Shot Left Role Ice hockey player Career end 1990 Name Curt Fraser Career start 1978 | Playing career Weight 91 kg National team United States Height 1.83 m Position Winger | |
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Born January 12, 1958 (age 66)
Cincinnati, OH, USA ( 1958-01-12 ) NHL Draft 22nd overall, 1978
Vancouver Canucks Played for Minnesota North Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks | ||
Curt Fraser NHL Highlights
Curtis Martin Fraser (born January 12, 1958 in Cincinnati, Ohio but raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia) is a former ice hockey player of dual American and Canadian citizenship. He currently serves as assistant coach of the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars.
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Fraser was born in Cincinnati while his father played for the International Hockey League's Cincinnati Mohawks. He was raised in Winnipeg and Vancouver. Fraser was diagnosed with diabetes in 1983 and is active in fundraising and awareness efforts for the disease.
Playing career
Fraser played junior hockey with the Victoria Cougars of the Western Hockey League, where he set franchise records for goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes. He was then drafted 22nd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. He made the team right away and was placed on a line with fellow rookies Thomas Gradin and Stan Smyl. The trio would be the Canucks' top offensive line for the next four years and play a large role in the club's trip to the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals.
On December 20, 1982, Fraser was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for Tony Tanti. He had his best season in Chicago, registering 68 points (29 goals and 39 assists) in only 61 games in 1985–86. After five years with the Hawks, he was dealt to the Minnesota North Stars on January 2, 1988 for Dirk Graham. After playing in only 53 games over the next two and a half years with the Stars, his back problems forced him to retire in 1990.
Owing to his dual U.S./Canadian citizenship, Fraser has represented both countries in international tournaments. He played for Canada at the 1978 World Junior Championship and for the USA at the 1987 Canada Cup.
Coaching career
After his playing career ended, Fraser embarked upon a coaching career. After minor league stops in Milwaukee, Syracuse, and Orlando, Fraser became the first head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999. His record was 64–169–46 over three and a half seasons with Atlanta before being fired in 2003. Since then he has served as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues.
Recently, he has coached the Belarusian national men's ice hockey team at the 2007 and 2008 IIHF World Championships.
On July 23, 2008, the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins hired Fraser as their head coach, where he served until June 18, 2012 when he was hired by the Dallas Stars as assistant coach.