Matt Grzelcyk

Matthew Grzelcyk (/ˈɡrɪzlɪk/ GRIZ-lik;^[1] born January 5, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins with the 85th overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.^[2]

Matt Grzelcyk
Grzelcyk with the Boston Bruins in December 2019
Born	(1994-01-05) January 5, 1994 (age 31) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb)
Position	Defense
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Pittsburgh Penguins Boston Bruins
NHL draft	85th overall, 2012 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2016–present

Playing career

As a youth, Grzelcyk played in the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Middlesex Islanders minor ice hockey team, along with teammates Jon Gillies and Miles Wood.^[3]

Grzelcyk attended Belmont Hill School before joining the USNTDP of the USHL, winning a gold medal at the 2012 U18 World Juniors in the Czech Republic. He committed to play for Boston University in the Hockey East Conference of the NCAA.

He was named to the Hockey East All-Freshman team in 2012. He was selected to the preliminary roster for the 2013 World Juniors but did not make the final cut.^[4]

He served as captain of the Terriers his junior and senior season.^[5] He was named an assistant captain at the 2014 World Juniors but the US did not medal. He scored the overtime winning goal in the 63rd Beanpot that gave BU their 30th title, and was named the tournament MVP.^[6] He played 124 games during his four-year career at BU, scoring 26 goals and assisting on 69.^[7]

On April 1, 2016, he signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Boston Bruins, starting with the 2016–17 season. He joined Boston's affiliate Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an Amateur Tryout Agreement for the rest of the 2015–16 campaign.^[8]

On December 14, 2016, Grzelcyk made his NHL debut with the Bruins in a 4–3 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.^[9]

Grzelcyk spent 6 weeks of the 2017-2018 season playing with the Providence Bruins before returning to the NHL on November 22, 2017 ^[10]

On November 22, 2017, in a game against the New Jersey Devils, Grzelcyk got his first NHL assist on a goal from teammate Jake DeBrusk.^[11] On November 24, 2017, Grzelcyk scored his first NHL goal in a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.^[12]

During the summer before the 2018–19 season, Grzelcyk signed a two-year contract to stay with the Bruins.^[13] Grzelcyk and the Bruins qualified for the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, where he suffered a head injury as the result of an elbow to the head by Blues center Oskar Sundqvist.^[14] Sundqvist was suspended for Game 3 of the finals,^[14] although the Blues eventually won the Stanley Cup in seven games.^[15]

After eight seasons with the Boston Bruins, Grzelcyk left the organization as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract for the 2024–25 season by the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2024.^[16]

Personal life

Grzelcyk's father and older brother, both named John, work at TD Garden. John Grzelcyk Sr. started working at Boston Garden in 1967 and has stayed with the organization ever since. On October 25, 2021 Grzelcyk's father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, while undergoing radiation treatments John Sr. continued work at TD Garden.^[17] The two elder Grzelcyks are members of the arena's "bull gang", which converts the building from hockey to basketball and back: John Jr. is also a Zamboni driver for certain Bruins games.^[18]

Growing up, Grzelcyk lived a block from the Charlestown rink at Edwards Playground. He also grew up with fellow 2012 NHL Entry Draft pick Jimmy Vesey. The two first met when they were around the age of six, playing hockey together for a team named the Middlesex Islanders.^[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009–10	Belmont Hill School	HS-Prep		31	2	18	20	30		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	U.S. NTDP Juniors	USHL		36	1	9	10	28		2	0	0	0	2
2010–11	U.S. NTDP U17	USDP		55	2	16	18	40		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	U.S. NTDP Juniors	USHL		24	1	10	11	6		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	U.S. NTDP U18	USDP		60	3	20	23	22		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Boston University	HE		38	3	20	23	26		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Boston University	HE		19	3	8	11	16		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Boston University	HE		41	10	28	38	36		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Boston University	HE		27	10	13	23	36		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Providence Bruins	AHL		70	6	26	32	18		17	0	3	3	8
2016–17	Boston Bruins	NHL		2	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Boston Bruins	NHL		61	3	12	15	22		11	0	1	1	4
2017–18	Providence Bruins	AHL		14	0	4	4	14		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Boston Bruins	NHL		66	3	15	18	68		20	4	4	8	6
2019–20	Boston Bruins	NHL		68	4	17	21	34		12	0	1	1	4
2020–21	Boston Bruins	NHL		37	5	15	20	22		11	1	3	4	4
2021–22	Boston Bruins	NHL		73	4	20	24	24		5	0	0	0	6
2022–23	Boston Bruins	NHL		75	4	22	26	28		4	0	0	0	0
2023–24	Boston Bruins	NHL		63	2	9	11	37		3	0	0	0	2
NHL totals				445	25	110	135	237		66	5	9	14	26

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	United States	U17			5	1	5	6	2
2012	United States	U18			6	1	0	1	2
2014	United States	WJC	5th		5	2	4	6	2
Junior totals					16	4	9	13	6