Shawn Matthias

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Shawn Matthias 2012-03-09.JPG

| image_size = 225px

| caption = Matthias skating against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|2|19}}

| birth_place = Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 231

| position = Forward

| shoots = Left

| league = NHL

| played_for = Florida Panthers
Vancouver Canucks
Toronto Maple Leafs
Colorado Avalanche
Winnipeg Jets

| draft = 47th overall

| draft_year = 2006

| draft_team = Detroit Red Wings

| career_start = 2008

| career_end = 2018

}}

Shawn Matthias (born February 19, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. Matthias played in the NHL, making appearances with the Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets. He was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round, 47th overall, at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Matthias was a natural centre early in his career; however, he made the transition to being able to play the wings as well.

Playing career

=Junior=

Matthias played his major junior ice hockey career with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before he was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round, 47th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.{{Cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2781644 | title = Red Wings acquire Bertuzzi from Panthers | publisher = ESPN | date = 2007-02-27 | access-date = 2010-10-19}} In his first season in the OHL, Matthias stood at 6'2 and 170 pounds.{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ryan |title=THE HOT LIST – RUNNING OF THE BULL |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/the-hot-list-running-of-the-bull |newspaper=The Hockey News |accessdate=January 27, 2020 |date=November 20, 2007}} During the following season, 2006–07, his rights were traded, along with conditional draft picks to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi on February 27, 2007.

=Professional=

On January 18, 2008, the Panthers called up Matthias from Belleville. In his second NHL game on January 19, 2008, he scored his first two goals, both against goaltender Brent Johnson of the Washington Capitals.{{cite web| url = http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280119023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150214174650/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280119023 | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 14, 2015 | title = Backstrom, Kozlov power Capitals past Panthers | publisher = ESPN | date = 2008-01-19 | accessdate = 2008-02-14}}

File:Shawn Matthias (16947567776).jpg in 2015|left|180px]]

On March 4, 2014, Matthias was traded, along with goaltender Jacob Markström, to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Roberto Luongo and Steven Anthony.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=445254 | title = Canucks trade Roberto Luongo back to Panthers | publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2014-03-04 | accessdate = 2014-03-04}}

On February 13, 2015, Matthias recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 5–2 Canucks win over the Boston Bruins.{{cite news| url = https://vancouversun.com/sports/Hats+Shawn+Matthias+Canucks+knock+Bruins/10813182/story.html | title = Hats off to Shawn Matthias as Canucks knock off Bruins | newspaper = Vancouver Sun | date = 2015-02-13 | accessdate = 2015-02-13}}

Despite posting a career-high in goals (18) and points (27) during the 2014–15 season, the Canucks opted not to re-sign Matthias after the expiration of his contract, whereupon on July 6, 2015, he signed a one-year, $2.3 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent.{{cite web| url = http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=774004 | title = Leafs Sign Shawn Matthias | publisher = Toronto Maple Leafs | date = 2015-07-06 | accessdate = 2015-07-06}} Following the signing, Matthias expressed via Twitter that he was a Maple Leafs fan growing up and that he "couldn't be happier to play for [his] hometown team."{{cite web| url = http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs-sign-former-canuck-shawn-matthias/| title = Matthias 'all smiles' after Maple Leafs deal | publisher = Sportsnet | date = 2015-07-06 | accessdate = 2015-07-06}}

In the 2015–16 season, Matthias made his Maple Leaf debut on opening night in a 3-1 defeat to the Montreal Canadiens on October 7, 2015.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/mtl-vs-tor/2015/10/07/2015020001 | title = Leafs come up short in opener | publisher = Toronto Maple Leafs | date = 2015-10-07 | access-date = 2015-10-07}} Throughout the year, Matthias failed to score at a pace similar to his prior season in Vancouver, but was still seen as a decent producer given his role on the team. After contributing with 17 points in 51 games, on February 21, 2016, Matthias was traded by the rebuilding Maple Leafs to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 4th round pick in the 2016 Entry Draft (Keaton Middleton) and prospect Colin Smith to bolster Colorado's depth for a playoff push, although the team would ultimately not qualify for the post-season.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-deal-matthias-to-avs-for-smith-pick-1.441253| title = Leafs deal Matthias to Avalanche for prospect, draft pick | publisher = TSN | date = 2016-02-21 | accessdate = 2016-02-21}}

On July 1, 2016, Matthias left the Avalanche organization as a free agent, agreeing to a two-year deal with Central Division competitors, the Winnipeg Jets.{{Cite web| url = http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888244 | title = Jets agree to terms with Shawn Matthias | publisher = Winnipeg Jets | date = 2016-07-01 | accessdate = 2016-07-01}}

International play

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Matthias played for Canada at the 2008 World Juniors, where he helped his team win the gold medal.{{cite news |title=Mono sidelines junior hockey star |url=https://www.bramptonguardian.com/community-story/3136497-mono-sidelines-junior-hockey-star/ |accessdate=January 27, 2020 |publisher=Brampton Guardian |date=March 29, 2008}}