Brett Sterling

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 7
weight_lb = 185
league = NHL
team = Atlanta Thrashers
nationality = United States
birth_date = birth date and age|1984|4|24
birth_place = Los Angeles, CA, USA
draft = 145th overall
draft_year = 2003
draft_team = Atlanta Thrashers
career_start = 2006

Brett Sterling (born April 24, 1984 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is a professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Atlanta Thrashers in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Sterling was drafted in the fifth round, 145th overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Sterling had an outstanding four-year college career spent with Colorado College, where he played with future Atlanta Thrashers teammate Colin Stuart. He accumulated 108 goals and 184 points in 150 games played over his college career. Brett scored 28 points in 30 games as a sophomore for Colorado College. He finished third in scoring for the Tigers, missing the first part of the season due to an injury. His best season came in 2004–05, when he had 34 goals, 29 assists and 63 points. That year, he was a top 3 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey's top player. The following year, in his senior season, he was a top 10 finalist.

Sterling garnered many accolades in his first season of pro hockey. Playing with the Chicago Wolves, the Thrashers' American Hockey League affiliate, he amassed 55 goals and 97 points in 77 games. He also added 12 points points in 15 playoff games. He won the Willie Marshall Award as the league's leading goal scorer, and also won the Dudley "Red" Garret Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. In addition, he was also named to the All-Rookie Team and AHL First All-Star Team.

With his stellar play in his only season in the AHL, Sterling made the Atlanta Thrashers roster out of training camp for the 2007-08 NHL season. He would score his first NHL goal against Johan Holmqvist on October 20, 2007.Cite web|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Sterling|title=Brett Sterling|accessdate=2008-02-19] However, he was unable to maintain a high level of play on the struggling Thrashers and was sent back to Chicago shortly into the season. He would be called up several times during the year.

Awards

* WCHA All Rookie Team - 2003
* Colorado College Bob Johnson Award - 2003
* WCHA First All Star Team - 2005, 2006
* NCAA West First All-American Team - 2005, 2006
* Colorado College Paul Markovitch Trophy - 2005
* MVP AHL All Star Classic - 2007
* Dudley "Red" Garret Memorial Trophy - 2007
* Willie Marshall Award - 2007

Career statistics

International play

Played for the United States in:
*2002 IIHF World U18 Championships
*2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

International statistics

References

External links

*hockeydb|67806