Braeden Kressler makes his return to the Flint Firebirds for his overage season, as Maple Leafs camp and preseason concludes.
After staying with the team for the entirety of Toronto Maple Leafs training camp, Braeden Kressler is finally on his way back to the Flint Firebirds. Kressler’s chances of making the Leafs opening night roster were realistically slim. There were limited roster spots available, but the Leafs’ staff were clearly impressed enough to keep him around for an extended period of time.
Kressler, signed as a free agent camp invite by the Leafs in 2021, heads into his overage OHL season with this momentum.
Kressler broke out last season, putting up 52 points in just 47 games, and is expected to achieve higher this year. The Firebirds are coming off a mediocre 2022-2023 season, where they lost in the 1st round of the playoffs, and finished 4th in their division.
Kressler is jumping into Flint’s lineup at a crucial time, as they are off to a very poor start this season. Flint is having trouble keeping the puck out of their net, as they allowed an astounding 19 goals in their first two games of the season.
Kressler slots in at the first line centre position, and has made an impact very quickly. He helps this team on both ends of the ice, along with his veteran presence.
The Firebirds rely heavily on Kressler in many game situations, and hopefully he can help turn this ship around. Veterans Kressler, Zacharie Giroux, Nolan Dann, and Gavin Hayes will try to lead this team to a regular season they can be proud of, despite the strong division they are in.