Playing career

Ladd began his junior hockey career in the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Coquitlam Express. He then progressed to the major junior Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Calgary Hitmen after being traded from the Vancouver Giants for Jamison Orr. He recorded 75 points in his rookie season, tops among first-year players and 15th in league scoring. His +39 plus/minus led the league, earning him the WHL Plus-Minus Award. In the off-season, Ladd was drafted in the first round, 4th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Ladd turned pro after two seasons with the Hitmen in 2005-06 with the Lowell Lock Monsters, the Hurricanes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He was called up to the Hurricanes in November, making his NHL debut, but soon suffered a knee injury in December which sidelined him until February. Ladd was assigned back to the Lowell Lock Monsters until March when he was recalled to join the Hurricanes for their playoff run. He contributed 5 points in 17 post-season games helping the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup championship.

The following season, in 2006-07, Ladd solidified a roster spot with the Hurricanes, but suffered an injury for a second straight season, undergoing an emergency appendectomy on December 14, 2006. He finished the campaign with 21 points in 65 games. In the midst of his third NHL season, Ladd was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline on February 26, 2008, in exchange for Tuomo Ruutu. By joining the Blackhawks, Ladd was reunited with three former minor hockey teammates, Troy Brouwer, Brent Seabrook and Colin Fraser, who all played together with the Pacific Vipers. In a game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 7, 2010, Ladd scored his first NHL hat trick.

On July 1, 2010, in a salary-cap move, Ladd was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy and Atlanta's second-round choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, joining Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, and Brent Sopel, who had been traded from the Blackhawks a week earlier. During the 2010-11 season, on November 18, Ladd was named as the captain of the Thrashers, with Byfuglien and Tobias Enström as alternates. Ladd was awarded the team MVP award at the completion of the season. On July 5, 2011, Ladd signed a 5-year, US$22 million contract with the Jets.

In the 2015-16 season, in the final year of his contract and with the Jets out of playoff contention, on February 25, 2016, Ladd was traded back to the Blackhawks, along with Jay Harrison and Matt Fraser, in exchange for Marko Dano and a 2016 1st-round draft pick.

International play

Medal record
Representing Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2005 Grand Forks

During his junior career, Ladd played for Team Canada at the 2005 World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota where he was joined by former minor hockey and future Chicago Blackhawks teammates Colin Fraser and Brent Seabrook. The trio helped Canada win their first gold medal of a five-year championship run. He was chosen as an alternative captain for team Canada at the 2011 IIHF tournament.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2001-02	Vancouver Giants	WHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2002-03	Coquitlam Express	BCHL		58	15	40	55	61		—	—	—	—	—
2003-04	Calgary Hitmen	WHL		71	30	45	75	119		7	1	6	7	10
2004-05	Calgary Hitmen	WHL		65	19	26	45	167		12	7	4	11	18
2005-06	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL		25	11	8	19	61		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		29	6	5	11	4		17	2	3	5	4
2006-07	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		65	11	10	21	46		—	—	—	—	—
2007-08	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		43	9	9	18	31		—	—	—	—	—
2007-08	Albany River Rats	AHL		2	1	0	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
2007-08	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		20	5	7	12	4		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		82	15	34	49	28		17	3	1	4	12
2009-10	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		82	17	21	38	67		19	3	3	6	12
2010-11	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		81	29	30	59	39		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		82	28	22	50	64		—	—	—	—	—
2012-13	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		48	18	28	46	22		—	—	—	—	—
2013-14	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		78	23	31	54	57		—	—	—	—	—
2014-15	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		81	24	38	62	72		4	0	1	1	4
2015-16	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		59	17	17	34	39		—	—	—	—	—
2015-16	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		19	8	4	12	6		7	1	1	2	16
NHL totals				769	210	256	466	479		64	9	9	18	48

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005	Canada	WJC	01 !		6	3	4	7	2
2011	Canada	WC	5th		7	0	0	0	2
Junior totals					6	3	4	7	2
Senior totals					7	0	0	0	2

Awards

• Won the WHL Plus-Minus Award in 2004
• Won the WHL Top Draft Prospect Award in 2004
• Won a World Junior Championships gold medal with Canada in 2005
• Won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006
• Won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010

[ Source: Wikipedia ]