Gilbert Brulé
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Gilbert Jean Marco Brulé (born January 1, 1987) is a Canadian former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
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. Drafted out of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL), Brulé played
major junior Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's nationa ...
with the Vancouver Giants for three seasons. After being named the WHL rookie of the year in
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, Brulé was selected as the WHL playoff MVP and led the Memorial Cup in scoring, as part of the Giants' WHL championship-winning season two years later. Selected sixth overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, he began his NHL career with the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
before being traded to the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
prior to the 2008–09 season. After three seasons with the Oilers, he was placed on waivers, then acquired by the Coyotes for the 2011–12 season and playoffs. He then joined the ZSC Lions for the 2012–13 season. Brulé was released by the Zurich-based team in October 2012. Internationally, Brulé has represented Team Canada at the 2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2004 U-18 Junior World Cup, winning silver and gold medals, respectively. He played for Canada's bronze medal-winning team at the
2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...
.


Playing career

As a youth, Brulé played in the 2001
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...
with a
minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...
team from North Vancouver.


Early junior career

Brulé was selected first overall in the 2002 WHL Bantam Draft by the Vancouver Giants. The selection was originally possessed by the
Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1971 as a member of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, the Raiders have been members of the Western Hockey League since 198 ...
, but was dealt to the Giants in exchange for their third overall and third round selections. He debuted in one game with the Giants during the subsequent WHL season, while playing Junior A in the
British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 21 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior "A" league within the Hockey Canada framework, until it became independe ...
(BCHL) with the Quesnel Millionaires. Recording 57 points (32 goals and 25 assists) over 48 games in his lone BCHL season, he was named the Interior Conference's recipient of the Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. In 2003–04, Brulé joined the Giants and tallied 60 points in 67 games. He became the first Giants player to win a major WHL award, receiving the
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy The Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the Western Hockey League player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition. The award is named after Saskatoon Blades founder Jim Piggott, one of the founding fathers ...
as league rookie of the year. The distinction made him a nominee for Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Rookie of the Year, which went to
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...
(QMJHL) rookie of the year
Sidney Crosby Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre and Captain (ice hockey), captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubb ...
of the
Rimouski Océanic The Rimouski Océanic are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The franchise was granted for the 1969–70 season as the Sherbrooke Castors. The Castors played in Sherbrooke from 1969 to 1982 ...
. He joined Crosby on the CHL All-Rookie Team. The following season, Brulé finished third in WHL scoring with 87 points (39 goals and 48 assists), establishing a Giants single-season point-scoring record (surpassed by Casey Pierro-Zabotel in 2008–09). During the campaign, he was chosen to a squad of WHL All-Stars against the Russian select team in the 2004 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge in November. Several months later, he competed in the 2005
CHL Top Prospects Game The CHL/USA Prospects Challenge is an annual junior ice hockey series between the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. The two-game series showcases the talents of top Prospect (sports), prospects f ...
, where he recorded the first
hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mechan ...
in the history of the all-star match and was named Team
Cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet '' Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The na ...
's player of the game. At the end of the season, Brulé was named the
CHL Scholastic Player of the Year The CHL Scholastic Player of the Year Award is awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League player who is best combines success on the ice with success in school. It is chosen from the winners of the constituent league awards; the Daryl K. (D ...
, having taken more high school credits than any other WHL player.


NHL debut and Memorial Cup tournament

Brulé was selected sixth overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
. He remained the highest-drafted Giants player in team history until
Evander Kane Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San ...
was selected fourth overall in
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
. Brulé had been the second-ranked prospect behind Crosby by the International Scouting Services (ISS) at the beginning of the 2004–05 season, while the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League (NHL) that ranks prospects for the NHL entry draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate t ...
(CSB) named him the WHL's top prospect in their preliminary rankings. By the end of the season, Brulé was ranked fourth overall by the ISS and fifth among North American skaters by the CSB. At the time of his draft, he was touted as an offensively skilled player with a competitive and physical edge. The ISS scouted him as an "outstanding skater with great vision on the ice...a natural goalscorer." Brulé made the Blue Jackets' lineup in his first NHL training camp and signed with the club to a three-year, entry-level contract on October 3, 2005. He made his NHL debut against the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
in the Blue Jackets' season opener two days later, notching an assist on a goal by
Dan Fritsche Daniel J. Fritsche (born July 13, 1985) is a Swiss- American former professional ice hockey forward. He played for Genève-Servette HC, HC Lugano and the ZSC Lions in the National League (NL) and in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Co ...
in a 3–1 loss. The following game, he suffered a fractured sternum after receiving a hit from
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
defenceman Roman Hamrlík on October 7. After missing 17 games, he returned to the lineup on November 20. Brulé scored his first NHL career goal that night against
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
, his team's lone tally in a 5–1 loss, beating goaltender David LeNeveu with a shot from the left offensive zone faceoff circle. Ten days later, he suffered his second injury in as many months, breaking his leg during a game against the
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
. Upon recovering, he was returned to the WHL on January 13, 2006. By reassigning Brulé before he played 10 NHL games, the Blue Jackets retained the first year of his rookie contract. Another strong factor in the decision to return him to junior was the acquisition of centre
Sergei Fedorov Sergei Viktorovich Fyodorov (; born December 13, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of HC CSKA Moscow, CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) from 2021 to 2024. During his playing care ...
, making Brulé expendable. Returning to the Giants, Brulé scored at a near-goal-a-game pace. He was named WHL Player of the Week on February 20, 2006, after recording 5 goals and 10 points in 3 Giants wins. He was later chosen as WHL Player of the Month for February with 12 goals and 23 points in 13 games. Completing the season with 23 goals and 38 points in 27 games, he earned WHL Second All-Star Team honours. In the opening round of the WHL playoffs, Brulé was named WHL and CHL Player of the Week by scoring four goals and seven points over three games against the
Prince George Cougars The Prince George Cougars are a Canada, Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia. Founded in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars (WHL), Victoria Cougars, the team was relocated to Prince George in 1994, where it b ...
. He received his second WHL and CHL Player of the Week honour during the WHL Finals against the
Moose Jaw Warriors The Moose Jaw Warriors are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Warriors play in the East Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, hosting games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. The t ...
on May 10, having accumulated five goals and nine points in two games. His award-winning week included a three-goal, four-point performance in Game 1 of the series – a 7–5 win for the Giants. He went on to lead the WHL in scoring with 30 points in 18 games to earn the airBC Trophy as playoff MVP, helping the Giants to their first President's Cup as WHL champions. Advancing to the 2006 Memorial Cup, the Giants tied for third out of four teams after the round-robin. Requiring a tie-breaker game to determine who would play in the semi-final, Brulé recorded five points (two goals, three assists) against the
Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...
, one point short of the tournament single-game record, in a 6–0 win. The Giants were subsequently eliminated in the semi-final by the
Moncton Wildcats The Moncton Wildcats are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Moncton, New Brunswick. The franchise was granted for the 1995–96 QMJHL season, 1995–96 season known as the Moncton A ...
3–1. Brulé registered the only Giants goal in the game. Finishing with 12 points in 5 games, Brulé earned the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the national tournament's leading scorer. He was also named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team, alongside Giants teammate Paul Albers. Four-and-a-half years after his junior career, the club honoured him in a ceremony prior to a game against the
Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference and plays its home games at the Sandman Centre. The Blaze ...
on January 28, 2011, as part of "Gilbert Brulé Night". Brulé was the fourth alumnus added to the club's Ring of Honour, commemorating the team's best players; a plaque was unveiled inside the stadium bearing his name and the number 17 he wore on his jersey as a Giant. At the end of the Giants'
2010–11 WHL season The 2010–11 WHL season was the 45th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 24, 2010, and ended on March 20, 2011. The 2010 Subway Super Series, featuring Team WHL versus Team Russia, took place mid-sea ...
, they released their fan-voted "Top 10 Giants of the Decade", which listed Brulé at #2, behind
Milan Lucic Milan Lucic (; born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played major junior career with the Vancouver ...
.


Columbus Blue Jackets

Still eligible for junior, Brulé made the Blue Jackets' roster for the 2006–07 season. A month into the campaign, he was assured by General Manager Doug MacLean that he would not be returned to the Giants as he had been the previous season. He was scratched several times under head coach Gerard Gallant, but after Gallant was replaced by
Ken Hitchcock Kenneth S. Hitchcock (born December 17, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey coach. Hitchcock coached the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League ...
in late-November, he began receiving more playing time. Playing mostly on the fourth line in his rookie season, he averaged 10 minutes of ice time per game. He went on to tally 19 points (9 goals and 10 assists) over 78 games in his first full NHL season. During his second NHL season, Brulé recorded 9 points (1 goal and 8 assists) over 61 games with the Blue Jackets. He was sent down to the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) in January 2008 for a month-long assignment as his play struggled, notching 5 goals and 10 points in 16 games with the Blue Jackets' minor league affiliate, the
Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team based in Syracuse, New York. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning. They play in they home games at the Upstate Medical Univer ...
. At the end of the Blue Jackets' regular season, Brulé was reassigned to Syracuse for the club's
Calder Cup The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars. The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...
playoff run. Helping the Crunch advance to the second round, he recorded 2 goals and 5 points over 13 post-season games.


Edmonton Oilers

In the 2008 off-season, Brulé was traded to the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
for forward
Raffi Torres Raphael Torres (born October 8, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He was drafted by the New York Islanders fifth overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York I ...
on July 1, 2008. He was one of the final cuts in his first training camp with the Oilers and was assigned to the
Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons were a ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center. In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Co ...
, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. On October 17, 2008, he suffered a knee-on-knee hit from opposing defenceman Adam McQuaid during a game against the
Providence Bruins The Providence Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Providence, Rhode Island. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). They play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Hi ...
, causing him to miss several contests injured. During a call-up to the NHL later in the season, Brulé scored his first goal with the Oilers on January 11, 2009, in a 2–1 win against the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
. He was reassigned to Springfield 10 days later. Finishing the season with 3 points in 11 games with the Oilers and 24 points in 39 games with the Falcons, he was re-signed by Edmonton in the off-season to a one-year, two-way contract on August 12, 2009. Brulé began the 2009–10 season as the Oilers' fourth-line centre out of training camp. With improved play and the injury of first-line winger Ales Hemsky, Brulé moved up the Oilers' depth chart and recorded his best statistical season in the NHL. However, after suffering from a recurring
flu Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These sympto ...
throughout the campaign, which sidelined him for a combined 11 games, he suffered a high-ankle sprain during a game against the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
on April 2, 2010; following a collision with opposing forward Brian Sutherby, his skate got jammed underneath goaltender
Kari Lehtonen Kari Lehtonen (born November 16, 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Stars. He was selected second overall in the 2002 NHL E ...
's pad. The injury sidelined him for the remaining week of the campaign. He finished the season with a career-high 17 goals, 20 assists and 37 points in 65 games, third in team-scoring. Becoming a
restricted free agent A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in some sports leagues, such as the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the term ...
in the 2010 off-season, Brulé filed for
arbitration Arbitration is a formal method of dispute resolution involving a third party neutral who makes a binding decision. The third party neutral (the 'arbitrator', 'arbiter' or 'arbitral tribunal') renders the decision in the form of an 'arbitrati ...
with the Oilers after failing to come to terms on a new contract. The two sides managed to avoid their arbitration hearing by signing a two-year, $3.7 million deal on July 27, 2010. After staying healthy through the first three months of the 2010–11 season, Brulé suffered continued injury problems for the rest of the campaign. After being sidelined with a stomach virus for four games, he suffered an abdominal injury the following month and missed 23 additional contests. After returning to the lineup, he sustained a concussion during a game against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
on March 13, 2011. In total, Brulé missed 39 games with injuries in 2010–11, limiting him to 7 goals and 2 assists. On June 24, 2011, it was reported that Brulé had been traded along with a fourth-round draft pick to the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
in exchange for forward Ryan Smyth. Due to health concerns, the deal never materialized as Brulé had not yet been cleared to play following his concussion (under league rules, an injured player can be traded but cannot be bought out, which is what the Kings had planned on doing). Furthermore, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi made it apparent to the media that the team wanted someone with a smaller salary cap hit if Brulé could not be bought out. The Oilers ultimately acquired Smyth in exchange for forward Colin Fraser (whose cap hit was over $1 million less) and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft. During the off-season, Brulé worked with a sports psychologist to address the mental aspect of his game, including his confidence. Near the end of the Oilers' training camp, on October 2, 2011, he was placed on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the team's AHL affiliate, the
Oklahoma City Barons The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11 AHL season, 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ...
. While the departure of Andrew Cogliano in July 2011 made room for Brulé to move up the Oilers' depth chart at centre, the performance of Oilers rookies Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and
Anton Lander Sven Anton Lander (born April 24, 1991) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre for Timrå IK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Lander was drafted in the second round, 40th overall, at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. Play ...
helped make him expendable. Regarding the move, Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini described Brulé as having lacked consistency. Brulé cleared waivers two days later; an ''
Edmonton Sun The ''Edmonton Sun'' is a daily newspaper and news website published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is owned by Postmedia following its 2015 acquisition of Sun Media from Quebecor. It began publishing Sunday April 2, 1978 and shares many ch ...
'' article suggested that he would have likely been picked up by another team if not for his $1.85 million salary.


Phoenix Coyotes

After recording 18 points (eight goals and ten assists) over 27 games with the Barons, Brulé was recalled by the Oilers on January 9, 2012, in lieu of injured forwards Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. In order to join the team, however, he needed to clear re-entry waivers and he was consequently claimed by the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
the following day. Brulé debuted with the Coyotes on January 12, playing 14 minutes in a 3–2 shootout loss to the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. Two games later, he recorded his first two points as a Coyote, a goal and an assist, in a 6–1 win against the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. A free agent going into the NHL lockout, Brulé opted to sign as a free agent in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
with
ZSC Lions The Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions are a professional ice hockey team located in Zürich, Switzerland, playing in the National League (NL). Their home arena is the 12,000-seat Swiss Life Arena. The team was founded in 1930 and played at the ...
of the
National League A The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland and the highest level of the Swiss league system. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was known as National League A. During the 2018–19 season, the league h ...
on a one-year contract August 13, 2012. In the 2012–13 season, he appeared in only 14 games before he requested an immediate release from his contract with the Lions to return to Canada for personal issues on October 23, 2012. In the following season, Brulé accepted an invitation to the Coyotes' training camp for the 2013–14 season. He was assigned to the Coyotes' AHL affiliate, the
Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks ...
, to begin the season on a try-out contract before on November 30, 2013, re-signing with Phoenix on a one-year, two-way contract. Brulé played three games in his return to the Coyotes before he was reassigned to the Pirates. In declining to report back to the Pirates, Brulé opted to retire from professional hockey on January 1, 2014.


Return to hockey

On May 12, 2014, reports surfaced that Brulé opted to resume his playing career after signing a one-year contract with
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
n club
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg HC Avtomobilist () is a professional ice hockey club based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It is a member of the Kharlamov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The club replaced Khimik Voskresensk (2005), Khimik Voskresensk in the KHL in 200 ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs. It was considered in ...
(KHL). After one year in Yekaterinburg, he joined fellow KHL side Medvescak Zagreb of Croatia in July 2015 and had his contract renewed for the 2016–17 season. On May 25, 2019, Brulé opted to return as a free agent for a second tenure with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, agreeing to a two-year contract.


International play

Brulé made his international debut with
Hockey Canada Hockey Canada (which merged with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1994) is the national governing body of ice hockey and ice sledge hockey in Canada. It is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and controls the majority ...
representing Team Pacific at the 2004
World U17 Hockey Challenge The World U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011, the tournament did not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games were held. As ...
in
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
. During the semi-final, he scored a goal and three assists, leading Team Pacific to a win against the
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. His efforts earned him his third player of the game award of the tournament. In the gold medal game, Team Pacific lost to Team Ontario 5–2, earning silver. Later that year, he represented Team Canada in the 2004 U18 Junior World Cup as an
alternate captain In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...
. Brulé helped lead Team Canada to gold, scoring the game-winning goal in the championship match, a 4–1 win against the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. The following year, Brulé participated in the Canadian national junior team's summer development camp in preparation for the 2006 World Junior Championships. At the time of the final roster selection in December 2005, however, Brulé was recovering from a leg injury, suffered during NHL play with the Blue Jackets. He was invited to the team's summer camp again in 2006, but declined, choosing to focus instead on making the roster for Columbus.


Personal life

Brulé was born in
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
,
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
, later moving to North Vancouver,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, during his childhood. He had a sister named Leah who died at the age of 12 as a result of complications from
cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...
. Brulé was nine years old at the time of his sister's death and later had her name tattooed on his left wrist. Despite growing up in both Edmonton and Vancouver, Brulé was a childhood fan of the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
. In May 2010, Brulé donated $10,000 to a fund assisting an Edmonton boy suffering from lymphatic cystic hydroma. The money was allocated to a costly surgery to be performed in New York, which doctors in Canada were unable to perform. Brulé received further media attention a year later for picking up a pair of hitchhikers who turned out to be Irish rock band U2 frontman
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...
and his assistant in a
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is situated on the north shore of Burrard Inlet to the northwest of the city ...
neighbourhood on May 31, 2011. In return, Brulé was given backstage passes for him and his mother, for U2's concert in Edmonton on the next day. During the show, Bono thanked Brulé for the ride. In July 2013, Brulé revealed in an interview that an adverse relationship with his father may have been at least partly to blame for his floundering NHL career.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


Awards


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brule, Gilbert 1987 births Living people Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg players Canadian ice hockey centres Columbus Blue Jackets draft picks Columbus Blue Jackets players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Edmonton Oilers players Franco-Columbian people Ice hockey people from Edmonton KHL Medveščak Zagreb players HC Kunlun Red Star players Ice hockey people from North Vancouver NHL first-round draft picks HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players Oklahoma City Barons players Olympic ice hockey players for Canada Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Canada Medalists at the 2018 Winter Olympics Olympic medalists in ice hockey Phoenix Coyotes players Portland Pirates players HC Sibir Novosibirsk players Springfield Falcons players Syracuse Crunch players Traktor Chelyabinsk players Vancouver Giants players ZSC Lions players Quesnel Millionaires players TH Unia Oświęcim players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen