| Alexander Kerfoot | |||
|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Kerfoot with theToronto Maple Leafs in 2022 | |||
| Born | (1994-08-11)August 11, 1994 (age 30) Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Utah Hockey Club Colorado Avalanche Toronto Maple Leafs Arizona Coyotes | ||
| NHL draft | 150th overall,2012 New Jersey Devils | ||
| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Alexander Douglas Kerfoot (born August 11, 1994) is a Canadian professionalice hockeyforward andalternate captain for theUtah Hockey Club of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fifth round, 150th overall, by theNew Jersey Devils in the2012 NHL Entry Draft and has previously played in the NHL for theColorado Avalanche,Toronto Maple Leafs andArizona Coyotes.
Kerfoot was drafted as a youth in the 12th round, 254th overall, by theSeattle Thunderbirds of theWestern Hockey League (WHL) in the 2009WHL Bantam Draft. AVancouver native, Kerfoot opted to play as a midget with the Vancouver NorthWest Giants in theBC Hockey Major Midget League (BCMML) alongside future NHLerSam Reinhart and future PWHLerKaleigh Fratkin. In his second season with the Giants in 2011, Kerfoot led the team alongside Reinhart to the championship. He led the BCMML with 72 assists and 108 points before earning MVP honours at theTelus Cup.[1] He finished the 2010–11 season by joining theCoquitlam Express of theBritish Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).
On May 30, 2011, Kerfoot agreed to return to the Express for the2011–12 season while completing his final year of high school atCollingwood School.[2] In the midst of the season, Kerfoot was selected to play for the Team Canada West squad at theWorld Junior A Challenge inLangley, British Columbia. He scored the winning goal in overtime to defeat Sweden in the semi-finals in which the team advanced to eventually win the gold medal.[3] Kerfoot also enjoyed a standout season with the Express, placing third on the team after recording 25 goals and 44 assists (69 points) in 51 games. He earned recognition in collecting the Coastal Rookie of the Year honours and a place in the All-Rookie Team and was announced in the First All-Star Team while winning the Bob Fenton Trophy as the BCHL's most sportsmanlike player.[4]
At the2012 NHL Entry Draft, Kerfoot was selected by theNew Jersey Devils in the fifth round, 150th overall.[5] On August 20, 2012, Kerfoot announced his commitment to playNCAA hockey atHarvard University with theCrimson men's ice hockey team in the fall of 2013.[3] Returning to the Express for his draft-plus-one year (due to his late birthday), Kerfoot appeared in just 16 games for the2012–13 season before he was sidelined through injury.
In beginning his collegiate career in the2013–14 season, Kerfoot made his debut for Harvard and registered an assist in a 3–0 victory overBentley University on October 26, 2013.[6] He scored his first goal the next game in a 3–3 tie withRensselaer Polytechnic Institute on October 29. In his freshman year, Kerfoot finished with 8 goals and 6 assists (14 points) in 25 games.
Kerfoot adjusted offensively in sophomore season, showing his playmaking ability to produce 30 points in 27 games. AlongsideJimmy Vesey andKyle Criscuolo, Kerfoot solidified his breakout season in the following2015–16 season in leading the Crimson with 30 assists as a junior. He was selected to the Second All-Ivy Team and earned a spot in the ECAC Third All-Star Team.[7]
In his senior season, with the departure of his linemates Vesey and Criscuolo, Kerfoot was announced as teamco-captain of the Crimson (alongside Devin Tringale) for the2016–17 season.[8] Kerfoot flourished in his senior year, helping take the Crimson to theFrozen Four for the first time since 1994.[9] In co-leading the team with 45 points in 36 games, he received the John Tudor Memorial Cup as Harvard's MVP, earning ECAC First Team honours and was named as a top-ten finalist for theHobey Baker Award as the top men's ice hockey player in the NCAA.[10] He completed his career with the Crimson with 123 points in 121 games.
Having completed his four-year collegiate career, Kerfoot chose not to sign a contract with the NHL organization that drafted him, the New Jersey Devils, rendering him a free agent.[11] Having rejected the Devils due to their prospect depth at the centre position, Kerfoot received NHL-wide interest including from his hometown club, theVancouver Canucks.[12] However, on August 23, 2017, Kerfoot signed a two-year, entry-level contract with theColorado Avalanche.[13]
After an impressive training camp with the Avalanche, Kerfoot played in a scoring-line role throughout the pre-season and secured a spot on the opening roster for the2017–18 season.[14] He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche, playing on a line withMatt Duchene andNail Yakupov. He registered his first NHL point with an assist onTyson Barrie's game-winning goal in a 4–2 victory over theNew York Rangers atMadison Square Garden on October 5, 2017.[15] He scored his first NHL goal on October 11 against theBoston Bruins in the Avalanche's season home opener.[16]
On July 1, 2019, Kerfoot, along with Tyson Barrie and a sixth-round pick in the2020 NHL Entry Draft, were traded to theToronto Maple Leafs in exchange forNazem Kadri,Calle Rosén and a third-round pick in 2020.[17] On July 4, as a restricted free agent, Kerfoot signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Maple Leafs (effective from the2019–20 season through to the 2022–23 season) worth an average annual value of $3.5 million.[18]
Following his fourth season with the Maple Leafs in2022–23, Kerfoot having completed his contract left the organization as a free agent and was signed to a two-year, $7 million contract with the Arizona Coyotes on July 1, 2023.[19]
Shortly after the end of the2023–24 regular season, the Coyotes' franchise was suspended and team assets were subsequently transferred to the expansionUtah Hockey Club; as a result, Kerfoot became a member of the Utah team.[20]
Kerfoot's father, Greg Kerfoot, is the majority owner ofVancouver Whitecaps FC ofMajor League Soccer (MLS).[21] He married Marissa Balleza, a field hockey player he met while at Harvard. She set Harvard's all-time record for career goals and points in 2016.[22]
Alexander majored ineconomics while at Harvard. He is the older brother to Colton and Daniel, both of whom also play hockey—Colton mirrored Alexander's path in committing to Harvard and played his freshman season as Alexander captained the Crimson in his final year in 2016–17.[23]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2009–10 | Vancouver NW Giants | BCMML | 26 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Vancouver NW Giants | BCMML | 38 | 36 | 72 | 108 | 58 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 2010–11 | Coquitlam Express | BCHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Coquitlam Express | BCHL | 51 | 25 | 44 | 69 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2012–13 | Coquitlam Express | BCHL | 16 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Harvard University | ECAC | 25 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Harvard University | ECAC | 27 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Harvard University | ECAC | 33 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Harvard University | ECAC | 36 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 79 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 78 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 38 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2019–20 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 65 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 56 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 13 | 38 | 51 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 30 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 524 | 87 | 177 | 264 | 186 | 48 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 22 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| BCMML | ||
| Telus Cup MVP | 2011 | [1] |
| BCHL | ||
| Coastal First All-Star Team | 2012 | |
| Coastal Most Sportsmanlike player | 2012 | [4] |
| Coastal Rookie of the Year | 2012 | |
| All-Rookie Team | 2012 | |
| College | ||
| All-ECAC Third Team | 2016 | [24][7] |
| All-Ivy League Second Team | 2016 | |
| East Second All-American Team | 2017 | |
| New England D1 All-Stars | 2017 | |
| All-Ivy League First Team | 2017 | [25] |