Matthew Ford (ice hockey)

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Matthew Ford
WARM UPS-9 (2) (40542399982).jpg
Ford with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017
Born (1984-10-09) October 9, 1984 (age 40)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Hartford Wolf Pack
Lake Erie Monsters
Hershey Bears
Adirondack Phantoms
Springfield Falcons
Oklahoma City Barons
Bakersfield Condors
Grand Rapids Griffins
NHL draft 256th overall, 2004
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 20082020

Matthew Ford (born October 9, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played most notably in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Contents

Playing career

Amateur

Ford started his amateur career playing for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League in the 2003–04 season. In 60 games, Ford posted an impressive 37 goals and 68 points to lead the Stampede and was consequently drafted in the eighth round, 256th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. Ford then opted to continue his amateur career by enrolling to play collegiate hockey with the University of Wisconsin of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association the following season. Used as a role player within the Badgers, Ford never totaled more than 13 points in each of his four seasons, but helped Wisconsin win the National Championship as a sophomore in 2006.

Professional

Upon completion of his college career, and unsigned from the Blackhawks, Ford made his professional debut in the 2008–09 season with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL. He was signed to a professional try-out with AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, on November 6, 2008, before he was returned to the Checkers on December 8, 2008. Ford was selected to the American Conference team for the ECHL's All-Star game and following a three-goal, four point performance was named the All-Stars MVP on January 21. [1] Enduring a second stint with the Wolf Pack in late January he compiled a combined 25 games, scoring one goal and two assists. On March 11, immediately after his second spell with Hartford was ended, Ford was signed to a P.T.O contract with fellow AHL team, the Lake Erie Monsters, going scoreless in five games. Ford returned to the Checkers to complete his season with 38 points in 28 regular season games and 5 points in 6 games during the playoffs. [2]

In the 2009–10 season, Ford re-signed with the Charlotte Checkers, but played only 3 games before he was loaned back to Lake Erie on October 30, 2009. Remaining with the Monsters for the duration of the season, Ford posted 13 goals and 27 points in 45 games while also leading with a team-high Plus/Minus of +14. [3]

Re-signed by Lake Erie prior to the 2010–11 campaign, he was invited on a try-out to participate in the Monsters NHL affiliate, the Colorado Avalanche, training camp on September 15, 2010 before returning to Cleveland to begin the season. [4]

On July 1, 2011, Ford was signed to his first NHL contract, agreeing to a two-way one-year deal with the Washington Capitals. Assigned to the Capitals affiliate, the Hershey Bears, Ford scored 28 points in 39 games before he was traded by the Capitals to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Kevin Marshall on February 2, 2012. [5]

Ford was re-signed to a one-year extension with the Flyers on April 4, 2012. Assigned directly to affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, in the following 2012–13 season, he suffered from injury and a lack of production to post only 4 goals in 35 games with the Phantoms. On March 12, 2013, Ford was traded by the Flyers to the Columbus Blue Jackets for future considerations. He remained in the AHL to be immediately assigned to affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. [6]

Released as a free agent by the Blue Jackets, Ford remained in the AHL signing a one-year contract with the Oklahoma City Barons on July 13, 2013. [7] On July 2, 2015, Ford followed the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliation, in signing a one-year AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors for the 2015–16 season. [8] Ford led the Condors with 27 goals and 51 points in 64 games.

Grand Rapids Griffins

Ford hoisting the Calder Cup in 2017. Cup-celebration-214 34467584054 o (38774560020).jpg
Ford hoisting the Calder Cup in 2017.

After three seasons within the Oilers AHL affiliates, Ford left as a free agent to add a veteran presence on a two-year AHL deal with the Grand Rapids Griffins, an affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings on July 12, 2016. [9] During the 2017–18 season, Ford served as captain for the Griffins, where he recorded 22 goals and 16 assists in 72 games, ranking fourth on the team in goals and sixth in points. On June 26, 2018, the Grand Rapids Griffins signed Ford to a two-year contract extension. [10]

On November 5, 2021, Ford officially announced his retirement after a twelve-year professional career having playing in 716 regular season AHL games. [11]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2001–02 Shattuck–Saint Mary's MNJHL1313132610
2002–03Shattuck–Saint Mary's HSMN 5837528944
2003–04 Sioux Falls Stampede USHL 6037316860
2004–05 University of Wisconsin WCHA 21551018
2005–06 University of WisconsinWCHA3152714
2006–07 University of WisconsinWCHA39761338
2007–08 University of WisconsinWCHA3345930
2008–09 Charlotte Checkers ECHL 2821173826623521
2008–09 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 2512310
2008–09 Lake Erie Monsters AHL50002
2009–10 Charlotte CheckersECHL30226
2009–10 Lake Erie MonstersAHL4513142728
2010–11 Lake Erie MonstersAHL762616424673148
2011–12 Hershey Bears AHL3910182847
2011–12 Adirondack Phantoms AHL3119123131
2012–13 Adirondack PhantomsAHL35491316
2012–13 Springfield Falcons AHL1856111440008
2013–14 Oklahoma City Barons AHL7325224771
2014–15 Oklahoma City BaronsAHL6919345334102798
2015–16 Bakersfield Condors AHL6427245160
2016–17 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL511421352819841224
2017–18 Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL7222163842523510
2018–19 Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL6111132449
2019–20 Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL5210172733
AHL totals7162062244305114515153058

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHL
Rookie of the Year 2004 [12]
AHL
Calder Cup (Grand Rapids Griffins) 2017 [13]

References

  1. "USHL Alumni shine in ECHL All-Star game". United States Hockey League. January 22, 2009. Archived from the original on January 11, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. "Matthew Ford - career statistics". Hockeydb.com. November 26, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  3. "2009–10 Player Rewind...Matt Ford". Lake Erie Monsters. August 5, 2010. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  4. "2010-11 Avalanche training camp roster" (PDF). Colorado Avalanche. September 15, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  5. "Capitals acquire Marshall from Philadelphia, Carman from Colorado". Washington Capitals. February 2, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  6. "Blue Jackets acquire Matthew Ford from Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Future Considerations". Columbus Blue Jackets. March 12, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  7. "Barons officially sign Matt Ford to AHL contract". Oklahoma City Barons. July 13, 2013. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  8. Bakersfield Condors (July 2, 2015). "Condors sign Winquist and Ford to AHL deals". Twitter . Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  9. "Griffins sign forwards Sandlak and Ford". Grand Rapids Griffins. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  10. "Aye Aye, Captain". Grand Rapids Griffins. June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  11. "Ford announces retirement after 716 AHL games". American Hockey League. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  12. "USHL Rookie of the Year". USHL. Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  13. Wakiji, Dana (June 13, 2017). "Grand Rapids Griffins win Calder Cup at home". Detroit Red Wings . Retrieved June 13, 2017.