Wingels can claim an NHL rarity: He made his debut in Europe. His first NHL game was Oct. 8, 2010, when his San Jose Sharks faced the Columbus Blue Jackets in Stockholm, in the season-opener for each team.

Selected by the Sharks in the sixth round (No. 177) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Wingels played at Miami University of Ohio, where he was captain in 2009-10, his third and final season with the RedHawks, and helped them reach the NCAA Frozen Four for the second straight season. He finished with 17 goals, including four against Ohio State on Dec. 11, 2009.

Wingels started the 2010-11 season with San Jose and spent five games with the Sharks, but played the majority of the season with Worcester of the American Hockey League. He played 69 games, scored 17 goals and was named Worcester's Rookie of the Year.

The Evanston, Illinois, native split the 2011-12 season between San Jose and Worcester, and scored his first NHL goal in front of friends and family at the United Center on Jan. 15, 2012, against the Chicago Blackhawks. He also had an assist in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1 of the first round against the St. Louis Blues.

Wingels played 42 games with the Sharks in 2013-14, leading them with 115 hits and tying for fourth among forwards with 32 blocked shots. He also led San Jose with 44 hits in the playoffs.

In 2013-14 Wingels had 16 goals and 38 points in 77 games. He also had a six-game point streak and his first multigoal game in the NHL, with two goals Nov. 21, 2013 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Wingels scored his first Stanley Cup Playoff goal April 29, 2016, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Nashville Predators. He began the 2016-17 season with San Jose but was traded to the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 24, 2017.

Wingels became a free agent and signed with his hometown team, the Blackhawks, on July 1, 2017, but was traded to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 26, 2017. One night later, he had a goal and assist against the Carolina Hurricanes in his Bruins debut.