O2K Athlete: #18 Jared Spurgeon

The Prototype New Era Defenseman...

Jared Spurgeon embodies everything the modern era defenceman should be. He is highly skilled, ideal for running the powerplay, and deceptively quick, excellent for sneaking in from the point for the tap-in one-timer. He compares well with current NHL defencemen Ian White, Kris Russell, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Brian Rafalski and Francis Bouillon. His gap control is excellent, he displays excellent anticipation, and he plays a physical game that belies his size.

The 2009-10 season was another successful one for Spurgeon. He posted 8 goals and 43 assists for 51 points in just 54 games played. He is an astounding +76 over that past 3 seasons combined. He was the Western Conference nominee and WHL Runner-Up for the league's Most Sportsmanlike Award in 2010 (Brad Hornung Trophy). He also won a pair of team awards, the Player's Player and the Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year for his Spokane Chiefs.

In 2009, Spurgeon led all Spokane defenseman in scoring with 10 goals and 45 points in 59 games. He tallied a career high five points (one goal, four assists) twice in 2008-09, January 28th in a 9-2 win over Everett and on February 14th in a 11-2 victory against Edmonton.

He was named the John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year for the Chiefs in both 07-08 and 08-09.

Spurgeon was selected by the New York Islanders with their sixth round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 2007-08, Spurgeon also won the Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year for the Chiefs after scoring 12 goals, 31 assists and 43 points in 69 games.

Spurgeon recorded a six game point scoring streak from October 13th, 2007 through October 27th and had one goal and six points. In 69 games, Spurgeon finished the game as a minus just six times.

In 38 games in 2006-07, Spurgeon recorded four goals and 19 assists. His season was hampered due to injury that forced him to miss big stretches throughout. In his final nine games of the regular season, Spurgeon scored three goals and had seven assists.

Spurgeon enjoyed a successful rookie season with 46 games, three goals, 12 points and 28 penalty minutes in 2005-06. The defenseman scored nine goals and 21 points in 26 games in 2004-05 with the Edmonton KC Pats of the AMHL. Spurgeon was originally selected in the 10th round of the 2004 WHL Bantam Draft by Spokane.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Jared
• Spurgeon
• Spokane
• Chiefs
• WHL
• NHL
• Draft
• O2K
• Management
• Hockey
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[Hagee33]

He's going to be a big star!

[HaRriss1313]

@haleylaverne509 He's on the Minnesota Wild now, even though he's a rookie, he's way better then Brent Burns, the person wild fans consider to be our top defenceman. I'm proud to say that im possibly the first minnesotan to have a Spurgeon Wild Jersey.

[haleylaverne509]

Jared Spurgeon is amazing i dont know if i can like the chiefs as much now that he is gone he was one of my favorite players for 5 years...I began watching the chiefs and to me he was one of the top players and one of the defensemen i have seen in the league and i watch alot of hockey...Hope to see him in the NHL one day he has alot of talent to go unnoticed...