this tilt against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Acton featured in all 25 playoff games with the Marlies and in his sophomore year played his part in trying to get Toronto back to the finals again.

He netted four times of which three were game-winners, but Toronto would fall in six games to the eventual champions, Grand Rapids Griffins.

In the summer of 2013, Acton signed a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

The centreman would get his first taste of the NHL in Edmonton under his former coach, Dallas Eakins.

Acton split his first year between the Oilers (30 games) and the now-defunct Oklahoma City Barons and helped the AHL club reach the play-offs with twenty-three points in 47 games.


Edmonton traded the forward early in the following season to Vancouver and Acton would spend the entirety of the 2014-15 campaign with the Utica Comets.

Nineteen points in 45 games aided the Comets in their quest to make the post-season and Utica would make it all the way to the finals before losing in five to the Manchester Monarchs.

Having only played nine games in that playoff run perhaps Acton was convinced that his time in North America was done and it was time for pastures new.

The DEL and Schwenninger Wild Wings would be the Minnesota native’s next port of call.

He would end up playing three seasons with the Wild Wings, accumulating 147 points in 149 games and captained the team in his final year.

Acton finished his career playing two seasons for Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers (now Nürnberg Ice Tigers), agreeing to terminate his contract with the club on November 27, 2020.

So what is Will Acton doing with himself after hockey?

According to LinkedIn, he’s now working for National Bank in the Greater Toronto area.

AHL Playing Career
Games: 239
Goals: 39
Assists: 40
Points: 79
Playoffs: 38 games| 6-6-12

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