Emerson Etem

Lore & Background

Etem grew up in a family with a strong rowing tradition; his mother Patricia made the U.S. Olympic rowing team but did not compete due to the 1980 boycott. His older brother Martin rowed at Syracuse University and placed third in the men's double at the Olympic trials before the London Games, and his sister Elise was a nationally ranked swimmer and rowing captain at UC Berkeley.

Etem began playing roller hockey after his brother, then moved to ice hockey, inspired by watching Sidney Crosby at a national championship tournament. At age 14 he moved to Faribault, Minnesota, to play for Shattuck-Saint Mary's, where he helped the Bantam team finish third at the Tier I 14 & under national championship and later won a Tier I 17 & under national title. He then played for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program before being drafted into the WHL by the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Reader's Guide

Etem's NHL career began after being drafted 29th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2010, despite being ranked eighth by NHL Central Scouting. He scored his first NHL goal on March 18, 2013, against the San Jose Sharks. On June 27, 2015, he was traded to the New York Rangers along with a second-round pick in exchange for Carl Hagelin and two draft picks.

With the Rangers, he served as a depth forward and recorded three assists in 19 games before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks on January 8, 2016, for Nicklas Jensen and a sixth-round pick. Reunited with his former junior coach Willie Desjardins, he scored his first Canucks goal on February 6, 2016, and finished the season with 12 points in 39 games. After re-signing with Vancouver, he was placed on waivers and claimed by Anaheim, where he played three scoreless games before a knee injury ended his season. He later signed with the Arizona Coyotes but requested and was granted a contract termination, then played briefly in Switzerland with Lugano.

After a professional tryout with the Los Angeles Kings and a stint with their AHL affiliate, he retired in 2020. He then became head coach and general manager of the Missoula Jr. Bruins, and in 2021 he and his wife purchased a junior team, relocating it to become the Long Beach Shredders, where he serves as part-owner, head coach, and general manager. In 2023, he was hired as radio color analyst and content producer for the Anaheim Ducks.

Did You Know?

• Etem co-owns the Long Beach Shredders of the USPHL and serves as their head coach and general manager.
• He was hired as radio color analyst for the Anaheim Ducks on July 20, 2023.