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Micheal Ferland (born April 20, 1992) is a Canadian former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
winger . Ferland has previously played for the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
,
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
, and
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
. Ferland was drafted by the Flames in the fifth round, 133rd overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.


Early life

Ferland was born on April 20, 1992, in
Swan River, Manitoba Swan River is a town in Manitoba, Canada. It is surrounded by the Municipality of Swan Valley West in the Swan River Valley region. According to the 2021 Canadian Census, Swan River had a population of 4,049, making it Manitoba's 18th largest ...
. He is the middle of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother, raised by his mother Dianne, who worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home in Swan River. Ferland played house league hockey from ages 8 to 15 before earning the attention of the midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings; he was given a try-out and earned a place with the team. Dianne struggled to fund her son's hockey dream; she required support from charities such as KidSport and the Manitoba Métis Federation to help pay for his equipment. Dianne also credited her eldest daughter, Samantha, who was never able to play competitive sports herself as the family was unable to support more than one child in the sport. When Micheal made the midget Wheat Kings team, the parents of his Swan River teammates helped pay his enrollment fees.


Playing career


Junior

At age 17, Ferland joined the
major junior Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's nationa ...
Brandon Wheat Kings The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadians, Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. Founded in 1936, the team was for three decades a successful junior team playing principally in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Whe ...
of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL). He scored 9 goals and 28 points in 61 games during the 2009–10 regular season. He also appeared in 15 playoff games for Brandon, and played an additional five in the
2010 Memorial Cup The 2010 Memorial Cup was a four-team round-robin format tournament played during May 14–23, 2010 in Brandon, Manitoba. It was the 92nd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hock ...
. The
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
selected him with their fifth round pick, 133rd overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Ferland remained with Brandon for the following two seasons where he recorded 56 points in
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
then finished ninth in WHL scoring with 96 points in 2011–12. Ferland began his professional career in 2012–13. The Flames assigned him to their
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Abbotsford Heat The Abbotsford Heat were a professional ice hockey team that played five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) between 2009 and 2014. The team was based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, and played its home games at the 7,046-seat A ...
, to begin the season, but he arrived to training camp in poor condition and struggled with Abbotsford. After seven games, he was demoted to the
ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
's
Utah Grizzlies The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. Franchise history The current Utah Grizzlies franchise started in 1981 as the Nashville South Stars i ...
for just three more games before the Flames returned him to the Brandon Wheat Kings. His stay with the Wheat Kings was similarly short as Brandon traded Ferland to the
Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1964, the Blades were a charter team of the then-Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1966, and are the only club that has played ev ...
; as he struggled, the 20-year-old Ferland became discouraged and considered quitting hockey entirely. He persevered and played a pivotal role with the Blades as they won 18 consecutive games and appeared in the
2013 Memorial Cup The 2013 Memorial Cup was a four-team, round-robin format ice hockey tournament played from May 17–26, 2013. It was the 95th Memorial Cup championship and determined the champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The tournament featured ...
as the host team.


Professional


Calgary Flames

The Flames worked with Ferland throughout as they attempted to guide his career forward. During the 2012–13 season, head coach Bob Hartley connected Ferland with former NHL and fellow aboriginal player Gino Odjick to help his transition to professional hockey. Ferland returned to Abbotsford for the 2013–14 season 24 pounds lighter than the 234 pounds he weighed the previous season. He recorded 18 points in 25 games for the Heat before suffering a knee injury on December 12, 2013, that ended his season. Ferland had been considered a candidate to be recalled to Calgary prior to suffering his knee injury; the team had intended to recall him to the Flames as a reward for his work in Abbotsford at the time he was hurt. Returning to good health in time for training camp prior to the 2014–15 season, Ferland continued to impress the Flames' coaches with both his scoring ability and physical play. He did not make the roster out of camp; he was assigned to the
Adirondack Flames The Adirondack Flames were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Glens Falls, New York, and played at the 4,794 seat Glens Falls Civic Center. They were the top affiliate of the Calgary Flames of ...
(the Flames' new AHL affiliate) to start the season. He led Adirondack with four goals and five assists in nine games when an injury to Mikael Backlund led the Flames to recall Ferland to Calgary on October 30, 2014. He made his NHL debut the following night in a 4–3 victory over the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
, but was himself injured and missed the following eight games after being hit with an elbow to the head by Anton Volchenkov. Volchenkov received a four-game suspension for the hit. Ferland recorded his first NHL point on November 22, 2014, an assist on a goal by Josh Jooris in a 5–4 victory over the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
. Ferland played ten games with Calgary before returning to Adirondack. On his second recall to Calgary, Ferland scored his first NHL goal, against goaltender Carter Hutton of the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
. It was the game-winning marker in a 5–2 victory on March 29, 2015. Ferland finished his first NHL season with 2 goals and 5 points in 26 games. In Calgary's first round playoff series against the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
, Ferland's physical play quickly made him a fan favourite in Calgary. His battles with Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa became a focal point of the series. Bieksa attempted to trivialize Ferland's impact by calling him "irrelevant". However, Ferland had a significant impact on the sixth and deciding game of the series, in
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
. After the Canucks stormed out to a 3–0 lead less than ten minutes into the game, Ferland started a Flames comeback by converting a pass from Matt Stajan late in the period and then ended the scoring with an empty net goal in a 7–4 victory that eliminated Vancouver from the playoffs. His performance with the Flames earned Ferland a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension.


Carolina Hurricanes

On June 23, 2018, Ferland (along with Dougie Hamilton and prospect Adam Fox) was traded to the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
in exchange for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. In the 2018–19 season, Ferland adapted quickly with the Hurricanes, posting a career-high in assists with 23 while his 17 goals and 40 points were his second highest career total in both categories. Helping the Hurricanes return to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, Ferland would be ejected from Game 2 of his team's opening round series against the Washington Capitals after a hit to the head of Capitals forward Nic Dowd. Both Ferland and head coach Rod Brind’Amour maintained they thought the hit was clean. Ferland was hampered through injury in the playoffs, contributing one assist in seven games.


Vancouver Canucks

As a free agent from the Hurricanes, Ferland returned to Western Canada after agreeing to a four-year, $14 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 10, 2019. Ferland's first season with Vancouver was plagued with concussion problems, resulting in him playing only 14 games. On three separate instances during the season, Ferland was forced to leave a game due to recurring symptoms. After missing the entirety of the 2020–21 season due to lingering concussion issues, Ferland stated, "No I don't think I'll play professionally ever again." Ferland became an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
after his contract with Canucks expired at the end of the 2022–23 season. He has not signed with any team since and is presumed to have retired from professional hockey, though he has yet to make a formal announcement, despite his previous comments on the subject.


Coaching Career

On July 16, 2024, the Kenora Devils Cap Islanders announced that they hired Ferland as a skills coach for the 2024/2025 season. Before joining the Kenora Devils Cap Islanders, Ferland served as assistant coach for the Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA. He was also the head coach for Team Manitoba when they won the national title at the 2023 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.


Personal life

Ferland is
Cree The Cree, or nehinaw (, ), are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada, First Nations. They live prim ...
. In the off-season prior to the 2012–13 season, Ferland was charged with
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
and
aggravated assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result ...
following a bar fight in
Cochrane, Alberta Cochrane ( ) is a town in the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. The town is located west of the Calgary city limits along Alberta Highway 1A, Highway 1A. Cochrane is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, and with a pop ...
. He played the following two seasons under the spectre of the assault charge before going to trial over the summer of 2014. Ferland was acquitted of the charges by a jury which found that he had acted in self-defence. In addition to his legal and professional struggles, Ferland also struggled with alcoholism. He ultimately turned for help to Flames' head coach Bob Hartley and to teammate
Brian McGrattan Brian McGrattan (born September 2, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current member of the Calgary Flames player development staff. McGrattan was a fourth-round selection of the Los Angeles Kings (104th overall) at ...
, who himself overcame a drinking problem. Ferland was also supported by Flames' minor league coach Mike Thompson, and celebrated one year of sobriety on March 27, 2015, two days before scoring his first NHL goal. Upon Ferland's one-year milestone, Hartley expressed his pride and support of Ferland for opening up and seeking treatment after he had noticed the player was struggling.


Career statistics


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferland, Micheal 1992 births Living people Abbotsford Heat players Adirondack Flames players Brandon Wheat Kings players Calgary Flames draft picks Calgary Flames players Carolina Hurricanes players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Canadian ice hockey left wingers First Nations sportspeople Ice hockey people from Manitoba People from Swan River, Manitoba Saskatoon Blades players Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) players Utica Comets players Vancouver Canucks players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen