Matt Calvert is a professional ice hockey player who serves as a left-wing in the National Hockey League. He started his NHL career in 2010 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
However, the Jackets drafted him in 2008. He delayed his professional career start as he wanted to play for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League in 2010.
Although the Wheat Kings was a junior ice hockey team, it was very beloved to Matt as they were his hometown team.
So, when Brandon had the opportunity of hosting the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup, Calvert chose to stick with them.
But they did not win the 2010 Memorial Cup and lost the title to the reigning champion, Windsor Spitfires.
Nevertheless, Matt had no regrets about staying with the junior ice hockey team and delaying his professional career.
Moreover, he won Second-Team Eastern Conference All-Star and Memorial Cup All-Star honors. Likewise, he was also the captain of the Wheat Kings that year.
Besides that, the Canadian player played for the Winkle Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League as a junior. Currently, he plays for the Colorado Avalanche.
He had signed a three-year contract in 2018 with the Colorado team after the Blue Jackets let him go. By then, the athlete had played eight seasons for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Before getting into details about the left-wing NHL player’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Matthew Dean Calvert |
| Birth Date | December 24, 1989 |
| Birth Place | Brandon, Manitoba, Canada |
| Nick Name | Matty Hustle |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Not Available |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Father’s Name | Leo Calvert |
| Mother’s Name | Alice Calvert |
| Siblings | Mark Calvert |
| Age | 34 years old |
| Height | 5’10″/178 cm |
| Weight | 174 lb/79 kg |
| Hair Color | Golden Brown |
| Eye Color | Brownish Green |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | NHL Player |
| Current Team | Colorado Avalanche |
| Position | Left-Wing |
| Active Years | 2010 – Present |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Ex-Wife | Courtney Rae |
| Kids | Two sons |
| Net Worth | $10 million |
| Social Media | Twitter, Instagram |
| Merchandise | Columbus Blue Jackets Card, NHL Trading Card |
| Jersey Number | 11 |
| Last Updated | April, 2024 |
Matt Calvert | Early Life, Family, And Education
Matt Calvert was born in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. His parents are Leo and Alice Calvert.
He grew up in a very loving, caring, supportive, and sporty family. The athlete’s mother reportedly worked at Brandon University.
Additionally, she was a very active person who loved working out.
As a result, she and her husband Leo put Matt in every sport out there, hoping he would find his passion. At last, the NHL player was quite taken aback by ice hockey and stuck to it.
Moreover, Leo drove Matty to and from the rinks so that he could practice. Hence, they built a special bond in the process.
Calvert even calls his father his best friend. Aside from that, the hockey player recently lost his mother on April 1, 2020, to cancer.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 🎅 🎄 🎁 pic.twitter.com/HgutktUmyk
— Matt Calvert (@mattcalvert11) December 25, 2018
The Canadian player was very close to Alice. In a heartfelt 2020 mother’s day post, he called his mother the strongest person he’d ever met.
Furthermore, he complimented her passion, work ethic, and teachings. The former Jackets player elaborated that she used to teach him to outwork and out-will everyone.
Subsequently, Calvert is known for his hard work and dedication to his game in NHL. He might not be the lead scorer, but he is definitely the hardest worker. So, he earned the nickname Matty Hustle.
Similarly, Alice used to take Matt and his brothers on runs and teach them exercises. Not to mention, she even trained the NHL player during his teens.
The left-winger is very grateful to his mother for all that she’s taught him and who she was as a person. Likewise, he thanks Alice for being a wonderful mother and a great leader in their family.
Education
The Avalanche player’s educational background is not disclosed yet. Nevertheless, many sources report that he studied in a local school in his hometown, Brandon.
Matt Calvert | Age, Height, And Weight
The former Blue Jackets player was born on December 24, 1989. Hence, he is 34 years old as of 2024.
Known for his hustle, Matty is very hardworking and disciplined, so he takes great care of his health and diet. On top of that, he works out regularly.
As a result, the left-winger is quite fit and has a toned physique. Besides that, he is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 174 lb, i.e., 79 kg.
Matt Calvert | Ice Hockey Career
Early And Junior Career
The left-winger started his junior career in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) with the Winkle Flyers. Thereafter, he joined his hometown team, the Brandon Wheat Kings, to compete in the Western Hockey League.
Not to mention, he chose to play for the Wheat Kings, a junior team, overplaying for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. Hence, the Brandon team was very close to Matt’s heart.
Besides that, the hockey player was quite known for his hat-trick of short-handed goals in the WHL.
In 2010, he was the only WHL player in the league’s history to score a hat-trick of short-handed goals in one period in the playoffs.
NHL Career
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets drafted Matty Hustle in the 2008 draft as the 127th overall pick. However, he officially started his NHL career with the Columbus team in 2010.
Initially, he started playing for the Springfield Falcons, Columbus’s American Hockey League affiliate team. Shortly after that, the Blue Jackets called up the left-winger to play in their team.
As a result, he made his NHL debut on January 8, 2011, in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. Calvert lost his first NHL game with a 6-0 score.
Besides that, Matt was reassigned to the Falcons during the 2011 All-Star Break. Nevertheless, he came back to the Blue Jackets for the regular season.
The hockey player recorded his first natural hat-trick in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Furthermore, he helped the Columbus team to their first Stanley Cup playoff win in 2014 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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Attack On A Player And Injuries
During the 2017 playoffs, the athlete was heavily criticized for attacking Penguins player Tom Kühnhackl. Calvert cross-checked him and broke his hockey stick on Tom’s back.
Furthermore, Matt pushed the player down before the referees stopped him and ordered him off the rink. Many fans were furious over the left-winger and were calling for his suspension.
Hence, NHL investigated the incident and disciplined Matty Hustle by giving him a one-game suspension.
Aside from that, the ice hockey player proved his resilience and dedication in 2016 when he came back to play in a game after receiving 36 stiches.
Not to mention, he scored the game-winning score after falling on the ice hard and bleeding heavily on the rink. Fans went crazy and cheered hard for Calvert’s passion for the game.
The 2017-18 season was quite fruitful for the Canadian player. Likewise, he scored nine goals, recorded 15 assists for 24 points in 69 games, and led two short-handed tallies.
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Colorado Avalanche
After eight exceptional seasons with the Blue Jackets, the left-winger moved to Colorado Avalanche. With the Colorado team, he signed a three-year contract worth $8.4 million.
Currently, Matt is in the third year of his three-year contract. The athlete’s career with the Avalanche has been outstanding, and the Colorado fans love him.
As of now, he is placed on the injured list due to some upper-body injury. In contrast to that statement, Avalanche’s coach said in an interview that Matt’s injury was a lower-body injury.
Nevertheless, many sources have confirmed it to be an upper-body injury. Although many fans and media outlets suspected concussions as he had had concussions before, Calvert hasn’t confirmed the news yet.
The upper-body injury turned out to be a career ending injury for the NHL player as he was limited to only 18 games in the 2020 season. The exact nature of the injury is still undisclosed but many connected it to his concussions.
As a result of the injury, Calvert retired from Hockey, a game he has been attached to since he was five years old. He thanked his parents, wife, kids, and the two organizations that he played for in his retirement speech.
Achievements And Highlights
- 2010 East Second All-Star Team
- CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team in 2010
Matt Calvert | Head Injury
In 2019, media outlets, fans, and experts were furious when Matt, who was in serious need of medical help, was not assisted. The hockey player sustained a scary injury in a game when he blocked a shot with his ear.
Furthermore, he was struggling to get up, but the referees did not blow the game. This enraged his teammates and opponents that the game was not stopped.
Matty Hustle’s teammate, Nathan MacKinnon, said in a post-game interview that he doesn’t know any other sport that would allow a game to be continued when a player is bleeding from his head.
He added,
“The guy is lying there, bleeding out the side of his head. And it’s Matt Calvert; he’s such a tough guy. He’s not looking for a whistle and faking it. If it’s a puck off the foot, let him lay there. A broken foot, it’s serious, but he’ll be fine. But a guy’s bleeding out of his ear? It’s pretty dangerous.”
However, some claim that it wasn’t the referees’ fault to follow the NHL rule book simply.
It states that “when a player is injured so badly that they cannot continue playing, officials will not stop play until the injured player’s team has recovered control of the puck.”
Nevertheless, many fans and players called out the referees saying they should’ve made a judgment call when they saw Calvert seriously injured and bleeding from his head.
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Matt Calvert | Marriage, Wife, And Kids
The hockey player is married to Courtney Rae Calvert. They got married in a beautiful wedding ceremony in front of 250 guests on July 4, 2014.
Hence, as of now, the duo has been together for almost seven years. Furthermore, the pair dated for a while before getting married.
Matt and Courtney maintain a low profile regarding their love life and family to protect their privacy. Besides that, the couple has two sons, namely Kasey and Beau.
Matt Calvert | Net Worth, Salary, And Contract
The left-winger has built an impressive wealth amount through his career in the National Hockey League. His total career earnings from the league amount to $19,044,207.
Moreover, Matt’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million.
Likewise, the left-winger earned $1,875,000 in salary from the Colorado Avalanche for the 2020-21 season.
With this salary, his $8.4 million worth contract with the Colorado team came to an end. Aside from that, the athlete nearly made $10.5 million while playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Furthermore, the ice hockey player also makes a decent amount through endorsements and sponsorships.
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Matt Calvert | Social Media Presence
The NHL player is moderately active on social media platforms. Hence, he has a private Instagram account with 334 followers.
The left-winger mostly shares family photos and pictures of his kids on his private social media handle. Since he has over 300 posts, we can say that he is active on Instagram.
Besides that, he is on Twitter with 27.3 thousand followers. The professional hockey player mostly shares NHL-related news, events, and highlights on his handle.
No Days Off!!! pic.twitter.com/DoYx0GOIAF
— Matt Calvert (@mattcalvert11) March 15, 2020
Aside from that, he has also tweeted about his family and posted adorable pictures of his kids.
In many of the photos, the father of two can be seen as a playful dad passing on his passion and love for ice hockey to his kids.
Furthermore, he occasionally shines a light on his charity called Matt Calvert Charity Shootout, where he raises money to fight against cancer.
In 2019, he raised $56,000 for Cancer Care Westman.
Matt Calvert | FAQs
When did Matt Calvert retire?
The NHL player announced his retirement from the National Hockey League on July 22, 2021, after playing for ten seasons.
How many NHL games has Matt Calver played?
The athlete has played 566 NHL games throughout his career.
