Kevin Bieksa was born June 16, 1981 in Grimsby, Ontario. The fifth round, 151st overall selection of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Bieksa is a graduate of the CCHA's Bowling Green State Falcons.
During his four years at Bowling Green, Bieksa registered 75 points (24-51-75) before making his professional debut with Vancouver's AHL affiliate in Manitoba at the tail end of the 2003-04 season. The following year, the Grimsby, ON native continued to hone his skills in the AHL before splitting his time between Manitoba and Vancouver in 2005-06.
After playing ten seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, Bieksa would be traded to the Anaheim Ducks for a second round draft pick. In his first year with the Ducks, the defender appeared in 71 games, scoring four times and adding 11 assists, while providing a physical presence and leadership from the back end.
