| Justin Brazeau | |||
|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Brazeau with theBoston Bruins in 2024 | |||
| Born | (1998-02-02)February 2, 1998 (age 27) New Liskeard, Ontario,Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Minnesota Wild Boston Bruins | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2019–present | ||
Justin Brazeau (born February 2, 1998) is a Canadian professionalice hockeyforward for theMinnesota Wild of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for theBoston Bruins.
Brazeau played four seasons in theOntario Hockey League for theNorth Bay Battalion, serving as a captain in his final season, a season in which he scored 61 goals and 53 assists. Despite this success, Brazeau went undrafted, but was highly-touted as an undrafted free agent.[1]
On April 4, 2019, Brazeau signed an AHL contract with theToronto Marlies.[2] However, he would only play one game for the team in the2019-20 season, instead playing most of his games with theNewfoundland Growlers of theECHL. After registering 27 goals and 55 points in 57 games, his season came to an early end on March 12, 2020 as theECHL season was postponed and later cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. On April 2, 2020, Brazeau was named to the ECHL's all-rookie team.[3]
Brazeau made the Marlies out of camp for the delayed and shortened2020–21 season.[4] However, Brazeau had troubled adjusting to the AHL, only scoring four goals for five points in 21 games with the Marlies.
Brazeau signed an AHL contract with theProvidence Bruins in 2021.[5]
In his first season in theBoston Bruins organization, Brazeau once again started in the ECHL, being assigned to theMaine Mariners to start the2021–22 season.[6] However, after finding success with the Mariners, he was called up to Providence after only 18 games, where he would spend the rest of the season and continue his success, scoring 15 goals for 31 points.
Brazeau looked to build off his success in the Bruins organization in2022–23 season, and made the AHL team to start the season.[7] Brazeau had another strong season and helped the P-Bruins win the Atlantic Division. However, the team would be eliminated by theHartford Wolf Pack in four games in the opening round ofCalder Cup playoffs.
On July 4, 2023, the Providence Bruins announced that they had resigned Brazeau to a one-year AHL contract.[8]
In the midst of his third season with theProvidence Bruins, Brazeau signed a two-year, two-way contract with theBoston Bruins on February 19, 2024. He was then called up to make his NHL debut against theDallas Stars.[9] Brazeau scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut against the Stars on the same day. Brazeau's story gained attention due to his many years in the minors prior to his call-up and debut.[10] Brazeau's size and play earned him a regular spot in the NHL lineup following his debut.[11] He continued to prove his worth to the Bruins with his first career two-goal effort against theOttawa Senators on March 19, 2024. Brazeau exited a game against theNashville Predators with an upper-body injury.[12] The injury would keep Brazeau out the rest of the regular season.[13] Brazeau wouldn't return to the ice for the Bruins until Game 5 of the first round of the2024 Stanley Cup playoffs against theToronto Maple Leafs. Brazeau would record his first NHL playoff point with an assist onHampus Lindholm's game-tying goal in Game 7 of the first round. The Bruins would end up beating the Leafs 2-1 to advance to the second round of the playoffs. Brazeau would score his first career playoff goal in Game 1 of the second round against theFlorida Panthers.
Brazeau would make the2024–25 Opening Night roster for the Bruins, and would solidify himself as a lineup regular. Brazeau proved himself to be a valuable fourth liner for a struggling Bruins team, recording nine goals and eight assists throughout January. However, the Bruins struggles, along with an expiring contract, led to speculation that Brazeau's big body and solid production would provide a valuable trade asset to the team.
On March 6, 2025, Brazeau was traded to theMinnesota Wild, in exchange forMarat Khusnutdinov,Jakub Lauko, and a sixth-round draft pick.[14]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2015–16 | North Bay Battalion | OHL | 65 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | North Bay Battalion | OHL | 67 | 22 | 15 | 37 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | North Bay Battalion | OHL | 68 | 39 | 36 | 75 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | North Bay Battalion | OHL | 68 | 61 | 52 | 113 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2019–20 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Newfoundland Growlers | ECHL | 57 | 27 | 28 | 55 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 21 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 51 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Maine Mariners | ECHL | 18 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 67 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 49 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 19 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 2024–25 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 57 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 76 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | ||||