Playing career
Metcalfe was born in Toronto, Ontario. He began his junior career playing with the Kingston Canadians of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1983 to 1986, playing in 192 games, scoring 213 points (88 goals and 125 assists), and adding three goals and six assists in 10 playoff games. While with Kingston, Metcalfe was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers with their first pick, 20th overall in the 1985 NHL entry draft.
He played for Team Canada at the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, scoring seven points (two goals, five assists) in six games.
Metcalfe began the 1987–88 season with the Nova Scotia Oilers of the American Hockey League (AHL), before making his NHL debut on January 4, 1988 in a tie with the Boston Bruins.[2] The Oilers shipped him to along with the a ninth-round draft pick in the 1989 NHL entry draft, to the Buffalo Sabres for Steve Dykstra and the Sabres' seventh-round pick in the 1989 NHL Draft, on February 11, 1988.[3] Metcalfe spent the majority of the remainder of the season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, scoring 15 points (two goals and 13 assists) in 22 game. He played a single game with the Sabres in the NHL, picking up his first NHL point, an assist. He chipped in with four points (one goal and three assists) in seven playoff games with Rochester.
Metcalfe spent most of the 1988–89 season with Rochester, picking up 51 points (20 goals and 31 assists) in 60 games, along with 241 penalty minutes. He played nine games in Buffalo, scoring his first NHL goal and picking up as assist, as well. He once again split his playing time between Rochester and Buffalo in 1989–90, scoring 29 points (12 goals and 17 assists) in 43 games in Rochester, and no points in seven games with the Sabres, his last time in the NHL. Metcalfe recorded an assist in two playoff games with Rochester. He spent the entire 1990–91 season with the Americans, scoring 39 points (17 goals and 22 assists) in 69 games, and had five points (four goals and one assist) in 14 post-season games.
Metcalfe spent the next two seasons in Germany playing for EHC Dynamo Berlin, ES Weißwasser, and Eisbären Berlin.[4] He returned to North America in 1993–94, scoring a career-high 81 points for the Knoxville Cherokees of the ECHL, while also skating 16 games with the Americans.
Metcalfe played exclusively for the Americans the next three seasons, which were highlighted by the team's championship in 1996. During the playoffs that season Metcalfe contributed 14 points (six goals and eight assists) in 19 games. He competed for Rochester at the 1996 Spengler Cup. [5]
Metcalfe returned to Germany for the 1998–99 and 1999-2000 season, playing for the Hannover Scorpions of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He then joined the Sheffield Steelers of the Ice Hockey Superleague in Great Britain for 2000-01[4] and finished his career with three games for the Adirondack IceHawks of the United Hockey League in 2000-01.[6]
Metcalfe holds the Rochester record for penalty minutes[2] with 1,424 over 499 career games with the Americans.[7] As of the 2024-25 season, Metcalfe ranks seventh in games played, ninth in points and assists and 11th in goals for the franchise. He won numerous team awards during his years in Rochester, including the McCulloch Trophy for community service, the V.P. Supply Most Popular Player and Executive Club Most Popular Player award three times each. In 1988-89 he won the Rob Zabelny Award as the team’s Unsung Hero.[7]
In 2006, Metcalfe was inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame.[7]