Matthew Zachary Jarrett “Matt” Read (born June 14, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
[edit]Minor Hockey
Read grew up in the small town of Ilderton, Ontario playing his entire minor hockey career for the Ilderton Jets of the OMHA’s Shamrock League until Midget.
As a kid, Read dreamed of playing in the Ontario Hockey League. But he was never drafted. He failed to make the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs AAA program four years in a row and played Midget with Dorchester, a CC centre. One of his teammates in minor hockey included current Olympic figure skating champion, and world champion Scott Moir.
[edit]Junior Hockey
After graduating the Midget Dragons in 2002, Read played OHA Jr.D. hockey for the Lucan Irish in the 2002-03 season.
In 2003-04, Read signed with the nearby St. Marys Lincolns Jr.B. club of the Western Ontario Hockey League. Read spent two seasons with the Lincolns.
In the 2004-05 season, Read was runner up to future NHL’er Logan Couture for the WOHL Rookie-of-the-Year Award. Couture, a graduate of the Lucan Irish of the Shamrock League, played that season with the St. Thomas Stars before being an OHL 1st round pick in 2005.
The following season, Read signed with the Milton IceHawks Jr.A. club of the OJHL for 2005-06. In 2006-07, Read spent a season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of theUSHL.
[edit]Philadelphia Flyers
Read signed a three-year contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 24, 2011, after playing four seasons of collegiate hockey with Bemidji State University.[1] On October 5, 2011, the Flyers announced that Read had made the final roster.
Read scored his first NHL goal during a game against the New Jersey Devils on October 8, 2011, against goaltender Martin Brodeur. On October 18, Read recorded a career-high 4 points (goal, 3 assists) in a 7-2 Flyers win over the Ottawa Senators. As of November 21, Read scored a goal in five consecutive games.
In January 2012, Read participated in the All-Star SuperSkills Competition[2] and finished second in the accuracy contest, behind Dallas forward Jamie Benn.
[edit]Awards and honours
- CHA All-Rookie Team (2007–08)
- CHA Rookie of the Year (2007–08)
- NCAA Frozen Four participant (2008–09)
- CHA Player of the Year (2009–10)
- CHA First All-Star Team (2009-10)
- NCAA West First-Team All-America (2009–10)
- NHL All-Star Rookie (2011-2012)