Brian Strait

Brian Strait
Strait with the New York Islanders during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs
Born	(1988-01-04) January 4, 1988 (age 37) Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins New York Islanders Winnipeg Jets
NHL draft	65th overall, 2006 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2009–2019

Brian James Strait (born January 4, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who is an unrestricted free agent. He last played for the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL.

Playing career

Strait with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012

Amateur

As a youth, Strait played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Middlesex Islanders minor ice hockey team. ^[1]

Strait played two seasons at the Northfield Mount Hermon School, recording 12 points during his freshman season, and 20 the next year. Beginning in 2004 he joined the U.S. National Development Team in the North American Hockey League. He was the captain of the gold-medal U.S. team at the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships. ^[2]

After graduating from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in 2006, Strait attended Boston University, where he began playing for the Boston Terriers men's ice hockey team. In his freshman season, Strait was twice selected as Hockey East rookie of the week. He served as captain of the U.S. team at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where the team finished fourth. That season he also was selected runner-up for the Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman award. ^[2] During his junior season at Boston, Strait served as an alternate captain. That season, the Terriers won the Beanpot, Hockey East and the NCAA Division I national championship. ^[3]

Professional

After his junior season at Boston University, Strait signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who selected Strait in 2006. ^{[4] [5]} He began his professional career a few months later with the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. ^[6]

Strait made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh on February 21, 2011 against the Washington Capitals. On the eve of the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, he was picked off of waivers from the Penguins by the New York Islanders January 18, 2013. ^[7] After establishing his role within the Islanders defense after 6 games he signed a three-year one-way extension deal worth $775,000 per year on January 31, 2013. ^[8] He scored his first NHL goal on December 20, 2013 against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers.^{[ citation needed ]}

On July 1, 2016, Strait signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Winnipeg Jets. ^[9] Strait appeared in 5 games for 2 assists, over the course of the 2016–17 season, in his lone year with the Jets.^{[ citation needed ]}

Having left the Jets at the conclusion of his contract, Strait returned to the Metropolitan division, in signing a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 1, 2017. ^[10] In the 2017–18 season, he was reassigned to serve as an Alternate captain with the Devils AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils. Adding a veteran presence for the B-Devils inaugural campaign, Strait appeared in 61 games for 8 points. On May 8, 2018, Strait opted to forgo free agency agreeing to a two-year, two-way extension to remain with the New Jersey Devils. ^[11]

Career statistics

Strait with the New York Islanders in 2013

Regular Season and Playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Northfield Mount Hermon School	HS Prep		30	1	8	9			—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Northfield Mount Hermon School	HS Prep		30	5	15	20			—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	US NTDP U17	USDP		18	1	5	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	US NTDP U18	USDP		7	0	3	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	US NTDP Juniors	NAHL		42	4	8	12	42		10	0	2	2	2
2005–06	US NTDP U18	USDP		40	2	7	9	31		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	US NTDP U18	NAHL		15	0	5	5	41		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Boston University	HE		36	3	3	6	47		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Boston University	HE		37	0	10	10	20		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Boston University	HE		38	2	5	7	67		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		78	2	12	14	73		4	0	1	1	0
2010–11	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		75	2	8	10	49		12	1	3	4	10
2010–11	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		41	4	12	16	26		2	0	1	1	0
2011–12	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		9	0	1	1	4		3	0	0	0	0
2012–13	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		26	0	0	0	34		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	New York Islanders	NHL		19	0	4	4	10		6	1	0	1	12
2013–14	New York Islanders	NHL		47	3	6	9	14		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	New York Islanders	NHL		52	2	5	7	32		7	0	0	0	4
2015–16	New York Islanders	NHL		52	1	5	6	31		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Manitoba Moose	AHL		58	2	12	14	36		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		5	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Binghamton Devils	AHL		61	3	5	8	52		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Binghamton Devils	AHL		10	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				349	13	49	62	278		18	1	5	6	10
NHL totals				187	6	23	29	91		16	1	0	1	16

Medal record
Representing   United States
Ice hockey
IIHF U18 Championships
	2006 Ängelholm

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005	United States	U17	5th		5	0	0	0	2
2006	United States	WJC18			6	0	0	0	4
2008	United States	WJC	4th		6	0	0	0	6
Junior totals					17	0	0	0	12

References

1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
2. "Player Bio: Brian Strait". Boston University. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
3. "Pot of gold: Waltham's Strait helps lead BU to 29th title". The Daily News Tribune. February 10, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2010.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
4. "BU captain Brian Strait exits, signs with Pittsburgh Penguins". Boston Herald. June 17, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
5. "Penguins Sign Defenseman Brian Strait". Pittsburgh Penguins. July 1, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
6. Anderson, Shelly (July 23, 2009). "Penguins' Strait ready for next level". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
7. "Islanders claim Strait off waivers". New York Islanders. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
8. "Islanders, Strait agree on three-year deal". The Sports Network. January 31, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
9. "Jets agree to terms with Brian Strait". Winnipeg Jets. July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
10. "Devils sign Brian Strait to one-year, two-way contract". New Jersey Devils. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
11. "Strait re-signs with Devils". New Jersey Devils. May 8, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2018.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database