BIOGRAPHY
Ryan Kesler is an American born professional ice hockey player, currently with the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL.
During the 2007-8 hockey season, he has developed into a respected two-way forward, exceptional at shutting down the opposition's star lines, while providing an offensive upside of his own.
Along with linemate and personal friend, Alex Burrows, he has quickly become one of the Canucks' most valuable players, contributing to all parts of the game at both ends of the ice
His playing style is characterised by his speed - which has contributed to some spectacular breakaways - his willingness to throw himself into physical play - and his in-your-face methods of throwing his opponents off their game.
EARLY DAYS
Ryan was born in Livonia, Michigan on 31st August 1984, to Mike and Linda Kesler. He has two older siblings - brother Todd and sister Jenny.
Mike is a respected hockey coach, and ran a hockey school for many years - he introduced his children to the ice at a very young age. Ryan recalls skating at around the age of 4.
From this early start, Ryan worked his way through the Michigan youth hockey ranks all the way up to the National Team Development Program (U-18), chosen due to its proximity to his Michigan hometown.
“It was good because I got to graduate from my own high school, keep in touch with my friends and live at home, I don’t think I was ready to leave home at the time”.
His hockey idol growing up was fellow Livonian, Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars.
NTDP & COLLEGE
Kesler thrived at the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, over the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons. During his two years there, he had a total of 99 points in 131 games (30-69-99).
“It’s an excellent program - I developed a lot there, as a person and as a player. I matured there”.
Mike Eaves (a former NHLer himself, and Patrick Eaves' dad) was Ryan's coach at the NTDP: “He brings a physical presence to the ice and is good even when he doesn’t have the puck,” said Eaves. “He’s a great penalty killer with a great knowledge of the game”. Eaves also praised Kesler for “[understanding] what his role was and [performing] it to the best of his ability to help the team win.”
While with the NTDP Ryan was selected to represent his country at the 2002 U-18 World Juniors, and was a significant contributor to the American team's gold medal winning performance, receiving the tournament's Best Player award.
For the 2002-2003 season, at age 18, Ryan chose to pursue the college hockey route, which took him to Ohio State University, and the Buckeyes CCHA team.
As a freshman in Columbus, he scored 11 goals and 20 assists to rank fourth in team scoring, behind third-year forward R.J. Umberger - also a Vancouver Canucks first round draft pick. Kesler's play during his single year as a Buckeye earned him an honourable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team. He was also league rookie of the week three times.
TEAM USA
Following his impressive performance with the U-18 team in 2002, Ryan has subsequently been selected for international duty on a number of occasions.
"It’s always an awesome experience to put on the USA jersey"
At the 2003 IIHF World Junior Championship, where the USA finished fourth, he was second on the team in points, averaging a point a game.
The following year, with 3 goals in 6 games, he helped the United States win its first-ever gold medal at the 2004 World Juniors. On loan for the tournament from the Vancouver Canucks, Kesler scored the game-tying goal against Canada in the gold-medal game.
In 2006, as the Vancouver Canucks failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, Ryan once again donned the Team USA jersey, competing in the Men's World Championship, reaching the quarter finals. Earlier in the same year, he was also invited to the Olympic Orientation Camp, but didn’t make the final cut.
Interviewed at the time: “I didn’t make it this year … and I really didn’t expect to. There’s a lot of veteran guys, and just going to the orientation camp was an experience in itself, playing with guys like Mike Modano, guys I grew up watching.”
Ryan was once again invited to play for Team USA at the Worlds in 2008, but declined as his baby daughter is due to be born in the middle of the championship.
"I definitely made the right decision not going to the world championships because I would have been devastated if I missed the birth.
NHL - VANCOUVER CANUCKS
In 2003, Ryan's college career was cut short, as he was drafted into the NHL. He was taken 23rd overall in the first round by the Vancouver Canucks.
He split his first professional season between the Manitoba Moose in the AHL, and the Canucks - playing 28 NHL games. His first NHL game was on 24th November 2003, against the Toronto Maple Leafs - and he scored his first NHL goal just 5 days later, against the Calgary Flames.
The 2004-2005 NHL lockout sent him to the Moose for a full season, where he emerged as one of the Canucks' top prospects, and was named the Winnipeg team's MVP.
From the 2005-2006 season to date, Kesler has played full time for Vancouver. His play has improved year on year - although he unfortunately missed a large part of the 2006-2007 season due to a hip injury.
His NHL career to date has not been uneventful. his name became well known throughout the league when, as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2006, he signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers worth $1.9 million US. This sparked much comment and controversy as, at the time, it was almost unheard of for a team to extend offer sheets to RFAs, and it was generally criticized around the league. The Canucks had a week to decide whether to match the offer or take a second-round pick from the Flyers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft as compensation. The Canucks' GM, Dave Nonis, was in an awkward position, but he chose to re-sign Kesler, thus raising Ryan's salary, and profile, significantly.
Kes has since signed a three year contract worth $1.75 million per annum, which covers him up until the summer of 2010.
Other newsworthy incidents during Ryan's NHL career to date include:
- He worked hard to rehabilitate way ahead of schedule following surgery on his hip, in order to get back into the lineup for round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, only to seriously injure his finger blocking a shot during game 1 of the first series against Dallas, which ended his season. He is famously reported to have requested that his finger should be amputated in order for him to continue playing.
- During one of the first games of the 2007-2008 season, he was the recipient of a vicious cross-check to the face by Jesse Boulerice of the Philadelphia Flyers. The cross-check left Kesler on the ice for a period of time, but he fortunately escaped serious injury. Boulerice was subsequently given a 25 game suspension, matching the longest single season suspension in league history.
- Later in the same season, Kesler was involved in another incident in which he was stomped on the leg by Anaheim Ducks defensemen Chris Pronger who received an eight-game suspension.
OFF THE ICE
Ryan lives with his wife Andrea in Vancouver during the hockey season, and they make their home near Detroit in Michigan for the rest of the year.
The couple, who married in 2005, have three dogs - two, Rocko and Kobe, are pugs. The third dog is Andrea's and is called Muffy.
The Keslers are expecting a baby daughter in May 2008 - their first child: "We’ve decided on Mackayla (not sure on spelling yet), which is the name I chose and my wife gets the middle name, Rylan. I just can’t wait to get to hold her."
His father, Mike, was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer, a very rare form of cancer in the small intestines, during the 2007 playoff run. Mike is currently in good health, and Ryan is working to set up a golfing charity in Michigan to raise funds for research into the condition.
Kes is keen on hip hop music, racing classic cars - he has a mustang which he keeps in Michigan, and video games - he plays Xbox 360, and can occasionally be found playing online - although he is sensibly reluctant to reveal his screen name.
His nickname is 'Bull' - earned when he ran Todd Bertuzzi, who was in a red jersey, during practice. More recently, Kesler and Alex Burrows have picked up the joint nickname of 'Frick and Frack' - we are not yet sure which is Frick and which is Frack :)
His best pal is Chris Conner, who currently plays for the Dallas Stars.
Outside of hockey, the one thing Kesler's better at than anything else is playing baseball. He was a pitcher until he was 12 years old. "I'd throw a couple of fastballs then throw the change-up." He says he has "still got mean off-speed stuff".
He claims nothing scares him, but that he has found a couple of movies 'unsettling': "When I was a kid it was 'Chucky,' but I saw 'The Grudge' pretty recently and that was a scary movie."
His favourite TV show is Seinfeld
And for those of you who want to know EVERYTHING - Ryan's favourite vegetable? the cucumber :)