Hunter Drew

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Hunter Drew
Born (1998-10-21) October 21, 1998 (age 25)
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 213 lb (97 kg; 15 st 3 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
AHL team
Former teams		 Tucson Roadrunners
HC '05 Banská Bystrica
Anaheim Ducks
NHL draft 178th overall, 2018
Anaheim Ducks
Playing career 2019–present

Hunter Drew (born October 21, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks, 178th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career[edit]

Drew played major junior hockey with the Charlottetown Islanders in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 2016–2019, scoring 92 points in 167 games. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the sixth round, 178th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.[1] As a defenceman, Drew posted 50 points through 61 regular season games during his final season with the Islanders in 2018–19, earning a one-year contract with the Ducks American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, on August 14, 2019.[2]

In his first professional season in 2019–20, Drew split the season between the Gulls and secondary affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL. He posted two goals and seven points in 29 regular season games with the Gulls before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks on March 31, 2020.[3]

With the ongoing pandemic delaying the commencement of the 2020–21 season, Drew opted to continue his development in Europe by signing on loan with Slovakian club, HC '05 Banská Bystrica, on September 14, 2020.[4] He collected 9 goals and 16 points through 20 games before returning to North America for the Ducks training camp and re-assignment to the San Diego Gulls. With the introduction of a taxi squad stretching the Gulls roster, Drew split the shortened season on the blueline and spot filling as a forward.

In showing potential as a forward, Drew switched full-time to the wing entering his third professional season in 2021–22.[5] The positional switch came with instant success, as he responded in showing an offensive touch with the Gulls in finishing second amongst team forwards in scoring with 17 goals and 38 points in 64 regular season games. He was rewarded with his first recall to the Anaheim Ducks at the tail end of the season and made his NHL debut against the San Jose Sharks, and recorded his first NHL fight against Jonah Gadjovich in a 5-2 victory on April 26, 2022.[6] Drew went scoreless with the Ducks over their final two regular season games.

During the 2022–23 season, having played exclusively with the Gulls in posting just 11 points through 44 regular season games, Drew was traded by the Ducks to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Josiah Slavin on February 23, 2023.[7] Drew played out the remainder of his contract with the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, going scoreless in 16 appearances.[8]

As a free agent from the Blackhawks, Drew opted to continue his career in the AHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Tucson Roadrunners, who were the primary affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, on July 18, 2023.[8]

Career statistics[edit]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2014–15 Gananoque Islanders EOJHL 43 5 13 18 72 — — — — —
2015–16 Gananoque Islanders EBJCHL 34 6 18 24 81 4 1 1 2 15
2015–16 Kingston Voyageurs OJHL 10 1 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 0
2016–17 Charlottetown Islanders QMJHL 42 0 3 3 69 1 0 0 0 2
2017–18 Charlottetown Islanders QMJHL 64 8 31 39 159 18 2 9 11 30
2018–19 Charlottetown Islanders QMJHL 61 16 34 50 141 6 0 4 4 19
2019–20 San Diego Gulls AHL 29 2 5 7 33 — — — — —
2019–20 Tulsa Oilers ECHL 5 0 4 4 13 — — — — —
2020–21 HC '05 Banská Bystrica Slovak 20 9 7 16 111 — — — — —
2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL 33 6 6 12 29 — — — — —
2021–22 San Diego Gulls AHL 64 17 21 38 134 2 1 1 2 6
2021–22 Anaheim Ducks NHL 2 0 0 0 5 — — — — —
2022–23 San Diego Gulls AHL 44 5 6 11 92 — — — — —
2022–23 Rockford IceHogs AHL 16 0 0 0 57 — — — — —
2023–24 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 37 10 8 18 107 2 1 0 1 2
NHL totals 2 0 0 0 5 — — — — —

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ducks sign defenceman Hunter Drew to three-year, entry-level contract". Sportsnet. March 30, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  2. ^ "Gulls sign six players to one-year contracts". San Diego Gulls. August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  3. ^ "Ducks sign Badini, Drew to entry-level contracts". Anaheim Ducks. March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  4. ^ "HC05 secure Ducks prospect Hunter Drew on loan". HC '05 Banská Bystrica. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Hunter Drew's move from defense to forward paying off for San Diego". San Diego Gulls. February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  6. ^ "Ducks defeat Sharks 5-2". Fox Sports. April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Blackhawks acquire Hunter Drew from Ducks". Chicago Blackhawks. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Roadrunners sign Drew to AHL deal". American Hockey League. July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.

External links[edit]

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