Wade Redden
Wade Redden was born in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, and played minor hockey with teams at Hillmond High School and the Mid West Red Wings. He played one year with the Lloydminster Blazers before being called up to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Redden was named Rookie of the Year on the Wheat Kings and made two trips to the Memorial Cup with the squad. He was drafted second overall by the New York Islanders in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL until the 1996-1997 season, when he was sent to the Ottawa Senators before playing a single game for the Islanders. Redden has played for the Senators ever since and has been a fixture on their blueline. He is one of the league's finest blueliners and is a very consistent player. Redden likely enjoyed his best season in 2005-2006, as he played in 65 games and scored 50 points (10 goals, 40 assists). He is a great player in terms of positioning and is rarely out of a play, making him a valuable contributor in all situations. Redden played in the All-Star game in 2002 and shared the league's Plus/Minus award in 2006. He is an alternate captain on the Senators and will likely push for a few Norris trophies before his career is through. Ottawa has such faith in Redden to lead their team defensively that they picked him over Zdeno Chara when salary cap issues forced them to choose between the two defenders. Redden will continue to put up big numbers in the league and may top 60 points. Always a threat on the power play, he'll continue to improve as play goes on.
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