Drew Fata

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Drew Fata.jpg

| caption = Fata with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2006

| image_size = 230 px

| played_for = New York Islanders
Sparta Sarpsborg
Sheffield Steelers

| position = Defence

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 220

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|7|28|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

| draft = 86th overall

| draft_year = 2001

| draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins

| career_start = 2003

| career_end = 2014

}}

Drew Richard Fata (born July 28, 1983) is a Canadian former professional hockey defenceman. He is the younger brother of Rico Fata, who has played for several NHL teams over the course of his career.

Playing career

As a youth, Fata played in the 1997 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=2019-02-11|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Fata was drafted 86th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Without playing a game for the Penguins, Fata signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders on February 4, 2007.{{cn|date=February 2019}} When Islanders defenceman Sean Hill received a 20-game suspension on April 20, 2007 after testing positive performance-enhancing drugs, Drew Fata was called upon to take his place in the lineup. He then made his playoff debut against the Buffalo Sabres on April 20, though the Islanders lost the game and were eliminated from the postseason.{{cn|date=February 2019}}

On July 2, 2008, Fata signed with the Phoenix Coyotes. Fata started the 2008–09 season with the Coyotes affiliate, San Antonio Rampage, before he was traded by the Coyotes to the Ottawa Senators for Alexander Nikulin on November 3, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=390320|title=Coyotes acquire Nikulin from Senators|publisher=Coyotes.nhl.com|date=2008-11-03|accessdate=2008-11-03|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726183437/http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=390320|archivedate=2011-07-26}}

On July 7, 2009, Fata signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Boston Bruins.[http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2009/7/7/941227/bruins-sign-drew-fata-and-dany Bruins sign Drew Fata and Dany Sabourin ]

After coming off a season that involved ankle surgery, Fata did not receive any offers for four months. Eventually Fata was invited to return to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the team where he started his professional career.{{cite web | title=Fata looking to rekindle career with Penguins | author=Jonathan Bombulie | language= | publisher=Citizensvoice.com | url=http://citizensvoice.com/sports/fata-looking-to-rekindle-career-with-penguins-1.1030934 | date=2006-09-26 | accessdate=2010-11-01}} After one game with the Penguins, Fata was released from his professional tryout contract on November 1, 2010.{{cite web | title=PETERSEN REASSIGNED TO WHEELING; FATA RELEASED | publisher=wbspenguins.com | url=http://wbspenguins.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=604&Itemid=604 | date=2010-11-01 | accessdate=2010-11-01}}

On November 1, 2010 Fata signed with Sparta Sarpsborg of the Norwegian GET-ligaen{{cite web | title=Sparta signerer NHL-back | publisher=Sparta.no | url=http://www.sparta.no/?ItemID=3061 | language=Norwegian |date=2010-11-01 | accessdate=2010-11-01}}

After a further three seasons abroad with HC Asiago and the Sheffield Steelers, Fata returned to North America to sign a one-year free agent contract with the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL on August 5, 2014.{{cite web | url = http://arizonasundogs.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=2843 | title = Sundogs add veteran experience with Drew Fata | publisher = Arizona Sundogs | date = 2014-08-05 | accessdate = 2014-08-05 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140808170341/http://arizonasundogs.com/news/headlines/index.html?article_id=2843 | archivedate = 2014-08-08 }} Upon the merge of the CHL into the ECHL, Fata opted to retire from professional hockey and accepted a General Manager role with the Batchewana Attack in the Canadian International Hockey League.{{cn|date=February 2019}}