Justin Abdelkader
Encyclopedia
Justin Abdelkader (ˈæbdəlkeɪdər; born February 25, 1987) is an American
ice hockey
forward
currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings
.
, securing the NCAA Division 1 National Championship for Michigan State University
and earning him the Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player. He scored the latest game-winning regulation goal ever scored in an NCAA Frozen Four championship game when he scored with just 18.9 seconds left.
with the 42nd overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
.
On April 3, 2008, Abdelkader signed a one-game amateur tryout with the Detroit Red Wings
of the National Hockey League
and was to play that night against the Columbus Blue Jackets
. In doing so, he forfeited his college eligibility for the 2008–09 season. The following day, Abdelkader signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings
.
Abdelkader scored 24 goals for the Grand Rapids Griffins
during the 2008-09 season and was one of the team's best offensive players in the playoffs.
On May 8, 2009 Abdelkader was brought up to the Red Wings as the replacement for Tomáš Kopecký
, who sat out Game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals series against the Anaheim Ducks
. Coach Mike Babcock
sent Abdelkader to replace Kopecký "because he'll run over people. We expect him to play hard like Darren Helm
. He's on the forecheck and he's a physical guy." During the game Abdelkader scored his first career point on an assist to Johan Franzén
.
Abdelkader scored his first career NHL goal on May 30, 2009 in Game 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
against the Pittsburgh Penguins
. After shooting the puck, he grabbed the rebound out of the air with his glove, dropped the puck, and beat Marc-André Fleury
high stick side. His second goal came nearly 24 hours later in the second game of the series, off of what commentators described as a "knuckle puck." He carried the puck into the forward zone alone against three Penguins defenders and fired a slapshot past Fleury. He became the first rookie to score a goal in consecutive finals games since Minnesota
's Dino Ciccarelli
did it in 1981
.
During the 2009-2010 season Justin played 50 games for the Red Wings scoring 3 goals, while adding 3 assists. The Red Wings gave him a two-year extension worth $1.575 million, that began in the 2010-2011 season. The contract has an annual cap hit of $787,500.
The 2010-2011 season was Justin's first full season as a Red Wing, as he spent the whole season in Detroit, and no time with the affiliate Griffin's. He played in 74 games, scoring 7 goals, and adding 12 assists. Having spent the whole season with the Red Wings Justin established career highs in basically every category including, games, goals, assists, and points.
Junior National Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden
in 2007.
ic. His paternal grandfather, Yusef Abdul Qadir
(Anglicised Joseph Abdelkader), emigrated from Jordan
at the age of 19 to Muskegon, where he later met a Polish girl named Susie.
Abdelkader was born and raised in Norton Shores and graduated from Mona Shores High School
in 2004. He was named to the all-state hockey team and awarded the Mr. Hockey award, given to the top high school
ice hockey player in Michigan. During his senior year, he played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
of the USHL, and helped the team win the 2004-05 Clark Cup
Championship.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
.
College career
On April 7, 2007 Abdelkader scored the game-winning goal in the 2007 NCAA Championship Game against Boston CollegeBoston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, securing the NCAA Division 1 National Championship for Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and earning him the Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player. He scored the latest game-winning regulation goal ever scored in an NCAA Frozen Four championship game when he scored with just 18.9 seconds left.
Detroit Red Wings
Abdelkader was selected by the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
with the 42nd overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
2005 NHL Entry Draft
The 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the 43rd NHL Entry Draft.As a lockout cancelled the games of the 2004–05 NHL season, the draft order was determined by lottery on July 22, 2005. Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years...
.
On April 3, 2008, Abdelkader signed a one-game amateur tryout with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and was to play that night against the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. In doing so, he forfeited his college eligibility for the 2008–09 season. The following day, Abdelkader signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
.
Abdelkader scored 24 goals for the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
during the 2008-09 season and was one of the team's best offensive players in the playoffs.
On May 8, 2009 Abdelkader was brought up to the Red Wings as the replacement for Tomáš Kopecký
Tomas Kopecky
Tomáš Kopecký is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League .- Detroit Red Wings :...
, who sat out Game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals series against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Coach Mike Babcock
Mike Babcock
Michael "Mike" Babcock, Jr. is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and former player. He serves as head coach of the Red Wings. He also served as the head coach of Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver...
sent Abdelkader to replace Kopecký "because he'll run over people. We expect him to play hard like Darren Helm
Darren Helm
Darren Helm is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.- Junior career :...
. He's on the forecheck and he's a physical guy." During the game Abdelkader scored his first career point on an assist to Johan Franzén
Johan Franzen
Johan Franzén is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :Franzén started playing ice hockey in Boro/Vetlanda HC, Landsbro near Vetlanda in Sweden...
.
Abdelkader scored his first career NHL goal on May 30, 2009 in Game 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
2009 Stanley Cup Finals
The Red Wings took Game 1, 3–1, as three different Detroit players scored goals off of unusual bounces. The first period featured back and forth action, with each team having a variety of chances...
against the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. After shooting the puck, he grabbed the rebound out of the air with his glove, dropped the puck, and beat Marc-André Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-André Fleury is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
high stick side. His second goal came nearly 24 hours later in the second game of the series, off of what commentators described as a "knuckle puck." He carried the puck into the forward zone alone against three Penguins defenders and fired a slapshot past Fleury. He became the first rookie to score a goal in consecutive finals games since Minnesota
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
's Dino Ciccarelli
Dino Ciccarelli
.Dino Ciccarelli is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League, primarily with the Minnesota North Stars. He scored 1,200 points in his NHL career. His 608 career NHL goals are also the most goals scored by a draft-eligible player who was not...
did it in 1981
1981 Stanley Cup Finals
-References:...
.
During the 2009-2010 season Justin played 50 games for the Red Wings scoring 3 goals, while adding 3 assists. The Red Wings gave him a two-year extension worth $1.575 million, that began in the 2010-2011 season. The contract has an annual cap hit of $787,500.
The 2010-2011 season was Justin's first full season as a Red Wing, as he spent the whole season in Detroit, and no time with the affiliate Griffin's. He played in 74 games, scoring 7 goals, and adding 12 assists. Having spent the whole season with the Red Wings Justin established career highs in basically every category including, games, goals, assists, and points.
International play
Abdelkader was selected to play for the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Junior National Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 2007.
Personal life
Justin Abdelkader is the son of Joseph and Sheryl Abdelkader. The surname Abdelkader is ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ic. His paternal grandfather, Yusef Abdul Qadir
Abdul Qadir
Abdul Qadir is a male Muslim given name. It is built from the Arabic words Abd, al- and Qadir. The name means "servant of the powerful", Al-Qādir being one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give rise to the Muslim theophoric names....
(Anglicised Joseph Abdelkader), emigrated from Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
at the age of 19 to Muskegon, where he later met a Polish girl named Susie.
Abdelkader was born and raised in Norton Shores and graduated from Mona Shores High School
Mona Shores Public Schools
Mona Shores Public Schools is a public school district located in Michigan, United States, in the western side of the state near Lake Michigan. The district includes most of the city of Norton Shores, which is just south of Muskegon.-Background:...
in 2004. He was named to the all-state hockey team and awarded the Mr. Hockey award, given to the top high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
ice hockey player in Michigan. During his senior year, he played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League . Before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1999, the team was based in Mason City, where they were known as the North Iowa Huskies....
of the USHL, and helped the team win the 2004-05 Clark Cup
Clark Cup
The Clark Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the winner of the United States Hockey League Tier 1 Junior Hockey playoff champions. The Clark Cup was named in honor of Dan Clark, the long-time registrar of the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association. Clark was also the recipient of the NHL's Lester...
Championship.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Cedar Rapids RoughRiders The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League . Before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1999, the team was based in Mason City, where they were known as the North Iowa Huskies.... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
60 | 27 | 25 | 52 | 86 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 2005–06 | Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey The Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents Michigan State University . The team plays at the Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Michigan, on the MSU campus. The current head coach is Tom Anastos, who took over coaching duties on March 23, 2011,... |
NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... |
44 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Michigan State Spartans | NCAA | 38 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Michigan State Spartans | NCAA | 42 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 107 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
76 | 24 | 28 | 52 | 102 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 23 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 33 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 50 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 36 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 61 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | ||
| NCAA totals | 124 | 44 | 51 | 95 | 281 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 128 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 98 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 58 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 2007 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Mora and Leksand, Sweden between December 26, 2006 and January 5, 2007. The venues were FM Mattsson Arena in Mora, and Ejendals Arena in Leksand... |
USA | WJC | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |