Q&A with
Matt Pettinger

By Ivo Jaschick | Hockeytalk.biz

August 26, 2010 – COLOGNE, GERMANY -- After spending the last two seasons shuttling between the NHL and AHL, Matt Pettinger decided to explore something new and signed a one-year contract with the premiere franchise in the DEL and one of the finest franchises in all of European hockey, the Cologne Sharks.

Matt Pettinger, Cologne Sharks (Photo by Dirk Unverferth)

The Sharks have high expectations for the experienced Pettinger, especially considering that at 29 years of age, Pettinger has many productive years left.

Drafted in the second round (43^rd overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2000 Entry Draft, Pettinger went on to appear in 423 NHL games. 

Pettinger’s most promising NHL years came in Washington during Alex Ovechkin’s rookie and sophomore seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07) when Pettinger scored 20 and 16 goals, respectfully. 

Just prior to the 2008 trade deadline, Washington sent Pettinger to Vancouver for Matt Cooke.  From there, he spent the 2008-09 campaign in Tampa (59GP: 8-7-15).  Vancouver brought him back as a free agent signee but he spent almost the entire season with AHL Manitoba (54GP: 14-16-30), playing only nine NHL games (1 goal).

Pettinger represented Canada twice at the World Junior Championships (99-00 and 00-01). 

After the first exhibition games Pettinger was impressed with the level of play the other side of the Atlantic.  HOCKEYTALK’s man in Europe, Ivo Jaschick, sat down with Pettinger after a recent DEL exhibition.

Your last name sounds German--or at least European--are your roots from here?

I explored a little bit where my ancestors are from and found out that in the 17^th century my family made their way from England to America.  That's all I know about my family's story and my roots.

You were born in Edmonton – did the “Great One” inspire you to play hockey?

It's Canada, it's hockey – you grow up there and it's cold. There's not too much to do and so you are playing the game – nearly everybody is doing it and I admired Mark Messier. At the age of three my family moved to Victoria - where I'm living now – and so my hometown is Victoria (British Columbia). After moving to Victoria Trevor Linden from the Vancouver Canucks became my idol.

When playing for the Canucks you played together with the German defender Christian Ehrhoff – what can you say about him?

He is a very good player – I just briefly played with him but he is a great player with great offensive instincts and skating abilities and he is big in today's game.

Why did you come to the DEL’s Cologne Sharks, despite the fact that you are at a good age for a hockey player?  

(Sharks GM and headcoach) Bill Stewart came to me and we were in discussions. He told me that national player Marcel Mueller was leaving the Sharks for the NHL (Toronto Maple Leafs) and he needs a winger, an equal value substitution for him. He said that the DEL is not the NHL but it's damn close to it - they are also playing good hockey in Germany.

I also went online and talked to former German players and friends about Germany – especially Cologne. The information I got was positive and that the Sharks are one of the best teams in Germany – the facilities, fans, organization.

I have very big expectations about the fans in Germany. I heard so many things about their singing; that it'll be a great experience for me to be a part of it.

I'll be 30 years old and will be daddy soon – so I decided to settle down a little bit. In the last seasons I was going up and down but I don't want to do it any longer. But never say never.  The door to the best league in the world isn't closed forever.

In the Russian KHL you could have earned a lot more money.

I think so, but money isn't all. My wife Chelsea is pregnant – in December we'll be three, two girls and me – therefore it has also been important to feel comfortable and have good health care. Cologne is a city with a million people and nearly everybody speaks English. In October I'll be 30 – if I was 21 or 22 and a single it'd be something different. But at my stage of my life I'll keep my family happy. And with so many imports on the team and a Canadian coach you feel comfortable.

What do you expect from your adventure in Germany?

I don't really have too many expectations. I'm in this game long enough and I know there are great leagues everywhere. I spent some time in the American Hockey League (Manitoba Moose) last year, it's also a great league. If you look to Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Germany they all have great leagues. The bigger ice makes them skating leagues - you have to be on the move out there.

But I've no expectations.  I only want to play the game and help the team win.

How can you describe your style of playing hockey?  You’re more of a goals guy than an assists guy.

Every team has playmakers and shooters – I'm probably a shoot-first kind of guy.  I'm a good skater and that's the reason I'm coming very often into good scoring situations. I hope that the bigger German ice will help my skating skills and I can help the team win.

Now you made the first pre season games in your new hockey world – tell us your impressions. In the first match you scored your first assist followed by your first goal in your second game.

As I was told the DEL is a great league with very good players who are hard working with a lot of skills. But I still need more time get adapted to the European way of hockey. The ice is wider with more room to skate and sometimes you've a little bit more time – I need some more time to get my condition.

From your time as a Washington Capital you are a member of Olie Kolzig's organization “Athletes Against Autism”.

Yeah, Olie`s son Carson as well as my cousin has autism – it's a much bigger problem in our society than people think. And we'd like to help people who financially get strained from having children who suffer from this disease. As I told you I have a cousin with autism and it could have been me – so it's nice to have the chance to help other people.

The Blackhawks are Stanley Cup champions, but the team is falling apart. What do you think about the Salary-Cap?

There will be no more dynasties in the NHL. It'll be very hard for teams to repeat their win. The Hawks would have the money to keep their team together but the cap will prevent rich teams – also the Rangers – spending and spending money and buying a team that's successful. All the teams are in a range of 13 - 14 million* they can or have to spend. It is now more important to have good scouting departments and developing possibilities, where you can build a winning team for one or two years.

(*Pettinger’s guess is close enough: $16M is the NHL salary cap range: $43.4-59.4M)

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