David Moss (ice hockey)

David Moss (born December 28, 1981) is an American retired professional ice hockey right winger who last played for the EHC Biel of the NLA. He was a last round selection of the Flames, taken 220th overall, at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Moss has appeared in three outdoor games during his career: The 2001 Cold War while he was a member of the University of Michigan Wolverines, while a member of the United States National Team at the 2010 World Championship and at the 2011 Heritage Classic as a member of the Flames. Moss has been honored by his teams for his sportsmanship and dedication to the community on several occasions.

Playing career

College

Moss played a season of junior hockey with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League in 2000–01, scoring 20 goals and 38 points in 51 games. The Flames selected him in the seventh round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, 220th overall. He committed first to play for the University of Michigan Wolverines. In his freshman season of 2001–02, Moss played in the Cold War outdoor game before a then-world record crowd of 74,544.

Following his 13-point freshman campaign, Moss scored 32 points in 2002–03 and was named the team's recipient of the Alton D. Simms Trophy as the Wolverine's most improved player. He was a two-time winner of the Howard Colby Award as Michigan's most sportsmanlike player, in 2002 and 2005. In four full seasons with the Wolverines, Moss scored 93 points in 163 games.

Professional

The Flames assigned Moss to their top minor league affiliate, the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights of the American Hockey League (AHL), for the 2005–06 season. He led the team's rookies with 21 goals and 48 points. He remained with the Knights to begin the following season, but earned a recall to Calgary on December 19, 2006. Making his NHL debut that night, Moss scored his first goal, the game winning marker, in a 5–3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. He added goals in his next two games, both against the Vancouver Canucks, to become the first player in Flames history to score in his first three NHL games. Moss finished the season with 18 points in 41 NHL games, and 21 points in 28 games with Omaha.

Moss endured an injury-plagued season in 2007–08. He was unable to play the first two games of the season due to a shoulder injury while also losing time to head injuries and a leg injury that caused him to miss 19 games. He finished the season with only 4 goals in 41 games. Remaining healthy in 2008–09, Moss set career highs with 20 goals and 39 points in 81 games. He also scored his first career hat trick in a 6–3 win over the Ottawa Senators on March 3, 2009.

Another shoulder injury limited Moss early in the 2009–10 season. He scored only 17 points in 64 games for the Flames during the season. However, he made his debut with the United States National Team at the 2010 World Championship following the season. He appeared in six games for Team USA, scoring one goal and two assists, and played in the opening game against the host Germans at Veltins-Arena which set a new world attendance record of 77,803 (subsequently broken).

Despite missing the first month of the season with another shoulder injury, Moss was on pace for a career season in 2010–11 when it was ended by a high-ankle sprain suffered after catching his skate in a rut during practice. Moss appeared in only 58 games, but scored 17 goals and 30 points. The Flames had moved Moss to center from his usual spot on right wing during the season, and he was centring the top line between Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay at the time of his latter injury. Prior to the end of his season, Moss played in his third outdoor game, the 2011 Heritage Classic between the Flames and Montreal Canadiens. Moss' injury problems continued into 2011–12 as an ankle injury that ultimately required surgery to repair kept him out of the lineup for 47 games.

On July 1, 2012 Moss signed a two-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

On September 29, 2015 Moss signed a professional tryout contract with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. In November 2015, he inked a deal with EHC Biel of the Swiss NLA for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

On October 19, 2016 Moss announced he was retiring from professional hockey.

Personal life

Moss, a native of Livonia, Michigan, attended and played high school hockey at Detroit Catholic Central High School. He earned a degree in sports management from the University of Michigan. His cousins Amanda, Blake and Phil Kessel are also hockey players.

Active within the community, Moss donates $100 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for each assist scores and is a spokesman for the Reading... Give it a shot! program supporting literacy efforts in Calgary schools. The Flames recognized Moss for his charitable efforts in 2009, naming him that season's recipient of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award, an annual team honor given to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, determination and leadership on the ice, combined with dedication to community service."

Moss married Survivor: Tocantins contestant Erinn Lobdell on July 4, 2014. On August 3, 2015, the couple gave birth to a son, Henry David Moss.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International