Kurtis Foster

Lore & Background

Foster began his major junior career with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), selected in the fourth round, 69th overall, in the 1997 OHL Priority Selection. He played his first junior game on September 18, 1997, and scored his first OHL goal on September 25 against Curtis Cruickshank. Over five seasons with the Petes, Foster developed into an offensive defenceman, recording a breakout 17-goal, 41-point season in 2000–01 and scoring a hat-trick on March 8, 2001, against T. J. Aceti of the Oshawa Generals.

After being drafted by Calgary, Foster was traded to Atlanta in December 2001 and spent most of his early professional career with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL), winning the Calder Cup in 2002. He made his NHL debut on March 31, 2003, with the Thrashers and earned his first NHL point on February 3, 2004, an assist against the Boston Bruins. In June 2004, Foster was traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, but the 2004–05 NHL lockout led him to play the entire season with the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, where he led all defencemen in goals and points.

Foster signed with the Minnesota Wild in August 2005 and scored his first two NHL goals on November 19, 2005, against Tomáš Vokoun. On March 20, 2008, he suffered a broken left femur after a hit by Torrey Mitchell of the San Jose Sharks, an injury that required season-ending surgery and led to complications including significant blood loss. Following the injury, the NHL added a rule regarding icing to protect competitors. Foster returned to play in March 2009 and later signed with Tampa Bay, where he posted a career-high 42 points in 2009–10. He finished his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers, signing a two-year, $3.6 million contract in July 2010.

Reader's Guide

Kurtis Foster's NHL career spanned 408 games, defined by his offensive contributions as a defenceman and his resilience after a severe injury. His most productive season came with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009–10, when he recorded 8 goals and 34 assists for 42 points. Foster's broken femur in March 2008, caused by a hit during an icing race, led to a prolonged recovery and complications that nearly cost him his leg. He later became an advocate for changing the NHL's icing rule, speaking publicly about the dangers of the play and noting that a surgery that typically takes three hours took nearly eight hours due to bleeding. The NHL subsequently amended its icing rule following the 2007–08 season. Foster was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2010, an award given for perseverance and dedication to hockey. His career also included winning the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award in 2004 for community service in the AHL and a Calder Cup championship with the Chicago Wolves in 2002. After his playing career, Foster became a coach.

Did You Know?

• He won the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award in 2003–04, given to the AHL player best in the community.
• Foster's broken left femur in March 2008 required surgery that took nearly eight hours due to complications, and he later advocated for an NHL icing rule change.