Matt Petgrave

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 has played in the highest national leagues in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom. He goes by the nickname "Gravy". Petgrave was involved in an on-ice collision with Adam Johnson of the Nottingham Panthers on October 28, 2023; Johnson died as a result the injuries he sustained in the collision.
==Early life==
Matthew Petgrave was born on January 29, 1992 in Toronto, Ontario. 
==Playing career==
===Junior and collegiate===
Petgrave started his 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. 
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, and for the Generals he achieved 70 points in 78 games across two seasons. In 2011, he was the Player of the Week in the Ontario Hockey League. 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.
Between 2013 and 2017, in college, he played for the University of New Brunswick. From 2016 to 2021, he played for a number of teams in the United States and Canada.
===Professional===
Petgrave's first full season as a professional hockey player was during 2017–18 when he played for the Brampton Beast. Petgrave developed a reputation for his effective defense play and adept skating ability. He represented the North Division in the ECHL All-Star game on January 15, 2018. He signed several professional tryout contracts with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League during the 2018-19 season, but he was returned to Brampton. 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.
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.
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. 
In December 2020, he signed with the Florida Everblades.
In 2021–22, he played a season in Slovakia for HK Spišská Nová Ves, and was the second most penalized player in the league. In 2021–22, he played nine games in the Czech Republic for HC Dynamo Pardubice. Since 2022, he has played for the Sheffield Steelers in the United Kingdom. In the 2022–23 season, he was the most penalized player in the EIHL.
==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. A video of the incident showed Petgrave's left skate kick up as he began to fall after colliding with Johnson. The South Yorkshire Police opened an investigation of the death. Former NHL player Sean Avery assessed the alleged kick as intentional, but not an attempt at murder. Johnson's teammate Westin Michaud said that Petgrave's actions "were unintentional and anyone suggesting otherwise is mistaken".
On November 13, 2023, Petgrave received a standing ovation at his team's first home game since the incident, albeit Petgrave did not feature in his team’s roster for the game. Petgrave, who is black, was subject to online racial attacks in the aftermath of the incident.
==See also==
*Ice hockey in the United Kingdom
*Penalty (ice hockey)
*Violence in ice hockey
==References==
==External links==
Category:Belleville Senators players
Category:Brampton Beast players
Category:Florida Everblades players
Category:HC Dynamo Pardubice players
Category:HK Spišská Nová Ves players
Category:Kansas City Mavericks players
Category:Laval Rocket players
Category:Niagara IceDogs players
Category:Oshawa Generals players
Category:Owen Sound Attack players
Category:Sheffield Steelers players
Category:Syracuse Crunch players
Category:Utica Comets players