Shawn Matthias

Playing career

Shawn Matthias began his major junior career with the Belleville Bulls in the Ontario Hockey League. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds during his first OHL season, he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2006 NHL entry draft. The following season, on February 27, 2007, his rights were sent to the Florida Panthers along with conditional draft picks in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi. The Panthers called Matthias up from Belleville on January 18, 2008. In his second NHL game the next day, he scored his first two goals, both against Washington Capitals goaltender Brent Johnson. On March 4, 2014, Matthias and goaltender Jacob Markström were traded to the Vancouver Canucks for goaltender Roberto Luongo and Steven Anthony. On February 13, 2015, he notched his first career NHL hat-trick in a 5-2 Canucks win over the Boston Bruins. That 2014-15 season saw him post career highs of 18 goals and 27 points, but Vancouver chose not to re-sign him. On July 6, 2015, he signed a one-year, $2.3 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He later tweeted that he had grown up a Maple Leafs fan and could not be happier to play for his hometown team. Matthias made his Maple Leafs debut on opening night, October 7, 2015, in a 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. His scoring pace dropped from the previous season, though he was still considered a decent contributor for his role. After recording 17 points in 51 games, the rebuilding Maple Leafs traded him on February 21, 2016, to the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft (used to select Keaton Middleton) and prospect Colin Smith. The move was meant to add depth for Colorado’s playoff push, but the team ultimately missed the postseason. On July 1, 2016, Matthias left the Avalanche as a free agent, signing a two-year deal with Central Division rival Winnipeg Jets.