Glen Metropolit

Glen Metropolit
Born	(1974-06-25) June 25, 1974 Toronto, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
NLA team Former teams	EV Zug Washington Capitals Tampa Bay Lightning Atlanta Thrashers St. Louis Blues Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers Montreal Canadiens
National team	Canada
NHL draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1995–present

Glen Metropolit (born June 25, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for EV Zug in the Swiss National League A. He is commonly referred to by his nickname "The Underlying Theme".

Playing career

Early years

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Metropolit was never drafted by an OHL or NHL team, yet managed a 10 year NHL career and 407 games played. After a GTHL career mostly in AA hockey, Metropolit played two seasons for the Richmond Hill Dynes Jr.B. hockey club (OHA) before heading west to play for the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL. This is initially where his nickname, "The Underlying Theme", rose to fruition.

After graduating Tier II Jr.A. hockey, Metropolit started out playing for the Nashville Knights in the ECHL in the 1995–96 season. He also played for the Pensacola Ice Pilots and Grand Rapids Griffins before making his NHL debut in 1999–2000 for the Washington Capitals. For the next three seasons, he alternated between the Capitals and the AHL's Portland Pirates, and also played two games for Tampa Bay in 2001–02.

Overseas

In 2003 Metropolit crossed the Atlantic to play in Helsinki with Jokerit for the 2003–04 season. In a brilliant first season, he scored the most points on the team, 50, with 15 goals and 35 assists, the fifth-highest total during the regular season. He scored six goals during seven playoff games that year, but Jokerit were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

In the 2004–05 season Metropolit and Marko Jantunen were the team's best goal scorers during the regular season, both scoring 16 goals, and Metropolit scored the most points on the team with 31 assists, totalling 47 points; the eighth-highest total in the league. In the playoffs he scored five goals and six assists, including a 3-on-5 shorthanded goal against Ilves's Vesa Toskala in the quarterfinals. The team went on to win the silver medal.

Metropolit in 2008

Metropolit became a very popular player with the Jokerit fans, who had a number of chants dedicated to him. He is remembered as a gifted playmaker, with one of his favorite spots, on the outside of the left faceoff circle in the offensive zone, being called "Metro's office" by TV commentators and fans, in honor of Wayne Gretzky's "office" behind the goal. He and Marko Jantunen formed a memorable duo on the penalty kill, scoring several short-handed goals. His player number in Jokerit was #50.

After two years with Jokerit, Metropolit moved to Switzerland where he won the Nationalliga A championship with HC Lugano. He also led the league in scoring during the regular season.

Atlanta/St. Louis/Boston

In 2006, Metropolit returned to North America when he was signed by the Atlanta Thrashers. After limited playing time with Atlanta, Metropolit was dealt near the trade deadline to the St. Louis Blues, along with a package of draft picks, in exchange for Blues centre/wing Keith Tkachuk.

Metropolit became a free agent at the end of the season before being invited by the Boston Bruins to the team training camp. Just prior to the 2007–08 season on October 3, 2007, he signed a one-year contract with the Bruins. Having established a role within the checking lines and on the powerplay he excelled with the Bruins posting a career high 33 points in 82 games.

Philadelphia/Montreal

Metropolit signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers as a free agent on July 1, 2008. He was placed on waivers and picked up near the trading deadline on February 27, 2009 by the Montreal Canadiens in need of a veteran centreman. He trained with the Philadelphia Flyers on the morning of February 27 before being claimed in the afternoon. Later that night, he played against his former team with the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first goal with Montreal on March 10 against Dwayne Roloson from the Edmonton Oilers.

In the 2009–10 season on March 30, 2010, it was announced that Metropolit would miss the final 6 games of the season with a torn shoulder muscle, after enjoying a career high 16 goals with Montreal. An extremely speedy recovery allowed him to be back on the ice on April 19, 2010 for the third game of the playoff series against the Washington Capitals.

On August 2, 2010, Metropolit left the NHL as a free agent and signed a two-year contract to return the Swiss NLA with EV Zug.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994–95	Vernon Lakers	BCHL		60	43	74	117	92		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Nashville Knights	ECHL		58	30	31	61	62		5	3	8	11	2
1995–96	Atlanta Knights	IHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Pensacola Ice Pilots	ECHL		54	35	47	82	45		12	9	16	25	28
1996–97	Quebec Rafales	IHL		22	5	4	9	14		5	0	0	0	2
1997–98	Grand Rapids Griffins	IHL		79	20	35	55	90		3	1	1	2	0
1998–99	Grand Rapids Griffins	IHL		77	28	53	81	92		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Portland Pirates	AHL		48	18	42	60	73		1	1	0	1	0
1999–00	Washington Capitals	NHL		30	6	13	19	4		2	0	0	0	2
2000–01	Portland Pirates	AHL		51	25	42	67	73		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Washington Capitals	NHL		15	1	5	6	10		1	0	0	0	0
2000–01	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Portland Pirates	AHL		32	17	22	39	20		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Washington Capitals	NHL		33	1	16	17	6		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Portland Pirates	AHL		33	7	23	30	23		3	1	1	2	0
2002–03	Washington Capitals	NHL		23	2	3	5	6		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Jokerit	SM-l		55	15	35	50	77		7	6	1	7	33
2004–05	Jokerit	SM-l		51	16	31	47	42		12	5	6	11	20
2005–06	HC Lugano	NLA		44	23	43	66	60		17	9	17	26	8
2006–07	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		57	12	16	28	20		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	St. Louis Blues	NHL		20	2	3	5	14		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	11	22	33	36		7	1	0	1	4
2008–09	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		55	4	10	14	15		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		21	2	1	3	13		4	0	2	2	2
2009–10	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		69	16	13	29	24		16	0	2	2	4
NHL totals				407	57	102	159	148		30	1	4	5	12

International

Year	Team	Comp	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Canada	WC	9	0	2	2	6
Senior int'l totals			9	0	2	2	6

External links

• Glen Metropolit career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Glen Metropolit's profile at ESPN.com