Derek first attended a Wellington Dukes training camp when he was just 15 years old. He was sent back to the Quinte Midgets AAA team but was called up as an affiliate for a few games and scored his first Junior A goal. For the next three years he was one of the Dukes’ top four defencemen and helped lead the team to 15 playoff rounds over that time.

His play with the Dukes earned him a scholarship at NCAA Lake Superior State University where he stayed for three years. He was then signed by the NHL Ottawa Senators and played most of the next four years with their top farm club, the Binghampton Senators. He did manage to be called up for 11 games by Ottawa where he recorded his first NHL point.

This past summer he signed with the NHL Calgary Flames.  On November 29, 2011 he scored his first NHL goal which turned out to be the game winner against the Nashville Predators.  Last week signed a two year contract extention taking him through the 2013-14 season.

DID YOU KNOW?
Derek is just one of a handful of former Dukes to have ever played in two OJHL playoff cup finals (2002 & 2003).