Who is Kris Foucault? Former NHL prospect saves young girl from drowning in the Bahamas

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Kris Foucault was on a family vacation on Cabbage Beach in the Bahamas this month, but a recent shoulder surgery for a labral tear meant that Foucault wasn't planning on swimming in the ocean during his stay. 

The shoulder didn't stop him from diving into the rough waves to save a 6-year-old girl's life

"It's the team aspect of hockey," Foucault said. "If your teammate is in trouble, you try to help. [On Cabbage Beach], someone was in trouble and I thought I could help."

Foucault, a forward playing in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), was eating lunch with his family on May 12 when he heard people screaming for help on the beach below. He got up, asked his mother-in-law what the yells were about and when he was told it was a little girl, he didn't hesitate, jumping into the water. 

"As I got through the wave, I saw her lifeless body floating on the top about 50 feet in front of me," Foucault said. "I actually thought I was just recovering a body."

He was able to bring the girl onto the shore, where a lifeguard performed CPR, fully resuscitating the girl. She was rushed to a hospital and Foucault has not heard from her since. 

"I missed a bit of what happened when we got to shore because I kind of just laid down," Foucault said. "I was out of breath and needed a bit of a rest."

Foucault has been swimming for years. He grew up in Calgary, but has been vacationing in Hawaii for 18 years and has spent time on the west coast of Canada. Not only does he swim for the enjoyment, but he does it to keep him in top form to continue to play hockey. 

"As hockey players, we do have to stay in tip-top shape," Foucault said. "For me, I'm a little bit of an older player — I'm 31 — staying in shape and being able to swim has kept my career going. I shout out my trainers for keeping me equipped for hockey and equipped for other situations as well."

Who knew an exercise used to just stay in shape would save someone's life?

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Who is Kris Foucault?

Foucault was born and raised in Calgary, playing youth hockey for the Calgary Junior Flames program.

He spent parts of five seasons in the WHL, splitting time with the Swift Current Broncos, Kootenay Ice and Calgary Hitmen. He was drafted by the Wild in the fourth round (103rd overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, spending two more seasons in the WHL before signing his entry-level contract with Minnesota. 

During his first year at the professional level, the winger made his NHL debut on Feb. 14, 2012, the first and only game he would play in the NHL. Foucault was sent back down to the Houston Aeros, known by the 2013-14 season as the Iowa Wild, and spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons in the AHL. 

After Minnesota elected not to tender a qualifying offer, Foucault went overseas in 2014 and played one season in Austria and two seasons in Switzerland before signing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL in 2016. He just wrapped up his sixth season in the DEL, coming off a 2021-22 campaign with the Iserlohn Roosters. 

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Bryan Murphy is an NHL content producer at The Sporting News.