Kevin Bieksa

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team= Vancouver Canucks
former_teams =

---

image_size = 200px
league = NHL
position = Defence
shoots = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 205
nickname = Juice
'Boom Boom'
'BXA'
Bieksallent
The K is before the S
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1981|6|16
birth_place = Grimsby, ON, CAN
draft = 151st overall
draft_year = 2001
draft_team = Vancouver Canucks
career_start = 2004

Kevin Bieksa (born on June 16, 1981 in Grimsby, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman with a Lithuanian background, who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Bieksa played four years of college hockey at Bowling Green University, starting in 2000-01. After his freshman year, he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks with the 151st pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. In 2003-04, he made his professional debut with the Canucks' AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, playing the final four games of the season. The following year, he was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after recording 39 points in his first full professional season. After another solid start with the Moose in 2005-06, he was called up by the Canucks and played his first NHL game on December 19, 2005, against the Los Angeles Kings. [Citeweb|title=Canucks blow two goal lead, fall to Kings in shootout|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=251219022|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=2008-07-21|date=2005-12-20] Bieksa finished the season playing in 39 games for the Canucks, averaging 16 minutes of ice-time per game. On August 17, 2006, he was re-signed by the Canucks. [citeweb|title=Canucks re-sign Bieksa and Bouck|url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nhl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23920_4925126,00.html|publisher=Rocky Mountain News|accessdate=2008-07-21|date=2006-08-18]

Switiching his jersey number from 25 to 3 in 2006-07, he scored his first NHL goal on October 13, 2006, against Evgeni Nabokov in a loss to the San Jose Sharks. [citeweb|title=Whitney's last second goal lifts Canes|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=138035|publisher=Sporting News|accessdate=2008-07-21|date=2006-10-14] Bieksa rapidly developed into one of the Canucks' top blueliners and he finished the season leading all team defensemen in points and penalty minutes. He was regularly given a shutdown role against opposing teams' top forwards and was awarded the team's Babe Pratt Trophy as best defenseman. After the Canucks were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the playoffs, the Canucks acknowledged Bieksa's breakout season with a 3-year, $11.25 million contract extension, effective 2008-09. [cite press release|title=Canucks sign defenceman Kevin Bieksa to a three year extension|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=328631|publisher=Vancouver Canucks|date=9 July 2007|accessdate=2007-09-26]

On November 1, 2007, Bieksa suffered a severe calf laceration in a game against the Nashville Predators. After battling with Vern Fiddler against the boards, Fiddler's skate slashed Bieksa across the back of his right calf. Bieksa was helped to the bench, leaving a trail of blood behind him on the ice. [citeweb|title=Ellis, Predators finally win a road game|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2007-11-02-2757384001_x.htm|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=2008-07-21|date=2007-11-02] The injury limited him to just 12 points in 34 games in 2007-08.

His last name, which is pronounced phonetically ("Bee-ek-sa"), is frequently mispronounced by sports newscasters and hockey broadcasters such as Bob Cole and Harry Neale, to the frustration or amusement of many fans. It has even been misspelled on scoreboards. [cite news|last=MacIntyre |first=Iain |title=A spell of success for Kevin Bieksa|publisher=The Vancouver Sun|date=16 January 2007 |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/story.html?id=e2ec46a3-314c-42e7-a036-f2529c70f4d7&k=89235|accessdate=2007-09-26]

Off the ice

Kevin Bieksa and his wife, Katie, have one child, Cole Walter, born October 24, 2007. [cite news|last=|first=|title=Baby sidetracks Bieksa|publisher=The Province|date=24 October 2007 |url=http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/canucks/story.html?id=c77a5643-1857-4162-83ea-aac7702e1f2d&k=46699|accessdate=2007-10-30]

Award and achievements

*AHL All-Rookie Team - 2005
*Cam Neely Award (The Hockey News' Breakout Player of the Year) - 2007
*Babe Pratt Trophy (Canucks' top defenceman) - 2007

Career statistics

References

External links

* [http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app?page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8469598&service=page&tab=prf Official Vancouver Canucks profile]
*hockeydb|63159