Colin Fraser (ice hockey)

Colin Fraser (born January 28, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues. Fraser is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won the Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, and the Kings in 2012. Fraser was a part of the Kings for the 2014 season, but failed to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup that year. After retiring from professional hockey in 2015, Fraser returned to the Blackhawks to work in their scouting department.

Colin Fraser
Fraser with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals
Born (1985-01-28) January 28, 1985 (age 39)
Sicamous, British Columbia, Canada
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb)
PositionCentre/Left wing
ShotLeft
Played forChicago Blackhawks
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues
Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers
NHL draft69th overall, 2003
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career2005–2015

Playing career

Minor/Junior

Fraser was born in Sicamous, but raised in Surrey, British Columbia. Growing up, he played minor hockey with the Pacific Vipers of Vancouver with future Chicago Blackhawks teammates Brent Seabrook, Andrew Ladd and Troy Brouwer.[1] He went on to play major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Red Deer Rebels for four years. He spent time as their team captain. Following a 52-point campaign in his second WHL season, Fraser was drafted in the third round, 69th overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. In the subsequent season after being drafted by the Flyers, Fraser was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on February 19, 2004, while still in the WHL, along with Jim Vandermeer and a second round selection (Bryan Bickell) in 2004 in exchange for Alexei Zhamnov and a fourth round selection (R. J. Anderson) in 2004.

Professional

Fraser with the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2009

In the subsequent season after being drafted by the Flyers and while still in the WHL, Fraser was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on February 19, 2004, along with Jim Vandermeer and a second-round draft pick (Bryan Bickell) in 2004 in exchange for Alexei Zhamnov and a 2004 fourth-round pick (R. J. Anderson).[2]

Turning professional in 2004–05, Fraser made his debut with the Blackhawks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, appearing in a handful of games following the completion of his fourth and final WHL season. He remained in Norfolk for several seasons and made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2006–07, dressing for one game. In 2007–08, the Rockford IceHogs became Chicago's AHL affiliate, where Fraser scored an AHL career-high 41 points while also playing in five games for the Blackhawks.

During the 2009–10 season, Fraser won the Stanley Cup while playing with the Chicago Blackhawks; he played in three playoff games (all in the frist round against the Nashville Predators. On June 24, 2010, it was announced that he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2010 sixth-round draft choice (Mirko Hoefflin).[3]

On June 26, 2011, Fraser was traded by the Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, along with a seventh-round pick in 2012, for Ryan Smyth.[4] Fraser scored the Kings' first goal in Game 1 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals against the New Jersey Devils, a 2–1 Kings overtime victory. He won his second Stanley Cup on June 11, 2012, with the Kings. He then signed a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension on June 23.[5]

On February 8, 2014, the Kings placed Fraser on waivers for the purpose of demoting him to the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL.[6][7] On April 22, the Kings then recalled Fraser during the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs against the San Jose Sharks;[8] however, he did not appear in any playoff games and was not an official member of the Kings' Stanley Cup-winning team; his name was not engraved on the Cup.

On September 5, 2014, the St. Louis Blues announced that they had signed Fraser to a one-year, two-way contract.[9] He did not win a place with the Blues during training camp and, after clearing waivers, was assigned to the Chicago Wolves, their AHL affiliate. On December 31, 2014, Fraser was recalled by St. Louis from the Wolves and subsequently played his first game for the Blues against the Anaheim Ducks on January 2, 2015.

On June 16, 2015, as an impending free agent, Fraser signed to continue his career in Europe in agreeing to a one-year contract with German club, the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.[10] In the midst of the 2015–16 season, Fraser had appeared in 17 games for the Ice Tigers, registering 5 assists, before opting to immediately retire from professional hockey for personal reasons on November 18, 2015.[11]

After retiring from professional ice hockey, Fraser became an amateur scout for his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks.[12]

International play

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
2005 Grand Forks

During his junior career, Fraser competed for Canada at the 2005 World Junior Championships in Grand Forks. He recorded five points in six games, helping Canada to a gold medal win against Russia in the Final. The gold medal marked Canada's first championship of a five-year run.

Fraser (left) and Jordan Nolan at the 2012 Stanley Cup parade.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2000–01Port Coquitlam BuckaroosPIJHL3816244090822421
2001–02Red Deer RebelsWHL671131421262321339
2002–03Red Deer RebelsWHL6915375219222761340
2003–04Red Deer RebelsWHL7024295317419591424
2004–05Red Deer RebelsWHL6324436714872578
2004–05Norfolk AdmiralsAHL30002061012
2005–06Norfolk AdmiralsAHL7312132514540007
2006–07Norfolk AdmiralsAHL67122436158610121
2006–07Chicago BlackhawksNHL10002
2007–08Rockford IceHogsAHL751724411651212328
2007–08Chicago BlackhawksNHL50007
2008–09Chicago BlackhawksNHL81611175520002
2009–10Chicago BlackhawksNHL70712194430000
2010–11Edmonton OilersNHL6732560
2011–12Los Angeles KingsNHL6726867181124
2012–13Los Angeles KingsNHL34257251602210
2013–14Los Angeles KingsNHL3302230
2013–14Manchester MonarchsAHL103364
2014–15Chicago WolvesAHL5998176751014
2014–15St. Louis BluesNHL10000
2015–16Thomas Sabo Ice TigersDEL1705569
AHL totals28953721255593342662
NHL totals3592038582903913416

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2002Canada PacificU17 61016
2002CanadaU18 52134
2005CanadaWJC 61452
Junior totals1745912

Awards and honours

AwardYear
WHL
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy2005
Humanitarian of the Year Award2005
NHL
Stanley Cup champion2010, 2012

References

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Winner of the CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award
2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the WHL Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
2005
Succeeded by