Matt Carkner
Physical defenceman who played for Sharks, Senators, and Islanders.
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Matt Carkner is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders. Known for his physical play and abilities as a fighter, he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens 58th overall in the 1999 NHL entry draft but never signed with them, instead beginning his NHL career with the Sharks. He later served as head coach and general manager of the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL before resigning on June 17, 2025.
Lore & Background
Carkner played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Peterborough Petes, serving as captain for two seasons (1999–2000 and 2000–01). He finished his OHL career with 13 goals, 56 points, and 599 penalty minutes in 232 games. After being drafted by Montreal but never signing, he joined the San Jose Sharks organization in 2001. His NHL debut came on February 6, 2006, with the Sharks, recording an assist in a 4–3 loss to the Calgary Flames.
He later signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins but spent the entire 2006–07 season in the AHL. In 2007, he signed with his hometown Ottawa Senators, finally becoming a full-time NHL player in the 2009–10 season, scoring his first NHL goal against New York Islanders goaltender Martin Biron. He also scored a memorable triple-overtime playoff goal against Marc-André Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010.
Reader's Guide
Carkner's significance lies in his role as an enforcer and physical presence during his NHL tenure, particularly with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders. He was known for his willingness to fight, as demonstrated in the 2012 playoffs when he pummeled Rangers forward Brian Boyle in retribution for a hit on Senators star Erik Karlsson, earning a one-game suspension. His career was marked by injuries, including knee surgery in 2011–12 and back surgery in 2014 that sidelined him for most of the 2014–15 season.
After retiring in 2016, he remained in the Islanders organization as an assistant coach for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Later, he became head coach and general manager of the Orlando Solar Bears, resigning in June 2025. His legacy is that of a durable, physical defenceman who carved out a decade-long professional career through grit and toughness.
Career statistics and honours
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1997–98 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 57 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 121 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 60 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 173 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| 1999–2000 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 62 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 177 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2000–01 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 53 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 128 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 25 |
| 2001–02 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 74 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 335 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 39 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 104 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 60 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 115 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 39 |
| 2004–05 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 73 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 192 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 69 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 202 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 75 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 167 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| 2007–08 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 67 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 218 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 67 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 210 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 81 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 190 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| 2010–11 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 50 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 136 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 29 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 |
| 2011–12 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | New York Islanders | NHL | 22 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 46 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | New York Islanders | NHL | 53 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 149 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 41 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 164 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | 587 | 36 | 116 | 152 | 1756 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 58 | ||
| NHL totals | 237 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 556 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 35 | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Matt Carkner (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- He is a third cousin of former NHL defenceman Terry Carkner.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Matt Carkner (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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