Micheal Ferland (born April 20, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger . Ferland has previously played for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Carolina Hurricanes. Ferland was drafted by the Flames in the fifth round, 133rd overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Early life
Ferland was born on April 20, 1992, in Swan River, Manitoba. He is the middle of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother, raised by his mother Dianne, who worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home in Swan River. Ferland played house league hockey from ages 8 to 15 before earning the attention of the midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings; he was given a try-out and earned a place with the team. Dianne struggled to fund her son's hockey dream; she required support from charities such as KidSport and the Manitoba Métis Federation to help pay for his equipment. Dianne also credited her eldest daughter, Samantha, who was never able to play competitive sports herself as the family was unable to support more than one child in the sport. When Micheal made the midget Wheat Kings team, the parents of his Swan River teammates helped pay his enrollment fees.
Playing career
Junior
At age 17, Ferland joined the major junior Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He scored 9 goals and 28 points in 61 games during the 2009–10 regular season. He also appeared in 15 playoff games for Brandon, and played an additional five in the 2010 Memorial Cup. The Calgary Flames selected him with their fifth round pick, 133rd overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Ferland remained with Brandon for the following two seasons where he recorded 56 points in 2010–11 then finished ninth in WHL scoring with 96 points in 2011–12.
Ferland began his professional career in 2012–13. The Flames assigned him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, to begin the season, but he arrived to training camp in poor condition and struggled with Abbotsford. After seven games, he was demoted to the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies for just three more games before the Flames returned him to the Brandon Wheat Kings. His stay with the Wheat Kings was similarly short as Brandon traded Ferland to the Saskatoon Blades; as he struggled, the 20-year-old Ferland became discouraged and considered quitting hockey entirely. He persevered and played a pivotal role with the Blades as they won 18 consecutive games and appeared in the 2013 Memorial Cup as the host team.
Professional
Calgary Flames
The Flames worked with Ferland throughout as they attempted to guide his career forward. During the 2012–13 season, head coach Bob Hartley connected Ferland with former NHL and fellow aboriginal player Gino Odjick to help his transition to professional hockey. Ferland returned to Abbotsford for the 2013–14 season 24 pounds lighter than the 234 pounds he weighed the previous season. He recorded 18 points in 25 games for the Heat before suffering a knee injury on December 12, 2013, that ended his season. Ferland had been considered a candidate to be recalled to Calgary prior to suffering his knee injury; the team had intended to recall him to the Flames as a reward for his work in Abbotsford at the time he was hurt.
Returning to good health in time for training camp prior to the 2014–15 season, Ferland continued to impress the Flames' coaches with both his scoring ability and physical play. He did not make the roster out of camp; he was assigned to the Adirondack Flames (the Flames' new AHL affiliate) to start the season. He led Adirondack with four goals and five assists in nine games when an injury to Mikael Backlund led the Flames to recall Ferland to Calgary on October 30, 2014. He made his NHL debut the following night in a 4–3 victory over the Nashville Predators, but was himself injured and missed the following eight games after being hit with an elbow to the head by Anton Volchenkov. Volchenkov received a four-game suspension for the hit. Ferland recorded his first NHL point on November 22, 2014, an assist on a goal by Josh Jooris in a 5–4 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Ferland played ten games with Calgary before returning to Adirondack. On his second recall to Calgary, Ferland scored his first NHL goal, against goaltender Carter Hutton of the Nashville Predators. It was the game-winning marker in a 5–2 victory on March 29, 2015.