Brian McGrattan

Brian McGrattan (born September 2, 1981) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career
McGrattan is an enforcer who built a solid reputation for himself, particularly during the American Hockey League's 2004–05 season when he established an all-time league record for penalty minutes in a single season (551). Infamous minor league enforcer Brandon Sugadn, who fought McGrattan several times, referred to him as "the toughest guy in the league."

During his junior hockey career he played for six teams in the OHL between 1997 and 2002. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft but never played for the team. On June 2, 2003, he was signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa Senators
McGrattan played his first NHL game with the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout win at Toronto on Oct. 5, 2005. He scored his first goal against all-star goaltender Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and his second versus the Atlanta Thrashers. McGrattan truly arrived as an NHL enforcer during a game with the Senators against the arch-rival Maple Leafs on October 29, 2005. In a fight, he defeated Toronto's Tie Domi, then one of the league's top fighters, and Domi was forced to leave the game with a facial injury.

He was a healthy scratch for much of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons with Ottawa, dressing mainly to replace injured teammates or to provide a physical presence in the lineup. In 2007–08 he played in 38 of 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the campaign and entire playoffs. He has yet to see action in an NHL playoff game.

McGrattan was involved in a much publicized fight with then teammate Ray Emery during a Senators' practice in January 2008, an event which may have hastened both players' departures from Ottawa. Interestingly, both are close friends off the ice.

Phoenix Coyotes
On June 25, 2008, McGrattan was traded by Ottawa to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a 5th round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The Coyotes later signed him to a one year contract. Coyotes GM Don Maloney told The Canadian Press "I'm excited about it (acquiring McGrattan). I think he'll fit in well with our group."

McGrattan ultimately saw action in only 5 games with Phoenix, registering no points and collecting 22 penalty minutes. On December 13, 2008, the National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League announced that McGrattan had voluntarily entered Stage #1 of the NHL and the NHLPA's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program. No further details were announced.

Calgary Flames
On July 11, 2009, McGrattan signed as a free agent with the NHL's Calgary Flames. During his one season in Calgary, he played in 34 of his team's 82 regular season games, being a healthy scratch for much of the season. On October 16, 2009, against the Vancouver Canucks, McGrattan recorded his first career Gordie Howe hat trick enroute to a 5-3 Flames win.

Boston, Anaheim, and Nashville
McGrattan agreed to a one-year ddddl with the Boston Bruins on October 9, 2010, the dl was finalized upon the Bruins' return from Prague, Czech Republic. Assigned to Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, McGrattan was later traded by the Bruins along with Sean Zimmerman to the Anaheim Ducks for David Laliberte and Stefan Chaput on February 27, 2011.

On July 7, 2011, McGrattan signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. On October 11, the team placed McGrattan on waivers. He was claimed off waivers by the Nashville Predators.