Lance Bouma

Lance Bouma (born March 25, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League (AHL). He is a prospect of the Calgary Flames, drafted as their third round selection, 78th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut in January 2011. As a junior, he was a member of the Vancouver Giants team that won the 2007 Memorial Cup.

Playing career
Bouma was a second round selection of the Vancouver Giants at the 2005 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. He spent the majority of the 2005–06 season playing midget hockey in the Rural Alberta Midget Hockey League, but appeared in five games as a 15-year-old for the Giants, scoring one goal and four points. He became a regular for the Giants in the 2006–07 WHL season, appearing in 49 regular season games and 22 playoff games as the Giants reached the WHL final. Though the team lost to the Medicine Hat Tigers for the league championship, they qualified for the 2007 Memorial Cup as the host team, and defeated the Tigers in the final for the Canadian Hockey League championship. Bouma finished second on his team in rookie playoff scoring behind James Wright. Additionally, he played for Team Alberta at the 2007 Canada Games hockey tournament, scoring two goals as the team finished in fourth place.

After improving to 12 goals and 35 points in 71 games for the Giants in 2007–08, Bouma was selected by the Calgary Flames in the third round, 78th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He remained in junior for two more seasons, and served as the Giants' captain in 2009–10, in which the team reached the third round of the WHL playoffs before bowing out to the Tri-City Americans. Upon elimination, Bouma played his first professional games, joining the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, for five playoff games. He scored one goal, against the Hamilton Bulldogs in the second round of the AHL playoffs.

Bouma joined the Heat full time for the 2010–11 AHL season, and with 11 goals through his first 49 games, was approaching his best career best goal total at any level. Not known for his offence, Bouma relies on his physical play and willingness to drive the net, qualities that earned him his first recall to the NHL on February 3, 2011, when he was assigned to join the Flames. He made his NHL debut two nights later against the Los Angeles Kings, and scored his first point, assisting on a Mikael Backlund goal, on February 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Career statistics
Statistics complete to the end of the 2010–11 season.