Matt Petgrave Biography: Meet The Canadian Ice Hockey Player

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” Canadian defenseman Matt Petgrave is one of those few ice hockey players who is known for his excellent ability to read the game.

Through this article, get to know everything about Matt Petgrave biography! Throughout his professional career, Matt has played for numerous hockey teams in eight leagues. He began his hockey career with a junior team called Bramalea Blues in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL).

Since the 2022-23 season, Petgrave joined the Sheffield Steelers in the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), where he made a significant impact, amassing an impressive record.

Matt Petgrave Early Life and Career

Born as Matthew Petgrave on January 29, 1992, Matt hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There is not enough information about his family background. However, Matt Petgrave’s ethnicity is African. After Bramalea Blues, Matt made his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) debut with Niagara IceDogs. He continued his OHL journey with Owen Sound Attack and Oshawa Generals.

During Petgrave’s 15 years of Hockey career, he appeared in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), American Hockey League (AHL), Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), etc.

Matt Petgrave Biography. Image Credit: Facebook.

Petgrave has also played for international teams such as the University of New Brunswick, Brampton Beast, Syracuse Crunch, Florida Everblades, Kansas City Mavericks, etc. Meanwhile, there is not enough information about Petgrave’s parents and his family background.

Since 2022, Petgrave has been playing for Sheffield Steelers in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), also known as the British Elite League. In the 2022-2023 season, he appeared in 54 games with 48 points, and in the 2023-2024 season, he appeared in 7 games, recording just 3 points.

Record of Violence and Suspension

Petgrave has been described by People and Fox presenters as a dirty player. As per EuroHockey, he is currently the Elite Ice Hockey League‘s most penalized player in the 2022-2023 league. Other data shows Petgrave was listed as having 328 career penalty minutes between 2013-2017.

Matt Petgrave Biography. Image Credit: Facebook.

In 2010, Matt was suspended for five games. In 2018, he was suspended indefinitely for his behavior. Similarly, the American Hockey League also suspended Petgrave in 2018 as a consequence of a slew-footing incident in a game on March 28.

The Adam Johnson “accident” happened in the 35th minute of the Elite Ice Hockey League match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena in front of 8,000 fans on October 28, 2023.

ALSO READ: The Tragic Brilliance of Professional Baseball Player Lyman Bostock

Controversies Surrounding Matt Petgrave: Involvement in Adam Johnson’s Death

Adam Johnson was an American star forward for the Nottingham Panthers. Born on June 22, 1994, in Minnesota, U.S., he played 13 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins. On October 28, 2023, Adam died in a freak accident when he was hit by Matt Petgrave during the game.

The incident occurred when Matt collided with Adam’s teammate, causing a fatal injury to Adam’s neck. Video footage showed Petgrave crashing into one of Johnson’s teammates in a collision and showed Johnson getting to his feet, with blood pouring onto the ice.

Matt Petgrave Biography. Image Credit: Social Media.

Johnson was eventually transferred and later formally pronounced dead at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital. Meanwhile, the news of Johnson’s death was publicly withheld until the following morning while Johnson’s relatives were alerted.

Following Johnson’s death, the Elite Ice Hockey League postponed all games scheduled to take place on October 29, 2023. Likewise, the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) has made neck guards mandatory for all players in England from January 1, 2024.

Similarly, you might want to read about former ice hockey defenseman Kimmo Timonen‘s Biography.

Net Worth and Earnings

Matt Petgrave, as an ice hockey player, earns a decent amount of earnings from his professional career. As per reports, the salaries of ice hockey players in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) can vary widely depending on a variety of factors.

As per reports, the maximum salary cap is $83.5 million for the 2023-24 campaign, and the average NHL salary is just over $3.5 million. While the average salary is $3.5 million, the minimum wage is $750,000, slightly up from $700,000 in 2020-21.

Some entry-level players in their first year in the league typically receive a stipend to cover their basic living expenses, which is set by the league.

This stipend is intended to help players with their education and living costs while they play in the OHL. Meanwhile, a player in their final year of junior hockey (usually at age 20) might receive a higher stipend than a rookie.

Likewise, highly touted prospects and star players in the OHL may receive additional bonuses, endorsements, or perks, especially if they are expected to have successful professional careers.