Matt Kinch

Matt Kinch (born February 17, 1980 in Red Deer, Alberta) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman playing in Germany for the EV Ravensburg of the 2nd Bundesliga. He played major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) before also playing pro in the American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL, Austrian Hockey League and Swiss Nationalliga A.

Playing career
Kinch began playing major junior with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL in 1995–96. He amassed 83 points in 1998–99 en route to helping lead the Hitmen to the 1999 President's Cup as WHL champions. In the subsequent off-season, he was drafted in the fifth round, 146th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Two seasons later, Kinch recorded an 84-point season, bettering his previous WHL best to set the Hitmen's single-season points record by a defenceman (tied by Paul Postma in 2008–09).

Kinch turned pro in 2001 with the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL. He worked his way up to the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL the next season, where he played through to 2003–04. Before earning the opportunity to play for the Sabres in the NHL, Kinch went overseas in 2004–05 to play for Salzburg EC of the Austrian Nationalliga. After one season in Switzerland, he spent two seasons in the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga before returning to North America in the AHL. He played one season with the Binghamton Senators, then took off to Germany once more to play for the Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams.

Records

 * Calgary Hitmen team record; single-season points by a defenceman - 84 in 2000–01 (tied with Paul Postma - 2008–09)

Awards

 * 1998-99 Brad Hornung Trophy (most sportsmanlike - Western Hockey League)
 * 1998-99 CHL Sportsman of the Year (most sportsmanlike - Canadian Hockey League)