Connor Brown (born January 14, 1994) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
right winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). Brown was selected by the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in the sixth round, 156th overall, of the
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft was the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held June 22–23, 2012, at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time that Pittsburgh hosted the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The top thr ...
. Brown played for the
Erie Otters
The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...
in the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL) from 2011 until 2014, then for the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL)'s
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...
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
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
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
The 2022–23 NHL season is the 106th season of operation (105th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season began on October 7, 2022, when the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators played the first of two games ...
.
Playing career
Amateur
Brown grew up playing youth hockey in the
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
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. The Lightning team later morphed in the
GTHL
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
Toronto Marlboros
The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The 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
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft was the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held June 22–23, 2012, at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time that Pittsburgh hosted the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The top thr ...
: Brown,
Scott Laughton,
Matt Finn,
Adam Pelech,
Scott Kosmachuk,
Jake Paterson and
Matia Marcantuoni.
Brown was selected in the 13th round, 251st overall, by the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL)'s
Erie Otters
The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...
in the 2010 OHL Priority Draft. He spent the 2010–11 season playing Junior "A" hockey for the
St. Michael's Buzzers in the
Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...
(OJHL).
![Connor Brown (10690519314)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Connor_Brown_%2810690519314%29.jpg)
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.
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). 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
Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
McDavid spen ...
. Brown entered the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and was selected in the sixth round, 156th overall, by his hometown
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. 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".
Brown returned to the Otters for the
2012–13 season, serving as the captain of the team.
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. Brown was awarded both the
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the top s ...
as the OHL's top scoring right winger, and the
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the player scoring the most points in the regular season. The trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of athlete and coach Eddie Power ...
as the top scoring player in the OHL. 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.
Professional
![Captials-Maple Leafs (33365063204)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Captials-Maple_Leafs_%2833365063204%29.jpg)
On November 22, 2013, Brown signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs. In his first year with the Maple Leafs'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...
, he won the AHL rookie scoring title, finishing the regular season with 21 goals and 40 assists.
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.
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, and scored his first NHL goal on March 24 against future teammate
Frederik Andersen
Frederik "Freddie" Andersen (born 2 October 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Andersen was a ...
of the
Anaheim Ducks.
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 Michalek 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. Brown played the rest of the year mostly on a line with
Nazem Kadri
Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player 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 juni ...
and
Leo Komarov, collecting 20 goals and compiling 36 points.
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.
On July 1, 2019, Brown was traded (along with
Nikita Zaitsev and Michael Carcone) to the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
in exchange for
Cody Ceci
Cody Ceci (born December 21, 1993) 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 P ...
,
Ben Harpur
Ben Harpur (born January 12, 1995) 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 Dra ...
, Aaron Luchuk and a third-round pick in the
2020 NHL Entry Draft
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft was the 58th NHL Entry Draft, held from October 6–7, 2020. The draft was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pan ...
.
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. This contract will expire at the end of the 2022–23 season.
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
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1928 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
***''Steamboat Willie'', Walt Disney's f ...
.
After only playing four games with the Capitals, Brown suffered an ACL injury which required surgery. Coach
Peter Laviolette
Peter Philip Laviolette Jr. (born December 7, 1964) is an American professional ice hockey coach, and former player, currently serving as head coach for the Washington Capitals. He was previously the head coach of the New York Islanders, Caroli ...
announced Brown will likely miss the rest of the year.
Personal life
Brown became engaged to his long-time girlfriend in January 2020.
They married in August 2021.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Connor
1994 births
Living people
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Canadian ice hockey right wingers
Erie Otters players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Ontario Junior Hockey League players
Ottawa Senators players
Sportspeople from Etobicoke
Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Toronto Marlies players
Washington Capitals players