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Former Golden Knights First-Round Pick Gets Fresh NHL Opportunity
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- Former Golden Knights First-Round Pick Gets Fresh NHL Opportunity
Brendan Brisson 's time with the Vegas Golden Knights never quite turned into what either side hoped it might.
Vegas selected Brisson with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, betting on the Los Angeles native to eventually become an important piece of its forward group. He would go on to appear in 24 games with the Golden Knights across two seasons, scoring twice and adding six assists.
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Now, several years after hearing his name called by Vegas, Brisson is moving on to another opportunity.
The 24-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after spending the 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Brisson made three appearances for New York last season, picking up one assist. The bulk of his production came in Hartford, where he finished with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 66 games.
While his NHL opportunities have been limited, Brisson has been a productive player at the AHL level. Across 244 career games with the Henderson Silver Knights and Hartford, he has recorded 145 points, including 66 goals and 79 assists.
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His professional career began with high expectations after Vegas made him a first-round selection, and Brisson arrived in the organization with an impressive amateur résumé.
At the University of Michigan, he produced 63 points — 31 goals and 32 assists — in 62 games over two seasons. He helped the Wolverines win a Big Ten championship and was named to the conference's Second All-Star Team in 2022.
Brisson also represented the United States on the international stage. He scored twice in four games at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and was part of the American team that won gold at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording two goals in seven games.
Before making the jump to college hockey, Brisson established himself as one of the USHL's top young players with the Chicago Steel. During the 2019-20 season, he scored 24 goals and added 35 assists in 45 games, earning USHL Rookie of the Year honors along with spots on the First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team.
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For Vegas, Brisson ultimately became one of those prospects who showed flashes but never secured a permanent spot in the NHL lineup.
His next chapter will come in Toronto, where he'll get another opportunity to prove that the potential that made him a first-round pick can still translate into consistent NHL production.
