Brett Lebda

Infobox Ice Hockey Player

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image_size=150px
position = Defense
shoots = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 9
weight_lb = 195
team = Detroit Red Wings
league = NHL
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1982|01|15
birth_place = Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA
draft = Undrafted
career_start = 2004
nickname = Lebs, Lebby, The Lion Among Men

Brett Lebda (born January 15, 1982 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois) is a professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL.

Playing career

Lebda played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame in the CCHA conference. As a freshman in 2000–01, Lebda set a school recordwith 109 penalty minutes and led all CCHA first-year defensemen in scoring with 26 points (7–19–26), earning CCHA All-Rookie Teamhonors. He played 152 games during his four years at Notre Dame, tying for fourth on the school’s all-time list. The only four gamesLebda missed as a collegian came during a stint with the U.S. Junior National Team during his sophomore season, when he scored twogoals and helped his country to a fifth-place finish at the 2002 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. In his senior season, Lebda was named a Second Team All-CCHA performer and finalist for the league’s top offensive defenseman award after posting 24 points (6–18–24) in 39 games and helping lead the Fighting Irish to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, a 5–2 loss to Minnesota.

After the conclusion of his senior season, the Grand Rapids Griffins signed Lebda to an amateur tryout for the remainder of their 2003–04 season and playoffs. Lebda then signed a multi-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 21, 2004. In his first professional season, Lebda spent the entire year with Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Griffins. One of two players to appear in all 80 games for Grand Rapids during the 2004–05 season, Lebda finished his rookie campaign with 12 points.

Lebda made his NHL debut with Detroit on October 5, 2005, scoring his first NHL goal against Patrick Lalime midway through the Red Wings’ 5–1 win over St. Louis. Lebda signed a four-year contract with Detroit during the 2006 offseason.

On June 4, 2008, Lebda helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup.

Career statistics

External links

*hockeydb|55640
*TSN-NHL-profile|2855
* [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/lebda_brett00.html Brett Lebda Notre Dame player bio] at CSTV.com