Brendan Leipsic

Last updated

Brendan Leipsic
Brendan Leipsic 2018-02-06 1.jpg
Leipsic with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
Born (1994-05-19) May 19, 1994 (age 30)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
KHL team
Former teams
HC Sibir Novosibirsk
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vegas Golden Knights
Vancouver Canucks
Los Angeles Kings
Washington Capitals
CSKA Moscow
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
SKA Saint Petersburg
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
NHL draft 89th overall, 2012
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2014present

Brendan Leipsic (born May 19, 1994) is a Canadian-Russian professional ice hockey forward currently under contract with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Leipsic was selected by the Nashville Predators in the third round (89th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. [1]

Contents

After stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings, he was signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, $700,000 contract on July 1, 2019. [2] During the indefinite suspension of league play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leipsic was the subject of controversy after a conversation on Leipsic's private Instagram account was leaked to the public. In response to his conduct, on May 8, 2020, the Capitals placed Leipsic on unconditional waivers for purposes of terminating his contract. [3] Leipsic cleared waivers the following day and his contract was terminated.

Following his termination from the Capitals, Leipsic moved to Russia to play in the Kontinental Hockey League. After three years in the country, Leipsic requested and was granted Russian citizenship on July 12, 2023. [4]

Personal

Leipsic was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and is Jewish. [5] [6] [7] His mother Kathleen was a gymnast who was an alternate for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and his father Greg was a high school running back. [8] His brother Jeremey led the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in scoring in 2016/17 following which he played for the University of Manitoba Bisons hockey team; as well as a sister, Emma, who was an international gymnast. [9]

Playing career

Junior

Leipsic played in the WHL from the 2010–11 season. He was a member of Canada's National Junior Team for the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge. [10]

In the 2012–13 season with the Portland Winterhawks, Leipsic scored 120 points in 68 games to win the CHL Top Scorer Award as the highest-scoring player in the Canadian Hockey League. [11]

National Hockey League

Nashville Predators

Leipsic at the 2015 AHL All-Star Game. Brendan Leipsic.jpg
Leipsic at the 2015 AHL All-Star Game.

Leipsic was selected by the Nashville Predators in the third-round (89th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. [1] On May 23, 2013, the Predators signed Leipsic to a three-year entry-level contract. [12]

Leipsic was assigned to the Predators AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals to begin his first professional season in 2014–15. He led the Admirals in rookie scoring with 36 points in 47 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs

On February 15, 2015, the Predators traded Leipsic along with Olli Jokinen and Nashville's 2015 first round draft pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a package deal for Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli. [13] Leipsic played an important role down the stretch in helping the Toronto Marlies (a team that struggled to score early in the year) reach the post-season.

Leipsic began the 2015–16 season with the Marlies, and would play there for most of the year. However, in February 2016, the Maple Leafs lineup was depleted due to injuries. Wanting to allow younger players to remain in the AHL and develop, Toronto initially called up older veterans.

When injury struck again however, Leipsic was called up on February 13, 2016, in reward for his strong play, along with Jeremy Morin, both on an emergency basis. [14] Leipsic made his debut the same night, in a road game against the Vancouver Canucks, and scored his first NHL goal midway through the second period, batting a flying puck out of mid-air and past goaltender Ryan Miller. [15] The reaction of Leipsic's parents, who were in attendance and flew last minute to the game, garnered much media attention. [15] Leipsic became the first Maple Leafs' player to score a goal in his NHL debut since Nikolay Kulemin in 2008. Leipsic was sent back to the Marlies shortly after his debut.

Vegas Golden Knights

On June 21, 2017, Leipsic was left exposed at the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights. [16] He signed a two-year $1.3 million contract in July 2017. [17]

Vancouver Canucks

On February 26, 2018, Leipsic was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Philip Holm. [18]

Los Angeles Kings

In the 2018–19 season, on December 3, 2018, Leipsic was placed on waivers by the Canucks and claimed by the Los Angeles Kings. [19]

Washington Capitals

Leipsic with the Capitals in February 2020 Brendan Leipsic - Washington Capitals - 2020 - All-Pro Reels (49479170518).jpg
Leipsic with the Capitals in February 2020

Leipsic was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Kings and was released as a free agent on June 25, 2019. [20] He was signed by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, $700,000 contract on July 1, 2019. [2] In the 2019–20 season, Leipsic remained on the Capitals roster for opening night. In a depth forward role, Leipsic registered 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points in 61 games, before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kontinental Hockey League

HC CSKA Moscow

Leipsic’s contract with the Capitals was terminated in May 2020 due to a disrespectful private group chat was leaked in which he insulted women and his teammates. Leipsic opted to resume his career by agreeing to a one-year contract with the Russian club, HC CSKA Moscow of the KHL, on August 4, 2020. [21] In the 2020–21 season, he posted 11 goals and 24 points in 42 regular season games along with 8 points in 16 playoff games.

Metallurg Magnitogorsk

On May 7, 2021, Leipsic was traded by CSKA to Metallurg Magnitogorsk in exchange for the rights to Lias Andersson, and immediately signed a two-year contract with the club. He participated in the 2021–22 playoffs, despite the exit of many North American-born players and two of the KHL's non-Russia-based teams due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [22]

SKA Saint Petersburg

On June 23, 2023, Leipsic continued his tenure in the KHL by signing as a free agent to a two-year contract with perennially contending club, SKA Saint Petersburg. [23] In the 2023–24 season, Leipsic was largely plagued through injury and he posted just 2 assists through 19 regular season games.

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg

Leipsic tenure with SKA ending after a lone season and on May 31, 2024, he was signed to a two-year contract with his fourth KHL club, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. [24]

Sibir Novosibirsk

On December 21, 2024, Leipsic was traded from Avtomobilist to his fifth KHL club, HC Sibir Novosibirsk in exchange for the KHL rights to Finnish centre Janne Kuokkanen in a move that helped Avtomobilist "comply with the salary cap." [25]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

   Regular season   Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2010–11 Portland Winterhawks WHL 68161733502134714
2011–12 Portland WinterhawksWHL652830588220781528
2012–13 Portland WinterhawksWHL6849711201032110142441
2013–14 Portland WinterhawksWHL603952911112014193349
2014–15 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 477293616
2014–15 Toronto Marlies AHL27712196512314
2015–16 Toronto MarliesAHL65203454551322412
2015–16 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 61232
2016–17 Toronto MarliesAHL49183351301141521
2017–18 Vegas Golden Knights NHL44211134
2017–18 Vancouver Canucks NHL1436910
2018–19 Vancouver CanucksNHL172352
2018–19 Los Angeles Kings NHL455131822
2019–20 Washington Capitals NHL61381113
2020–21 CSKA Moscow KHL 4211132420163586
2021–22 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL4616193518241192010
2022–23 Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL65113344281129114
2023–24 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL19224620000
NHL totals18716435953
KHL totals1724067107725316233920

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
2011 Canada Western U17 6th53256
Junior totals53256

Awards and honors

AwardYear
CHL
Top Scorer Award 2012–13 [26]

See also

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