Brett Festerling

Brett Festerling (born March 3, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and hockey broadcaster. He most recently played under contract with the then Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers in the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), and has transitioned to analysis for the Seattle Kraken. His twin brother Garrett also plays hockey in the DEL and is under contract with Grizzlys Wolfsburg.

Playing career Known primarily as a defensive defenceman, Festerling began his major junior career with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL), initially appearing in three games in 2001–02. He was the Americans' fifth overall pick in the 2001 WHL Bantam Draft. After breaking his wrist in his NHL draft-eligible year,

After winning the President's Cup as WHL champions with the Giants in 2006 and subsequently appearing in the Memorial Cup, Festerling was named team captain for the 2006–07 season. Festerling put up a major junior career-high 21 points in 70 games as captain. However, the Giants were defeated in the WHL finals by the Medicine Hat Tigers in seven games. As 2007 Memorial Cup hosts, the Giants met the Tigers in the final game once more and captured the franchise's first CHL title with a 3–1 victory. He played 40 games total in his NHL rookie season, recording five assists. In the off-season, on August 20, 2009, he signed a two-year contract extension with Anaheim.

On October 14, 2010, Festerling was demoted to the Ducks' new AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. After starting the 2010–11 season with the Crunch, on December 31, 2010, he was traded (along with the Ducks' fifth-round pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft) to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Maxim Lapierre. Festerling was then immediately assigned to the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs.

On February 28, 2011, Festerling was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for goaltender Drew MacIntyre.

On July 23, 2012, Festerling signed with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the German top-flight Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). In two seasons with the Ice Tigers, he provided a physical defensive presence and totalled 20 points in 72 games.

On April 24, 2014, Festerling signed with DEL rivals Hamburg Freezers on a four-year contract. The move re-united him with twin brother Garrett, who had played with Hamburg since 2010. After the Freezers folded in May 2016, Festerling became a free agent. On June 24, 2016, he returned for a second stint in Nürnberg with the Ice Tigers, where he played for four more seasons.

Festerling provided in-game analysis on the Vancouver Canucks' radio affiliate, Sportsnet 650 AM in Vancouver, and is now an on-air analyst for the Kraken Hockey Network.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2001–02 Tri-City Americans WHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2002–03 Tri-City Americans WHL 55 3 8 11 26 — — — — — 2003–04 Tri-City Americans WHL 54 1 9 10 34 11 1 1 2 2 2004–05 Tri-City Americans WHL 33 3 11 14 20 — — — — — 2004–05 Vancouver Giants WHL 32 2 4 6 10 5 0 0 0 6 2005–06 Vancouver Giants WHL 67 1 6 7 35 18 0 1 1 10 2006–07 Vancouver Giants WHL 70 5 16 21 80 22 1 6 7 24 2007–08 Portland Pirates AHL 74 3 11 14 64 15 1 3 4 6 2008–09 Iowa Chops AHL 34 0 7 7 31 — — — — — 2008–09 Anaheim Ducks NHL 40 0 5 5 18 1 0 0 0 0 2009–10 San Antonio Rampage AHL 17 0 1 1 19 — — — — — 2009–10 Toronto Marlies AHL 11 0 4 4 8 — — — — — 2009–10 Anaheim Ducks NHL 42 0 3 3 15 — — — — — 2010–11 Syracuse Crunch AHL 32 3 9 12 41 — — — — — 2010–11 Anaheim Ducks NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2010–11 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 16 0 4 4 15 — — — — — 2010–11 Chicago Wolves AHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2011–12 St. John's IceCaps AHL 52 3 15 18 50 14 0 2 2 10 2011–12 Winnipeg Jets NHL 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2012–13 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 41 1 8 9 50 3 0 0 0 10 2013–14 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 31 2 9 11 83 6 0 0 0 4 2014–15 Hamburg Freezers DEL 44 0 6 6 80 2 0 0 0 0 2015–16 Hamburg Freezers DEL 18 0 1 1 22 — — — — — 2016–17 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 50 2 11 13 46 13 0 1 1 4 2017–18 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 43 1 4 5 44 12 0 0 0 4 2018–19 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 39 0 4 4 32 — — — — — 2019–20 Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers DEL 41 2 12 14 18 — — — — — NHL totals 88 0 8 8 35 1 0 0 0 0