During the 2002–03 season, on March 9, 2003, DeFauw was recalled from the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL to the Hurricanes.

[1] The following night DeFauw made his NHL debut, making an immediate impression with scoring 2 goals and earning the first star award in a victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

DeFauw joined Colorado College's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant until October 18, 2006, when he signed with IF Björklöven of Sweden's Allsvenskan.

In the 2007–08 season, he joined Nordsjælland Cobras of Denmark's Oddset Ligaen, but after one year DeFauw left the team in May 2008 to complete the end of his professional career.

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