Quick Facts
LibraBiography
Hunter Drew (born October 21, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks, 178th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Drew played major junior hockey with the Charlottetown Islanders in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 2016–2019, scoring 92 points in 167 games. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the sixth round, 178th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. As a defenceman, Drew posted 50 points through 61 regular season games during his final season with the Islanders in 2018–19, earning a one-year contract with the Ducks American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, on August 14, 2019.
In his first professional season in 2019–20, Drew split the season between the Gulls and secondary affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL. He posted two goals and seven points in 29 regular season games with the Gulls before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks on March 31, 2020.
With the ongoing pandemic delaying the commencement of the 2020–21 season, Drew opted to continue his development in Europe by signing on loan with Slovakian club, HC '05 Banská Bystrica, on September 14, 2020. He collected 9 goals and 16 points through 20 games before returning to North America for the Ducks training camp and re-assignment to the San Diego Gulls. With the introduction of a taxi squad stretching the Gulls roster, Drew split the shortened season on the blueline and spot filling as a forward.
In showing potential as a forward, Drew switched full-time to the wing entering his third professional season in 2021–22. The positional switch came with instant success, as he responded in showing an offensive touch with the Gulls in finishing second amongst team forwards in scoring with 17 goals and 38 points in 64 regular season games. He was rewarded with his first recall to the Anaheim Ducks at the tail end of the season and made his NHL debut against the San Jose Sharks, and recorded his first NHL fight against Jonah Gadjovich in a 5-2 victory on April 26, 2022. Drew went scoreless with the Ducks over their final two regular season games.
During the 2022–23 season, having played exclusively with the Gulls in posting just 11 points through 44 regular season games, Drew was traded by the Ducks to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Josiah Slavin on February 23, 2023. Drew played out the remainder of his contract with the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, going scoreless in 16 appearances.
As a free agent from the Blackhawks, Drew opted to continue his career in the AHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Tucson Roadrunners, who are the primary affiliate of the Utah NHL team, on July 18, 2023.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2014–15 | Gananoque Islanders | EOJHL | 43 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Gananoque Islanders | EBJCHL | 34 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 81 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | ||
| 2015–16 | Kingston Voyageurs | OJHL | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Charlottetown Islanders | QMJHL | 42 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 69 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | Charlottetown Islanders | QMJHL | 64 | 8 | 31 | 39 | 159 | 18 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 30 | ||
| 2018–19 | Charlottetown Islanders | QMJHL | 61 | 16 | 34 | 50 | 141 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 19 | ||
| 2019–20 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 29 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Tulsa Oilers | ECHL | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | Slovak | 20 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 111 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 33 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 64 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 134 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2021–22 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 44 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 37 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 107 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||