Kurtis Foster
Encyclopedia
Kurtis Foster is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
defenceman
currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks
of the National Hockey League
.
by the Calgary Flames
from the Peterborough Petes
of the Ontario Hockey League
. On December 18, 2001, Foster was traded by Calgary with Jeff Cowan
to the Atlanta Thrashers
for Petr Buzek
.
On June 26, 2004, Foster was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Niclas Havelid
. After one season with the Ducks, Foster signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild
. He started the season in Houston
of the AHL
, but after a hot start, got called up and played his first NHL game of the year on November 19, 2005. He scored his first two goals of his young career that game against Tomas Vokoun
.
On March 20, 2008, Foster suffered a broken left femur in a game against the San Jose Sharks
. Foster suffered the injury when Sharks centre
, Torrey Mitchell
, checked Foster into the bottom of the boards while attempting to prevent an icing call. The hit which resulted in a penalty was later ruled, by the NHL, accidental. Foster had season-ending surgery
to repair
his broken
left femur
and missed the remainder of the season and postseason
.
In light of Foster's injury, following the 2007–08 NHL season, the NHL added the following to the rule regarding icing
to protect both competitors as they raced for the puck
:
Foster was not ready for the beginning of the 2008–09
season, but on October 11, 2008, announced he was skating with full gear and feels no pain when skating. On February 9, 2009, Kurtis returned to play for the Houston Aeros of the AHL on a conditioning stint from the Wild. He played in a 6-3 win over the Chicago Wolves
and registered 2 PIM
.
On July 8, 2009, Foster was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning
, where he posted a career high 42 points. On July 1, 2010, he signed a two-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Foster has a brother, Craig, who was drafted 5th overall in the 2000 OHL Draft. He spent 5 years playing in the OHL, before playing 4 more in the CIS league with the UPEI Panthers. Craig resides in Charlottetown, and coaches a Midget AAA hockey team.
On February 12, Foster recorded his 100th career assist, a secondary assist on a goal by Andrew Cogliano
, in a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators
.
Foster finished the 2010-11 NHL season with a disappointing record, as the Oilers hoped to get more out of him, despite this, Foster scored 8 goals to go along with 14 assist and 22 points.
On July 1, 2011, Foster was traded to the Anaheim Ducks
in exchange for defenceman Andy Sutton
.
In his ongoing effort to get the NHL to change its icing rule, on February 3, 2011 Foster told TSN that there was complications during his surgery to repair his broken femur. Foster bled out and was in danger of losing his leg and could have died. A surgery that typically takes three hours took close to eight hours to complete. Foster wondered aloud if the NHL would have changed the icing rule had he not made it through the surgery. He stated he would like to see the NHL change the rule before anybody else has to go through what he went through, or worse, such as a spinal injury. Don Cherry has been lobbying for many years for a rule change, and has been critical of the NHL for not going to no touch icing.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
Playing career
Kurtis Foster was selected in the second round, 40th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft2000 NHL Entry Draft
The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild...
by the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
from the Peterborough Petes
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
. On December 18, 2001, Foster was traded by Calgary with Jeff Cowan
Jeff Cowan
Jeff Cowan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a left winger playing for the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
to the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
for Petr Buzek
Petr Buzek
Petr Buzek is a retired Czech ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the third round, 63rd overall, by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft...
.
On June 26, 2004, Foster was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Niclas Havelid
Niclas Hävelid
Niclas Hävelid is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien. While born in Stockholm, he was raised in Enköping, roughly 78 km west of his birthplace.-Playing career:...
. After one season with the Ducks, Foster signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. He started the season in Houston
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, but after a hot start, got called up and played his first NHL game of the year on November 19, 2005. He scored his first two goals of his young career that game against Tomas Vokoun
Tomas Vokoun
Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
On March 20, 2008, Foster suffered a broken left femur in a game against the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Foster suffered the injury when Sharks centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
, Torrey Mitchell
Torrey Mitchell
Torrey C. Mitchell is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He was drafted by the Sharks in the 4th round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft .-Pre-NHL:...
, checked Foster into the bottom of the boards while attempting to prevent an icing call. The hit which resulted in a penalty was later ruled, by the NHL, accidental. Foster had season-ending surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
to repair
Intramedullary rod
An intramedullary rod, also known as an intramedullary nail or inter-locking nail or Küntscher nail, is a metal rod forced into the medullary cavity of a bone. IM nails have long been used to treat fractures of long bones of the body. Gerhard Küntscher is credited with the first use of this device...
his broken
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
left femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and missed the remainder of the season and postseason
2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 9, 2008, after the 2007–08 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions...
.
In light of Foster's injury, following the 2007–08 NHL season, the NHL added the following to the rule regarding icing
Icing (ice hockey)
Icing in ice hockey occurs when a player shoots the puck across at least two red lines, the opposing team's goal line being the last, and the puck remains untouched. It is, however, not icing if the puck is shot from behind the halfway line into the goal, or when the shot must be played by the...
to protect both competitors as they raced for the puck
Puck (sports)
A puck is a disk used in various games serving the same functions as a ball does in ball games. The best-known use of pucks is in ice hockey, a major international sport.- Etymology :The origin of the word "puck" is obscure...
:
Foster was not ready for the beginning of the 2008–09
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
season, but on October 11, 2008, announced he was skating with full gear and feels no pain when skating. On February 9, 2009, Kurtis returned to play for the Houston Aeros of the AHL on a conditioning stint from the Wild. He played in a 6-3 win over the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
and registered 2 PIM
PIM
- Computing :* Parallel inference machine, an intended fifth generation computer* Personal information management, the study and practice of information management by individuals* Personal information manager, a portable appliance...
.
On July 8, 2009, Foster was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, where he posted a career high 42 points. On July 1, 2010, he signed a two-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Foster has a brother, Craig, who was drafted 5th overall in the 2000 OHL Draft. He spent 5 years playing in the OHL, before playing 4 more in the CIS league with the UPEI Panthers. Craig resides in Charlottetown, and coaches a Midget AAA hockey team.
On February 12, Foster recorded his 100th career assist, a secondary assist on a goal by Andrew Cogliano
Andrew Cogliano
Andrew Cogliano is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Edmonton Oilers.- Junior :...
, in a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Foster finished the 2010-11 NHL season with a disappointing record, as the Oilers hoped to get more out of him, despite this, Foster scored 8 goals to go along with 14 assist and 22 points.
On July 1, 2011, Foster was traded to the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in exchange for defenceman Andy Sutton
Andy Sutton
Andrew Cameron "Andy" Sutton is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers. He has previously played with the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks.-Playing career:Sutton was born in...
.
Awards
- 2003–042003–04 AHL seasonThe 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer....
AHLAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
- Yanick Dupre Memorial AwardYanick Dupre Memorial AwardThe Yanick Dupre Memorial Award is presented annually to the American Hockey League's man of the year for service to his local community. The award winner is chosen by the league president....
(AHL Man of the Year)
In his ongoing effort to get the NHL to change its icing rule, on February 3, 2011 Foster told TSN that there was complications during his surgery to repair his broken femur. Foster bled out and was in danger of losing his leg and could have died. A surgery that typically takes three hours took close to eight hours to complete. Foster wondered aloud if the NHL would have changed the icing rule had he not made it through the surgery. He stated he would like to see the NHL change the rule before anybody else has to go through what he went through, or worse, such as a spinal injury. Don Cherry has been lobbying for many years for a rule change, and has been critical of the NHL for not going to no touch icing.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 1997–98 OHL season The 1997–98 OHL season was the 18th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors name is re-activated when they are awarded a franchise, they would play in the... |
Peterborough Petes Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
39 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 OHL season The 1998–99 OHL season was the 19th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The Belleville Bulls won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the London Knights.... |
Peterborough Petes | OHL | 54 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 59 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 1999–2000 OHL season The 1999–2000 OHL season was the 20th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The Barrie Colts won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Plymouth Whalers.-Eastern Conference:-Western Conference:-Scoring leaders:... |
Peterborough Petes | OHL | 68 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 116 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 62 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 78 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 AHL season The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion... |
Chicago Wolves Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
39 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 59 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | ||
| 2001–02 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 33 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 75 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 159 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 2002–03 | Atlanta Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Chicago Wolves | AHL | 67 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 95 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 2003–04 | Atlanta Thrashers | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Cincinnati Mighty Ducks The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:... |
AHL | 78 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 71 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 28 | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Houston Aeros Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :... |
AHL | 19 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 58 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 57 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 56 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Houston Aeros | AHL | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Minnesota Wild | NHL | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
NHL | 71 | 8 | 34 | 42 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 74 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 331 | 47 | 104 | 141 | 248 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||||