Mason Raymond

After playing AAA midget with the Strathmore Bisons of the Foothills Bisons Hockey Association, Raymond began a two-year Junior A career with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL in 2003–04. Raymond had been hesitant about pursuing his career due to a lack of interest from major junior teams, but his friend Dan Bertram encouraged him to play with him in Camrose. Bertram also played midget with Raymond and went on to be a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick, three selections after him.\n', ' Raymond posted a team-high 27 goals and 62 points as a rookie, including six game winning goals. Following his first junior season, Raymond was recruited by the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Having earned an athletic scholarship, he had the choice of playing one more season with Camrose or to make the jump to the college ranks. He consulted with Kodiaks head coach Boris Rybalka and was challenged to improve at the Junior A level before moving to Minnesota-Duluth. As a result, Raymond remained in Camrose, signing a letter of intent in November 2004 to join the Minnesota-Duluth the following year for the 2005–06 season. Several other National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) schools had recruited Raymond as well, including the University of Denver, Western Michigan University and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He chose the Bulldogs because he knew that, with 11 seniors leaving their team the following season, he would have the biggest role with that club.\n', ' Raymond went on to lead the AJHL in scoring with 41 goals and was named league MVP in 2004–05. He added 20 points in 15 post-season games as the Kodiaks captured the Rogers Wireless Cup as league champions to advance to the 2005 Doyle Cup, Canada\'s Pacific Junior A regional championship. During the competition, Raymond was hospitalized with fatigue and dehydration that decreased his weight to 150 pounds. Though he missed the final against the British Columbia Hockey League\'s Surrey Eagles, the Kodiaks won without him and advanced to the 2005 Royal Bank Cup, Canada\'s national Junior A tournament. Raymond returned to action as the Kodiaks advanced to the national level at the 2005 Royal Bank Cup. He led the tournament in scoring with 10 points (4 goals and 6 assists) over 5 games as Camrose finished as runner-up to the tournament host Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Kodiaks later retired Raymond\'s number 9 prior to their season-opening game against the Okotoks Oilers on September 10, 2010.\n', '