Derrick Walser

Career

Derrick Walser, a Canadian defenceman born on May 12, 1978, played 91 NHL games for the Columbus Blue Jackets and later became head coach of the Red Deer Rebels in the WHL. His professional career began when the Calgary Flames signed him as an undrafted free agent on October 16, 1998, and immediately sent him to their ECHL affiliate in Johnstown. Over parts of two seasons with the Johnstown Chiefs, he put up 25 goals and 38 assists in 73 games, earning a starting spot in the 2000 ECHL All-Star Game alongside teammate Joel Irving. He spent the entire 2000-01 season in the AHL with the Saint John Flames.

All of Walser’s NHL action came with Columbus, where he recorded 8 goals and 21 assists for 29 points. He played the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons with Eisbären Berlin of the DEL, winning back-to-back German championships, though the Blue Jackets kept his rights. On June 30, 2005, Columbus traded Walser and their 2006 fourth-round pick to Carolina for a 2005 fourth-round pick originally from Toronto, which Columbus used to select enforcer Jared Boll. He returned to North America for 2006–07 by signing with the Hurricanes, but before suiting up for Carolina, he was traded back to Columbus for prospect Mark Flood. In 2007, he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and played one season with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, before leaving to join Chekhov Vityaz of the KHL.

On June 5, 2009, Walser announced a return to Eisbären Berlin for two more years. During the 2010–11 season, he was a key piece of Berlin’s squad that captured both the German championship and the European Trophy, earning DEL Defenseman of the Year honors. After leaving Berlin, he spent four seasons with the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of Switzerland’s top league, the NLA, playing 185 games and tallying 42 goals and 81 assists. On July 30, 2015, he was named player/coach of the Belfast Giants in the EIHL. He left the Giants after two seasons, with his departure confirmed in April 2017. He later became an assistant coach with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. Walser and his wife Sara have two sons, Hudson and Camden, with Camden following in his father’s footsteps and winning top goaltender honors at the Canadian National Championships (Telus Cup).