Willie Coetzee

Willie Coetzee

Coetzee with the Toledo Walleye.
Born (1990-11-07) November 7, 1990
Johannesburg, South Africa
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
team
Former teams		 Free Agent
Grand Rapids Griffins
Graz 99ers
Worcester Sharks
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2010–present

Willie Coetzee (born November 7, 1990) is a South Africa-born Canadian ice hockey player, who is currently an unrestricted free agent who last played for the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Early life

Coetzee, the son of an ultra marathon runner and a semi-pro tennis player, and grandson of a field hockey player, lived in Johannesburg until he was 4. Afterwards he moved to Vancouver, developing an interest in ice hockey watching Pavel Bure's Vancouver Canucks. While also interested in soccer and golf, Coetzee eventually chose to focus on hockey at the age of 17, signing with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.[1]

Playing career

On September 18, 2009, the Detroit Red Wings signed Coetzee as a free agent to a three-year, entry-level contract,[2] and after finishing the WHL season, the Red Wings sent him to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. In 2011 he was reassigned to the ECHL,[1] becoming a points leader and fan favorite.[3] Coetzee suffered a knee injury in training camp, which sidelined him for the entire 2013–14 season.[4]

Coetzee was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Red Wings, which released him as a free agent. On July 2, 2014, Coetzee accepted a try-out contract with Austrian club, Graz 99ers of the EBEL.[5] After 12 games with Graz and registering just 4 assist, Coetzee was released from his try-out and returned to North America, signing an ECHL contract with the Reading Royals on November 26, 2014.[6] On the Royals top line, Coetzee instantly produced offensively with 12 points in 9 games before he was loaned to the Worcester Sharks of the AHL on December 18.

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 Red Deer Rebels WHL 23 2 0 2 14 — — — — —
2008–09 Red Deer Rebels WHL 72 18 24 42 42 — — — — —
2009–10 Red Deer Rebels WHL 72 29 52 81 32 4 1 0 1 0
2009–10 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2010–11 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 25 0 5 5 8 — — — — —
2010–11 Toledo Walleye ECHL 36 9 11 20 4 — — — — —
2011–12 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 61 11 11 22 25 — — — — —
2012–13 Toledo Walleye ECHL 64 28 40 68 22 6 0 4 4 2
2012–13 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2014–15 Graz 99ers EBEL 12 0 4 4 8 — — — — —
2014–15 Reading Royals ECHL 9 2 10 12 2 — — — — —
2014–15 Worcester Sharks AHL 46 10 17 27 22 — — — — —
AHL totals 135 21 33 54 55 — — — — —

References

  1. 1 2 "Competitive Walleye forward Willie Coetzee was born in South Africa". Toledo Walleye. 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  2. ↑ "Red Wings sign 2009 draft pick Tomas Tatar, free-agent forward Willie Coetzee". MLive.com. 2009-09-18. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
  3. ↑ "Fans weigh in from World over to select Coetzee as favourite Walleye". Toledo Walleye. 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  4. ↑ "Development in minor league system remains key for Detroit prospects". hockeysfuture.com. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  5. ↑ "Press conference of Graz 99ers" (in German). Graz 99ers. 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  6. ↑ "Royals agree to terms with Willie Coetzee". Reading Royals. 2014-11-26. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
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