Matt Petgrave
Born (1992-01-29) January 29, 1992
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 189 lb (86 kg; 13 st 7 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
EIHL team
Former teams		 Sheffield Steelers
HK Spišská Nová Ves
HC Pardubice
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2008–present

Matt Petgrave (born January 29, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing with the Sheffield Steelers in the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). He is a former East Coast Hockey League First-Team All-Star[1] and he has played in the highest national leagues in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom. Petgrave goes by the nickname "Gravy".[2] On October 28, 2023, he was involved in an on-ice collision with Adam Johnson of the Nottingham Panthers; Johnson died as a result the injuries he sustained in the collision.[3]

Early life

Matthew Petgrave was born on January 29, 1992 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[4]

Playing career

Junior and collegiate

Petgrave started his hockey career in Canada with the Bramalea Blues of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He debuted in the Ontario Hockey League with the Niagara IceDogs where he played in 67 games and scored 25 points.[5]

In the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, he played with the Owen Sound Attack, and midway through the 2011–12 season, he transferred to the Oshawa Generals, where he played until 2013. With the Sound Attack, he recorded 62 points in 98 games across two seasons,[4] and for the Generals he achieved 70 points in 78 games across two seasons.[4] In 2011, he was the Player of the Week in the Ontario Hockey League.[6] With the Generals, Petgrave suffered a broken wrist and missed a considerable number of games, which may have cost him an opportunity for an NHL contract.[7]

Petgrave played collegiate hockey for the University of New Brunswick's UNB Reds from 2013 to 2016, before turning professional.[5][8][9]

Professional

Petgrave's first full season as a professional hockey player was during 2017–18 when he played for the Brampton Beast of the East Coast Hockey League (EHCL).[7] Petgrave developed a reputation for his effective defensive play and adept skating ability.[7] He represented the North Division in the ECHL All-Star game on January 15, 2018.[2][10][11] He signed several professional tryout contracts with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League during the 2017–18 season, but he was returned to Brampton.[12][7] With Brampton, Petgrave was fined and suspended from play indefinitely as result of an in-game action against the Kalamazoo Wings on April 7, 2018.[13]

Petgrave again played for Brampton in the 2018–19 season. At season end he was named an ECHL First-Team All-Star after recording eight goals, 32 assists, and 40 points in 50 games.[14][1]

Petgrave spent the majority of the 2019–20 season with the Brampton Beast. In 41 appearances with Brampton, Petgrave totaled 33 points with seven goals and 26 assists, and had a plus-minus of five.[4]

He signed with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL in December 2020.[15] He totalled 7 goals, 26 assists, and 33 points in 44 games for the Everblades in the 2020–21 season.[16]

In 2021–22, he played a season in Slovakia for HK Spišská Nová Ves, and was the second most penalized player in the league.[17] In 2021–22, he played nine games in the Czech Republic for HC Dynamo Pardubice.[4] Since 2022, he has played for the Sheffield Steelers in the United Kingdom.[5] In the 2022–23 season, he was the most penalized player in the EIHL.[18][19]

Involvement in the death of Adam Johnson

On October 28, 2023, Adam Johnson of the Nottingham Panthers sustained a fatal injury when his throat was cut by Petgrave's skate during an on-ice collision in a game against the Sheffield Steelers.[20][3][21] A video of the incident showed Petgrave's left skate kick up towards Johnson as he began to fall after colliding with another Panther's player.[22] The South Yorkshire Police opened an investigation of the death.[23] As of mid-November 2023, Johnson's death was still under police investigation and a decision as to whether to bring criminal charges had not been made.[24][25]

Honours and awards

Award Year Ref.
ECHL
All-Star Game 2018–19 [11]
First-Team All-Star 2019–20 [1]

Personal life

Petgrave received a standing ovation at his team's first home game since the collision with Adam Johnson that resulted in Johnson's death, albeit Petgrave did not feature in his team's roster for the game.[26][27] Petgrave, who is black, was subject to online racial attacks in the aftermath of the incident.[28][29][30]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "All-ECHL First and Second Teams announced". ECHL. April 4, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Wheeler, Scott (February 2, 2018). "In one: My four wild days trapped in minor-league hell with the Brampton Beast". The Athletic. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Adam Johnson: Nottingham Panthers forward dies after neck cut in Challenge Cup match". BBC Sport. October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Matt Petgrave". Elite Prospects. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Who is Matt Petgrave, the player who accidentally killed Adam Johnson in a freak accident in UK ice hockey?". MARCA TV. October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Matt Petgrave Named OHL Player of the Week". Owen Sound Attack. May 2, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Ries, Mike (January 11, 2018). "Matt Petgrave, A Talent on the Rise". AHL Report. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Police in England arrest man on suspicion of manslaughter after death of ex-NHL player". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ Urquhart, Mia (November 1, 2023). "Former UNB Reds player at centre of U.K. hockey death from skate slash". CBC News. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  10. ↑ Pemberton, Michelle (January 15, 2018). "Wayne Gretzky visits Indy for CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  11. 1 2 McDonnell, Andy (January 4, 2018). "Artur Tyanulin to represent Komets at ECHL All-Star Classic". WANE-TV. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ Cushman, Kyle (February 1, 2018). "Toronto Maple Leafs Organizational News & Notes – February 1". Editor in Leaf. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  13. ↑ "ECHL announces fine, suspension". ECHL. April 8, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  14. ↑ Hetu, Ethan (July 19, 2023). "Minor Transactions: 07/19/23". Pro Hockey Rumors. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Everblades Add Defenseman Matt Petgrave". Florida Everblades. December 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Matt Petgrave Stats and News". NHL.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Elite Prospects – Slovakia Stats 2021–2022". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  18. ↑ Corbella, Enrique (October 31, 2023). "Hockey world horrified by the kick that killed Adam Johnson: It was a homicide". MARCA TV. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  19. ↑ Premo, Cole (November 14, 2023). "Who is Matt Petgrave, the hockey player involved in Adam Johnson's death?". CBS Minnesota. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  20. ↑ Snow, Emma; Jefford, Will (November 4, 2023). "Adam Johnson: Crowds gather to pay tribute to ice hockey player". BBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  21. ↑ Morgan, Tom (October 29, 2023). "Police investigate Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player's death after throat cut by opponent's blade". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  22. ↑ Melley, Brian (November 14, 2023). "A man was arrested in the death of a hockey player whose neck was cut with a skate blade during a game". Associated Press. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  23. ↑ Hartley, Joshua (October 30, 2023). "Official police statement after death of Nottingham Panthers star Adam Johnson". Nottingham Post. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  24. ↑ Clark, Ryan (November 14, 2023). "Man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in Adam Johnson's death". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  25. ↑ Lazarus Caplan, Anna (November 15, 2023). "Man Arrested on Suspicion of Manslaughter in Hockey Player Adam Johnson's Death Released on Bail". People. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  26. ↑ Rumsby, Ben (November 13, 2023). "Ice hockey player Matt Petgrave gets standing ovation in first home game since rink tragedy". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Sheffield Steelers 2:1 OT Coventry Blaze". EIHL. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  28. ↑ Ngabo, Gilbert (November 15, 2023). "Matt Petgrave is 'a great guy … and a responsible hockey player,' former GM says". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  29. ↑ Srinivasan, Arun (October 31, 2023). "Who is Matt Petgrave, the other player involved in Adam Johnson's death?". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  30. ↑ Burgess, Melissa (November 15, 2023). "The NHL shouldn't wait for players to see the sense in new safety measures". MSNBC. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
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