Connor Brown | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born | Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada | January 14, 1994||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb) | ||
Position | Right wing | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
NHL team Former teams | Edmonton Oilers Toronto Maple Leafs Ottawa Senators Washington Capitals | ||
National team | Canada | ||
NHL draft | 156th overall, 2012 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
Playing career | 2014–present |
Connor Brown (born January 14, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brown was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round, 156th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Brown played for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2011 until 2014, then for the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Toronto Marlies for the better part of two seasons before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs full-time in the 2016–17 season. He played for two more years with Toronto before he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2019. Brown spent three seasons with the Senators where he was an alternate captain. He was traded to the Washington Capitals heading into the 2022–23 NHL season.
Brown grew up playing youth hockey in the Toronto area. He played first for the West Mall Lightning mite select team, in the North York Hockey League, where his father was the head coach. [1] The Lightning team later morphed in the GTHL Toronto Marlboros team for players born in 1994. The core of the team won ten-straight city championships and included seven players who would go on to be selected at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft: Brown, Scott Laughton, Matt Finn, Adam Pelech, Scott Kosmachuk, Jake Paterson and Matia Marcantuoni. [2]
Brown was selected in the 13th round, 251st overall, by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Erie Otters in the 2010 OHL Priority Draft. [3] He spent the 2010–11 season playing Junior "A" hockey for the St. Michael's Buzzers in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL).
Brown joined the Otters for the 2011–12 season and led the team in points (53), goals (25) and assists (28), and was named to the OHL's All-Rookie Team. [4] [5] However, he recorded a plus-minus of –72, a jarring statistic that was also the worst plus-minus of any player in the OHL (second-worst was teammate Kris Grant with –61). [6] The plus-minus was primarily a result of an Otters team that finished last in the OHL, resulting in the franchise drafting first overall in the OHL draft and selecting future NHL star Connor McDavid. Brown entered the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and was selected in the sixth round, 156th overall, by his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Brown's offensive talent lead the Maple Leafs to select him, but his small stature and historically bad plus-minus caused the pick to be called a "gamble". [4]
Brown returned to the Otters for the 2012–13 season, serving as the captain of the team. [7]
Brown spent the 2013–14 season on a line with Connor McDavid, scoring 45 goals and 83 assists for 128 points in 68 games. He went on to score 8 goals and 10 assists in 14 games during the playoffs to cap off what was the best season in the team's history. [8] Brown was awarded both the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL's top scoring right winger, and the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the top scoring player in the OHL. [9] At the time of his departure, he held the Otters franchise record for most points in a single season; his record has since been passed by former line-mate Dylan Strome, who surpassed it by one point the following season. [10]
On November 22, 2013, Brown signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. [11] In his first year with the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, he won the AHL rookie scoring title, finishing the regular season with 21 goals and 40 assists. [12] Brown played for the Marlies until his call-up to the Maple Leafs in March 2016.
Brown almost made the Maple Leafs' NHL roster out of training camp for the 2015–16 season, but was assigned to the AHL to further his development. [13] However, he would be called up to the team late in the season as part of an initiative by the team to give AHL rookies some late season experience. Brown made his NHL debut on March 17, 2016, against the Florida Panthers, [14] and scored his first NHL goal on March 24 against future teammate Frederik Andersen of the Anaheim Ducks. [15]
Brown made the Maple Leafs full-time for the 2016–17 season. However, a deep presence of forward depth meant Brown was playing on the fourth line with Matt Martin, though he saw time on the penalty kill. After five games in a limited role, Maple Leafs veteran forward Milan Michálek was placed on waivers in order to make room and give Brown a larger role on the team. Former Maple Leaf Ben Smith rejoined the team via waivers in order to take Brown's former spot. [16] Brown played the rest of the year mostly on a line with Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov, collecting 20 goals and compiling 36 points. [16] [17]
On August 26, 2017, as a restricted free agent, Brown signed a new three-year, $6.3 million contract with Toronto worth $2.1 million annually. [17] During the 2018–19 season, Brown scored 8 goals and 29 points in 82 games. [18]
On July 1, 2019, Brown was traded (along with Nikita Zaitsev and Michael Carcone) to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur, Aaron Luchuk and a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. [18] In Ottawa, Brown saw an expanded role after falling down the depth chart in Toronto. [19] He made his debut for the Senators on opening day of the 2019–20 season versus Toronto. He finished the season second on the team in scoring, with 16 goals and 43 points. [20]
On October 22, 2020, Brown re-signed as a restricted free agent with the Ottawa Senators, for three years at an average annual value of $3.6 million. [21] During the 2020–21 season, Brown set the Senators franchise record for consecutive games with a goal with seven, set on April 10, 2021. [22] On April 20, 2021, Brown scored two goals in a 4–2 win over the Calgary Flames. [23] He finished the season with 21 goals in 56 games. [24] During the 2021–22 season, Brown scored only 10 goals and 39 points in 64 games. [25]
Following his third season with the Senators, Brown was traded on the opening day of free agency on July 13, 2022, to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2024. [25] After only playing four games with the Capitals in the 2022–23 season, Brown suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury which required surgery. Capitals coach Peter Laviolette announced Brown would likely miss the rest of the year. [26]
As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract with the Capitals, Brown was signed to an incentive laden one-year, $4 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers for the 2023–24 season on July 1, 2023. [27] Brown was re-signed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Oilers for the 2024–25 season on July 1, 2024.
Brown became engaged to his long-time girlfriend in January 2020. [28] They married in August 2021. Brown and his wife have one child.[ citation needed ]
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2009–10 | Toronto Marlboros | GTHL | 80 | 25 | 44 | 69 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | St. Michael's Buzzers | OJHL | 49 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
2011–12 | Erie Otters | OHL | 68 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Erie Otters | OHL | 63 | 28 | 41 | 69 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Erie Otters | OHL | 68 | 45 | 83 | 128 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 8 | ||
2014–15 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 76 | 21 | 40 | 61 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
2015–16 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 34 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 8 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 6 | ||
2015–16 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2016–17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
2017–18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
2018–19 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 8 | 21 | 29 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
2019–20 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 71 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2020–21 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 56 | 21 | 14 | 35 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2021–22 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 64 | 10 | 29 | 39 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2022–23 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2023–24 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 71 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
NHL totals | 519 | 94 | 134 | 228 | 100 | 39 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Representing Canada | ||
Ice hockey | ||
World Championships | ||
2021 Latvia |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Canada | WC | 10 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 2 | ||
Senior totals | 10 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 2 |
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
OHL | ||
First All-Rookie Team | 2011–12 | [5] |
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy – Top Scoring Right Winger | 2013–14 | [29] |
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy – Top Scorer | 2013–14 | |
Red Tilson Trophy – Most Outstanding Player | 2013–14 | [30] |
First All-Star Team | 2013–14 | [31] |
AHL | ||
All-Star Game | 2014–15 | [32] |
All-Rookie Team | 2014–15 | [12] |
International | ||
World Championship points leader | 2021 |
Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and current assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the NHL from 2002 to 2022.
Brendan Bell is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Bell was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Bradley Keith Boyes is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who spent thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of seven different teams.
Jeff Randall Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from the mid-1980s to late 1990s. During his career, Brown was considered to be in the upper echelon of NHL defencemen. He was selected to play in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game and still holds many offensive records for the St. Louis Blues.
Sheldon Keefe is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He has also served as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, guiding the latter to their first Calder Cup championship in 2018.
John Tavares is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected first overall by the New York Islanders, for whom he played nine seasons and served as captain for five seasons.
Denis Joseph Smith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and current assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators for five seasons between 2019-2023. As a player, Smith played 45 NHL games with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche. As a coach, Smith won the Memorial Cup in 2015 and spent four years as an assistant with the Maple Leafs before joining Ottawa.
Nazem Kadri is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), first with the Kitchener Rangers and then the London Knights. He won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with Kitchener and was part of the Rangers team that lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the final of the 2008 Memorial Cup. Kadri has also represented Canada internationally at the 2010 World Junior Championships, where the team received the silver medal after losing the final to the United States 6–5.
Nikita Igorevich Zaitsev is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Cody Ceci is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Nicholas Ritchie is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Iserlohn Roosters in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Ritchie was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round, tenth overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Ritchie has also played for the Boston Bruins, Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Oulun Kärpät.
Dylan William Strome is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ahead of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Strome was considered a top prospect, and was selected third overall by the Arizona Coyotes. He has also played for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Nicholas Baptiste is a Haitian-Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for Tappara in the Liiga. Baptiste was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Travis Dermott is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Dermott was rated as a top prospect projected as a possible first round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft but was ultimately selected in the second round, 34th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has previously played for the Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks and the Arizona Coyotes.
Logan Mathers Brown is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He was most recently under contract to the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 11th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played with the St. Louis Blues.
Nicholas Paul is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). A left winger, he was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round, 101st overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Ben Harpur is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 108th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Victor Joseph Mete is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 100th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Mete has also previously played for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Michael Amadio is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Amadio was selected by the Los Angeles Kings, 90th overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights, where he was a member of the 2023 Stanley Cup-winning team.
Carl Erik Rasmus Sandin is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 29th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Sandin has previously played for the Maple Leafs and Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).