Alex Foster
Encyclopedia
Alexander Dwight Foster is an American
professional ice hockey
forward
currently playing with HC Sparta Praha
of the Czech Extraliga
. He is the son of former NHL player Dwight Foster and nephew of former NHL player Wes Jarvis
. Prior to advancing to the professional ranks, Foster played both junior hockey
and college hockey
. He played his collegiate hockey at Bowling Green State University
. After leaving college in 2006, he was signed to the Toronto Maple Leafs
organization. He played for their farm team
, the Toronto Marlies
, occasionally being called into action for the NHL
team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
, Colorado Rockies
, New Jersey Devils
and Detroit Red Wings
during his 10 seasons in the major league. His uncle, Wes Jarvis
, also played in the NHL for the Washington Capitals
, Minnesota North Stars
, Los Angeles Kings
and Toronto Maple Leafs. Foster graduated from Salem High School
in 2002.
for three seasons. He played the 2001-02 and 2002–03 seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede
, and 2002–03 and 2003-04 seasons with the Danville Wings. In his time with the Wings, he helped lead them to the final four of the USHL playoffs.
Foster joined the Bowling Green Falcons
ice hockey team in 2004. During his time at Bowling Green, Foster amassed 82 points in 72 games and ranks 10th all-time at BGSU in assists-per-game, averaging .875. In his freshman
season (2004–05) he was named CCHA Rookie of the Week on January 9, 2005. He finished the season as the ninth-highest scoring freshman in the conference.
In his sophomore
(2005–06) season, Foster tallied 51 points in 38 games. He was named CCHA Player of the Month for November 2005, Offensive Player of the Week on November 7, 2005 and was a Hobey Baker Award
candidate.
by the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 8, 2006. His contract included the maximum possible signing bonus, which was approximately US$170,000. Foster was assigned to Toronto's AHL
minors team, the Toronto Marlies the next day. In his rookie
(2005–06) season with the Marlies, Foster scored one goal in eight games. On October 16, 2006, Foster was re-assigned to the Columbia Inferno
of the ECHL
, later to be recalled to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on November 11, 2006. Foster re-signed with the Toronto Marlies on July 18, 2007 with a one-year contract.
On February 24, 2008, Foster established a Toronto Marlies single season record for short-handed goals when he scored his fifth short-handed goal of the season against the Hamilton Bulldogs
.
On March 17, 2008, Foster was called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs
and made his NHL debut the following night against the New York Islanders
, wearing jersey #32. He would appear in three games before being re-assigned to the Toronto Marlies on March 26, 2008. In his three games he totaled one shot, no points, and no penalty minutes.
On October 22, 2010, he was named the third captain in Toronto Marlies history.
On June 7, 2011, after spending his 6th professional season within the Maple Leafs organization, Foster left as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with European team, HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
currently playing with HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
of the Czech Extraliga
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
. He is the son of former NHL player Dwight Foster and nephew of former NHL player Wes Jarvis
Wes Jarvis
Wesley Herbert Jarvis is a former Canadian ice hockey player, and is a cousin of former NHLer Doug Jarvis.-Hockey career:...
. Prior to advancing to the professional ranks, Foster played both junior hockey
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
and college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....
. He played his collegiate hockey at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. After leaving college in 2006, he was signed to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
organization. He played for their farm team
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
, the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
, occasionally being called into action for the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Personal life
Alex Foster was born August 26, 1984 in Canton, Michigan to parents Dwight and Maryann Foster. He has two brothers and one sister. His father, Dwight is a former NHL player who played for the Boston BruinsBoston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
during his 10 seasons in the major league. His uncle, Wes Jarvis
Wes Jarvis
Wesley Herbert Jarvis is a former Canadian ice hockey player, and is a cousin of former NHLer Doug Jarvis.-Hockey career:...
, also played in the NHL for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Toronto Maple Leafs. Foster graduated from Salem High School
Plymouth-Canton Educational Park
The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park encompasses three public secondary schools—Salem High School, Canton High School, and Plymouth High School—in Canton Township, Michigan, United States. PCEP is located on a campus in Wayne County...
in 2002.
Amateur
Alex Foster played junior hockey in the USHLUnited States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
for three seasons. He played the 2001-02 and 2002–03 seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League . Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Stampede plays its home games at the Sioux Falls Arena....
, and 2002–03 and 2003-04 seasons with the Danville Wings. In his time with the Wings, he helped lead them to the final four of the USHL playoffs.
Foster joined the Bowling Green Falcons
Bowling Green Falcons
The Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. BGSU is one of only 13 universities in the...
ice hockey team in 2004. During his time at Bowling Green, Foster amassed 82 points in 72 games and ranks 10th all-time at BGSU in assists-per-game, averaging .875. In his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
season (2004–05) he was named CCHA Rookie of the Week on January 9, 2005. He finished the season as the ninth-highest scoring freshman in the conference.
In his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
(2005–06) season, Foster tallied 51 points in 38 games. He was named CCHA Player of the Month for November 2005, Offensive Player of the Week on November 7, 2005 and was a Hobey Baker Award
Hobey Baker Award
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
candidate.
Professional
He was signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 8, 2006. His contract included the maximum possible signing bonus, which was approximately US$170,000. Foster was assigned to Toronto's AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
minors team, the Toronto Marlies the next day. In his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
(2005–06) season with the Marlies, Foster scored one goal in eight games. On October 16, 2006, Foster was re-assigned to the Columbia Inferno
Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
, later to be recalled to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on November 11, 2006. Foster re-signed with the Toronto Marlies on July 18, 2007 with a one-year contract.
On February 24, 2008, Foster established a Toronto Marlies single season record for short-handed goals when he scored his fifth short-handed goal of the season against the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
.
On March 17, 2008, Foster was called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and made his NHL debut the following night against the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, wearing jersey #32. He would appear in three games before being re-assigned to the Toronto Marlies on March 26, 2008. In his three games he totaled one shot, no points, and no penalty minutes.
On October 22, 2010, he was named the third captain in Toronto Marlies history.
On June 7, 2011, after spending his 6th professional season within the Maple Leafs organization, Foster left as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with European team, HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga.
Awards
- CCHA Rookie of the Week of January 10–16, 2005
- CCHA Offensive Player of the Month of November (2005)
- CCHA Offensive Player of the Week
- Single Season Franchise Record (Toronto Marlies) for Shorthanded Goals (5) (2008)
- Toronto Marlies Fan Favourite Award 2008
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Sioux Falls Stampede Sioux Falls Stampede The Sioux Falls Stampede is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League . Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Stampede plays its home games at the Sioux Falls Arena.... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
57 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2002–03 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Danville Wings | USHL | 55 | 23 | 30 | 53 | 91 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | BGSU Falcons Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State... |
CCHA | 34 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | BGSU Falcons | CCHA | 38 | 11 | 40 | 51 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Toronto Marlies Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Columbia Inferno Columbia Inferno The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
9 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Toronto Marlies | AHL | 58 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Toronto Marlies | AHL | 67 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 30 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 2007–08 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Toronto Marlies | AHL | 80 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 88 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Toronto Marlies | AHL | 30 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 AHL season The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011... |
Toronto Marlies | AHL | 70 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||