Dan Bylsma

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Dan Bylsma (born 19 September 1970, in Grand Haven, Michigan) is a former National Hockey League forward. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, by the Winnipeg Jets.

[edit] Early life

During his high-school days, Bylsma was a standout in many sports, including golf, baseball, and ice hockey. He played four years of college hockey for Bowling Green State University before being drafted by the Jets.

[edit] Playing career

Despite being drafted by the Jets, Bylsma never played a game for them, and was signed by the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 1994. He would play parts of five seasons for the Kings, acting as a defensive forward. In his first season, when he played only four games for the Kings, he was captain of their International Hockey League affiliate. During his time in Los angeles, Bylsma got to play with Wayne Gretzky.

Signed by a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the summer of 2000, Bylsma was a steadying influence on a rebuilding Anaheim team, and was made assistant captain. In his second season, he set a career high in points (17).

Bylsma struggled his entire career to stay in the NHL, mostly due to a lack of natural offensive ability (his primary roll in the NHL had always been penalty killing. Injuries took a toll in later years, and before being put on waivers in January 2004, Bylsma missed 31 games due to knee surgery. In August of 2005, Bylsma was announced as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders, effectively ending any opportunity of returning to the NHL as a player.

[edit] Books and charity work

Bylsma, along with his father Jay, has written four books, two on what it takes to make the NHL, and two sports novels, one about baseball, the other basketball.

For 11 years Bylsma has run a hockey camp in Michigan, and he also runs a charity to assist youths with the expense of playing hockey.