History

2009-10: Selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, Alex Kerfoot played for the Vancouver NW Giants in British Columbia midget major hockey. In 26 games he scored 7 goals with 14 assists and had 4 penalty minutes.

2010-11: Kerfoot made his junior hockey debut, skating in six games for the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express, and was the leading scorer in British Columbia midget hockey. Kerfoot was scoreless with no penalty minutes in his brief stint with Coquitlam, which included one playoff game. He scored 36 goals with 72 assists in 38 regular season games as the Vancouver NW Giants dominated the BCMML. In five playoff games he scored 6 goals with 6 assists as the Giants captured the playoff title to advance to the Telus Cup (Canadian national championship). In seven Telus Cup games he scored 9 goals with 13 assists and had 4 penalty minutes. Vancouver NW won its first four games but lost in overtime in the semifinals to eventual champion London and dropped the bronze medal game.

2011-12: Kerfoot was named the BCHL Coastal Division’s Rookie of the Year after an outstanding season with Coquitlam and represented Canada West at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge. In 51 regular season games for the Express he scored 25 goals with 44 assists and had 24 penalty minutes. Coquitlam finished fourth in the Coastal Division. In the playoff series with Powell River Kerfoot scored 4 goals and had 6 penalty minutes in six games. In five games for Canada West at the WJAC he had 2 goals with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes. Kerfoot committed to playing college hockey at Harvard in 2013-14. Ranked 165th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft, he was selected by New Jersey in the fifth round (150th overall).

2012-13: Kerfoot was off to a fast start for Coquitlam in his third BCHL season and played for Canada West in the 2012 U19 World Junior A Challenge before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November. He scored 8 goals with 11 assists and had 16 penalty minutes in 16 games for the Express. Kerfoot was Canada West’s second-leading scorer, one point behind Wade Murphy, finishing with 2 goals and 3 assists in four games.

2013-14: Kerfoot skated in 25 games for Harvard in his freshman season. He scored 8 goals with 6 assists and had an even plus/minus with 8 penalty minutes. Three of his eight goals were scored on the Crimson power play. Expected to be one of the top teams in ECAC Hockey following the turbulent 2012-13 season, Harvard finished tied with Dartmouth for 10th in the 12-team league and was swept by Yale in a two-game first round playoff series.

2014-15: Kerfoot was the top center for Harvard in his sophomore season as the Crimson reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005-06. The team’s third-leading scorer, he had 8 goals with 22 assists and was +16 with 12 penalty minutes in 27 games. The Crimson, after finishing sixth in the regular season, defeated regular season champion Quinnipiac (5-2) and Colgate (4-2) on back-to-back nights to capture the ECAC Hockey playoff title. Nebraska-Omaha defeated Harvard, 4-2 in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal.

Talent Analysis

Kerfoot is blessed with a tremendous amount of natural offensive skill. His best attributes though are his on-ice vision and hockey sense. His elite-level puck skills are evident in the fact that he is both a good passer and finisher. While he continues to work on his skating, he is still quick and elusive. Despite being undersized, Kerfoot battles all over the ice and is not afraid of physical play. Despite working hard in the weight room, the centerman needs to continue focusing on his health to limit the potential for injuries.

Future

Kerfoot is in his junior season at Harvard in 2015-16 and is the Crimson's second-leading scorer behind Nashville prospect Jimmy Vesey. One of the more skilled players at the Devils' development camp over the summer, he could pursue a pro career following the season but as Vesey did this year he is likely to return to Harvard for his senior year. Kerfoot's size and whether he can translate his success from the college level to professional hockey are concerns but his skill set suggests he can be an effective second or third line center down the road.