Curt Fraser

Curt Fraser
Born	January 12, 1958 (1958-01-12) (age 53) Cincinnati, OH, USA
Height	6 ft 00 in (1.83 m)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Minnesota North Stars Chicago Black Hawks Vancouver Canucks
National team	United States   Canada
NHL Draft	22nd overall, 1978 Vancouver Canucks
Playing career	1978–1990

Curtis Martin Fraser (born January 12, 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio but raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia) is a former ice hockey player of dual American and Canadian citizenship. He currently serves as the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins, the American Hockey League farm team of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings.

Fraser was born in Cincinnati while his father played for the International Hockey League's Cincinnati Mohawks. He was raised in Winnipeg and Vancouver. Fraser was diagnosed with diabetes in 1983 and is active in fundraising and awareness efforts for the disease.^[1]

Playing career

Fraser played junior hockey with the Victoria Cougars of the Western Hockey League, where he set franchise records for goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes. He was then drafted 22nd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He made the team right away and was placed on a line with fellow rookies Thomas Gradin and Stan Smyl. The trio would be the Canucks' top offensive line for the next four years and play a large role in the club's trip to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals.

On December 20, 1982, Fraser was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for Tony Tanti. He had his best season in Chicago, registering 68 points (29 goals and 39 assists) in only 61 games in 1985–86. After five years with the Hawks, he was dealt to the Minnesota North Stars on January 2, 1988 for Dirk Graham. After playing in only 53 games over the next two and a half years with the Stars, his back problems forced him to retire in 1990.

Owing to his dual U.S./Canadian citizenship, Fraser has represented both countries in international tournaments. He played for Canada at the 1978 World Junior Championship and for the USA at the 1987 Canada Cup.^[2]

Coaching career

After his playing career ended, Fraser embarked upon a coaching career. After minor league stops in Milwaukee, Syracuse, and Orlando, Fraser became the first head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999. His record was 64–169–46 over three and a half seasons with Atlanta before being fired in 2003. Since then he has served as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues.

Recently, he has coached the Belarusian national men's ice hockey team at the 2007 and 2008 IIHF World Championships.

On July 23, 2008, the Grand Rapids Griffins hired Fraser as their head coach.

Team	Year	Regular season							Post season
		G	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	Division rank	Result
Atlanta Thrashers	1999–2000	82	14	57	7	4	39	5th in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
	2000–01	82	23	45	12	2	60	4th in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
	2001–02	82	19	47	11	5	54	5th in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
	2002–03	33	8	20	1	4	(74)	3rd in Southeast	Missed Playoffs
Total		279	64	169	31	15

References

1. ^ "Grand Rapids Griffins: Curt Fraser". http://www.griffinshockey.com/team/frontoffice2/index.html?staff_id=65. Retrieved 2009-11-22. 
2. ^ "Legends of Hockey: Curt Fraser". http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12644. Retrieved 2009-11-22. 

External links

• Curt Fraser's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Curt Fraser's biography at Legends of Hockey

Persondata
Name	Fraser, Curt
Alternative names
Short description	Ice Hockey Player, Head Coach
Date of birth	January 12, 1958
Place of birth	Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of death
Place of death