Matt Elich, born and raised in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, elected to pursue his Junior career north of the border with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.  In his last season in the OHL, the right-winger scored 44 goals for 74 points in 67 games.  In 1999 Elich turned pro with the Detroit Vipers -- the International Hockey League farm club of the team that had drafted him in 1997 -- the Tampa Bay Lightning.  In 1999, in his rookie pro season, he made his NHL debut.  All of Elich's sixteen NHL games have been played with the Lightning.  He is an extremely exciting and explosive player -- and his biggest asset is by far his blazing speed -- as he is one of the fastest skaters in professional hockey!  Elich still has hopes of one day being a starting NHL player.

Elich's stats!