Ryan Kesler
Encyclopedia
Ryan James Kesler is an American
professional ice hockey
center
for the Vancouver Canucks
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
, Kesler has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with the Canucks. He is best known for being a two-way forward, winning the Selke Trophy in 2011 after having finished as a finalist the previous two years, as well as for his agitating style of play.
Kesler played junior hockey
with the U.S. National Team Development Program
from which he then accepted a scholarship to play college hockey
with the Ohio State Buckeyes
of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
(CCHA). In one season with the Buckeyes, he was an honourable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team and was named CCHA Rookie of the Week three times and CCHA Rookie of the Month once. In addition to the U.S. National Team Development Program and the Ohio State Buckeyes, Kesler has also suited up for the Manitoba Moose
of the American Hockey League
(AHL), where he was named to an AHL All-Star Game.
Kesler has represented the United States at five International Ice Hockey Federation
-sanctioned events, winning one World U18 Championship
gold medal, one World Junior Championships gold medal, and the 2010 Winter Olympics
silver medal. He also participated in the 2001 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
where he won a gold medal.
, to Linda and Mike Kesler. He is the youngest of three children, after brother Todd and sister Jenny. His father, Mike, played college hockey
at Colorado College
and was a supervisor with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
for 37 years. He introduced his children to the ice at a very young age. Ryan recalls skating at around the age of 4. Mike also coaches a Junior B hockey team and runs a hockey school in Livonia, which Kesler attended as a child every summer from the age of six to seventeen. In April 2007, Mike was diagnosed with carcinoid
cancer and had seven inches of his small intestine
removed to rid the cancer.
Kesler played minor hockey in Detroit for teams such as Compuware, Honeybaked, and Little Caesars of the Midwest Elite Hockey League
(MWEHL). Around the age of thirteen, Kesler was cut from every AAA team he tried out for. As a result, he played for his dad's Livonia Hockey Association
bantam team, which he coached. Kesler credits his brother, who is nine years older than him, for getting him into hockey. During his minor career, he established a lasting friendship with Chris Conner
, who went on to be drafted by the Dallas Stars
.
Despite growing up in Michigan, he was a Minnesota North Stars
fan. As a young hockey player, Kesler looked up to North Stars center and fellow Livonia native Mike Modano
as a role model. He has also listed Joe Sakic
of the Quebec Nordiques
and Colorado Avalanche
as a favorite player during his childhood.
in the Ontario Hockey League
(OHL) Priority Selection. Despite being drafted by a Canadian OHL team, Kesler chose to play in the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) because of its close proximity to his Livonia home. This allowed Kesler to continue his high school education without leaving Winston Churchill High School
. He entered the USNTDP for the 2000–01 season. Over his two seasons with the USNTDP, Kesler recorded 99 points in 131 games.
to play college hockey
at Ohio State University
for the Ohio State Buckeyes
of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
(CCHA). He chose Ohio State over the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and its Wisconsin Badgers
ice hockey program of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
(WCHA) because Ohio State was closer to Kesler's home in Livonia. As a freshman
, Kesler scored eleven goals and twenty assists to finish fourth in team scoring behind junior and Hobey Baker Award
finalist R. J. Umberger
. Over the course of his freshman year, Kesler helped the Buckeyes to a third place finish in the CCHA's regular season standings. At the 2003 CCHA Tournament
, Kesler scored two goals as the Buckeye's finished in fourth place, losing to Northern Michigan
4–1 in the third place game. Despite this finish, Ohio State secured an at-large bid to the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament
, the third appearance at the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
in Ohio State's history. At the tournament, Ohio State suffered a 1–0 loss to Boston College in the opening round of the East Regional at the Dunkin' Donuts Center
in Providence, Rhode Island
, ending both the team's and Kesler's season.
Kesler's play as a freshman earned him an honourable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team. He was also named CCHA Rookie of the Week three times, CCHA Rookie of the Month once, and was awarded Ohio State's George Burke Most Valuable Freshman award. Following the season, Kesler entered the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
ranked sixteenth overall among North American skaters. On June 21, 2003, he was drafted 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks
.
Upon being drafted, Kesler considered returning to Ohio State for his sophomore season or joining the Brampton Battalion, who still held his OHL rights. However, less than two months after being drafted, Kesler signed a three-year, $
2.475-million entry level contract with the Canucks, complemented by an $850,000 signing bonus. After attending Canucks training camp and playing in five preseason games, Kesler was cut by the Canucks and sent to their American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
. Kesler began his first professional season with the Moose, but was recalled by the Canucks in November and made his NHL debut on November 24, 2003 in a 2–1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs
, recording one shot on goal and 12:12 of ice time. He scored his first career NHL goal on November 29 against Calgary Flames
goaltender Jamie McLennan
in a 4–4 tie. For the remainder of the season, Kesler split time between the Canucks and the Moose, finishing his season with five points in 28 Canucks games and eleven points in 33 Moose games.
The 2004–05 NHL lockout, which cancelled the full 2004–05 NHL season, forced Kesler to spend the entire season with the Moose. With Manitoba, Kesler emerged as one of the Canucks' top prospects. Mid-way through the season, Kesler was named to the PlanetUSA All-Star team for the 2005 AHL All-Star Game where he helped PlanetUSA defeat Team Canada for the first time in five years. Kesler finished third in team scoring with thirty goals and 57 points to be named the Moose's Most Valuable Player
. Kesler added an additional nine points in fourteen playoff games as the Moose advanced to the Western Conference finals before being swept by the Chicago Wolves
.
with the Philadelphia Flyers
. The offer sheet was the first in the NHL since the Tampa Bay Lightning
extended one to Brett Hauer
in July 1999. The move was highly controversial with many NHL general managers criticizing how Kesler's inflated salary would affect future free agent signings. The Canucks had one week to either match the offer or receive a second round draft pick from the Flyers in 2007
as compensation. Two days after the offer sheet signing, the Canucks matched the Flyers' offer, re-signing Kesler to a one-year, $1.9-million contract.
After playing 48 games in the 2006–07 NHL season, Kesler suffered a torn acetabular labrum
and missed the remainder of the regular season, finishing the season with sixteen points. Kesler returned to the Canucks lineup for the first game of their quarterfinal playoff series versus the Dallas Stars
. While blocking a shot in the fourth overtime of the game, Kesler suffered a displaced index finger
. Despite finishing the game, Kesler was forced to undergo surgery to repair the damage and missed the remainder of the playoffs. Despite his limited play, the Canucks re-signed Kesler to a three-year, $5.25-million contract extension on May 24, 2007.
Early into his fourth season with the Canucks, Kesler was cross-checked
in the face by Philadelphia Flyers forward Jesse Boulerice
. The cross-check was an immediate response to Kesler hitting Flyers defenceman Randy Jones and resulted in Kesler leaving the game with a sore jaw
. Boulerice was subsequently suspended for 25 games, matching the then largest suspension in the NHL's history. Later in the season, Kesler was involved in another violent on-ice incident
when Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger
used his skate blade to stomp on Kesler's calf
. Although the NHL originally announced that Pronger would not receive a suspension on the play, he later received an eight-game suspension when new video emerged of the incident. Over the course of the season, Kesler established himself as a solid two-way centre, scoring a career high 21 goals and 37 points and playing a regular shutdown role against opposing teams' top players and on the penalty kill with linemate Alexandre Burrows
.
With the departures of Markus Näslund
, Brendan Morrison
, and Trevor Linden
following the 2007–08 season, the Canucks were left without any captains
for the 2008–09 NHL season
. On September 30, 2008, Kesler was announced as a Canucks alternate captain with Willie Mitchell and Mattias Öhlund
, while Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo
was named captain. While he, at first, continued to play on the third line in a largely defensive role with Burrows, head coach Alain Vigneault eventually split the duo in the midst of a poor January for the team. As a result, Kesler was placed on the second line with free agent acquisitions Pavol Demitra
and Mats Sundin
. Playing in a more offensive role, he set personal statistical bests for the 2008–09 season
, with 26 goals, 33 assists and 59 points. As a result, he was awarded the Cyclone Taylor Award as team MVP. Kesler gained more league-wide recognition as a Selke Trophy finalist along with Pavel Datsyuk
of the Detroit Red Wings
and Mike Richards
of the Philadelphia Flyers
, finishing as the second runner-up with one first-place vote.
In the midst of another career year, Kesler signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension with the Canucks on March 19, 2010. The deal will pay Kesler $5 million per season. The signing came a month and a half after general manager Mike Gillis
announced he had suspended contract negotiations with all the Canucks' pending free agents until after the 2009–10 season
. The Canucks were reportedly looking to sign him at $4.5 million per year, while Kesler was asking for $5.5 million. Kesler had made remarks the previous season in March 2009, after Burrows had recently signed a four-year, $2 million per season extension, that more players need to sign contracts below market value in order to develop a winning team. His comments later prompted his agent to refute the idea Kesler would not negotiate a new contract with the Canucks at full market value. Kesler was also contacted by NHL Players Association
director of affairs Glenn Healy
, discouraging him to make similar remarks in the future.
Kesler completed the 2009–10 campaign with a new personal best in points for the third consecutive season with 75 (25 goals and 50 assists). With the retirement of Sundin and Demitra being held out of the lineup with injuries, he was moved to his natural center position and joined by wingers Mikael Samuelsson
and Mason Raymond
. His 26 power play points ranked second on the team to Henrik Sedin
. Playing on the second power play unit, he earned many of his points controlling the puck along the half-boards. He also averaged a career-high 19:37 minutes of ice time per game, which ranked second among team forwards to Henrik Sedin. In the subsequent 2010 playoffs
, Kesler notched a goal and nine assists in 12 games. After helping the Canucks eliminate the Los Angeles Kings
in the first round, he played with a sore shoulder in the second round, as Vancouver were eliminated by the Blackhawks for the second consecutive year. An MRI
did not reveal any serious injury. He admitted following the defeat to not having playing his best during the playoffs.
Following the campaign, he was a Selke Tropy finalist for the second consecutive season, opposite Pavel Datsyuk and Jordan Staal
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
. He ranked second in the league to Datsyuk in takeaways with 83, while blocking 73 shots and recording 95 hits. He lost the award as the first runner-up with 655 voting points, compared to Datsyuk's 688.
Also in the off-season, Luongo resigned his team captaincy. As Canucks management waited until the beginning of the 2010–11 season
to announce his replacement, Kesler was seen by media and fans as a strong candidate, alongside Henrik Sedin. Henrik was eventually named captain prior to the season-opener and Kesler retained his alternate captaincy.
The 2010–11 season
marked an expanded focus on Kesler's offensive role. He began the season playing on the power play with the Sedins, as part of an effort by the Canucks coaching staff to "load up" their first power play unit. Switching from being the primary puck-controller on the second unit, he moved to the front of the net, screening the goalie and tipping pucks in. The off-season acquisition of defensive specialist Manny Malhotra
also liberated Kesler from a large portion of his defensive duties, such as playing against opposing team's top forwards in a shutdown role. Two months into the campaign, Kesler notched his 100th career NHL goal in a 4–2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on November 24, 2010. He later earned his first NHL career hat-trick
, scoring all three of the Canucks' goals in a 3–2 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets
on December 15. Nearly a month later, he recorded a second hat trick against the Edmonton Oilers
in a 6–1 win. On January 11, 2011, Kesler was named to his first NHL All-Star Game; he was one of three Canucks along with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Kesler was chosen to be an alternate captain alongside Washington Capitals
defenseman Mike Green representing Eric Staal
's team; he went without a point as Team Staal was defeated by Team Nicklas Lidstrom
11–10. Prior to the Canucks' final home game of the regular season on April 7, 2011, Kesler was presented with the team's Most Exciting Player Award, as voted by the fans. Playing the Minnesota Wild
that night, he went on to record his third hat trick of the season, reaching the 40-goal plateau, as the Canucks won 5–0.
Kesler finished the regular season with a career-high 41 goals; he added 32 assists for 73 points over 82 games, third among Canucks scorers. His efforts helped the Canucks to the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy
. After opening the playoffs with a seven-game, first-round victory over the Blackhawks, the Canucks faced the Nashville Predators
in the second round. Kesler recorded a point in 11 of the Canucks' 14 goals in the series, leading them past the Predators in six games. He was one point short of Pavel Bure
's franchise record of most points in a playoff series (Bure had 12 points in a seven-game series against the Blues in 1995). Playing the San Jose Sharks
in the third round, Kesler appeared to injure either his left leg or groin while pursuing opposing defenceman Dan Boyle in the series' deciding fifth game. After leaving the bench for several shifts, he returned to score the game-tying goal, tipping a Henrik Sedin shot with 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation. The Canucks went on to win in double-overtime, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals
. Having suffered a torn labrum
on the play, Kesler required cortisone
shots to continue playing for the remainder of the playoffs (his injury was not revealed until the off-season, however). Prior to the Finals, he was believed by many in the media to be a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy
as playoff MVP. Consequently, Kesler's performance diminished in the Finals. Playing the Boston Bruins
, the Canucks lost the series in seven games. After recording an assist on the game-winning goal in Game 1, he failed to register a point in the remaining six games, while also recording a -7 rating. With 19 points (7 goals and 12 assists) over 25 games, he ranked third among Canucks scorers (behind the Sedins) and tied for sixth among NHL players overall.
A week after the Canucks' Game 7 loss, Kesler was awarded the Selke Trophy after finishing as a runner-up the previous two years. He received 1,179 voting points in comparison to runners-up Jonathan Toews
' 476 and Pavel Datsyuk's 348. Kesler was also ranked eighth in Hart Memorial Trophy
voting as the league's most valuable player. Later in the off-season, Kesler underwent arthroscopic surgery for the torn labrum in his hip. Unrelated to his labrum tear in 2007, he had adopted a program to recuperate from the injury naturally until a specialist advised him to have surgery in late-July 2011. The Canucks announced on August 2 that Kesler had successfully undergone the procedure, while it was also reported he would not be ready to play until mid-October. On schedule, he returned to the lineup on October 18 against the New York Rangers
after missing the first five games of the 2011–12 season
.
in New Glasgow
and Truro
, Nova Scotia
where he helped the American team to a gold medal victory over Team Canada Pacific, finishing the tournament with one goal and five assists in six games.
Kesler participated in his first International Ice Hockey Federation
-sanctioned event at the 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships
in Piešťany
and Trnava
, Slovakia
. He finished the tournament with seven points in eight games, including two goals in a 10–3 defeat over Canada in the final round. The Americans won their first U18 title, with Kesler being awarded the Best Player Award for the tournament. Later that year, Kesler was named to the United States national junior team for the 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
in Halifax and Sydney
, Nova Scotia
. He finished the tournament second in team scoring behind Zach Parise
with seven points in seven games as the United States lost 3–2 to Finland in the bronze medal game. During the tournament, Kesler was twice named the United States' player of the game—in their quarterfinal game versus the Czech Republic and in the bronze medal game versus Finland.
In December 2003, Kesler was released by the Vancouver Canucks to play in the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
, Kesler's second World Junior tournament. Kesler scored two goals as the Americans went a perfect 4–0 to win Pool A and advance to the semifinals. There they defeated Finland 2–1, the team that had defeated them in the previous year's bronze medal game, to advance to the gold medal game versus Canada. In the gold medal game, Kesler scored the game-tying goal 6:58 into the third period to even the score at 3–3. After Canadian goaltender Marc-André Fleury
cleared the puck off of teammate Braydon Coburn
and into his own net, the Americans took the lead 4–3 and went on to win their first IIHF World U20 Championship in the tournament's history. Kesler's play in the tournament was praised as he often took critical faceoff
s and played on the Americans' most offensive line despite suffering a facial injury early in the tournament.
Although having never played for the American national men's team, Kesler was named to the orientation camp for the American team at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
held from September 5–8, 2005 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
at World Arena
. Kesler, one of the youngest players at the camp, did not make the final roster for the Games. Rather, Kesler made his national men's team debut three months after the Olympics at the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
in Riga
, Latvia
. Kesler finished the tournament with one point in seven games, assisting on a Yan Stastny
goal in the United States' 3–0 victory versus Denmark. He was named the United States' player of the game in their 6–0 quarter-final loss against Sweden.
Having developed into a top defensive forward in recent seasons, Kesler was an early candidate to be selected to the American team for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, the city in which he plays his NHL hockey. The United States played Canada in the final game of the preliminary round to determine top spot in the pool. With United States up by a goal in the final minute, Kesler dove past opposing forward Corey Perry
to score an empty-netter and secure the 5–3 win. In a rematch between the two teams in the gold medal game, Kesler scored in the second period on a deflection from Patrick Kane
, ultimately losing by a score of 3–2 in overtime on Sidney Crosby
's game-winning goal.
, Kesler began adding a more offensive component to his game and was moved up to the Canucks' second line from third. With an increased points total, he earned league recognition with his first Selke Trophy nomination as the NHL's best defensive forward. He has since continued to improve his offensive skills while remaining defensively responsible.
Among his most prevalent skills are his speed and wrist shot, the latter of which has improved alongside his recent years of increased offensive production. He is also proficient at taking faceoff
s. On the penalty kill, he is an efficient shot blocker, using his body to get in the way of pucks. While competing on the powerplay
, he often uses his size and strength to maintain position in front of the opposing net to either screen the goaltender or deflect shots.
Kesler's success as a player has been attributed to his competitiveness and desire to outwork opposing players. Kesler has recognized, however, that his competitive drive has often caused him to lose his composure. In the 2010 off-season, Canucks management encouraged him to play with more focus, maintaining his emotions and decreasing physical and verbal confrontation with opposing players. During the subsequent 2010–11 campaign
, he gained media attention for changing his play accordingly while enjoying the best season of his career. Kesler has also credited the change with his role as a father, wanting to set a mature example for his children when they watch him play.
neighbourhood of Kitsilano
. In the off-season, they return to Kesler's hometown, Livonia, Michigan. He keeps a Ford Mustang
at his parents' home in Livonia, which he enjoys racing.
video game NHL 2K11
, released several months later in August. He had previously worked with 2K Sports, doing motion capture
for NHL 2K10
.
In November 2010, Kesler released his own line of sportswear and casual clothing. In partnership with Vancouver-based Firstar Sports, the line was branded "RK17". A promotional photograph of Kesler modeling athletic underwear received considerable media attention in Vancouver and resulted in him being named in a feature entitled "Most Beautiful People of B.C." by a local publication.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
center
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...
for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
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...
(NHL). He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
, Kesler has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with the Canucks. He is best known for being a two-way forward, winning the Selke Trophy in 2011 after having finished as a finalist the previous two years, as well as for his agitating style of play.
Kesler played junior hockey
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
with the U.S. National Team Development Program
USA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
from which he then accepted a scholarship to play college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
with the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
(CCHA). In one season with the Buckeyes, he was an honourable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team and was named CCHA Rookie of the Week three times and CCHA Rookie of the Month once. In addition to the U.S. National Team Development Program and the Ohio State Buckeyes, Kesler has also suited up for the Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
of the American Hockey League
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...
(AHL), where he was named to an AHL All-Star Game.
Kesler has represented the United States at five International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
-sanctioned events, winning one World U18 Championship
IIHF World U18 Championships
The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World...
gold medal, one World Junior Championships gold medal, and the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
silver medal. He also participated in the 2001 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. The tournament does not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games are held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge is held three out of every...
where he won a gold medal.
Early life
Kesler was born on August 31, 1984, in Livonia, MichiganLivonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
, to Linda and Mike Kesler. He is the youngest of three children, after brother Todd and sister Jenny. His father, Mike, played college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
at Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
and was a supervisor with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a federation of 39 separate health insurance organizations and companies in the United States. Combined, they directly or indirectly provide health insurance to over 100 million Americans. The history of Blue Cross dates back to 1929, while the history of...
for 37 years. He introduced his children to the ice at a very young age. Ryan recalls skating at around the age of 4. Mike also coaches a Junior B hockey team and runs a hockey school in Livonia, which Kesler attended as a child every summer from the age of six to seventeen. In April 2007, Mike was diagnosed with carcinoid
Carcinoid
Carcinoid is a slow-growing type of neuroendocrine tumor, originating in the cells of the neuroendocrine system.In 2000, the World Health Organization redefined "carcinoid", but this new definition has not been accepted by all practitioners. This has led to some complexity in distinguishing...
cancer and had seven inches of his small intestine
Small intestine
The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and absorption of food takes place. In invertebrates such as worms, the terms "gastrointestinal tract" and "large intestine" are often used to...
removed to rid the cancer.
Kesler played minor hockey in Detroit for teams such as Compuware, Honeybaked, and Little Caesars of the Midwest Elite Hockey League
Midwest Elite Hockey League
The Midwest Elite Hockey League is located primarily in the Midwest United States and is the premier amateur youth hockey league in the United States. Players from all over the country move to the area where the teams are located to gain exposure and skill development needed for higher levels...
(MWEHL). Around the age of thirteen, Kesler was cut from every AAA team he tried out for. As a result, he played for his dad's Livonia Hockey Association
Livonia Hockey Association
Livonia Hockey Association is an amateur hockey league located in Livonia, MI. It is a part of Michigan Amateur Hockey Association and resides with MAHA’s district four. The LHA is the largest amateur hockey association in Michigan. According to LHA bylaws 75% of the program must be Livonia...
bantam team, which he coached. Kesler credits his brother, who is nine years older than him, for getting him into hockey. During his minor career, he established a lasting friendship with Chris Conner
Chris Conner
Chris Ryan Conner is an American professional ice hockey winger, currently with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. He has also played professionally with the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins. He grew up in Westland, MI and attended Churchill High School in Livonia, MI...
, who went on to be drafted by the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
.
Despite growing up in Michigan, he was a Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
fan. As a young hockey player, Kesler looked up to North Stars center and fellow Livonia native Mike Modano
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano, Jr. is a retired American professional ice hockey player, who most notably played for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He is the all-time goal-scoring and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL, as well as the last active player in the NHL...
as a role model. He has also listed Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
of the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
and Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
as a favorite player during his childhood.
U.S. National Team Development Program
In June 2000, Kesler was drafted in the fifth round, 89th overall by the Brampton BattalionBrampton Battalion
The Brampton Battalion are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Brampton, Ontario and started playing in 1998.-History:The Brampton Battalion were granted an expansion franchise on December 3, 1996...
in 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....
(OHL) Priority Selection. Despite being drafted by a Canadian OHL team, Kesler chose to play in the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) because of its close proximity to his Livonia home. This allowed Kesler to continue his high school education without leaving Winston Churchill High School
Winston Churchill High School (Wayne County, Michigan)
Churchill High School, named after Winston Churchill, is one of the three main public high schools in the city of Livonia, Michigan, a western suburb of Detroit. The school was created in 1968 as an add-on to the other high schools in Livonia in response to the population boom that the city saw...
. He entered the USNTDP for the 2000–01 season. Over his two seasons with the USNTDP, Kesler recorded 99 points in 131 games.
Ohio State University
After two seasons with the USNTDP, Kesler accepted a scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to play college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
for the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...
(CCHA). He chose Ohio State over the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and its Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
ice hockey program of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
(WCHA) because Ohio State was closer to Kesler's home in Livonia. As a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
, Kesler scored eleven goals and twenty assists to finish fourth in team scoring behind junior and Hobey Baker Award
Hobey Baker Award
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
finalist R. J. Umberger
R. J. Umberger
Richard Allen "R. J." Umberger, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey center and an alternate captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. Over the course of his freshman year, Kesler helped the Buckeyes to a third place finish in the CCHA's regular season standings. At the 2003 CCHA Tournament
CCHA Tournament
The CCHA Tournament is the conference tournament for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association . The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the tournament also receives the Mason Cup, which began in 2001...
, Kesler scored two goals as the Buckeye's finished in fourth place, losing to Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
4–1 in the third place game. Despite this finish, Ohio State secured an at-large bid to the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament
2003 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament
-Northeast Regional:-Midwest Regional:-West Regional:-Frozen Four:* Overtime** Double Overtime-Record by conference:-External links:* *...
, the third appearance at the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known...
in Ohio State's history. At the tournament, Ohio State suffered a 1–0 loss to Boston College in the opening round of the East Regional at the Dunkin' Donuts Center
Dunkin' Donuts Center
The Dunkin' Donuts Center , is an indoor arena, located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, ending both the team's and Kesler's season.
Kesler's play as a freshman earned him an honourable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team. He was also named CCHA Rookie of the Week three times, CCHA Rookie of the Month once, and was awarded Ohio State's George Burke Most Valuable Freshman award. Following the season, Kesler entered the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
ranked sixteenth overall among North American skaters. On June 21, 2003, he was drafted 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
.
Manitoba Moose
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.475-million entry level contract with the Canucks, complemented by an $850,000 signing bonus. After attending Canucks training camp and playing in five preseason games, Kesler was cut by the Canucks and sent to their American Hockey League
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...
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
. Kesler began his first professional season with the Moose, but was recalled by the Canucks in November and made his NHL debut on November 24, 2003 in a 2–1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, recording one shot on goal and 12:12 of ice time. He scored his first career NHL goal on November 29 against 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...
goaltender Jamie McLennan
Jamie McLennan
Jamie McLennan is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He retired from playing in 2008 after spending a season with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey.-Playing career:...
in a 4–4 tie. For the remainder of the season, Kesler split time between the Canucks and the Moose, finishing his season with five points in 28 Canucks games and eleven points in 33 Moose games.
The 2004–05 NHL lockout, which cancelled the full 2004–05 NHL season, forced Kesler to spend the entire season with the Moose. With Manitoba, Kesler emerged as one of the Canucks' top prospects. Mid-way through the season, Kesler was named to the PlanetUSA All-Star team for the 2005 AHL All-Star Game where he helped PlanetUSA defeat Team Canada for the first time in five years. Kesler finished third in team scoring with thirty goals and 57 points to be named the Moose's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. Kesler added an additional nine points in fourteen playoff games as the Moose advanced to the Western Conference finals before being swept by 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...
.
Vancouver Canucks
When the NHL lockout ended and play resumed for the 2005–06 NHL season, Kesler joined the Canucks for his first full season with the team, playing in all 82 games and finishing the season with 23 points. Following the 2005–06 NHL season, Kesler became a restricted free agent and was qualified by the Canucks at $564,000; however, on September 12, 2006, Kesler signed a one-year, $1.9-million offer sheetOffer sheet
In the National Hockey League, an offer sheet is a contract offered to a restricted free agent by a team other than the one for which he played during the prior season...
with the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The offer sheet was the first in the NHL since 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...
extended one to Brett Hauer
Brett Hauer
Brett Timothy Hauer is a professional ice hockey defenseman, currently playing for EHC Basel in the National League A in Switzerland.-Playing career:...
in July 1999. The move was highly controversial with many NHL general managers criticizing how Kesler's inflated salary would affect future free agent signings. The Canucks had one week to either match the offer or receive a second round draft pick from the Flyers in 2007
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...
as compensation. Two days after the offer sheet signing, the Canucks matched the Flyers' offer, re-signing Kesler to a one-year, $1.9-million contract.
After playing 48 games in the 2006–07 NHL season, Kesler suffered a torn acetabular labrum
Acetabular labrum
The acetabular labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the acetabulum ....
and missed the remainder of the regular season, finishing the season with sixteen points. Kesler returned to the Canucks lineup for the first game of their quarterfinal playoff series versus the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
. While blocking a shot in the fourth overtime of the game, Kesler suffered a displaced index finger
Index finger
The index finger, , is the first finger and the second digit of a human hand. It is located between the first and third digits, between the thumb and the middle finger...
. Despite finishing the game, Kesler was forced to undergo surgery to repair the damage and missed the remainder of the playoffs. Despite his limited play, the Canucks re-signed Kesler to a three-year, $5.25-million contract extension on May 24, 2007.
Early into his fourth season with the Canucks, Kesler was cross-checked
Cross-checking
Cross-checking is an infraction in the sport of ice hockey where a player checks an opponent by using the shaft of his or her stick with both hands. In the rules of the National Hockey League, cross-checking is defined in Rule 59....
in the face by Philadelphia Flyers forward Jesse Boulerice
Jesse Boulerice
Jesse Boulerice is an American retired ice hockey player. Boulerice's notoriety stems from two violent incidents, one when playing junior hockey where he used his stick like a bat and smashed Guelph Storm forward Andrew Long in the face, and the other in the NHL where he cross-checked Ryan Kesler...
. The cross-check was an immediate response to Kesler hitting Flyers defenceman Randy Jones and resulted in Kesler leaving the game with a sore jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
. Boulerice was subsequently suspended for 25 games, matching the then largest suspension in the NHL's history. Later in the season, Kesler was involved in another violent on-ice incident
Violence in ice hockey
Violence has been a part of ice hockey since at least the early 1900s. According to the book Hockey: A People's History, in 1904 alone, four players were killed during hockey games from the frequent brawls and violent stickwork....
when Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger
Chris Pronger
Christopher Robert Pronger is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Originally selected 2nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger has played for Hartford, the St...
used his skate blade to stomp on Kesler's calf
Calf (anatomy)
In human anatomy the calf is the back portion of the lower leg . In terms of muscle systems, the calf corresponds to the posterior compartment of the leg. Within the posterior compartment, the two largest muscles are known together as the calf muscle and attach to the heel via the Achilles tendon...
. Although the NHL originally announced that Pronger would not receive a suspension on the play, he later received an eight-game suspension when new video emerged of the incident. Over the course of the season, Kesler established himself as a solid two-way centre, scoring a career high 21 goals and 37 points and playing a regular shutdown role against opposing teams' top players and on the penalty kill with linemate Alexandre Burrows
Alexandre Burrows
Alexandre Ménard-Burrows is a French-Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He is known for playing in the style of an agitator and for his ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the ECHL...
.
With the departures of Markus Näslund
Markus Näslund
Sten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...
, Brendan Morrison
Brendan Morrison
Brendan Morrison is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League...
, and Trevor Linden
Trevor Linden
Trevor John Linden, C.M., O.B.C. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played centre and right wing with four different teams: the Vancouver Canucks , New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals...
following the 2007–08 season, the Canucks were left without any captains
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
for the 2008–09 NHL season
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...
. On September 30, 2008, Kesler was announced as a Canucks alternate captain with Willie Mitchell and Mattias Öhlund
Mattias Öhlund
Mattias Öhlund is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . Prior to joining the Lightning, he played eleven seasons with the Vancouver Canucks...
, while Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Montreal, Quebec, he is of Italian and Irish ancestry. He employs the butterfly style of goaltending...
was named captain. While he, at first, continued to play on the third line in a largely defensive role with Burrows, head coach Alain Vigneault eventually split the duo in the midst of a poor January for the team. As a result, Kesler was placed on the second line with free agent acquisitions Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra was a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League , two in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League /Slovak Extraliga and one in the Kontinental Hockey League . Known as an offensive player, Demitra was a first- or second-line...
and Mats Sundin
Mats Sundin
Mats Johan Sundin is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played his first four seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994, where he played the majority of his career, serving 11...
. Playing in a more offensive role, he set personal statistical bests for the 2008–09 season
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...
, with 26 goals, 33 assists and 59 points. As a result, he was awarded the Cyclone Taylor Award as team MVP. Kesler gained more league-wide recognition as a Selke Trophy finalist along with Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk is a professional ice hockey player from Russia and alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . He is known for his stick-handling and is considered the best two-way forward in the game today, having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the...
of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and Mike Richards
Mike Richards
Michael Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . He previously played for and was captain of the Philadelphia Flyers.-Early years:...
of the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, finishing as the second runner-up with one first-place vote.
In the midst of another career year, Kesler signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension with the Canucks on March 19, 2010. The deal will pay Kesler $5 million per season. The signing came a month and a half after general manager Mike Gillis
Mike Gillis
Michael David Gillis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing career:...
announced he had suspended contract negotiations with all the Canucks' pending free agents until after the 2009–10 season
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...
. The Canucks were reportedly looking to sign him at $4.5 million per year, while Kesler was asking for $5.5 million. Kesler had made remarks the previous season in March 2009, after Burrows had recently signed a four-year, $2 million per season extension, that more players need to sign contracts below market value in order to develop a winning team. His comments later prompted his agent to refute the idea Kesler would not negotiate a new contract with the Canucks at full market value. Kesler was also contacted by NHL Players Association
NHL Players Association
The National Hockey League Players' Association or NHLPA is the labor union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the thirty member clubs in the National Hockey League located in the United States and Canada...
director of affairs Glenn Healy
Glenn Healy
Glenn Healy is a former ice hockey goaltender who played for 15 years in the National Hockey League. Prior to that, he was a member of the Western Michigan University hockey team, and 1985 graduate of the school. He also served as the director of player affairs for the National Hockey League...
, discouraging him to make similar remarks in the future.
Kesler completed the 2009–10 campaign with a new personal best in points for the third consecutive season with 75 (25 goals and 50 assists). With the retirement of Sundin and Demitra being held out of the lineup with injuries, he was moved to his natural center position and joined by wingers Mikael Samuelsson
Mikael Samuelsson
Mikael Samuelsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
and Mason Raymond
Mason Raymond
Mason Evan Raymond is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Cochrane, Alberta, he played Junior A in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for two seasons, where he captured league and regional titles with the...
. His 26 power play points ranked second on the team to Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
. Playing on the second power play unit, he earned many of his points controlling the puck along the half-boards. He also averaged a career-high 19:37 minutes of ice time per game, which ranked second among team forwards to Henrik Sedin. In the subsequent 2010 playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
, Kesler notched a goal and nine assists in 12 games. After helping the Canucks eliminate the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first round, he played with a sore shoulder in the second round, as Vancouver were eliminated by the Blackhawks for the second consecutive year. An MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
did not reveal any serious injury. He admitted following the defeat to not having playing his best during the playoffs.
Following the campaign, he was a Selke Tropy finalist for the second consecutive season, opposite Pavel Datsyuk and Jordan Staal
Jordan Staal
Jordan Lee Staal is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. He ranked second in the league to Datsyuk in takeaways with 83, while blocking 73 shots and recording 95 hits. He lost the award as the first runner-up with 655 voting points, compared to Datsyuk's 688.
Also in the off-season, Luongo resigned his team captaincy. As Canucks management waited until the beginning of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
to announce his replacement, Kesler was seen by media and fans as a strong candidate, alongside Henrik Sedin. Henrik was eventually named captain prior to the season-opener and Kesler retained his alternate captaincy.
The 2010–11 season
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
marked an expanded focus on Kesler's offensive role. He began the season playing on the power play with the Sedins, as part of an effort by the Canucks coaching staff to "load up" their first power play unit. Switching from being the primary puck-controller on the second unit, he moved to the front of the net, screening the goalie and tipping pucks in. The off-season acquisition of defensive specialist Manny Malhotra
Manny Malhotra
Emmanuel Noveen Malhotra is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , serving as an alternate captain. During his NHL career he has additionally played for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and New...
also liberated Kesler from a large portion of his defensive duties, such as playing against opposing team's top forwards in a shutdown role. Two months into the campaign, Kesler notched his 100th career NHL goal in a 4–2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on November 24, 2010. He later earned his first NHL career hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
, scoring all three of the Canucks' goals in a 3–2 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
on December 15. Nearly a month later, he recorded a second hat trick against the 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 ....
in a 6–1 win. On January 11, 2011, Kesler was named to his first NHL All-Star Game; he was one of three Canucks along with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Kesler was chosen to be an alternate captain alongside Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
defenseman Mike Green representing Eric Staal
Eric Staal
Eric Craig Staal is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
's team; he went without a point as Team Staal was defeated by Team Nicklas Lidstrom
Nicklas Lidström
Nicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
11–10. Prior to the Canucks' final home game of the regular season on April 7, 2011, Kesler was presented with the team's Most Exciting Player Award, as voted by the fans. Playing 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 ....
that night, he went on to record his third hat trick of the season, reaching the 40-goal plateau, as the Canucks won 5–0.
Kesler finished the regular season with a career-high 41 goals; he added 32 assists for 73 points over 82 games, third among Canucks scorers. His efforts helped the Canucks to the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
. After opening the playoffs with a seven-game, first-round victory over the Blackhawks, the Canucks faced the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the second round. Kesler recorded a point in 11 of the Canucks' 14 goals in the series, leading them past the Predators in six games. He was one point short of Pavel Bure
Pavel Bure
Pavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "The Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers...
's franchise record of most points in a playoff series (Bure had 12 points in a seven-game series against the Blues in 1995). Playing 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...
in the third round, Kesler appeared to injure either his left leg or groin while pursuing opposing defenceman Dan Boyle in the series' deciding fifth game. After leaving the bench for several shifts, he returned to score the game-tying goal, tipping a Henrik Sedin shot with 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation. The Canucks went on to win in double-overtime, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
. Having suffered a torn labrum
Acetabular labrum
The acetabular labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the acetabulum ....
on the play, Kesler required cortisone
Cortisone
Cortisone is a steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone. It is used to treat a variety of ailments and can be administered intravenously, orally,...
shots to continue playing for the remainder of the playoffs (his injury was not revealed until the off-season, however). Prior to the Finals, he was believed by many in the media to be a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as playoff MVP. Consequently, Kesler's performance diminished in the Finals. Playing the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, the Canucks lost the series in seven games. After recording an assist on the game-winning goal in Game 1, he failed to register a point in the remaining six games, while also recording a -7 rating. With 19 points (7 goals and 12 assists) over 25 games, he ranked third among Canucks scorers (behind the Sedins) and tied for sixth among NHL players overall.
A week after the Canucks' Game 7 loss, Kesler was awarded the Selke Trophy after finishing as a runner-up the previous two years. He received 1,179 voting points in comparison to runners-up Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
' 476 and Pavel Datsyuk's 348. Kesler was also ranked eighth in Hart Memorial Trophy
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
voting as the league's most valuable player. Later in the off-season, Kesler underwent arthroscopic surgery for the torn labrum in his hip. Unrelated to his labrum tear in 2007, he had adopted a program to recuperate from the injury naturally until a specialist advised him to have surgery in late-July 2011. The Canucks announced on August 2 that Kesler had successfully undergone the procedure, while it was also reported he would not be ready to play until mid-October. On schedule, he returned to the lineup on October 18 against the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
after missing the first five games of the 2011–12 season
2011–12 NHL season
The 2011–12 NHL season is the 95th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm, Sweden; one game in Helsinki,...
.
International play
Throughout his career, Kesler has represented the United States at various international ice hockey tournaments. He first competed internationally at the 2001 World U-17 Hockey ChallengeWorld U-17 Hockey Challenge
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. The tournament does not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games are held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge is held three out of every...
in New Glasgow
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
New Glasgow is a town in Pictou County, in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is situated on the banks of the East River of Pictou, which flows into Pictou Harbour, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
and Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
where he helped the American team to a gold medal victory over Team Canada Pacific, finishing the tournament with one goal and five assists in six games.
Kesler participated in his first International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
-sanctioned event at the 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships
2002 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava...
in Piešťany
Pieštany
Piešťany is a town in Slovakia. It is located in the western part of the country within the Trnava Region and is the seat of its own district. It is the biggest and best known spa town in Slovakia and has around 30,000 inhabitants.-History:...
and Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. He finished the tournament with seven points in eight games, including two goals in a 10–3 defeat over Canada in the final round. The Americans won their first U18 title, with Kesler being awarded the Best Player Award for the tournament. Later that year, Kesler was named to the United States national junior team for the 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local ....
in Halifax and Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He finished the tournament second in team scoring behind Zach Parise
Zach Parise
Zachary Justin Parise is an American professional ice hockey left winger of French-Canadian origin and captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . Parise's father, J. P...
with seven points in seven games as the United States lost 3–2 to Finland in the bronze medal game. During the tournament, Kesler was twice named the United States' player of the game—in their quarterfinal game versus the Czech Republic and in the bronze medal game versus Finland.
In December 2003, Kesler was released by the Vancouver Canucks to play in the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland...
, Kesler's second World Junior tournament. Kesler scored two goals as the Americans went a perfect 4–0 to win Pool A and advance to the semifinals. There they defeated Finland 2–1, the team that had defeated them in the previous year's bronze medal game, to advance to the gold medal game versus Canada. In the gold medal game, Kesler scored the game-tying goal 6:58 into the third period to even the score at 3–3. After Canadian goaltender Marc-André Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-André Fleury is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
cleared the puck off of teammate Braydon Coburn
Braydon Coburn
Braydon Coburn is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and into his own net, the Americans took the lead 4–3 and went on to win their first IIHF World U20 Championship in the tournament's history. Kesler's play in the tournament was praised as he often took critical faceoff
Faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin play in ice hockey and some other sports. The two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the opposing centres attempt to gain control of the puck after it is dropped between their sticks by an official. One of the referees drops the puck at centre ice...
s and played on the Americans' most offensive line despite suffering a facial injury early in the tournament.
Although having never played for the American national men's team, Kesler was named to the orientation camp for the American team at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
held from September 5–8, 2005 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
at World Arena
World Arena, Colorado Springs
The World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado is an 8,000 seat multi-purpose arena and entertainment venue. The arena opened in 1998. In addition to the main arena, the adjacent Ice Hall contains two practice rinks, one NHL-sized and one Olympic-sized....
. Kesler, one of the youngest players at the camp, did not make the final roster for the Games. Rather, Kesler made his national men's team debut three months after the Olympics at the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 70th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 45 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2007 competition...
in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. Kesler finished the tournament with one point in seven games, assisting on a Yan Stastny
Yan Stastny
Yan Stastny is an American-Canadian born professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Yan comes from a notable hockey family, and is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Šťastný...
goal in the United States' 3–0 victory versus Denmark. He was named the United States' player of the game in their 6–0 quarter-final loss against Sweden.
Having developed into a top defensive forward in recent seasons, Kesler was an early candidate to be selected to the American team for the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, the city in which he plays his NHL hockey. The United States played Canada in the final game of the preliminary round to determine top spot in the pool. With United States up by a goal in the final minute, Kesler dove past opposing forward Corey Perry
Corey Perry
Corey Perry is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . Drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League , he captured a Memorial Cup with the London Knights and a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships during...
to score an empty-netter and secure the 5–3 win. In a rematch between the two teams in the gold medal game, Kesler scored in the second period on a deflection from Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane
Patrick Timothy Kane, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Minor and junior:Kane attended the St...
, ultimately losing by a score of 3–2 in overtime on Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
's game-winning goal.
Playing style
Kesler is known as a two-way forward, capable of contributing both offensively and defensively. In his first few years in the NHL, he established his role as a shutdown forward, playing on the penalty kill and against opposing teams' top players. He also earned a reputation as an agitator, trash-talking and engaging opponents physically in between play. During the 2008–09 season2008–09 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...
, Kesler began adding a more offensive component to his game and was moved up to the Canucks' second line from third. With an increased points total, he earned league recognition with his first Selke Trophy nomination as the NHL's best defensive forward. He has since continued to improve his offensive skills while remaining defensively responsible.
Among his most prevalent skills are his speed and wrist shot, the latter of which has improved alongside his recent years of increased offensive production. He is also proficient at taking faceoff
Faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin play in ice hockey and some other sports. The two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the opposing centres attempt to gain control of the puck after it is dropped between their sticks by an official. One of the referees drops the puck at centre ice...
s. On the penalty kill, he is an efficient shot blocker, using his body to get in the way of pucks. While competing on the powerplay
Powerplay
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
, he often uses his size and strength to maintain position in front of the opposing net to either screen the goaltender or deflect shots.
Kesler's success as a player has been attributed to his competitiveness and desire to outwork opposing players. Kesler has recognized, however, that his competitive drive has often caused him to lose his composure. In the 2010 off-season, Canucks management encouraged him to play with more focus, maintaining his emotions and decreasing physical and verbal confrontation with opposing players. During the subsequent 2010–11 campaign
2010–11 NHL season
The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
, he gained media attention for changing his play accordingly while enjoying the best season of his career. Kesler has also credited the change with his role as a father, wanting to set a mature example for his children when they watch him play.
Personal life
Kesler and his wife Andrea have two children, a daughter named Makayla Rylan and a son named Ryker, born on December 19, 2010. During the hockey season, they live with their three dogs in the VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
neighbourhood of Kitsilano
Kitsilano
Kitsilano is an upmarket neighbourhood on the West Side of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Known colloquially as "Kits", this neighborhood is home to many yuppies, young families and students as well as yoga studios, organic markets, cafes and Vancouver's Greektown. The primary...
. In the off-season, they return to Kesler's hometown, Livonia, Michigan. He keeps a Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
at his parents' home in Livonia, which he enjoys racing.
Endorsements
In March 2010, Kesler was announced as the cover athlete for the 2K Sports2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
video game NHL 2K11
NHL 2K11
NHL 2K11 received average ratings from critics. The game received an aggregated score of 64% at GameRankings and 62% at Metacritic. GamesRadar reviewer Richard Grisham generally praised the game for its "staggering amount of content" and online integration...
, released several months later in August. He had previously worked with 2K Sports, doing motion capture
Motion capture
Motion capture, motion tracking, or mocap are terms used to describe the process of recording movement and translating that movement on to a digital model. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, and medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robotics...
for NHL 2K10
NHL 2K10
NHL 2K10 is an ice hockey simulation developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, part of the NHL 2K series. It was released on September 15, 2009 for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2. Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda provide commentary as they did for NHL 2K9...
.
In November 2010, Kesler released his own line of sportswear and casual clothing. In partnership with Vancouver-based Firstar Sports, the line was branded "RK17". A promotional photograph of Kesler modeling athletic underwear received considerable media attention in Vancouver and resulted in him being named in a feature entitled "Most Beautiful People of B.C." by a local publication.
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 | ||
| 1999–00 | Detroit Honeybaked | MWEHL Midwest Elite Hockey League The Midwest Elite Hockey League is located primarily in the Midwest United States and is the premier amateur youth hockey league in the United States. Players from all over the country move to the area where the teams are located to gain exposure and skill development needed for higher levels... |
72 | 44 | 73 | 117 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | U.S. Ntn. Team Development Program USA Hockey National Team Development Program The National Team Development Program was started in 1996 by USA Hockey as a way to identify elite ice hockey players in the country under the age of 18, and centralize their training. There are two teams in the program, an Under-17 squad and an Under-18 squad. The teams are both based in Ann... |
U-18 | 26 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | U.S. Ntn. Team Development Program | NAHL North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League... |
56 | 7 | 21 | 28 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | U.S. Ntn. Team Development Program | U-18 | 46 | 11 | 33 | 44 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | U.S. Ntn. Team Development Program | USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
13 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | U.S. Ntn. Team Development Program | NAHL | 10 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Ohio State University Ohio State Buckeyes The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports... |
CCHA Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship... |
40 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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.... |
Manitoba Moose Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St... |
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... |
33 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
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... |
28 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Manitoba Moose | AHL | 78 | 30 | 27 | 57 | 105 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 48 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 26 | 33 | 59 | 61 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 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... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 25 | 50 | 75 | 104 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 41 | 32 | 73 | 66 | 25 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 47 | ||
| NHL totals | 484 | 131 | 157 | 288 | 445 | 48 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 65 | ||||
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava... |
United States | U18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2003 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local .... |
United States United States men's national junior ice hockey team The United States men's national junior ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in the United States. The team represents the United States at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World U20 Championship.... |
WJC | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2004 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland... |
United States | WJC | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2006 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 70th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 45 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2007 competition... |
United States | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
United States | Oly 2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University... |
6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 21 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 16 | |||
| Senior totals | 13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |||
International awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| Best Player Award (IIHF World U18 Championships IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... ) |
2002 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava... |
League awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| CCHA All-Rookie Team Honourable Mention | 2003 |
| AHL All-Star Game | 2005 |
| NHL All-Star Game | 2011 |
| Frank J. Selke Trophy Frank J. Selke Trophy The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to... |
2011 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Team awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| George Burke Most Valuable Freshman (Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State Buckeyes men's ice hockey The Ohio State Buckeyes men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Ohio State University. The Buckeyes are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association... ) |
2003 |
| Most Valuable Player Most Valuable Player In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests... (Manitoba Moose Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St... ) |
2005 |
| Cyclone Taylor Award (Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... ' MVP) |
2009 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... |
| Most Exciting Player Award (Vancouver Canucks) | 2011 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Transactions
- June 21, 2003 – Drafted in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft2003 NHL Entry DraftThe 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
. - August 18, 2003 – Signed three-year, $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.475-million entry level contract with the Canucks; $850,000 signing bonus. - September 12, 2006 – Signed a one-year, $1.9-million offer sheetOffer sheetIn the National Hockey League, an offer sheet is a contract offered to a restricted free agent by a team other than the one for which he played during the prior season...
with the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - September 14, 2006 – Signed a one-year, $1.9-million contract with the Canucks.
- May 24, 2007 – Signed a three-year, $5.25-million contract extension with the Canucks.
- March 19, 2010 – Signed a six-year, $30-million contract extension with the Canucks.