Matt Beleskey

Matt Beleskey
Beleskey with the Boston Bruins in 2016
Born	(1988-06-07) June 7, 1988 (age 37) Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Anaheim Ducks Coventry Blaze Boston Bruins New York Rangers
NHL draft	112th overall, 2006 Anaheim Ducks
Playing career	2008–2020

Matthew Beleskey (born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.

Playing career

Beleskey grew up in the small town of Midhurst, Ontario in Springwater Township, Ontario. He played his minor hockey for the Barrie Icemen AAA program of the OMHA's Eastern AAA League. After his Bantam season with the Icemen, Beleskey played one season with the nearby Collingwood Blues Jr.A. club of the OHA.

He was drafted in the 2nd round (21st overall) in the 2004 OHL Priority Selection by the Belleville Bulls. In the 2008 OHL Finals versus the Kitchener Rangers, Belleville was down 3–0 in the series and 4–1 in the game, but on the back of captain Beleskey's four-point night, including the game winner in overtime, Belleville won the game and pushed the series to seven games, before ultimately losing the series. ^[1]

He was selected by the Ducks 112th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and turned professional in 2008 after a four-year junior career with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. He made his NHL debut in the 2008–09 season, appearing in two games with the Ducks but spent most of the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Chops. ^[2] Beleskey played in the UK for Coventry Blaze ice hockey team in the Elite Ice Hockey League during the NHL lock-out.

Playing in 65 games during the 2014–15 season, Beleskey scored 22 goals to go with 10 assists. He recorded eight goals and an assist during the 2015 playoffs as the Ducks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks during the Western Conference Finals.

On July 1, 2015, Beleskey signed as a free agent to a five-year $19.8 million contract with the Boston Bruins. ^[3]

In the 2017–18 season, his third season with the Bruins and continuing to underperform relative to expectations, Beleskey was sent to the Bruins' AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins on December 14, 2017. ^[4]

On February 25, 2018, Beleskey, Ryan Spooner, Ryan Lindgren, a 2018 first-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round pick were traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Rick Nash. ^[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Barrie Colts AAA	Bantam		33	18	14	32	93		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Collingwood Blues	OPJHL		46	8	13	21	110		8	1	1	2	22
2004–05	Belleville Bulls	OHL		68	10	13	23	118		5	0	0	0	18
2005–06	Belleville Bulls	OHL		61	20	20	40	119		6	1	2	3	10
2006–07	Belleville Bulls	OHL		66	27	41	68	124		15	4	10	14	18
2007–08	Belleville Bulls	OHL		62	41	49	90	106		21	12	21	33	23
2008–09	Iowa Chops	AHL		58	11	24	35	58		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	San Antonio Rampage	AHL		12	1	4	5	19		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Toronto Marlies	AHL		3	1	1	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		60	11	7	18	35		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		35	3	7	10	36		6	1	0	1	4
2010–11	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		27	11	13	24	39		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		70	4	11	15	72		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Coventry Blaze	EIHL		26	12	21	33	39		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		42	8	5	13	56		7	2	1	3	2
2013–14	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		55	9	15	24	64		5	2	2	4	8
2013–14	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		3	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		65	22	10	32	39		16	8	1	9	2
2015–16	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	15	22	37	65		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Boston Bruins	NHL		49	3	5	8	47		3	0	0	0	4
2017–18	Boston Bruins	NHL		14	0	0	0	17		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Providence Bruins	AHL		21	4	2	6	15		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		14	1	5	6	11		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	New York Rangers	NHL		1	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		53	5	17	22	55		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	New York Rangers	NHL		4	1	0	1	5		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		56	16	10	26	55		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				247	51	76	127	254		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				477	76	82	158	440		37	13	4	17	20

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Canada	WJC18	4th		7	0	1	1	37
Junior totals					7	0	1	1	37

References

1. "Beleskey a work horse". The Sudbury Star. August 22, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
2. "Matt Beleskey player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
3. "Bruins sign Matt Beleskey to five-year contract". CBS Sports . July 1, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
4. "Bruins Place Matt Beleskey On Waivers". NHL.com. December 14, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
5. "Ranger Acquire 2018 1st Rd. Pick, Lindgren, Spooner, Beleskey, 2019 Pick". NHL.com. February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2018.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database
• Matt Beleskey on Twitter