After being healthy scratched in 14 straight games Calgary Flames enforcer Brian McGrattan was placed on waivers Friday. He cleared on Saturday and was assigned to the American Hockey League’s Adirondack Flames.
The 33-year-old has four penalty minutes and a minus-2 rating in eight games this season. He has not played since Dec. 6.
McGrattan spoke to the Calgary Sun’s Eric Francis following his demotion Saturday.
“I’ve been through a lot harder things in my life. Being scratched or sent down is kind of peanuts,” he said. “Quitting isn’t in my vocab”
McGrattan is just the latest enforcer to be waived and assigned to the AHL. Earlier this month, the Vancouver Canucks waived Tom Sestito. In October Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren were waived and assigned to the AHL by the Maple Leafs.
McGrattan isn’t sure the move is a smart one.
“They might be playing with fire taking big guys out – you never know the way the game is going to go,” he said. “Might see more dirty hits”
McGrattan last played in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, the minor league affiliate of the Nashville Predators, in 2012-13.
In 317 career NHL games McGrattan has 10 goals and 27 points to go along with 609 penalty minutes.