GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Michael Barnett announced today that the Coyotes have signed left wing Josh Gratton to a one-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Last season, the 6-foot-2, 214-poound Gratton split the season between Philadelphia and Phoenix playing in only 14 games due to injuries. Gratton scored one goal and added 44 penalty minutes (PIM) in his first season in the NHL. Gratton also played 53 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL), collecting 9-10-19 and 265 PIM.
In 2004-2005, the 23-year-old native of Brantford, Ontario finished second on the Phantoms in penalty minutes with 246 PIM in 57 games and recorded 9-5-14. He also helped lead the Phantoms to the AHL’s Calder Cup Championship in 2005 with 3-3-6 and 78 PIM in 21 playoff games. Gratton led the Phantoms in playoff penalty minutes that season. He also received the Phantom’s Community Service Award.
Gratton was leading the entire ECHL in penalty minutes with 239 in 2003-04 with San Diego (ECHL) at the time of his recall to the AHL’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. He also collected 69 PIM in 21 games with Cincinnati in 2003-04. In 166 career games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2000-01 to 2002-03, Gratton registered 50-61-111 and 489 PIM with Subury, Kingston and Windsor. The 23-year-old Gratton originally signed as a free agent with Philadelphia on July 27, 2004.
Gratton was acquired by the Coyotes on March 9, 2006 along with two second round draft choices in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Denis Gauthier.
