Born	February 25, 1987 (1987-02-25) (age 22), Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.
Height Weight	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Center
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Detroit Red Wings
NHL Draft	42nd overall, 2005 Detroit Red Wings
Pro career	2008 – present

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

Contents 1 College career 2 NHL career 2.1 Detroit Red Wings 3 International play 4 Personal life 5 Career statistics 5.1 Regular season and playoffs 5.2 International 6 References 7 External links

[edit] College career

On April 7, 2007 Abdelkader scored the game-winning goal in the 2007 NCAA Championship Game against Boston College, 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.

[edit] NHL career

[edit] Detroit Red Wings

Abdelkader was selected by the Detroit Red Wings 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.^[1]

Abdelkader scored 23 goals for the Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2008-09 season and was one of the team's best offensive players in the playoffs.^[2]

On May 8, 2009 Abdelkader was named 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."^[3] 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.^[4][5] 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.^[6]

[edit] International play

Medal record
Competitor for  United States
Men's ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Bronze	2007 Leksand

Abdelkader was selected to play for the United States Junior National Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden in 2007.^[7]

[edit] Personal life

Justin Abdelkader is the son of Joseph and Sheryl Abdelkader. The surname Abdelkader is Arabic. His paternal grandfather, Yusef Abdelkader (Americanized Joseph Abdelkader), emigrated to Muskegon from Jordan when he was 18 years old where he later met a Polish girl named Susie.^[8]

Abdelkader was born and raised in Norton Shores and graduated from Mona Shores High School in 2005. 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 Clark Cup for the USHL Championship.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004–05	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders	USHL		60	27	25	52	86		11	0	4	4	8
2005–06	Michigan State Spartans	NCAA		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	NHL		2	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Grand Rapids Griffins	AHL		76	24	28	52	102		10	6	2	8	23
2008–09	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		9	2	1	3	0
NCAA totals				124	44	51	95	281		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				4	0	0	0	2

[edit] International

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2007	USA	WJC	7	0	2	2	10

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Justin Abdelkader's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database