Dustin Slade
Encyclopedia
Dustin Slade is a Canadian
ice hockey
goaltender
who last played with the Halifax Wolverines of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League
(MJAHL) after quitting the Vancouver Giants
of the Western Hockey League
(WHL), with whom he won a President's Cup as league champions and was a WHL West First Team All-Star.
(WHL) with the Kamloops Blazers
in 2002–03, while still playing the majority of the season in the British Columbia Hockey League
(BCHL) with the Quesnel Millionaires
. Playing in his WHL rookie season in 2003–04, Slade was transferred twice to the Brandon Wheat Kings
, then to the Regina Pats
.
Slade ended up returning to the BCHL with the Surrey Eagles
in 2004–05 after being suspended by the Pats for disciplinary reasons. He had additionally earned a reputation for being unable to maintain his on-ice composure, at one point, earning 26 penalty minutes in one game. He was subsequently traded to the Vancouver Giants
for the 2005–06 season, where he recorded a 1.90 goals against average
(GAA) to go with a 36-13-5 record in 56 games. He was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team and earned a WHL Goaltender of the Year
nomination (awarded to Justin Pogge
of the Calgary Hitmen
). He went on to help lead the Giants to the franchise's first President's Cup, earning a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup
, where the Giants were eliminated in the semi-finals. His combined 17 regular season and WHL playoff shutout
s established a WHL record.
The following season in 2005–06, Slade began splitting his starts with the younger Tyson Sexsmith
, who was emerging as a legitimate goalie in his own right with the Giants. Frustrated by having to give up playing time, on November 20, 2006, he told management he'd rather join the minor professional ranks and left the team. However, unable to find a job in the minor leagues, he made a request to return to the Giants within several months, which went unaccepted. The Giants instead shopped him to interested WHL teams, but did not end up trading him either. As a result, Slade resorted to the Junior A ranks, joining the Halifax Wolverines of the MJAHL
in late-January. Slade claimed that before joining the Wolverines, he had a three-year contract with a German
professional club was blocked by the Giants. About a month into his stint with Halifax, Slade was ejected from a game against the Moncton Beavers
for a sequence that included a high stick on Beavers' rookie Joel Boffe that required 14 stitches followed by a fight with Pierre-Alexandre Poulin. After completing the season with the Wolverines, Slade has been unable to secure a job with a professional team.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who last played with the Halifax Wolverines of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League
Maritime Junior A Hockey League
The Maritime Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of four teams from New Brunswick and one team from Prince Edward Island, which make up the Roger Meek Division, and six teams from Nova Scotia which make...
(MJAHL) after quitting the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL), with whom he won a President's Cup as league champions and was a WHL West First Team All-Star.
Playing career
Slade began his major junior career in the Western Hockey LeagueWestern Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) with the Kamloops Blazers
Kamloops Blazers
The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League based out of Kamloops, British Columbia. They play their home games at Interior Savings Centre.-History:...
in 2002–03, while still playing the majority of the season in the British Columbia Hockey League
British Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
(BCHL) with the Quesnel Millionaires
Quesnel Millionaires
The Quesnel Millionaires were a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. They were members of the Interior Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They played their home games at Quesnel Twin Arena...
. Playing in his WHL rookie season in 2003–04, Slade was transferred twice to the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
, then to the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
.
Slade ended up returning to the BCHL with the Surrey Eagles
Surrey Eagles
The Surrey Eagles are a Junior "A" Ice Hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at South Surrey Arena.-New Westminster:...
in 2004–05 after being suspended by the Pats for disciplinary reasons. He had additionally earned a reputation for being unable to maintain his on-ice composure, at one point, earning 26 penalty minutes in one game. He was subsequently traded to the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
for the 2005–06 season, where he recorded a 1.90 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
(GAA) to go with a 36-13-5 record in 56 games. He was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team and earned a WHL Goaltender of the Year
Del Wilson Trophy
The Del Wilson Trophy is awarded to the top goaltender of the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Del Wilson, who was the general manager of the Regina Pats when they won the Memorial Cup in 1974.- Winners :...
nomination (awarded to Justin Pogge
Justin Pogge
Justin Pogge is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. The Pirates are the top affiliate of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes...
of the Calgary Hitmen
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...
). He went on to help lead the Giants to the franchise's first President's Cup, earning a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup
2006 Memorial Cup
The 2006 MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Moncton, New Brunswick from May 19–28. The host team Moncton Wildcats were the only team guaranteed a spot in the tournament...
, where the Giants were eliminated in the semi-finals. His combined 17 regular season and WHL playoff shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s established a WHL record.
The following season in 2005–06, Slade began splitting his starts with the younger Tyson Sexsmith
Tyson Sexsmith
Tyson Sexsmith is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League...
, who was emerging as a legitimate goalie in his own right with the Giants. Frustrated by having to give up playing time, on November 20, 2006, he told management he'd rather join the minor professional ranks and left the team. However, unable to find a job in the minor leagues, he made a request to return to the Giants within several months, which went unaccepted. The Giants instead shopped him to interested WHL teams, but did not end up trading him either. As a result, Slade resorted to the Junior A ranks, joining the Halifax Wolverines of the MJAHL
Maritime Junior A Hockey League
The Maritime Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of four teams from New Brunswick and one team from Prince Edward Island, which make up the Roger Meek Division, and six teams from Nova Scotia which make...
in late-January. Slade claimed that before joining the Wolverines, he had a three-year contract with a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
professional club was blocked by the Giants. About a month into his stint with Halifax, Slade was ejected from a game against the Moncton Beavers
Moncton Beavers
The Dieppe Commandos are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada. They play in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Moncton Hawks were New Brunswick Junior Hockey League Junior A champions in 1981, 1982, and 1983....
for a sequence that included a high stick on Beavers' rookie Joel Boffe that required 14 stitches followed by a fight with Pierre-Alexandre Poulin. After completing the season with the Wolverines, Slade has been unable to secure a job with a professional team.
Awards and honours
- WHLWestern Hockey LeagueThe Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
West First All-Star Team (2005–06) - Nominated for the Del Wilson TrophyDel Wilson TrophyThe Del Wilson Trophy is awarded to the top goaltender of the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Del Wilson, who was the general manager of the Regina Pats when they won the Memorial Cup in 1974.- Winners :...
(Top WHL Goaltender) (2006) - Ed Chynoweth Cup as a member of the WHL champions Vancouver GiantsVancouver GiantsThe Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
(2005–06)