Brian McGrattan

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = Phoenix Coyotes
former_teams = Ottawa Senators
league = NHL
position = Right Wing
shoots = Right
height_ft = 6
height_in = 4
weight_lb = 234
nickname = Gratts, Ernie
nationality = Canada
birth_date = birth date and age|1981|09|02
birth_place = Hamilton, Ontario
draft = 104th Overall
draft_year = 1999
draft_team = Los Angeles
career_start = 2002

Brian McGrattan (born September 2 1981, Hamilton, Ontario)cite book|title=The Canadian Hockey Atlas|first=Stephen|last=Cole|publisher=Doubleday Canada|year=2006|id=ISBN 978-0-385-66093-8 (0-385-66093-6)] is a professional ice hockey player for the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.

Playing career

McGrattan is an enforcer who has 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 faught McGrattan several times, referred to him as "the toughest guy in the league" [ cite web |url=http://www.hockeyfights.com/articles/212 |title=Q & A: Brandon Sugden |publisher=hockeyfights.com |date=2006-10-08 |accessdate=2008-09-01] . He played his first NHL game 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.

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.

McGrattan truly arrived as an NHL enforcer during a game against the arch-rival Maple Leafs on October 29, 2005. He defeated Toronto's Tie Domi, then the league's most feared fighter, and Domi was forced to leave the game with a facial injury [ cite web |url=http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/14073 |title=Brian McGrattan vs Tie Domi |publisher=hockeyfights.com |date=2005-10-29 |accessdate=2008-08-30] [ cite web |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5zy90Q2y88 |title=McGrattan vs Domi |publisher=youtube.com |date=2008-03-23 |accessdate=2008-08-30] . With this fight, McGrattan quickly established himself as one of the premier fighters in the NHL [ cite web |url=http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/Extras/2006/09/12/1830360.html |title=Extras: Brian McGrattan |publisher=ottawasun.com |date=2005-10-29 |accessdate=2008-09-01] .

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 of 2008 [ cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=1941111e-01fa-4070-a0eb-4a7e9f068f91&k=24150 |title=Emery and McGrattan fight during practice |publisher=canada.com |date=2008-01-07 |accessdate=2008-08-30] , an event which may have hastened both players' departures from Ottawa [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ottawa/2008/08/31/6623606-sun.html |title=The new kids in town |publisher=ottawasun.com |date=2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-02] . Interestingly, both are close friends off the ice.

On June 25th, 2008, McGrattan was traded by Ottawa to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a 5th round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Phoenix/2008/06/25/5984566-cp.html |title=Senators deal Brian McGrattan |publisher=canoe.ca |date=2008-06-25 |accessdate=2008-09-01] .The Coyotes later signed him to a one year contract [ cite web |url=http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=367860&page=NewsPage&service=page |title=COYOTES SIGN BRIAN McGRATTAN TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT |publisher=phoenixcoyotes.com |date=2008-07-03 |accessdate=2008-09-01] . 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."

Career statistics

ee also

*List of NHL seasons
*List of OHL seasons
*List of AHL seasons
*List of Ottawa Senators players
*Enforcer (ice hockey)

References

External links

*hockeydb|31753