Matt Bradley Explained

Played For:San Jose Sharks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
Florida Panthers
Position:Winger
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lb:205
Birth Date:June 13, 1978
Birth Place:Stittsville, Ontario, Canada
Draft:102nd overall
Draft Year:1996
Draft Team:San Jose Sharks
Career Start:1997
Career End:2012

Matthew William Bradley (born June 13, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey scout and former player. He currently is a scout for the Washington Capitals. Bradley played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and the Florida Panthers. He began working with the Washington Capitals as part of their scouting staff in 2015.[1]

Playing career

Bradley grew up in the Ottawa suburb of Stittsville, Ontario, and played most of his minor hockey for the local Stittsville Rams "C" teams as well as AA for the Ottawa Valley Titans of the ODHA.

After a solid Bantam season in 1993–94 with the Titans, Bradley was drafted and signed with the Cumberland Grads of the Central Junior Hockey League (CJHL). He spent the 1994–95 season with the Grads before being selected in the 2nd round (31st overall) of the 1995 OHL Priority Selection by the Kingston Frontenacs.

Bradley was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, in the fourth round, 102nd overall. Prior to signing with the Washington Capitals, he also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.

Though he was not an offensive powerhouse, Bradley effectively carved out a niche for himself as a tough, checking line winger. In the 2007–08 season, Bradley doubled his fight total from the previous year, had a career-high 111 shots on goal, and was third among Capitals forwards in hits, even though he had the second lowest amount of ice time. Bradley improved his plus/minus rating in every season from 2003 to 2008.[2]

Bradley was re-signed by the Capitals on May 27, 2008, to a three-year contract at $1,000,000 per season.[3]

On July 3, 2011, Bradley signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Florida Panthers. In the 2011–12 season, Bradley appeared in only 45 games, his lowest since his rookie season, recording 8 points. With a limited role and dwindling future prospects in June 2012, the Panthers placed Bradley on waivers and subsequently bought out the remaining year on his contract.[4]

With the 2012 NHL lockout in effect, and with limited interest, Bradley signed a month-by-month contract with Finnish second-division club TuTo Hockey on October 29, 2012.[5] After just one game with TuTo, Bradley suffered another concussion and opted to end his agreement and return to Canada for rehabilitation on November 5, 2012.[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
1993–94Ottawa Valley Titans AAABantam3226224846
1994–95Cumberland GradsCJHL4113223562
1995–96Kingston FrontenacsOHL551014241760116
1996–97Kingston FrontenacsOHL652424484150442
1996–97Kentucky ThoroughbladesAHL10110
1997–98Kingston FrontenacsOHL553350832483477
1998–99Kentucky ThoroughbladesAHL7923204357101454
1999–2000Kentucky ThoroughbladesAHL802219418196399
2000–01Kentucky ThoroughbladesAHL2258131611015
2000–01San Jose SharksNHL2111219
2001–02San Jose SharksNHL549132243100000
2002–03San Jose SharksNHL4623537
2003–04Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL82791665
2004–05Dornbirner ECAUT.2652718
2005–06Washington CapitalsNHL747121972
2006–07Washington CapitalsNHL57491347
2007–08Washington CapitalsNHL77711187470222
2008–09Washington CapitalsNHL81561159142460
2009–10Washington CapitalsNHL771014244771232
2010–11Washington CapitalsNHL6147116890004
2011–12Florida PanthersNHL4535831
2012–13TuToMestis10110
NHL totals67559901495624738118

International

Awards and honours

AwardYear
OHL
William Hanley Trophy1998

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Elite Hockey Prospects . Elite Prospects.
  2. Web site: 2008-04-25. 2007-08 Rink Wrap: Matt Bradley. 2009-03-24. japersrink.com.
  3. News: El-Bashir. Tarik. 2008-05-27. Capitals re-sign Bradley. The Washington Post. dead. 2010-04-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20080829163257/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/2008/05/caps_resign_bradley_for_three.html. August 29, 2008.
  4. Web site: Brough. Jason. 2012-04-06. Panthers to buy out Bradley. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141029024706/http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/28/panthers-to-buy-out-bradley/. October 29, 2014. 2012-04-06. ProHockeyTalk. NBC Sports.
  5. Web site: Matt Bradley TuTo Hockey news . . 2012-10-29 . 2012-10-29 . Finnish.
  6. Web site: Matt Bradley returns to Canada . Finnish . . 2012-11-05 . 2012-11-06.