Spencer Foo (born May 19, 1994), also known as Fu Jiang (Chinese: 福将), is a Chinese Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Foo turned professional in 2017 by signing an entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL) as an undrafted college free agent.

Spencer Foo
Spencer Foo 2018 Stockton Heat.
Born (1994-05-19) May 19, 1994 (age 30)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
KHL team
Former teams
Kunlun Red Star
Calgary Flames
National team  China
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2017–present

Playing career

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A native of Edmonton, Foo began his junior hockey career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), playing key offensive minutes and producing impressive offensive numbers in two seasons with the Bonnyville Pontiacs from 2012 to 2014. In his second season with the team, Foo scored 40 goals in 60 games, easily leading the team in scoring.[1]

Too old to continue in the AJHL and having attracted little NHL interest, Foo moved to the Union Dutchmen of the NCAA's ECAC Hockey conference for the 2014–15 season. Foo posted pedestrian numbers in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen, scoring 25 points each year. However, the management of the Calgary Flames was impressed enough by Foo's 2015–16 campaign to invite him to their 2016 Fall Development Camp.[2] He was not offered a contract.

Foo broke out for the Dutchmen in the 2016–17 season, scoring 62 points in 38 games, leading in assists with 36 and finishing second in goals and points behind Mike Vecchione, numbers that attracted the interest of the Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, Vegas Golden Knights, and his hometown Edmonton Oilers.[3] However, Foo ultimately committed to the Calgary Flames and signed a two-year entry-level deal on 1 July.[4][5]

Foo was assigned by the Flames to the American Hockey League's Stockton Heat on 26 September 2017 as part of a round of cuts during training camp.[6] Foo started slowly with the Heat, recording just 6 goals and 13 points in his first 30 games, but he then added another 6 goals and 5 assists in his next 9 games, becoming the AHL's Player of the Week for the week ending 28 January 2018.[7] Foo played his first NHL game with the Calgary Flames against his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers, in Calgary on March 31, 2018.[8][9] He recorded his first career NHL goal on April 5, 2018, in a 2–1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.[10]

On June 25, 2019, having completed his entry-level contract, Foo has tendered a qualifying offer with the Flames.[11] The following day, it was announced that the Chinese-Canadian had signed a two-year contract with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL.[12]

On July 14, 2022, Foo returned to North America after three seasons in the KHL, signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Vegas Golden Knights for the 2022–23 season.[13] Assigned to AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights for the entirety of his contract with Vegas, Foo made 60 regular season appearances in adding 6 goals and 14 points.

As a free agent from the Golden Knights, Foo opted to return to his former club, Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, agreeing to a three-year deal on July 22, 2023.[14]

International play

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Foo was formally called up to represent the China men's national ice hockey team for the 2022 Winter Olympics on January 28, 2022.[15]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2010–11 CAC Canadians AAA AMHL 34 6 21 27 30
2011–12 CAC Canadians AAA AMHL 34 10 15 25 34
2012–13 Bonnyville Pontiacs AJHL 55 13 17 30 59 9 1 1 2 2
2013–14 Bonnyville Pontiacs AJHL 60 40 27 67 67 3 4 1 5 2
2014–15 Union College ECAC 39 11 14 25 24
2015–16 Union College ECAC 36 12 13 25 14
2016–17 Union College ECAC 38 26 36 62 24
2017–18 Stockton Heat AHL 62 20 19 39 41
2017–18 Calgary Flames NHL 4 2 0 2 0
2018–19 Stockton Heat AHL 67 17 21 38 36
2019–20 Kunlun Red Star KHL 58 8 17 25 18
2020–21 Kunlun Red Star KHL 48 9 9 18 36
2021–22 Kunlun Red Star KHL 48 14 19 33 18
2022–23 Henderson Silver Knights AHL 60 6 8 14 16
2023–24 Kunlun Red Star KHL 54 13 16 29 25
NHL totals 4 2 0 2 0
KHL totals 208 44 61 105 97

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2022 China OG 12th 4 0 0 0 4
2022 China WC D2A 27th 4 3 7 10 0
2023 China WC D1B 25th 5 4 2 6 2
Senior totals 13 7 9 16 6

Awards and honours

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Award Year
College
All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team 2014–15 [16]

References

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  1. ^ "2013-14 Bonnyville Pontiacs roster and statistics". HockeyDB.com.
  2. ^ "Flames development camp roster and schedule". NHL.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  3. ^ "Edmonton Oilers: Spencer Foo to Make NHL Decision Soon". Oil On Whyte. 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  4. ^ "SPENCER FOO COMMITS TO FLAMES". NHL.com. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  5. ^ "Spencer Foo - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps". CapFriendly. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  6. ^ "Flames' Spencer Foo: Cut from training camp". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  7. ^ "StocktonHeat.com | Spencer Foo Named CCM/AHL Player of the Week". stocktonheat.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  8. ^ Gustafson, Ian (March 31, 2018). "5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. OILERS". NHL.com. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  9. ^ Johnson, George (March 30, 2018). "FOO'S NHL DEBUT A FAMILY AFFAIR". NHL.com. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  10. ^ Johnson, George (April 5, 2018). "FLAMES FALL IN THE 'PEG". NHL.com. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  11. ^ "Flames provide qualifying offers to eight players". Calgary Flames. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  12. ^ "Kunlun Red Star sign Spencer Foo to two-year contract". HC Kunlun Red Star. June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  13. ^ "Vegas Golden Knights announce roster transactions". Vegas Golden Knights. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  14. ^ Kunlun Red Star (July 22, 2023). "Red Star bring back Spencer Foo". Twitter. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  15. ^ "China's Olympic hockey hopes rest on North American talent". sports.yahoo.com.
  16. ^ "ECAC All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
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