Andrew Brunette
Brunette with the Colorado Avalanche in 2007
Born (1973-08-24) August 24, 1973
Valley East, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Washington Capitals
Nashville Predators
Atlanta Thrashers
Minnesota Wild
Colorado Avalanche
Chicago Blackhawks
Current NHL coach Nashville Predators
Coached for Florida Panthers
NHL Draft 174th overall, 1993
Washington Capitals
Playing career 1993–2012
Coaching career 2014–present

Andrew D. Brunette (born August 24, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, Brunette played over 1,100 career games in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks between 1996 and 2012. He previously served as interim head coach for the Florida Panthers, as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Wild and New Jersey Devils, and as the Wild's assistant general manager.

Playing career

Brunette grew up in the small community of Valley East, Ontario, just outside Sudbury. He played much of his minor hockey career with the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA).

After a solid Midget season in 1989–90, Brunette was selected in the seventh round of the 1990 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection by the Owen Sound Platers. He was an OHL teammate of future NHLers Kirk Maltby, Scott Walker, Kevin Weekes, and Jamie Storr.

Brunette played for the Platers for three seasons between 1990 and 1993 and scored 295 points in 195 games, winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (the league scoring title) in 1993. He was subsequently drafted by the Washington Capitals in the seventh round, 174th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

After being drafted, he played for the Hampton Roads Admirals in the ECHL before moving to the American Hockey League (AHL), where he played for two more teams that season: Providence Bruins and Portland Pirates. Brunette stayed with the Pirates until 1998, but was called up by the Capitals for the first time in the 1995–96 season and played 11 NHL games. Over the following few seasons, he played 51 more games for Washington before being selected in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft by the Nashville Predators. Notably, he scored the Predators' first ever goal.

After playing in the inaugural 1998–99 season for the Predators, he moved to the newly created Atlanta Thrashers and played two seasons there before moving to the Minnesota Wild in the 2001–02 NHL season. Brunette scored the winning goal in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Colorado Avalanche on April 22, 2003, the final game of Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy's career. Brunette stayed with the Wild until 2004 and signed as a free agent for the Colorado Avalanche after the 2004–05 lockout.

He scored the series-clinching goal for the Avalanche on April 30, 2006, against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the 2006 Western Conference Quarterfinals. The 2006–07 was his best individual season, averaging over a point per game for his first time in the NHL, playing on a line with superstar centre Joe Sakic. Brunette scored his 500th NHL career point on October 26, 2007, against the Calgary Flames.[1] He played three consecutive full 82-game seasons with the Avalanche.

Brunette signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 1, 2008, to begin a second stint with the club.[2] On October 9, he was named an alternate captain alongside Mikko Koivu.[3]

Brunette was highly regarded for his physical durability and consistency, qualities which allowed him to play in 509 consecutive games without having to sit out due to injury from 2002 to 2009.[4] However, he was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee but insisted on finishing the 2008–09 season before having surgery in the off-season.[5][6]

On July 1, 2011, Brunette signed a one-year, $2 million with the Chicago Blackhawks.[7] During the 2011–12 season, Brunette, in a reduced role, recorded a career-low in points with 27 in 78 games.

With the 2012–13 NHL lockout and limited NHL interest as a free agent upon the resumption of the shortened 2012–13 season, on February 13, 2013, Brunette announced his retirement from his playing career and that he would rejoin the Minnesota Wild organization as its hockey operations advisor.[8]

Coaching career

Brunette was an assistant coach of the Minnesota Wild for two seasons from the 2014–15 season and served as the Wild's assistant general manager until the conclusion of the 2018–19 season. On June 4, 2019, he joined the Florida Panthers as an assistant coach on head coach Joel Quenneville's staff. On October 29, 2021, Brunette was named the interim head coach of the Panthers after head coach Quenneville resigned on October 28.[9][10] Following the Panthers getting swept by the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, there was much uncertainty about Brunette's future as head coach. On June 22, 2022, the Panthers announced that Paul Maurice would be the next head coach of the franchise. Brunette was offered a significant position within the organization, but ultimately decided to leave for an assistant position with the New Jersey Devils.[11]

After one season in New Jersey, Brunette was named head coach of the Nashville Predators, whom he had previously played for, on May 31, 2023.[12]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1989–90 Rayside-Balfour Canadians NOJHL 41120 —————
1989–90 Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats GNML 32386510320 —————
1990–91 Owen Sound Platers OHL 6315203515 —————
1991–92 Owen Sound Platers OHL 6651479842 55058
1992–93 Owen Sound Platers OHL 666210016291 8861416
1993–94 Hampton Roads Admirals ECHL 2012183032 7761318
1993–94 Providence Bruins AHL 30000 —————
1993–94 Portland Pirates AHL 239112010 20110
1994–95 Portland Pirates AHL 7930508053 733610
1995–96 Portland Pirates AHL 69286694125 2011182915
1995–96 Washington Capitals NHL 113360 61340
1996–97 Portland Pirates AHL 5022517348 51230
1996–97 Washington Capitals NHL 23471112 —————
1997–98 Portland Pirates AHL 4321466764 101111212
1997–98 Washington Capitals NHL 2811122312 —————
1998–99 Nashville Predators NHL 7711203126 —————
1999–00 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 8123275030 —————
2000–01 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 7715445926 —————
2001–02 Minnesota Wild NHL 8121486918 —————
2002–03 Minnesota Wild NHL 8218284620 1876134
2003–04 Minnesota Wild NHL 8215344912 —————
2005–06 Colorado Avalanche NHL 8224396348 93698
2006–07 Colorado Avalanche NHL 8227568336 —————
2007–08 Colorado Avalanche NHL 8219405914 105382
2008–09 Minnesota Wild NHL 8022285018 —————
2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 8225366112 —————
2010–11 Minnesota Wild NHL 8218284616 —————
2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 781215274 61010
NHL totals 1,110268465733314 4917183514

Head coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLOTLPtsFinishWLWin%Result
Florida Panthers2021–22 75511861081st in Atlantic46.400Lost in Second Round
Florida Panthers total7551186  46.4001 playoff appearance
Total0000  ——— 

See also

References

  1. ↑ Stancher, Craig (October 26, 2007). "Brunette Earns 500th Career Point". Colorado Avalanche. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Brunette leaves Avs for Wild, report says". Rocky Mountain News. July 1, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Wild names alternate captains". nhl.com. October 9, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Brunette's ironman streak ends at 509". nhl.com. February 21, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Wild's Brunette to have surgery on torn ACL". cbc.ca. April 13, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Wild's Brunette has knee surgery". slam.canoe..ca. April 13, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  7. ↑ "NHL Free Agent Tracker". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Brunette named Hockey Operations Advisor". Minnesota Wild. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  9. ↑ @FlaPanthers (October 29, 2021). "Statement from Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito on Interim Head Coach Andrew Brunette" (Tweet). Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ "Florida Panthers Announce Resignation of Joel Quenneville". NHL.com. October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  11. ↑ Richards, George (July 13, 2022). "Andrew Brunette leaves Florida Panthers for New Jersey Devils". Florida Hockey Now. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Predators Name Andrew Brunette Head Coach". NHL.com. May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.

Note: The Wild maintained a rotating captaincy from 2000 through 2009, during which Brunette served as captain four times.

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