- Matt Ellis (ice hockey)
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Matt Ellis 
Born August 31, 1981
Welland, ON, CANHeight 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) Position Left wing Shoots Left NHL team
Former teamsBuffalo Sabres
Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red WingsNHL Draft Undrafted Playing career 2003–present Matt Ellis (born August 31, 1981) is a professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres.
Contents
Professional career
Minor league hockey
Ellis started play in the OHL with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors in 1998. He quickly learned the speed and style of the game, as he started producing goals and assists right away. Each year with the Majors saw Ellis improving his point totals, from 18 the first year, onto 35,45, and finishing with 38 goals and 51 assists for 89 total points in his final year with Toronto, helping them with the Central Division title.
The Detroit Red Wings came calling and signed Ellis as a free agent on May 10, 2002. He was sent to play on the Wings' farm team the Toledo Storm in the ECHL where he posted 59 points in the regular season and tacked on eight points in the Storms' short playoff run.
Reaching the AHL
In the following season, Ellis was quickly brought up to the AHL to join the Grand Rapids Griffins and tallied his first AHL point on October 24, 2003 with an assist on the game-winning goal versus the Utah Grizzlies. Ellis again took time to adjust to the faster pace but soon found his place with the team. Each year his point totals went up and in the 2005–06 season, Ellis was named captain; the youngest captain ever in Griffins' history. This gave him the needed confidence to continue his growth as a player, which Ellis summed up when he had this to say about his captaincy:
"It’s definitely a big factor. You can totally tell the difference when there’s a guy out there playing with confidence and when a guy’s unsure of himself. Being a fourth-year pro, it makes a huge difference. Each year, you come in with a little more confidence, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by some great players and coaches who were there to give me a pat on the back or help me out and keep me motivated."
When asked about the chance to play for the Red Wings, Ellis said:
"I’m hoping. Grand Rapids is a great place to learn and develop, but I’d like to get my feet wet in Detroit – for sure."
Detroit Red Wings
Ellis made his NHL debut for the Detroit Red Wings on December 18, 2006 in a 4–3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Los Angeles Kings
Ellis was claimed off of waivers by the Los Angeles Kings on February 21, 2008. He scored his first goal with the Kings, an empty-net goal, on March 13, 2008 against the Nashville Predators at Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Buffalo Sabres
Ellis was claimed off of waivers by the Buffalo Sabres on October 1, 2008. He played his first game with the team on October 15 against the New York Rangers. On December 18, 2008 after injuries to forwards on the Sabres, Ellis was recalled for the second time this season.
Matt Ellis re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres inking a one-year contract on July 9, 2009.
Matt Ellis re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres, inking another one-year contract on his birthday - August 31, 2010.
On October 4, 2010 he was placed on waivers by the Buffalo Sabres, which he cleared.
He currently plays for Buffalo's farm team, the Rochester Americans.
On July 19, 2011, Ellis signed a multi-year contract with the Sabres. [1]
Awards and achievements
- 2004–05: Matched a Grand Rapids Griffins record with four shorthanded goals giving him the nickname "shorty"
- 2004–05: First player in Griffins history to score two shorthanded goals in a home game. (March 12, 2005 vs. Hamilton Bulldogs)
- 2005–06: Named youngest captain in Grand Rapids Griffins' history
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1998–99 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL 47 10 8 18 6 — — — — — 1999–00 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL 59 15 20 35 20 — — — — — 2000–01 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL 68 21 24 45 19 18 4 8 12 6 2001–02 Toronto St. Michael's Majors OHL 66 38 51 89 20 15 8 6 14 6 2002–03 Toledo Storm ECHL 71 27 32 59 34 7 3 5 8 0 2003–04 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 64 5 10 15 23 4 0 0 0 2 2004–05 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 79 18 23 41 59 — — — — — 2005–06 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 74 20 28 48 61 16 4 1 5 20 2006–07 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 65 26 23 49 44 7 4 3 7 4 2006–07 Detroit Red Wings NHL 16 0 0 0 6 — — — — — 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings NHL 35 2 4 6 12 — — — — — 2007–08 Los Angeles Kings NHL 19 1 1 2 14 — — — — — 2008–09 Buffalo Sabres NHL 45 7 5 12 12 — — — — — 2008–09 Portland Pirates AHL 12 2 2 4 4 — — — — — 2009–10 Buffalo Sabres NHL 72 3 10 13 12 3 1 0 1 0 2010–11 Portland Pirates AHL 52 10 21 31 12 11 1 5 6 4 2010–11 Buffalo Sabres NHL 14 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 NHL totals 201 13 20 33 56 4 1 0 1 0 References
External links
Categories:- 1981 births
- Buffalo Sabres players
- Canadian ice hockey left wingers
- Detroit Red Wings players
- Grand Rapids Griffins players
- Ice hockey people from Ontario
- Living people
- Los Angeles Kings players
- People from Welland, Ontario
- Portland Pirates players
- Toledo Storm players
- Toronto St. Michael's Majors alumni
- Undrafted National Hockey League players
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