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Cam Fowler

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Cam Fowler
Fowler with the Anaheim Ducks in 2016
Born (1991-12-05) December 5, 1991 (age 33)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 St. Louis Blues
Anaheim Ducks
National team  United States
NHL draft 12th overall, 2010
Anaheim Ducks
Playing career 2010–present

Cameron Matthew Fowler (born December 5, 1991) is a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey defenseman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 12th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL entry draft, for whom he played the first 14 seasons of his NHL career.

A dual citizen, Fowler represents the United States internationally and won a gold medal as a member of the junior team at the 2010 World Junior Championships. He was a member of the Windsor Spitfires team that won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2009–10, as well as the 2010 Memorial Cup.

Early life

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Fowler was born in Windsor, Ontario, the son of Perry and Bridget Fowler. Perry was a native of Newfoundland and Labrador and Bridget is a native of Michigan, making Cam a dual citizen.[1] An employee of the Ford Motor Company, Perry moved his family to Farmington Hills, Michigan, before Cam's second birthday. His younger sisters, Peyton and Emily, were both born in the U.S.[2] Fowler attended Farmington High School, where he played baseball in addition to ice hockey. He also played travel baseball for the South Farmington Blues and had great potential to be a Division One College pitcher.[1]

Playing career

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Junior

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As a youth, Fowler played in the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Honeybaked minor ice hockey team.[3] Describing himself as being one of the weaker players on the team as a youth, Fowler's potential as a hockey player did not emerge until his teenage years.[4]

Fowler was recruited by numerous National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I schools from age 14. He signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Notre Dame in November 2008 during the early signing period.[5] The USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) also recruited him to their organization.[1]

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Kitchener Rangers drafted Fowler with their first pick in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection; however, given that he had already committed to Notre Dame and playing in the OHL would have cost him his eligibility to play in the NCAA, Fowler refused to sign with the Rangers and instead made a two-year commitment to play for the USNTDP.[6] With the development team, he was a member of the gold medal-winning American team at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships, where was named the best defenseman of the tournament and an all-star.[7]

Fowler played with the Spitfires from 2009 to 2010

The Rangers surrendered his OHL rights at about the same time Fowler was reconsidering his commitment to play in the NCAA.[1] The Windsor Spitfires then selected him with their first pick in the 2008 Priority Selection, after which he broke his agreement with Notre Dame and agreed to play for Windsor in the 2009–10 season. Fowler made the decision with the belief that playing in the OHL would better prepare him for an NHL career.[4] The decision upset University officials, who alleged he was paid "under the table" by the OHL. Notre Dame Fighting Irish ice hockey team head coach Jeff Jackson alleged that the Rangers had offered Fowler a package worth $500,000 to break his commitment with Notre Dame and believed that Windsor had also made a financial offer to lure him away from the school.[6] Fowler denied the accusations, stating he was "completely honest" with both Notre Dame and the Kitchener Rangers.[1]

Fowler joined the Spitfires in 2009 and emerged as one of the top offensive-defensemen in the league, scoring 55 points in 55 games.[8] He added 14 points in the playoffs to help lead Windsor to its second consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup championship.[9] The Spitfires then won the 2010 Memorial Cup as Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champions.[10] Fowler left the Spitfires briefly during the season to play with the U.S. at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, winning a gold medal after defeating Canada 6–5 in overtime in the championship game.[11]

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Fowler as the fifth-best North American prospect for the 2010 NHL entry draft in their final update.[12] He had dropped two places, having been ranked at number three, behind Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, for most of the season.[13] He was described by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau as an offensive quarterback on the powerplay who relies on his skating and puck control.[8] He has been compared to NHL defensemen Chris Pronger and Dion Phaneuf, but does not play the same physical style as the two.[1] Despite these accolades, Fowler's draft night lasted longer than expected, as he dropped to 12th overall, selected by the Anaheim Ducks.[14]

Professional

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Anaheim Ducks (2010–2024)

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Fowler during a game in 2011, his debut season with the Anaheim Ducks

Fowler began the 2010–11 season on the Ducks' opening night lineup. He scored his first career NHL goal on October 17 against Phoenix Coyotes' goaltender Jason LaBarbera in a 3–2 win.[15] Fowler was selected to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game as part of the rookie class.[16][17] Fowler ended the season with ten goals and 40 points in 76 games.[18]

Fowler played in all 82 games during the 2011–12 season, registering 29 points, playing in all situations for the Ducks. Entering the final year of his entry-level contract, the Ducks signed Fowler to a five-year, $20 million contract extension on September 12, 2012.[19] For the duration of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Fowler played for Södertälje SK in Sweden.[20] He re-joined the Ducks once the season began. In the shortened-season, he had one goal and ten assists in 37 games. Fowler made his Stanley Cup playoff debut that spring. He and the Ducks lost in seven games to the Detroit Red Wings during the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Fowler had three assists.[21] The 2013–14 season saw Fowler's defensive play improve to be considered a reliable two-way defenseman. However, he suffered a knee injury in March 2014 that kept him out for the remainder of the season.[22] He returned for the playoffs[23] where the Ducks were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Semifinal.[24]

Fowler led the Ducks defense corps through the 2014–15 season,[25] with the team advancing all the way to the Western Conference Final in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, only to be defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games.[26] During the 2015–16 season, Fowler's sixth in the league, he had his first fight in a tilt with Brad Richardson of the Arizona Coyotes[27] on October 14.[28] The Ducks had another successful year, winning the Pacific Division and making the playoffs. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Nashville Predators in seven games.[29] Head coach Bruce Boudreau was fired following the defeat[30] and was replaced by Randy Carlyle,[31] who had coached the Ducks during the first year and a half of Fowler's NHL career. In the following season Fowler thrived, setting a new career-high in goals with eleven and reaching 36 points, the highest since his rookie year.[32] He represented Anaheim at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game along with teammate Ryan Kesler.[33] Fowler was suffered a knee injury at the end of the season. The Ducks made the playoffs again but Fowler missed the opening round due to the knee injury.[34] They got through the first round and Fowler returned to the lineup, but were defeated by the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Final. In Game 6, with Anaheim facing elimination, Fowler tied the game at 3–3 before the Predators scored three more goals to win 6–3.[35]

On July 1, 2017, the Ducks signed Fowler to an eight-year, $52 million contract extension.[36] Fowler was once again the top defenseman for the Ducks during the 2017–18 season, playing nearly 25 minutes per game.[34] On October 17, 2017, Fowler played in his 500th NHL game, the youngest Duck to achieve the feat.[37] He suffered an injury to his right leg in October[38] and then a shoulder injury in April 2018 that caused him to miss time.[34] The following season, on November 4, 2018, Fowler scored his first career hat-trick in a 3–2 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.[39] On November 12, in a game against the Nashville Predators, Fowler was hit in the face by the puck causing a fracture in his face. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve two days later as he required a surgery to repair the facial fracture.[40] He returned in January 2019 after missing 23 games.[41] However, the Ducks, who had been struggling during his absence, continued to flounder and coach Randy Carlyle was fired. General manager Bob Murray took over as coach and several players were traded away. To accommodate newly acquired players, Fowler was asked to switch from his normal left side and play on the right side.[42] The Ducks finished the season outside the playoffs for the first time in six years, with only Fowler, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry remaining from the last time they missed.[43]

During the 2019–20 season, Fowler was again the Ducks best defenseman and was most often paired with Erik Gudbranson. However, the Ducks failed to make the postseason.[44] The pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season marked the beginning of a rebuild for the Ducks as they finished last in their division and gave playing time to a number of younger players.[45] Fowler played in his 700th NHL game on February 27, 2021.[46] In the 2021–22 season, Fowler took on a larger leadership role as the team's captain, Getzlaf, retired at the previous season's end.[47] Fowler had been one of the players chosen to wear an "A" as an alternate captain in previous seasons.[48] During the 2022–23 season, Fowler was part of the Ducks' worst defense in franchise history, allowing over four goals per game. Fowler took on a greater share of the workload once Jamie Drysdale went down with an injury. Drysdale's injury left Fowler as the only point-producing defenseman as John Klingberg and Kevin Shattenkirk played poorly. Fowler set a new career high in points with 48.[49]

St. Louis Blues (2024–present)

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On December 14, 2024, Fowler was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect Jérémie Biakabutuka and a second-round pick in 2027.[50] Fowler departed the Ducks as their second longest-tenured player in franchise history (behind Ryan Getzlaf), as well as their all-time leader in goals, assists, and points by a defenseman. At the time of the trade, Fowler was 9 games short of playing his 1,000th NHL game with the Ducks.

International play

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Medal record
Representing the  United States
Men's ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 United States
IIHF U18 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 United States
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Silver medal – second place 2008 Canada

Fowler represented the United States at the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. The team was defeated by Canada Ontario in the finals. He was then a member of the gold medal-winning United States under-18 team at the 2009 World U18 Championships, where was named the best defenseman of the tournament and an all-star.[7]

Fowler played for the United States junior team at the 2010 World Junior Championships, winning a gold medal after defeating Canada junior team 6–5 in overtime of the championship game.[11]

He was selected by USA Hockey to represent the United States senior team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[51] The team finished fourth in the tournament, losing to Finland senior team in the bronze medal game.[52]

Personal life

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In 2018, Fowler and his wife Jasmine launched C4Kids to provide youth with opportunities to learn and play ice hockey.[53] Fowler made a cameo appearance in episode 10 of the second season of the TV show The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.[54]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07 Detroit Honeybaked 18U AAA T1EHL 31 3 7 10 — — — — —
2007–08 U.S. NTDP U17 USDP 59 2 12 14 12 — — — — —
2007–08 U.S. NTDP U18 NAHL 38 3 10 13 2 3 0 0 0 2
2007–08 U.S. NTDP U18 USDP 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2008–09 U.S. NTDP U18 USDP 47 8 32 40 44 — — — — —
2008–09 U.S. NTDP U18 NAHL 14 2 7 9 12 — — — — —
2009–10 Windsor Spitfires OHL 55 8 47 55 14 19 3 11 14 10
2010–11 Anaheim Ducks NHL 76 10 30 40 20 6 1 3 4 2
2011–12 Anaheim Ducks NHL 82 5 24 29 18 — — — — —
2012–13 Södertälje SK Allsv 14 2 5 7 14 — — — — —
2012–13 Anaheim Ducks NHL 37 1 10 11 4 7 0 3 3 0
2013–14 Anaheim Ducks NHL 70 6 30 36 14 13 0 4 4 4
2014–15 Anaheim Ducks NHL 80 7 27 34 14 16 2 8 10 2
2015–16 Anaheim Ducks NHL 69 5 23 28 27 7 1 2 3 4
2016–17 Anaheim Ducks NHL 80 11 28 39 20 13 2 7 9 2
2017–18 Anaheim Ducks NHL 67 8 24 32 28 — — — — —
2018–19 Anaheim Ducks NHL 59 5 18 23 20 — — — — —
2019–20 Anaheim Ducks NHL 59 9 20 29 20 — — — — —
2020–21 Anaheim Ducks NHL 56 5 18 23 18 — — — — —
2021–22 Anaheim Ducks NHL 76 9 33 42 14 — — — — —
2022–23 Anaheim Ducks NHL 82 10 38 48 14 — — — — —
2023–24 Anaheim Ducks NHL 81 5 34 39 24 — — — — —
2024–25 Anaheim Ducks NHL 17 0 4 4 6 — — — — —
NHL totals 991 96 361 457 261 62 6 27 33 14

International

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Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2008 United States U17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 0 0 0 4
2009 United States U18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 1 7 8 4
2010 United States WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 0 2 2 4
2011 United States WC 8th 7 1 2 3 2
2012 United States WC 7th 8 1 4 5 2
2014 United States OG 4th 6 1 0 1 0
Junior totals 20 1 9 10 12
Senior totals 21 3 6 9 4

Awards and honors

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Award Year Ref
OHL
All-Star Game 2010
Memorial Cup champion 2010
Memorial Cup All-Star Team 2010 [55]
NHL
All-Star Game 2017 [33]
International
World U-17 Hockey Challenge All-Star Team 2008
IIHF World U18 Championships best defenseman 2009 [7]
IIHF World U18 Championships All-Star Team 2009 [7]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Campbell, Ken (June 2010). "Cam Fowler: Pressure-treated". The Hockey News: 17. ISSN 0018-3016.
  2. ^ Parker, Jim (February 23, 2009). "Fowler gamble pays off". Windsor Star. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2010 – via Canada.com.
  3. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Wiecek, Paul (May 17, 2010). "Blue-liner Fowler a blue-chip prospect". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  5. ^ "Irish Hockey Signs Five For The 2009-10 Season". University of Notre Dame. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Hicks, Jeff (March 13, 2009). "What happened to Cam Fowler?". The Record. Archived from the original on January 30, 2010. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d "2009–10 National Team Development Program Media Guide" (PDF). 2009. p. 71. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "2010 NHL Draft Profile: Cam Fowler". Florida Panthers Hockey Club. May 27, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  9. ^ Shantz, Ian (May 5, 2010). "Spitfires spit hot fire". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Iorfida, Chris (May 24, 2010). "Windsor captures 2nd straight Memorial Cup". CBC Sports. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  11. ^ a b Wiebe, Ken (May 16, 2010). "Eyes on Fowler during Memorial Cup". Toronto Sun. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  12. ^ "Domestic skaters, Round 1" (PDF). National Hockey League. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  13. ^ "North American Skaters Midterm Rankings". National Hockey League. January 11, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
  14. ^ "Cam Fowler worth the wait". The Globe and Mail. June 26, 2010. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  15. ^ "Corey Perry scores winner in third, Ducks beat Coyotes 3-2". The Hockey News. The Canadian Press. October 17, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  16. ^ "Additional 36 All-Stars, 12 rookies announced to the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend player roster". NHL.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  17. ^ Elliott, Helene (January 29, 2011). "At 19, Cam Fowler gets taste of All-Star weekend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Miller, Jeff (August 28, 2011). "Fowler tabbed among NHL's best 21-and-unders". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  19. ^ "Anaheim Ducks lock up young defenceman Cam Fowler with 5-year contract extension". The Hockey News. The Canadian Press. September 15, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Halford, Mike (November 14, 2012). "Ducks' Fowler off to Sweden". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Khan, Ansar (May 13, 2013). "Red Wings eliminate Ducks with 3-2 win in Game 7, face Blackhawks in second round of playoffs". MLive.com. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  22. ^ "Anaheim Ducks lose Cam Fowler to knee injury". Sports Illustrated. March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  23. ^ Stephens, Eric (April 28, 2014). "Leftovers: Capacity for comebacks still within Ducks". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  24. ^ "2014 NHL Playoffs: Kings score early and often, rout Ducks in Game 7". Sports Illustrated. May 17, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  25. ^ Whicker, Mark (May 22, 2015). "No more growing pains for Anaheim Ducks' Cam Fowler in these playoffs". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  26. ^ Ask, Mathias (May 31, 2015). "Chicago Blackhawks back in Stanley Cup final after Game 7 win over Ducks". The Guardian. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  27. ^ Zupke, Curtis (December 15, 2015). "Cam Fowler, a six-year veteran at 24, is a bright spot for Ducks in lead role on defense". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  28. ^ "Arizona Coyotes 4 – 0 Anaheim Ducks". National Hockey League. October 14, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  29. ^ Beacham, Greg (April 28, 2016). "Predators hang on to beat Ducks in Game 7". CBC Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  30. ^ Forrester, Nick (April 29, 2016). "Ducks had to fire coach Boudreau, but stars share blame". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  31. ^ Fox, Luke (June 14, 2016). "Ducks officially hire 'proven winner' Randy Carlyle". Sportsnet. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  32. ^ "Cam Fowler a lifelong Duck? Defenseman embraces the idea". Los Angeles Daily News. April 1, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Teaford, Elliott (January 30, 2017). "Kings' Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty and Ducks' Ryan Kesler, Cam Fowler make All-Star marks". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  34. ^ a b c Stephens, Eric (April 3, 2018). "Ducks' Cam Fowler out 2-6 weeks; John Gibson also hurt". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  35. ^ Allen, Kevin (May 22, 2017). "Predators eliminate Ducks to reach first Stanley Cup Final". USA Today. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  36. ^ Dillman, Lisa. "Cam Fowler signs eight-year contract extension with Ducks". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  37. ^ "Johnson makes 25 saves, Sabres beat Ducks 3-1". Elliot Lake Today. The Canadian Press. October 16, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  38. ^ Stephens, Eric (October 20, 2017). "Cam Fowler's knee injury dampens Ducks' victory over Canadiens". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  39. ^ Teaford, Elliott (November 8, 2018). "Cam Fowler scores hat trick as injury-depleted Ducks end 7-game losing streak". The Orange County Register. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  40. ^ "Fowler needs surgery for facial fracture, out indefinitely for Ducks". National Hockey League. November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  41. ^ Teaford, Elliott (March 10, 2019). "Ducks could get Rickard Rakell, Cam Fowler back Sunday". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  42. ^ Teaford, Elliott (March 10, 2019). "Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler finds comfort zone after lineup changes". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  43. ^ "Ducks expect return to playoff form after disappointing year". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  44. ^ Larkin, Matt (June 11, 2020). "2019-20 season postmortem: Anaheim Ducks". The Hockey News. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  45. ^ Teaford, Elliott (May 9, 2021). "Ducks season review: Reasons for optimism despite an abysmal record". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  46. ^ Teaford, Elliott (February 27, 2021). "Ducks defensemen Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk reach milestone together". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  47. ^ Stephens, Eric (April 9, 2022). "Who will replace Ryan Getzlaf as the Ducks' next captain? Should they have one?". The Athletic. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  48. ^ "Cam Fowler comfortable taking on more leadership responsibilities for Ducks". Press-Telegram. September 26, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  49. ^ Stephens, Eric (September 16, 2023). "Ducks defense analysis: Are the youngsters ready to help out Cam Fowler?". The Athletic. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  50. ^ "Fowler traded to Blues by Ducks for prospect". nhl.com. December 14, 2024.
  51. ^ Duff, Bob (January 1, 2014). "Fowler named to U.S. Olympic team". Windsor Star. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  52. ^ Burnside, Scott (February 22, 2014). "Too much, too soon for U.S. in Sochi". ESPN. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  53. ^ Lomon, Chris (March 7, 2023). "Cam and Jasmine Fowler Work to Grow Hockey in Southern California". National Hockey League Players' Association. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  54. ^ Salvati, Tara (December 4, 2022). "Game Changers S2 Mirrors A Fun Mighty Ducks 3 Cameo (& Makes It Better)". Screenrant. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  55. ^ "MasterCard Memorial Cup Individual Award Winners Announced". Canadian Hockey League. May 23, 2010. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
[edit]
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Anaheim Ducks first round draft pick
2010 		Succeeded by
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