Kevin Westgarth
| Kevin Westgarth | |||
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Westgarth at the 2014 Edmonton Oilers training camp
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| Born |
February 7, 1984 Amherstburg, ON, CAN |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg; 16 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2006–2015 | ||
Kevin Reginald Westgarth (born February 7, 1984) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey forward who most recently played for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
Leading his collegiate Princeton Tigers in penalty minutes, with 48 as a freshman during the 2003-2004 season, Kevin Westgarth established his reputation as a bruiser. He finished his career at Princeton with 130 penalty minutes and 60 points in 116 games, and spent three of his four seasons alongside his brother, Brett. After his senior season, Westgarth was signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Los Angeles Kings on March 16, 2007.
Westgarth made his professional debut on March 18, 2007, just two days after signing with the Kings, for their AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, against the Providence Bruins. In just 14 games in 2007, Westgarth accumulated 44 penalty minutes and three points.
During his first full season in Manchester, 2007–2008, Westgarth was second among all AHL rookies in penalty minutes with 191, and led all rookies with 25 major penalties. Westgarth made his NHL debut for the Kings on January 20, 2009 logging 4:39 of ice-time on the road against the Minnesota Wild. Westgarth was recalled from Manchester twice during the season. In his first game back with Manchester on January 23, Westgarth fought Garrett Klotz of the Philadelphia Phantoms, forcing Klotz to leave the ice on a stretcher after suffering seizures following multiple punches to the face from Westgarth.
Westgarth's best season in the AHL came in the 2009-2010 season as the forward scored 11 goals and tallied 25 points in 76 games, as just one of seven players in the AHL to have 25 points and more than 150 penalty minutes during the season.
Westgarth's strong campaign earned him a roster spot with the Kings in the fall of 2010, as the enforcer for head coach Terry Murray. Westgarth's first fight of the preseason resulted in facial fractures for Colorado Avalanche winger David Koci on September 22. Through 30 games, Westgarth has led the Kings in penalty minutes with 59, after a number of fights with fellow NHL enforcers, such as John Scott of the Chicago Blackhawks. Late in Game 4 in the playoffs against the San Jose Sharks, Westgarth was ejected with a game misconduct for charging.
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