Matt Pettinger

Matt Pettinger may have been born in Edmonton (October 22nd, 1980) but he is a Vancouver Island boy through and through.

Pettinger grew up in Victoria, and by the age of 15 he hit the ice with the Victoria Salsa hockey club. The young left winger rapidly rose through the college ranks (University of Denver) and junior ranks (WHL Calgary Hitmen). By the 2000-01 season, he’d turned pro and was playing among the world’s best with the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals. Pettinger went on to play with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks before finishing his career in Europe.

In the hockey world Matt was known as a great skater with unmatchable work ethic. He was a player who accept his role and never complained. Best known as a forward with the Washington Capitals, he was respected around the league as a reliable, hard working bottom six winger who could chip in the occasional goal. In 422 NHL games Pettinger scored 65 goals and 123 points.

After extending his hockey career in Germany, Pettinger hung up his skates and returned home to Victoria in 2016 and started getting into the family business - commercial real estate. His father Rick established a partner and president of NFK Devencore, a very successful real estate firm in downtown Victoria. 

"There’s no deal that’s the same, and that’s no different than in hockey. You come in as a rookie and learn from different situations and different environments. You learn constantly, and it translates into the world of commercial real estate. I’m always gaining market knowledge,” said Matt.

Hockey prepared him well for his new career. 

“At the minor and junior league level, I was usually one of the better players on the team, but at the National Hockey League level there are a lot of guys who can do the same things you can do and so the question becomes: ‘how do you differentiate yourself?’ It’s about working hard and not getting discouraged and coming back from adversity. A deal goes south for whatever reason in my line of work now and it’s crucial to pick yourself up and be ready for the next opportunity,” he says.

When he's not working, he can be found on the golf course or up island on a beach, particularly in Tofino's Cox Bay area where his grandfather established a resort in 1973. The family sold the property in 2015, probably for an incredibly lucrative return.