Brian McGrattan
Encyclopedia
Brian McGrattan is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
player currently playing with the Nashville Predators
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
who built a solid reputation for himself, particularly during the American Hockey League
's 2004–05
season when he established an all-time league record for penalty minutes in a single season (551). Infamous minor league enforcer Brandon Sugden
, who fought McGrattan several times, referred to him as "the toughest guy in the league."
During his junior hockey career he played for six teams in the OHL
between 1997 and 2002. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings
in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
but never played for the team. On June 2, 2003, he was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators
.
game with the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout win at Toronto
on Oct. 5, 2005. He scored his first goal against all-star goaltender Martin Brodeur
of the New Jersey Devils
and his second versus the Atlanta Thrashers
. McGrattan truly arrived as an NHL enforcer during a game with the Senators against the arch-rival Maple Leafs on October 29, 2005. In a fight, he defeated Toronto's Tie Domi
, then one of the league's top fighters, and Domi was forced to leave the game with a facial injury.
He was a healthy scratch for much of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons with Ottawa, dressing mainly to replace injured teammates or to provide a physical presence in the lineup. In 2007–08 he played in 38 of 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the campaign and entire playoffs
. He has yet to see action in an NHL playoff game.
McGrattan was involved in a much publicized fight with then teammate Ray Emery
during a Senators' practice in January 2008, an event which may have hastened both players' departures from Ottawa. Interestingly, both are close friends off the ice.
. The Coyotes later signed him to a one year contract
. Coyotes GM Don Maloney
told The Canadian Press "I'm excited about it (acquiring McGrattan). I think he'll fit in well with our group."
McGrattan ultimately saw action in only 5 games with Phoenix, registering no points and collecting 22 penalty minutes. On December 13, 2008, the National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League announced that McGrattan had voluntarily entered Stage #1 of the NHL and the NHLPA's Substance Abuse
and Behavioral Health
Program. No further details were announced.
in Calgary, he played in 34 of his team's 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the season. On October 16, 2009, against the Vancouver Canucks
, McGrattan recorded his first career Gordie Howe hat trick
enroute to a 5-3 Flames win.
on October 9, 2010, the deal was finalized upon the Bruins' return from Prague, Czech Republic. Assigned to Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins
, McGrattan was later traded by the Bruins along with Sean Zimmerman
to the Anaheim Ducks for David Laliberte
and Stefan Chaput
on February 27, 2011.
On July 7, 2011, McGrattan signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks
. On October 11, the team placed McGrattan on waivers. He was claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player currently playing with the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL).
Playing career
McGrattan is an enforcerEnforcer (hockey)
Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". NHL players regarded as enforcers include Tiger Williams, Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Schultz, Tie Domi, Dave Brown, Joey Kocur, Clark Gillies, Stu Grimson,...
who built a solid reputation for himself, particularly during the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's 2004–05
2004–05 AHL season
The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season...
season when he established an all-time league record for penalty minutes in a single season (551). Infamous minor league enforcer Brandon Sugden
Brandon Sugden
Brandon Sugden is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who plays for Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was selected by Toronto Maple Leafs in the 5th round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft....
, who fought McGrattan several times, referred to him as "the toughest guy in the league."
During his junior hockey career he played for six teams in the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
between 1997 and 2002. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
but never played for the team. On June 2, 2003, he was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Ottawa Senators
McGrattan played his first NHLNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
game with the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout win at Toronto
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on Oct. 5, 2005. He scored his first goal against all-star goaltender Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
Martin Pierre Brodeur is a French-Canadian ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. In his 19-year tenure with the Devils, he has won three Stanley Cup championships and has been in the playoffs every year but two...
of the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and his second versus the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
. McGrattan truly arrived as an NHL enforcer during a game with the Senators against the arch-rival Maple Leafs on October 29, 2005. In a fight, he defeated Toronto's Tie Domi
Tie Domi
Tahir "Tie" Domi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets....
, then one of the league's top fighters, and Domi was forced to leave the game with a facial injury.
He was a healthy scratch for much of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons with Ottawa, dressing mainly to replace injured teammates or to provide a physical presence in the lineup. In 2007–08 he played in 38 of 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the campaign and entire playoffs
2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 9, 2008, after the 2007–08 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions...
. He has yet to see action in an NHL playoff game.
McGrattan was involved in a much publicized fight with then teammate Ray Emery
Ray Emery
Ray Emery , often nicknamed Razor or Sugar Ray, is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks. He formerly played for the Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey...
during a Senators' practice in January 2008, an event which may have hastened both players' departures from Ottawa. Interestingly, both are close friends off the ice.
Phoenix Coyotes
On June 25, 2008, McGrattan was traded by Ottawa to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a 5th round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft2009 NHL Entry Draft
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
. The Coyotes later signed him to a one year contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
. Coyotes GM Don Maloney
Don Maloney
Donald Michael "Slip" Maloney is a former NHL player, and is currently the general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes. He played for the New York Rangers for parts of eleven seasons. His best season came in the 1982–83 season, in which he tallied 29 goals and 69 points in 78 games...
told The Canadian Press "I'm excited about it (acquiring McGrattan). I think he'll fit in well with our group."
McGrattan ultimately saw action in only 5 games with Phoenix, registering no points and collecting 22 penalty minutes. On December 13, 2008, the National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League announced that McGrattan had voluntarily entered Stage #1 of the NHL and the NHLPA's Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse may mean:* substance abuse, such as drug abuse* Substance Abuse , a hip-hop group* Substance Abuse , an unofficial New Order remix album* Substance Abuse...
and Behavioral Health
Behavioral health
In psychology behavioral health, as a general concept, refers to the reciprocal relationship between human behavior, individually or socially, and the well-being of the body, mind, and spirit, whether the latter are considered individually or as an integrated whole...
Program. No further details were announced.
Calgary Flames
On July 11, 2009, McGrattan signed as a free agent with the NHL's Calgary Flames. During his one season2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
in Calgary, he played in 34 of his team's 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the season. On October 16, 2009, against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, McGrattan recorded his first career Gordie Howe hat trick
Gordie Howe hat trick
In ice hockey, a Gordie Howe hat trick is a variation on the hat-trick, wherein a player scores a goal, records an assist, and gets in a fight all in one game. It is named after Gordie Howe, well known for his skill at both scoring and fighting....
enroute to a 5-3 Flames win.
Boston, Anaheim, and Nashville
McGrattan agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston BruinsBoston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
on October 9, 2010, the deal was finalized upon the Bruins' return from Prague, Czech Republic. Assigned to Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins
Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
, McGrattan was later traded by the Bruins along with Sean Zimmerman
Sean Zimmerman
Sean Zimmerman is a professional ice hockey defenceman, who is currently playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League . Zimmerman played for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League where he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round...
to the Anaheim Ducks for David Laliberte
David Laliberté
David Laliberté is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a member of the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career:...
and Stefan Chaput
Stefan Chaput
Stefan Chaput is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays centre with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
on February 27, 2011.
On July 7, 2011, McGrattan signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. On October 11, the team placed McGrattan on waivers. He was claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 1997–98 OHL season The 1997–98 OHL season was the 18th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Eighteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors name is re-activated when they are awarded a franchise, they would play in the... |
Guelph Storm Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm is a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre.-History:... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
25 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 OHL season The 1998–99 OHL season was the 19th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The Belleville Bulls won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the London Knights.... |
Guelph Storm | OHL | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Sudbury Wolves Sudbury Wolves The Sudbury Wolves are the name of the ice hockey team from Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury has had a hockey team known as the "Wolves" nearly every year since World War I. The Sudbury Wolves, the senior men's AAA team, have twice been chosen to be Canada's representatives at the Ice Hockey World... |
OHL | 53 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 153 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1999–2000 1999–2000 OHL season The 1999–2000 OHL season was the 20th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams each played 68 games. The Barrie Colts won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Plymouth Whalers.-Eastern Conference:-Western Conference:-Scoring leaders:... |
Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 25 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Mississauga Ice Dogs | OHL | 42 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 166 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Mississauga Ice Dogs | OHL | 31 | 20 | 9 | 29 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Mississauga Ice Dogs | OHL | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Owen Sound Attack Owen Sound Attack The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey in the Ontario Hockey League since the year 2000. The Attack are based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.-History:... |
OHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Oshawa Generals Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League... |
OHL | 25 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey... |
OHL | 26 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 71 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 20 | ||
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Binghamton Senators Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . Nicknamed the B-Sens, they play in Binghamton, New York at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Along with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, the B-Sens are minor league affiliates of the Ottawa Senators... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
59 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 173 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Binghamton Senators | AHL | 66 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 327 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Binghamton Senators | AHL | 71 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 551 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 28 | ||
| 2005–06 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
60 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 141 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 44 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 38 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... |
NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
San Antonio Rampage San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:... |
AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 34 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 AHL season The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011... |
Providence Bruins Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:... |
AHL | 39 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Syracuse Crunch Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter... |
AHL | 20 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 182 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 395 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||