Dan Hamhuis Daniel Hamhuis ( born December 13 , 1982 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Hamhuis played major junior hockey with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) and was selected 12th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft . The following year , he was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy and Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league ' s best defenceman and player of the year , respectively ; he would also be named the top defenceman in the Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ) , the governing body of major junior hockey in Canada . After a final season in the WHL , Hamhuis made his professional debut with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) , a minor league affiliate of the Predators . He made his NHL debut the next year for Nashville . After five seasons with the club , Hamhuis became an unrestricted free agent and signed a six - year contract with the Canucks . In his first year with the club , he helped Vancouver to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals , where they lost to the Boston Bruins . Hamhuis has played in several international tournaments at both the junior and senior levels for Canada . At the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships , he won a bronze and silver medal , respectively . He also appeared in four straight World Championships , winning a gold at the 2007 tournament and silver at both the 2008 and 2009 tournaments . Playing career . Prince George Cougars . Hamuis suffered a broken leg during his junior draft - eligible season , limiting his exposure to WHL scouts . Consequently , he went unselected in the WHL Bantam Draft . Hamhuis went unselected as a bantam player in the WHL Bantam Draft . He later admitted to not even being aware of the junior draft until a couple months later . The Prince George Cougars later put Hamhuis on their protected list and he went on to make his junior debut in 1998 – 99 . He recorded a goal and four points over 56 games while being named both Prince George ' s rookie and scholastic player of the year . The following season , he improved to 10 goals and 33 points in 70 games . He helped Prince George advance to the Conference Finals , scoring two goals and five points in a junior career - high of 13 post - season games . He was also named the Cougars ' scholastic player for the year for the second year in a row . Hamhuis ' third WHL season in 2000 – 01 saw him increase his offensive production to 13 goals and 59 points over 62 games , eighth in scoring among league defencemen . He received WHL West First All - Star Team honours and was named Prince George ' s most dedicated player . Playing in his NHL draft - eligible season , he participated in the 2001 CHL Top Prospects Game , where he served as captain for his team . Hamhuis was ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau as the second - best North American prospect overall ( behind Jason Spezza ) and the top defenceman . He went on to be selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators . He was the second defenceman to be selected after the Montreal Canadiens took Mike Komisarek seventh overall . Scouting reports listed him as a physical offensive defenceman with excellent skating , passing and open - ice hitting abilities , as well as a good hockey sense . Having identified his shot as a weaker aspect of his game , he worked on improving it during his junior years . His coach in Prince George likened his playing style to Scott Niedermayer . Following his draft , Hamhuis attended his first NHL training camp , but was returned to the WHL as an early cut on September 19 , 2001 . Playing in his fourth season of junior , he recorded career - highs of 50 assists and 60 points in 59 games . At the end of the campaign , he was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy and Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league ' s best defenceman and player of the year , respectively . It marked the first time a player had won both awards since Barry Beck in 1977 . Hamhuis additionally received the CHL Defenceman of the Year Award and was named to the WHL West and CHL First All - Star Teams . He was also named Prince George ' s most valuable player . Hamhuis left Prince George as the club ' s all - time leader in assists with 123 ( he was later surpassed by Blake Robson on January 28 , 2003 ) . Nashville Predators . On July 7 , 2002 , Hamhuis was signed by the Predators . He was a late cut from Nashville ' s roster for the 2002 – 03 season and was assigned within the club ' s system to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL on October 3 . He received a three - game suspension early in the season for an infraction during a game against the Utah Grizzlies . He went on to record six goals and 27 points over 68 games in his professional rookie campaign with the Admirals . Hamhuis transitioned to the NHL the following season by making the Predators ' lineup out of training camp . He scored his first NHL goal on October 16 , 2003 , a game winner on the powerplay against St . Louis Blues goaltender Chris Osgood ; Nashville won the game 4 – 1 . Late in the campaign , he recorded a five - point night ( one goal and four assists ) in a 9 – 4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 4 , 2004 . He finished the season with seven goals and 26 points over 82 games with Predators in 2003 – 04 . He ranked tied for third in point - scoring and second in average ice time among the NHL ' s rookie defencemen . Hamhuis was also chosen to the 2004 NHL YoungStars Game , representing the Western Conference in a 7 – 3 win . Hamhuis helped the Predators make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in his rookie season and added two assists in the club ' s first - round elimination to the Detroit Red Wings . Due to the season - long NHL lockout , Hamhuis returned to the AHL in 2004 – 05 . Notching 13 goals and 51 points in 76 games , he was named to the AHL Second All - Star Team . He was also chosen to participate in the 2005 AHL All - Star Game for the Canadian team . With the NHL set to resume in 2005 – 06 , the Predators re - signed Hamhuis to a one - year contract on August 16 , 2005 . Returning to Nashville , he went on to record a career - high seven goals , 31 assists and 38 points in 82 games . He led all Predators players in ice time and ranked second in plus - minus with a + 11 rating . Following his breakout season , the Predators and Hamhuis agreed to a four - year , $ 8 million contract on September 21 , 2006 . He earned $ 1 . 5 million in his first year of the deal , gradually increasing to $ 2 . 5 million in his fourth . His offensive production dipped to a career - low 20 points in the season following the signing . In 2007 – 08 , he recorded four goals and 27 points over 80 games . Hamhuis scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in game four of the opening round against the Detroit Red Wings , a 3 – 2 win . However , Nashville lost the next two games and were eliminated . Hamhuis continued scoring at the same pace in the following two seasons , recording 26 and 24 points in 2008 – 09 and 2009 – 10 , respectively . Hamhuis ' role with the Predators was diminished in his final few seasons in Nashville with the emergence of younger defencemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter as the club ' s top two defencemen . With Weber and Suter providing most of the offense from the blueline , Hamhuis was used primarily as a shutdown defenceman , matching up against opposing team ' s top forward units and leading the club in shorthanded ice time , while seeing limited powerplay time . As it became apparent that Hamhuis would not be re - signed by the Predators following the 2009 – 10 season , his negotiating rights were traded to the Philadelphia Flyers , along with a 2011 conditional draft pick , for Ryan Parent on June 19 , 2010 . Hamhuis and the Predators had been negotiating for most of the season , as well as in the summer , but Nashville was not willing to meet his asking price . After failing to agree to a contract with Philadelphia as well , his rights were traded once again to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2011 third - round pick on June 25 ; negotiations with the club were also unsuccessful . Vancouver Canucks . On July 1 , 2010 , Hamhuis became an unrestricted free agent and signed a six - year , $ 27 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks . Growing up in Smithers , British Columbia , he was specifically interested in signing with the Canucks during his pending free agency , which factored into his decision to sign with neither Philadelphia or Pittsburgh . The Canucks had reportedly tried to acquire Hamhuis previously at the 2009 – 10 trade deadline with Nashville asking for prospect Cody Hodgson and a first - round draft pick in exchange . Several days prior to his free agency , the Canucks traded for defenceman Keith Ballard from the Florida Panthers , which initially led Hamhuis to believe the Canucks would be no longer interested in him . However , on July 1 , the Canucks were one of 10 teams to offer him a contract and he signed with the club despite more lucrative deals of up to $ 5 million in salary and terms of seven years . Five games into the 2010 – 11 season , he suffered a bruised foot while blocking a shot during a contest against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 17 , 2010 . The injury caused him to miss eight games . After returning to the lineup , he scored his first goal as a Canuck – an empty - netter in the final minute of a 5 – 3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 13 . Later in the season , Hamhuis suffered a concussion during a game against the Anaheim Ducks on February 9 , 2011 . After making a pass from behind his net , he received a bodycheck from opposing forward Ryan Getzlaf , causing him to hit his head on the boards . He lay motionless on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the Canucks ' dressing room . While no penalty was called on the play , Hamhuis ' teammates described the hit as a dirty play on Getzlaf ' s part after the game . Conversely , Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault told media it was a " good hit by a big player " and that Hamhuis " was watching his pass and should have been trying to protect himself . " Speaking publicly of the injury for the first time 10 days later , Hamhuis said he did not deem the hit " dirty " , but " unnecessary " , given the " puck was . . . off [ his ] stick " and he was in a " vulnerable position " . After returning to the lineup , he registered his first two - goal NHL game , including the overtime - winner , in a 4 – 3 win against the Phoenix Coyotes . Finishing the regular season with 6 goals an 23 points over 64 games , he helped the Canucks to the best record in the NHL , earning them the franchise ' s first ever Presidents ' Trophy . He ranked third on the team in plus - minus ( + 29 ) and average ice time per game ( 22 minutes and 40 seconds ) . Entering the 2011 playoffs with the first seed in the West , the Canucks eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks , Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks en route to the Stanley Cup Finals . During Game 1 of the series against the Boston Bruins , Hamhuis suffered a sports hernia , as well as groin and lower abdomen injuries , resulting from a hip check he delivered to opposing forward Milan Lucic ; he was sidelined for the remainder of the Finals . Prior to his injury , Hamhuis played a significant role in the team ' s playoff run , forming a shutdown defensive pairing with Kevin Bieksa . The two led Vancouver in average ice time per game throughout the playoffs . It was revealed following the Canucks ' Game 7 defeat to the Bruins that Hamhuis required off - season surgery . International play . Hamhuis played for the Canadian national junior team at the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships . He won a bronze medal with Canada in his first year at the tournament in Moscow , Russia , contributing an assist in seven games . The following year in Pardubice , Czech Republic , he recorded three points in six games , tying with for Carlo Colaiacovo for the team lead in scoring among defencemen . He was sidelined during the tournament with an injured shoulder , sustained after being hit from behind into the boards in a game against Russia . He returned to help Canada to a silver medal , losing in the gold medal game to Russia 5 – 4 . Four years later , Hamhuis was named to the Canadian men ' s team for the 2006 World Championships in Riga , Latvia – his first of four consecutive tournament appearances . Making his senior international debut , he led all Canadian defencemen with five points in nine games . Canada was shutout in the bronze medal game by Finland 5 – 0 . The following year , he was a late addition to Canada ' s roster on April 22 , 2007 , following the Predators ' first - round playoff elimination . He was named to the team along with Predators teammate Shea Weber . Hamhuis went on to win his first international gold medal in a 4 – 2 final win against Finland in Moscow . He notched three points in nine games . In 2008 , Hamhuis and Canada made their second consecutive appearance in the gold medal game , but failed to defend their title in a 5 – 4 overtime loss to Russia . He ranked second behind Brent Burns on the team in average ice time with 17 : 47 minutes per game . Canada faced Russia once again the following year in 2009 , losing 2 – 1 . Hamhuis scored four points in nine games while ranking second in average ice time among Canadian players , behind Nashville teammate Shea Weber . Later that summer , Hamhuis was invited to Team Canada ' s 46 - player orientation camp , held in Calgary for the 2010 Winter Olympics . He participated in the three - day camp in August 2009 , but was not selected to the Olympic squad . Personal life . Hamhuis was born and raised in Smithers , British Columbia , to parents Marty and Ida . He has two sisters , Erin and Cindy . His father and sisters also play hockey . Marty played senior hockey , while Erin and Cindy played in a local women ' s league . Hamhuis grew up in a Christian home with his family and has continued to profess this faith . Beginning to play organized hockey at the age of four , Hamhuis was competing against other players as old as eight years , as his hometown was not big enough to fill teams for younger age groups . He went to provincials four seasons in a row and won the title with his club , the Smithers Storm , in overtime during his last year of minor hockey . Future Predators teammate Cody Franson was a stick boy for Hamhuis ' team , while another Nashville blueliner , Shea Weber , did the same for a competing team at provincial tournaments . Hamhuis grew up cheering for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks . Hamhuis left home at the age of 15 to start playing junior in Prince George , British Columbia . During his time there , he met his wife , Sarah . They have two daughters together .