Jeff Heerema facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jeff Heerema |
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Heerema with the Binghamton Senators during the 2006-07 season
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| Born | January 17, 1980 Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Carolina Hurricanes St. Louis Blues Frankfurt Lions KHL Medveščak Nottingham Panthers |
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| NHL Draft | 11th overall, 1998 Carolina Hurricanes |
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| Playing career | 2000–2012 | ||
Jeffrey Heerema was a professional ice hockey player from Canada. He played as a right winger. Jeffrey was born on January 17, 1980. He was chosen early in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. He was the 11th player picked overall! Jeffrey played for many teams during his career. His last team was the Nottingham Panthers in the UK. Before that, he played for KHL Medveščak Zagreb in Croatia.
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Jeffrey Heerema's Hockey Journey
Jeffrey Heerema started his professional hockey journey after playing three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Sarnia Sting. His first pro game was with the Cincinnati Cyclones in the IHL during the 2000-01 season.
Playing in the NHL
Jeffrey made his big debut in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2002-03 season. He played ten games for the Carolina Hurricanes and scored three goals. The next season, 2003-04, he joined the St. Louis Blues. He was picked up by them in the 2003 NHL Waiver Draft, which is when teams can claim players from other teams. He played 22 games for the Blues and scored one goal.
Time in the AHL
Jeffrey spent a lot of time playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). This league is often where players develop their skills before or after playing in the NHL. He played two full seasons, 2005-06 and 2006-07, with the Binghamton Senators. He was a strong player for them, scoring 141 points in 155 games. Points are a combination of goals and assists.
Playing in Europe
After his time in the AHL, Jeffrey moved to Germany in 2007. He signed with the Frankfurt Lions in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), which is Germany's top hockey league. He scored 20 goals in his first season there. Because he played so well, he was given another year with the Lions.
In 2009, Jeffrey moved to Croatia to play for KHL Medveščak Zagreb. This team played in the Austrian Hockey League. He quickly became an important player, scoring 24 points in 28 games.
Return to the UK
Later in 2010, Jeffrey signed with the Nottingham Panthers in the UK's Elite Ice Hockey League. He had a great first season with the Panthers, scoring 18 goals and 34 points in 28 games.
He returned for a second season with the Nottingham Panthers. However, he faced some tough injuries. He got a concussion and a broken nose after a collision with a teammate. This injury made him miss most of October. Later, in February 2012, he suffered another broken nose and concussion. Because of these injuries, he went back to Canada to rest and get better.
Family Connections
Jeffrey Heerema comes from a family of hockey players! He is the cousin of four other professional hockey players: Eric Staal, Marc Staal, Jordan Staal, and Jared Staal. All of them have played professional hockey, showing that hockey talent runs in their family! Their family has Dutch roots.
