Matthew John Fraser (born May 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing. He is currently under contract with EC KAC of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League for the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers.

Matt Fraser
Fraser with the Edmonton Oilers in 2015
Born (1990-05-20) May 20, 1990 (age 34)
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
PositionLeft wing
ShootsLeft
ICEHL team
Former teams
EC KAC
Dallas Stars
Boston Bruins
Edmonton Oilers
Rögle BK
Dornbirner EC
Augsburger Panther
NHL draftUndrafted
Playing career2010–present

Playing career edit

Fraser played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL), winning the 2010–11 WHL championship with the Kootenay Ice.

Fraser with the Texas Stars in 2013

On November 17, 2010, the Dallas Stars signed Fraser as a free agent to a three-year entry level contract.[1] Fraser started the 2011–12 season playing with the Stars' top American Hockey League affiliate, the Texas Stars, where he scored 21 goals in his first 40 games. Fraser was leading his AHL team in scoring when, on January 24, 2012, he was called up to the Dallas Stars to make his NHL debut.[2] After one game he was returned to Texas and finished with a franchise high 37 goals, second in the league. On February 25, 2013, he scored his first career NHL goal against the Nashville Predators with Pekka Rinne in net.

On July 4, 2013, Fraser was included in a trade between the Stars and Boston Bruins which sent Loui Eriksson to Boston and Tyler Seguin to Dallas in a seven-player deal. Boston traded Seguin, Rich Peverley and Ryan Button to Dallas for Eriksson, Fraser, Joe Morrow and Reilly Smith.[3] Fraser and Ryan Spooner were called up by the Boston Bruins from AHL Providence on December 8, 2013.[4] On May 7, 2014, Fraser was recalled by Boston to make his NHL playoff debut the following day where he scored the overtime winner, giving the Bruins a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on May 8 to even the Eastern Conference Semifinals series 2-2.[5]

In the 2014–15 season, Fraser was claimed off waivers from the Bruins by the Edmonton Oilers on December 29, 2014.[6] Fraser scored 5 goals in 36 games to end the year with the Oilers; however, he was not retained with a qualifying offer, releasing him to unrestricted free agency.[7] On July 2, 2015, Fraser signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets.[8]

In the 2015–16 season, while with the Jets AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, on February 25, 2016, Fraser was traded by Winnipeg alongside Andrew Ladd and Jay Harrison to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Marko Daňo and a first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.[9]

Unable to crack an NHL roster in a full-time role over five seasons, Fraser left North America as a free agent, signing a one-year deal with Swedish club Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League on September 9, 2016.[10] After one season in Rögle, Fraser moved to Austria to compete with Dornbirner EC of the EBEL.

On April 11, 2018, Fraser moved to the neighbouring German DEL league, agreeing to a one-year contract for the 2018–19 season with the Augsburger Panther.[11]

Career statistics edit

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2006–07Red Deer RebelsWHL3000210000
2007–08Red Deer RebelsWHL50002
2007–08Kootenay IceWHL63911204881120
2008–09Kootenay IceWHL63101424123402212
2009–10Kootenay IceWHL65322456117611212
2009–10Peoria RivermenAHL20000
2010–11Kootenay IceWHL663638741151917102718
2011–12Texas StarsAHL7337185545
2011–12Dallas StarsNHL10000
2012–13Texas StarsAHL623313462692022
2012–13Dallas StarsNHL121230
2013–14Providence BruinsAHL402010303453250
2013–14Boston BruinsNHL142021041120
2014–15Boston BruinsNHL243037
2014–15Edmonton OilersNHL3654910
2015–16Manitoba MooseAHL4459144
2015–16Rockford IceHogsAHL212571020112
2016–17Rögle BKSHL40000
2017–18Dornbirner ECEBEL512718453061122
2018–19Augsburger PantherDEL52181634361433612
2019–20Augsburger PantherDEL529152418
2020–21EC KACICEHL2610112112151051510
2021–22EC KACICEHL4516824129551010
2022–23EC KACICEHL461410241241122
NHL totals87116172741120

Awards and honors edit

AwardYear
WHL
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy – Humanitarian of the Year2009–10[12]
Champion (Kootenay Ice)2010–11[13]

References edit

  1. ^ "Dallas Stars sign Left Wing Matt Fraser". Dallas Stars. November 17, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  2. ^ "Matt Fraser set to make NHL debut". ESPN. January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  3. ^ "Tyler Seguin traded from Boston Bruins to Dallas Stars". Boston.com. July 4, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  4. ^ "Bruins call up two from Providence in wake of injuries". NHL.com. December 8, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  5. ^ "Matt Fraser scores game-winning goal in overtime in NHL playoff debut to lift Boston Bruins over Montreal Canadiens in Game 4, 1-0". masslive.com. May 9, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  6. ^ "Edmonton Oilers (smartly) claim Matt Fraser off waivers". Edmonton Journal. December 29, 2014.
  7. ^ "Edmonton Oilers qualify the right players". Edmonton Journal. June 29, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  8. ^ "Jets agree to terms with Cormier and Fraser". Winnipeg Jets. July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  9. ^ "Blackhawks make big move in bringing back winger Andrew Ladd". Chicago Tribune. February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. ^ "Rogle recruits NHL forward Matt Fraser" (in Swedish). Rögle BK. September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  11. ^ "Matt Fraser strengthens Panthers". Augsburger Panther. April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "Matt Fraser recognized for commitment to health care". BCLocalNews.com. February 3, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  13. ^ "Kootenay Ice Crowned WHL Champions". Western Hockey League. April 5, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.

External links edit