Edmonton Oilers right winger Connor Brown has proven through his play in these NHL playoffs that he can still provide value on a contending team.
Erie Otters alumni Connor Brown has been an underrated piece to the Edmonton Oilers’ roster on their way to the Stanley Cup Final. After only playing in four games during the 2022-23 seasons due to an ACL tear, the 30-year-old is making a strong case as to why the Oilers should be interested in re-signing him.
He’s also made a statement to all other 31 NHL teams that he can be a serviceable winger in a team’s bottom six. He is set to become a free agent on July 1st. But Edmonton fans want No. 28 back. Just log onto X.com and search up his name, you'll see nothing but appreciation.
Brown signed a one-year prove-it deal last summer with the Oilers to reunite him with his former OHL teammate Connor McDavid.
Although his cap hit was only $775,000, he earned his signing bonus of $3.2 million by playing a minimum of 10 games this season. He played 71 games in the regular season, has suited up in 16 playoff games, and has become a trusted utility player under fellow Erie Otters alumni Head Coach Kris Knoblauch.
An ACL tear is the type of injury that leaves a permanent scar on a person, especially on a pro athlete. The rehab process is grueling. One must completely re-train their strength, flexibility, range of motion, and coordination in the recovering leg.
I mention this because it is amazing to see one, the good health that has gone Brown’s way this season, and two, the fact that his skating is not holding him back. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we hear him say after the season is over that he feels like he is back to normal.
Although it took him a while to score his first goal of the season, and he’s only recorded five goals and 17 points in 87 combined games this year. Brown’s game without the puck is one that can be valuable deep in the lineup on an NHL team. He’s an effective penalty killer who makes accurate reads to intercept pucks. And he can be a disruptor as the first man in on the forecheck.
He's a highly effective player in all three zones, always has his feet moving, and isn't afraid of the physical battles. Players who give it their all on every shift and are reliable in defensive situations will always find ways to become impactful. Just ask Toronto and Ottawa, two teams he previously played for.
I wouldn’t expect him to get much of a raise and he may have to settle on another one-year deal again. But his play for the Oilers in the playoffs has been encouraging.
Brown not only worked his tail off in getting back to being a regular in an NHL lineup. As a 13th-round pick in the OHL Draft by Erie, he knew his chances of making the OHL were slim.
He played his first season after getting drafted in the top Jr. A league in Ontario (OJHL), which proved terrific for his development as it helped him land a spot on Erie’s roster for the 2011-12 season.
However, that season was all about persevering as well. The Otters were no good and lost most nights. Brown scored 25 goals and 53 points while playing all 68 games, but was an abysmal minus-72. Despite that, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him in the sixth round, 156th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft.
The 13th-round pick turned himself into a captain for Erie the next season. He increased his points total to 69 points and lowered his plus-minus to minus-11. Then he erupted in 2013-14 while playing alongside McDavid.
Brown was the CHL top scorer with 128 points and was voted the OHL’s most outstanding player in the regular season.
Brown has worked his way from being a late draft pick in both the OHL and NHL to recovering from a brutal ACL tear injury. If his journey in hockey isn't a testament to putting your head down, working hard, and being determined not to be pushed down, then I don't know what is.