The
Dallas Stars of the
National Hockey League (NHL) selected Sawada in the second round, 52nd overall, of the
2004 NHL entry draft. He spent the next four years playing for the
Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey team, serving as co-
captain during his final season. Sawada played 137 games with Cornell, during which he scored 31
goals and 76 points. Sawada made his NHL debut on February 19, 2009, his 24th birthday, scoring a goal in Dallas's 4–2 victory over the
Edmonton Oilers. Between 2008 and 2011, Sawada played 11 NHL games, recording one goal. He also played 287
American Hockey League (AHL) games for the
Iowa Stars,
Manitoba Moose, Texas Stars and
St. John's IceCaps. Sawada began the 2013–14 professional ice hockey season with the
Colorado Eagles of the
ECHL, waiting for another NHL contract. When one failed to materialize, he left the Eagles after 15 points in 18 games to join
Tappara in
SM-Liiga. After winning a silver medal with Tappara, Sawada signed a one-year contract with the
Belfast Giants of the
Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2014–15 season. Sawada played his final season of professional ice hockey with the
Oji Eagles of
Asia League Ice Hockey in 2015–16, recording 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games. ==Personal life==