Drew Richard Fata (born July 28, 1983) is a Canadian former

professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who work (human activity), works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the partic ...

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...

. He is the younger brother of Rico Fata, who has played for several

NHL teams The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

over the course of his career.

Playing career

As a youth, Fata played in the 1997

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...

with a

minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...

team from

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," Sault Ste. Marie, in the state of Michigan. The city's population was 72,051 at the 2021 census, makin ...

. Fata was drafted 86th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

. Without playing a game for the Penguins, Fata signed as a free agent with the New York Islanders on February 4, 2007. When Islanders defenceman Sean Hill received a 20-game suspension on April 20, 2007 after testing positive performance-enhancing drugs, Drew Fata was called upon to take his place in the lineup. He then made his playoff debut against the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...

on April 20, though the Islanders lost the game and were eliminated from the postseason. On July 2, 2008, Fata signed with the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...

. Fata started the 2008–09 season with the Coyotes affiliate,

San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was so ...

, before he was traded by the Coyotes to the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...

for Alexander Nikulin on November 3, 2008. On July 7, 2009, Fata signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Boston Bruins. After coming off a season that involved ankle surgery, Fata did not receive any offers for four months. Eventually Fata was invited to return to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the team where he started his professional career. After one game with the Penguins, Fata was released from his professional tryout contract on November 1, 2010. On November 1, 2010 Fata signed with

Sparta Sarpsborg Ishockeyklubben Sparta Sarpsborg is a Norwegian ice hockey team based in Sarpsborg, Norway. They currently play in EliteHockey Ligaen. They play their home games in the Sparta Amfi arena and is Norway's oldest ice hockey rink. The team colours a ...

of the Norwegian GET-ligaen After a further three seasons abroad with

HC Asiago Asiago Hockey 1935 is an Italian professional ice hockey team from Asiago which plays in the Alps Hockey League. Until 2021–22, Asiago played in the Italian Hockey League - Serie A, winning the championship eight times. Honours Domestic *Italia ...

and the

Sheffield Steelers The Sheffield Steelers are a professional ice hockey team located in Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Utilita Arena. They are currently a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The club's main (tit ...

, Fata returned to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

to sign a one-year free agent contract with the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL on August 5, 2014. Upon the merge of the CHL into the ECHL, Fata opted to retire from professional hockey and accepted a General Manager role with the Batchewana Attack in the

Canadian International Hockey League The Canadian International Hockey League (CIHL) was a Canadian independent Junior ice hockey league based in Northern Ontario, Central Ontario, and the Greater Toronto Area. History The CIHL was officially announced on April 8, 2014 with the unve ...

Career statistics

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fata, Drew 1983 births Asiago Hockey 1935 players Binghamton Senators players Bridgeport Sound Tigers players Canadian ice hockey defencemen Ice hockey people from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Kingston Frontenacs players Living people Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent New York Islanders players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks Providence Bruins players San Antonio Rampage players Sheffield Steelers players Sparta Sarpsborg players St. Michael's Buzzers players Toronto St. Michael's Majors players Wheeling Nailers players Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in England Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Norway Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Italy 21st-century Canadian sportsmen