Justin Abdelkader

Justin Abdelkader (born 25 February 1987 in Muskegon, Michigan ) is an American professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.

Career

Justin Abdelkader began his career in the team of the Mona Shores High School, for he 2003/ 04 in 28 games scored 37 goals and 43 more prepared. He subsequently received the Mr. Hockey Award as the best high school player of the state of Michigan. In summer 2004, he moved to the U.S. Junior League USHL where he played for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders. He collected in the season 2004/ 05 a total of 52 points in 60 league games and totaled 27 goals in eighth place of the scoring charts. In the playoffs, his achievements were claimed and remained without a goal. Nevertheless, he was able with the Roughriders winning the Clark Cup, the U.S. Junior Championship, celebrate.

Shortly thereafter, Abdelkader was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round at position 42 in the NHL Entry Draft in 2005. But he went in the fall first on the Michigan State University and played for their hockey team, the Michigan State Spartans. With ten goals and twelve assists, he completed a solid debut season, but rose in his second year already on to a key player of the team. The Spartans were able to move up to the Frozen Four finals, the NCAA, where they could win in the finals with the winning goal by Abdelkader 18 seconds before the end of the U.S. Collegiate Championship. Abdelkader was then appointed to the best players in the final tournament. In addition, he resigned in January 2007 with the U.S. U-20 national team at the World Youth Championship, where she won the bronze medal.

In his third year at Michigan State University, he was captain of the alternative Spartans and finished second in the 2007/ 08 season with 40 points in second place in the internal list scorer of the team. At the end of the season he was honored by the CCHA for best defensive forward and was also awarded for his charity work to Mike and Marian Ilitch Humanitarian Award.

A few weeks later he received a sample contract with the Detroit Red Wings for an NHL game, which he completed on 3 April 2008, before it signed a three - year contract on the day. At the beginning of the 2008/09 season Abdelkader was sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins, the farm team of Detroit, in the AHL, where he was to gain further experience. In Grand Rapids, he performed well on the offensive, but most of all his physical and defensive game could convince why he nominated for two inserts in the NHL All- Rookie and was elected team at the end of the season in the AHL. In the playoffs, he met in the first round six times in six games, but remained in the following series against the Manitoba Moose unsuccessful. After leaving the Griffins Abdelkader was brought to the Detroit Red Wings, where he took the place of the injured directly Tomáš Kopecký in the root cadres.

Justin Abdelkader is considered as a talented two-way forward, who has a well-trained physical game, but has weaknesses on the offensive.

Awards and achievements

2004 Mr. Hockey Award
2005 USHL All-Star Game
2005 Clark Cup winner with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders
2006 CCHA All- Rookie Team
2007 bronze medal at the U20 World Junior Championships
2007 NCAA College Cup with the Michigan State University

2007 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player
2007 NCAA Frozen Four All- Tournament Team
2008 CCHA Best Defensive Forward
Mike and Marian Ilitch in 2008 CCHA Humanitarian Award
2008 AHL Rookie of the Month October
2009 AHL All- Rookie Team

Career Stats

Internationally

Represented the U.S. at:

U20 World Junior Championships 2007
World Cup 2012

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )

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