Victor Mete

Victor Joseph Mete (born June 7, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Mete was selected 100th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Victor Mete
Born (1998-06-07) June 7, 1998
Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Philadelphia Flyers
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Draft 100th overall, 2016
Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 2017–present

Playing career

Mete was drafted in the first round, eighth overall by the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 2014 OHL draft, but was traded before making an appearance with the club to the London Knights in exchange for six draft picks (three second-round, two third-round picks and a conditional sixth-round pick).[1] He would go on to play three seasons with then Knights, helping the team win the Memorial Cup in 2016. Shortly after the Memorial Cup win, Mete was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round, 100th overall during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.[2]

On March 27, 2017, Mete was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens.[3] Shortly after, leading up to the 2017–18 season, Mete impressed at Montreal training camp and made the opening night roster. He picked up his first point on October 17, registering an assist in a 5–2 defeat to the San Jose Sharks.[4] On March 2, 2018, Mete left a game against the New York Islanders due to an injury,[5] and a few days later it was announced that Mete suffered a finger fracture and was set to be out for six weeks.[6]

Mete began the 2018–19 season with the Canadiens in the NHL. After struggling in his first 23 games of the season, Mete was sent to the Canadiens American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket, to help his development.[7] Mete was recalled to the NHL on December 17 after recording one goal and three assists in seven AHL games.[8]

Mete made the Canadiens lineup out of training camp for the 2019–20 season. After going goalless to start the season, Mete broke his 127-game, franchise-record goalless streak in a 4–0 win over the Minnesota Wild. In the same game, rookie Nick Suzuki also scored his first career NHL goal, making the pair the first Canadiens players to score their first NHL goal in the same game since 2005.[9] In 51 games with the Canadiens, Mete tallied 4 goals and 11 points from the blueline before suffering a season-ending broken foot against the Detroit Red Wings on February 18, 2020.[10] On October 9, 2020, Mete signed a one-year contract extension with the Canadiens.[11] In the following pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Mete was dressed in just 14 games, collecting 3 assists, before he was placed on waivers approaching the NHL trade deadline.

On April 12, 2021, Mete was claimed off waivers by the Ottawa Senators,[12] Mete scored the only goal of his tenure with the Senators on April 28 in a 6–3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.[13] He finished the season with 28 games played registering one goal and five points. On August 4, 2021, the Senators re-signed him to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.[14] During the 2021–22 season, Mete played in 37 games, only registering 7 points.[15] At the conclusion of the season, Mete was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Senators to retain his exclusive negotiating rights, thereby releasing him to unrestricted free agency.[16]

On July 14, the day after free agency began, Mete signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.[15] Though Mete played well in training camp, he was placed on waivers and assigned to begin the 2022–23 season with Toronto's AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies on October 9, 2022.[17] He was recalled on October 16[18] and played in 11 games registering two points with the Maple Leafs before suffering a serious injury on December 6.[19]

As an unrestricted free agent from the Maple Leafs after one season, Mete was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with his first American-based club, the Philadelphia Flyers, on July 5, 2023.[20] He attended the Flyers 2023 training camp, but failed to make the team. He was placed on waivers and after going unclaimed, was assigned to Philadelphia's AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to start the 2023–24 season.[21][22]

International play
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 United States
Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2015 Břeclav/Bratislava

On December 16, 2017, Mete was named to the 22 man roster representing Canada at the IIHF World U20 Championship.[23][24] On December 23, 2017, he was named alternate captain.[25] Team Canada ended up winning the gold medal at that tournament.[26]

Personal life

Mete is of Italian descent. In 2022, Mete's grandfather, Vittorio Panza, was killed during the 2022 Vaughan shooting.[27]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2014–15 London Knights OHL 58 7 16 23 14 10 1 7 8 2
2015–16 London Knights OHL 68 8 30 38 18 18 4 7 11 0
2016–17 London Knights OHL 50 15 29 44 14 14 1 6 7 4
2017–18 Montreal Canadiens NHL 49 0 7 7 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Montreal Canadiens NHL 71 0 13 13 6 — — — — —
2018–19 Laval Rocket AHL 7 1 3 4 0 — — — — —
2019–20 Montreal Canadiens NHL 51 4 7 11 20 10 0 2 2 2
2020–21 Montreal Canadiens NHL 14 0 3 3 6 — — — — —
2020–21 Ottawa Senators NHL 14 1 1 2 2 — — — — —
2021–22 Ottawa Senators NHL 37 0 7 7 4 — — — — —
2022–23 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 11 0 2 2 4 — — — — —
2022–23 Toronto Marlies AHL 6 0 0 0 14 — — — — —
NHL totals 2475404546 100222

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 Canada Red U17 6th 5 1 1 2 4
2015 Canada IH18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4 0 1 1 0
2018 Canada WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 0 3 3 2
Junior totals 15 1 5 6 6

Awards and honours
Award Year
OHL
Second All-Rookie Team 2015
Robertson Cup Champion 2016 [28]
CHL
Memorial Cup champion 2016

References
  1. "Knights Acquire Mete". London Knights. September 8, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  2. Hornby, Lance (September 27, 2022). "Mete must excel vs. old teams to make new one". Saltwire. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  3. "Canadiens sign defenseman Victor Mete". Montreal Canadiens. National Hockey League. March 27, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  4. "Couture scores twice as Sharks beat Canadiens". TSN. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  5. Braverman, Dan (March 3, 2018). "Pacioretty, Mete head home". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved April 9, 2018 – via NHL.com.
  6. Hickey, Pat (March 5, 2018). "Canadiens' Max Pacioretty and Victor Mete will miss up to six weeks". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  7. Cowan, Stu (November 29, 2018). "Canadiens Notebook: Victor Mete sent down to AHL's Laval Rocket". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  8. Cudzinowski, Matt (December 17, 2018). "Canadiens recall Victor Mete, assign Noah Juulsen to Laval". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved January 16, 2019 – via NHL.com.
  9. Braverman, Dan (October 17, 2019). "MIN@MTL: Postgame". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved October 17, 2019 – via NHL.com.
  10. "Canadiens' Victor Mete out for season with broken foot". ESPN. February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  11. "Canadiens sign defenseman Victor Mete to a one-year contract extension". Montreal Canadiens. October 9, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2021 – via NHL.com.
  12. "Sens claim Mete off of waivers". Ottawa Senators. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  13. "Tkachuk leads the way, helps Senators beat Canucks 6-3". ESPN. Associated Press. April 28, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  14. "Senators, Victor Mete agree to one-year, $1.2M contract". Sportsnet. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  15. "Maple Leafs Sign Defencemen Jordie Benn and Victor Mete". Toronto Maple Leafs. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  16. Garrioch, Bruce (July 9, 2022). "Garrioch: Even after draft, plenty of 'to do' items for Senators". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  17. Alter, David (October 9, 2022). "Maple Leafs Place Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Clifford, Adam Gaudette and Victor Mete on Waivers, Denis Malgin Makes Team". The Hockey News. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  18. "Maple Leafs recall Nick Robertson, Wayne Simmonds and Victor Mete from AHL". Sportsnet. October 16, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  19. Alter, David (January 27, 2023). "Maple Leafs' Victor Mete Back on the Ice After Lower-Body Injury". The Hockey News. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  20. "Flyers sign Ronnie Attard and Victor Mete". Philadelphia Flyers. July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  21. "Flyers' Victor Mete: Goes on waivers". CBS Sports. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  22. "Three Players Arrive from Philly". Lehigh Valley Phantoms. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  23. "CANADIAN ROSTER SET FOR 2018 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP". hockeycanada.ca. St. Catharines, ON. December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  24. Wawrow, John (December 12, 2017). "Victor Mete excited to trade blue, blanc et rouge for Team Canada colours". CBC.ca. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  25. "Mete named assistant captain at World Juniors". NHL.com. Montreal Canadiens. December 23, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  26. Canadian Press (January 6, 2018). "Canada defeats Sweden late to win WJC gold medal". sportsnet.ca. Buffalo, NY. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  27. "Grandfather of Maple Leafs' Mete one of five victims killed in condo shooting". Sportsnet. December 20, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  28. "London Knights win Robertson Cup". Ontario Hockey League. May 11, 2016. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
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