Knights’ top prospect shows off scoring touch at development camp
Golden Knights prospect Brendan Brisson had a house guest in his basement around the 2013 NHL draft. One that most hockey fans would be jealous of.
Center Nathan MacKinnon, the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 who led the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup championship this past season, was staying at the house because Brisson’s father, Pat, is his agent. And all Brendan Brisson remembers is seeing pucks fly everywhere while he and his brother Jordan watched MacKinnon through their basement window.
“He’s shooting pucks all day,” Brisson said.
Brisson, the Knights’ 2020 first-round pick, has had the luxury of observing several of the NHL’s best players — Pat Brisson’s client list includes MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane and many more — and their work ethic up close. Now, he’s ready to start his own first full professional season, which began last week at the Knights’ development camp.
The team’s Wednesday trade sending left wing Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes means Brisson’s scoring might be needed sooner rather than later.
“Special hands,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said of Brisson. “He just has great hand-eye coordination, really gets around the puck. He always presents his stick. Some players can really shoot the puck, and yet you’ve got to get that pass right in the wheelhouse, and Brendan, it’s almost impossible to give him a bad pass.”
Brisson, 20, is coming off a marathon season that would have been even longer if a few things went differently.
The center played 38 games as a sophomore at Michigan, four in the 2022 Beijing Olympics for Team USA and seven for the Silver Knights after the Wolverines were eliminated in the Frozen Four.
He still didn’t have time to rest. He kept up his training in case he needed to join Team USA again for the World Championship in Finland. Minnesota Wild forwards Ryan Hartman and Matt Boldy ultimately went after the team was eliminated in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Brisson still didn’t slow down much.
“Once I found out I wasn’t going, I took a week off, two weeks off, but it’s hard for me to stay away from the rink when all my buddies are training and skating,” Brisson said. “Didn’t take a long break, but definitely relaxed a little bit.”
It’s impressive that Brisson made the short list at all despite little pro experience. He had three goals and five assists in seven games for the Silver Knights after leading the Big Ten in goals per game.
His one-timer is lethal from the right circle, and he’s also showing off his wrist shot in development camp.
“In practice last year, I didn’t think (his shot) was too crazy, but he looks pretty good over the last couple days,” Silver Knights goaltender Isaiah Saville said. “I’m excited to go against him.”
The key for Brisson will be rounding out the other areas of his game to impress the Knights’ coaching staff. He took the first steps by arriving to development camp stronger than when he left for the offseason. He will have another opportunity when training camp starts in the fall and he competes against the main roster.
The Knights need scoring, and that’s something he’s proven he can do.
“His hockey IQ, a lot of stuff you just can’t teach,” Silver Knights coach Manny Viveiros said. “He knows where to be, the right spots. The other stuff systemwise, we can always work with him, but a lot of stuff he has you can’t teach.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.