Fourth season as a Griffin…Third year pro…Signed to a three-year entry-level contract by Detroit, 9/18/09…Assigned to Red Deer (WHL) by Detroit, 9/18/09…Reassigned from Red Deer by Detroit, 3/30/10…Reassigned to Red Deer by Detroit, 4/12/10…Assigned by Detroit, 9/29/10…Recalled by Detroit, 10/1/10…Assigned by Detroit, 10/3/10…Reassigned to Toledo (ECHL) by Detroit, 12/1/10…Reassigned from Toledo by Detroit, 12/6/10…Reassigned to Toledo by Detroit, 1/28/11…Reassigned from Toledo by Detroit, 4/5/11...Assigned by Detroit, 9/26/11…Assigned by Detroit, 9/14/12…Reassigned to Toledo by Detroit, 10/9/12...Reassigned from Toledo by Detroit, 1/4/13...Reassigned to Toledo by Detroit, 1/5/13...Reassigned from Toledo by Detroit, 2/15/13...Reassigned to Toledo by Detroit, 2/16/13...Reassigned from Toledo by Detroit, 4/19/13.
2011-12: Notched 22 points (11-11—22) in 61 games with Grand Rapids as a second-year pro…Recorded his first AHL goal, 10/8/11 at Rockford…Tallied goals in each of the team’s first two games, 10/8/11-10/14/11…Enjoyed a career-best three-game point streak (2-1—3) from 10/29/11-11/2/11 and matched that streak with four points (2-2—4) in three games from 1/13/12-1/17/12…Registered his first AHL two-goal game, 12/14/11 vs. Rockford…Scored in back-to-back games on four occasions.
2010-11: Split first professional season between Grand Rapids and Toledo…Recorded his first AHL point with an assist, 10/23/10 vs. Rochester…Finished the season with five points (0-5—5) in 25 games with the Griffins…Tallied his first multi-point game (0-2—2), 11/27/10 at Chicago…Debuted with ECHL Toledo on 12/3/10 and notched six points (3-3—6) in his first six games…Earned 20 points (9-11—20) in 36 total contests with the Walleye.
2009-10: Made AHL debut, 4/3/10 at Abbotsford, and appeared in two games with Grand Rapids…Tied for 18th in the Western Hockey League with 81 points (29-52—81) in 72 games for Red Deer…His 52 assists tied for 14th in the league…Paced the Rebels in assists, points and plus-minus (plus-10), while standing second in goals and third in power play tallies (10)…Netted one goal in four playoff games with Red Deer…Was a teammate of current Griffin Landon Ferraro.
2008-09: Skated in 72 contests for Red Deer, ranking among the Rebels’ leaders with 18 goals (3rd), 24 assists (T3rd), 42 points (2nd) and 10 power play goals (2nd). 2007-08: Played 56 games between Cowichan Valley (33) of the British Columbia Hockey League and Red Deer (23)…Tallied 16 points (5-11—16) for Cowichan Valley, tying for ninth in assists and 12th in points…Netted two goals during his time with Red Deer.
Personal: Lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia…Has a Shetland Sheepdog named Annie…Has one older sister, Val…Best friend in hockey is Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson…Greatest hockey memory is playing in a preseason game with the Red Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs…Began playing hockey at the age of four…Hockey nicknames are Bill and Cotez…Hockey idol as a youth was Pavel Bure…Chose his jersey number because he admires Teemu Selanne and Justin Abdelkader…Greatest influence on his hockey career is his family because they push him through the good and bad…Plans on staying involved in hockey after his playing career…First job was doing construction…Greatest obstacle he’s overcome was not getting drafted…Proudest achievements are signing with the Red Wings and playing for the Griffins…Favorite charities are Love for Lokomotiv and anything related to cancer…Most unique thing he’s done is travel to South Africa to visit family…Most interesting fact about him is that he’s the only professional South African-born hockey player ever…If he could trade occupations for one day, he would trade with a professional golfer, Derek Jeter or Brad Pitt…Also speaks Afrikaans…Played soccer, golf and baseball growing up…Once met Brad Pitt…Favorite food is chicken and rice…Favorite music artists are Mumford & Sons and Anberlin…Favorite movie is
Saving Private Ryan…Favorite TV show is
The Walking Dead…Favorite web site is YouTube…Favorite book is
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins…Favorite vacation spot is Mexico…Roots for the Detroit Tigers and New York Giants…Enjoys watching golf, football and soccer.
