PoCo Buckeroos alumnus Andrew Ladd (2001-02) is once again a regular in the National Hockey League after being traded from the New York Islanders to the Arizona Coyotes this past July. As of this writing, he has a goal and an assist in 10 games with the Coyotes this season.
Ladd, 35, battled injuries over the last two seasons, only getting into one game with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League in 2020-21. He also played 36 games in Bridgeport from 2018 to 2020 and posted 12 goals and 19 points.
The native of Maple Ridge, BC spent parts of the previous 14 seasons in the NHL with Carolina, Chicago, Winnipeg, and the Islanders. Ladd has two Stanley Cup rings, one with the Hurricanes in 2006 and one with the Blackhawks in 2010.
During his time in Port Coquitlam with the Buckeroos in 2001-02, Ladd finished with an eye-popping 50 goals and 91 points in 50 games. After that year, he signed with Coquitlam of the BC Hockey League and posted 55 points in 58 games during his lone season for the Express before embarking on a two-year stint with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League.
Ladd was selected by Carolina with the fourth pick in the 2004 NHL Draft after scoring 75 points in 71 games with the Hitmen in 2003-04. He is the lone Panthers franchise alumni in the NHL this season.
