Brendan Brisson (4.25 Star Amateur Rating, NHL Grade — B+) Forward
Neutral Zone NHL’s Ian Moran, May 2020: Brendan is a player who has really developed over the past few years. He has used his competitiveness and will to turn himself into a legitimate NHL prospect. In the offensive zone he is dangerous during the cycle game because he can extend plays with his poise or confidence, but the thing that stands out to me is his ability to make clever backhand sauce passes into really tight areas. There’s only a few guys in this draft that can use their backhands in all situations and Brendan is one. Skating wise, he might night have blazing straight ahead speed, but his quickness and agility are very good. Combine that with his competitiveness and Brendan is a player who can contribute as a penalty killer in professional hockey. Plus, I think his speed will get better after spending extended periods of time with Michigan’s strength and conditions coaches, so you’re going to be drafting a kid who can contribute all over the line-up. I like his overall game and his trajectory is heading in the right direction.
February NHL Draft Rankings: Brendan was ranked #74 with a ‘B+’ Neutral Zone NHL draft grade in our February rankings.
World Junior A Challenge, December 2019: (Neutral Zone’s Lenny Hoffman) Brisson was impressive throughout the tournament, leading in nearly all statistical categories. He finished with 5 goals, 3 of which came on the Powerplay, and 7 assists. His 12 points were tied for the most in tournament history, with only Nick Schmaltz and Evgeni Svechnikov equaling that amount prior to Brisson. He showed great speed, skill and offensive instinct in this tournament. His deceptive hands and quick feet led to many penalties drawn. One of his more memorable plays came on a great read in his own end where he picked off a D-to-D pass from a Czech defender, streaked down the ice, drew a hooking call but used his strength to stay on the puck and feed his line mate with a great pass for a one-timed shot that beat the Czech goalie. Brisson led the rush for zone entries on countless occasions, using his skill to beat defenders and vision to find teammates. He gave a really great effort here, if he was not held off the board in the semi-finals and bronze medal game, he would have the tournament points record to himself. Grade: A
USHL – Chicago Steel NHL Draft Prospects, December 2019: Brendan only finished the game with a 0-1-1 but showed much more than that on the ice. He showed his strong skating ability along with a high compete level. Down low he made several plays to roll off or fight through checks in order to possess the puck. He took punishment to make plays often. His skill was strong with making some soft touch plays or area passes. He was a true duel threat to shoot the puck or set up a line mate to hurt the other team. GAME GRADE: B+
Ian Moran’s Scouting Report post USHL Fall Classic, October 2019: (1) Brain – Brendan thinks the game like a buzz-saw. He is in attack mode and swarms the puck at every option. In the defensive zone he provides constant low support for his defenseman and in the offensive he consistently creates 2 on 1 situations all over the ice. (2) Vision & Poise – As a center his head is up and he is looking to make plays all over the ice. He is very good at finding the late attackers or passing the puck through seems or tight lanes. We noted that on a few quick goal line plays his poise allowed him to make the opposing defender slide and he was to find his line-mate in the high slot. (3) Feet – Brendan is very quick in tight spaces. He can stop on a dime and change direction incredibly quickly. We do not think he has high end top line speed, but this does not mean he is slow. His agility and quickness will be an asset as he develops. (4) Compete & Effort – Gives it every shift (5) Contact or Physicality – Brendan is a player who plays with reckless abandon. He throws himself into larger players & expects to knock them down. He will initiate contact in all three zones and he looks to start transition after contact. (6) Release – Quick accurate release. We noted that he has the ability to shoot bouncing pucks with ease and fires them at the mail slot. (7) One Timer Ability – Had two hard accurate one timers on the power play Saturday versus Sioux City. A huge plus for us. (8) Body Language – (Only Note Extremes) (9) Special Teams Potential – Brendan’s quickness and a agility make him a natural option to kill penalties at the professional level. Combine this with his general fearlessness and ability to win face-offs and we view him a potential penalty killer in the NHL.(10) Intangibles – Brendan has been around big name players his entire life. He will not be in awe of any situation and has seen how the pros carry themselves. Although I don’t know him I think Brendan wants to be an NHLer and is going to work his tail off to make it happen.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep Jamboree, January 2019: Brendan just continues to play with more and more confidence while continuing to get better. He appears stronger and faster in each viewing while pilling up the points. His game was above most players at the Jamboree as he made play after play. He showed he can snap it off from the top of the circles or thread the needle to his line mates. His edgework and puck skills made it hard for defenders to get the puck away from him. COLLEGE: MICHIGAN
USA Hockey Select 17 National Development Camp Rankings (2001s), July 2018: There is probably not a player in this camp who has improved more over the past two seasons than Brendan Brisson. A talented, smooth skating late ‘01 with high hockey IQ and vision. He led Team Red and the camp in scoring with a 4-5-9 line in 5 games and was always around the puck making plays. He isn’t big but he shields the puck well, is strong on his edges and can take a hit and maintain possession. His scoring was varied, he scored on a rebound in front of the net, he scored wheeling around the top circle and firing a quick release snap shot, he scored on rebound and on a net drive catch and shoot. He has improved his play off the wall and was able to win puck battles, get around defenders with quick hands and crafty stick handling in small areas and get to open ice. His head was always up surveying the sheet and he’s able to utilize all the players on the ice which makes him the ultimate play maker. What stands out in his game are the details, he supports the puck, he gets to the right areas away from the puck to get open, he stops on pucks and takes the right pursuit angles to force the play on the forecheck. An underrated prospect who continues to improve and should have plenty of options in the NCAA.
U16 USA Tier 1 Nationals, April 2017: This was only our second time seeing Brisson, so we’d have to see him more to have a more compete evaluation, but we were impressed with his quick feet, his energy and finishers blade. He scored three goals in only five games and showed a quick stick in tight on goalies and shifty feet. His father is one of the most respected agents in hockey, so Brendan is a player to keep an eye on going forward as he grows and develops. Grade: C+ (5gp, 3-0-3)