OHL North Bay Battalion

Brazeau Signs with Marlies

Published on April 4, 2019 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Justin Brazeau has signed a two-year American Hockey League contract with the Toronto Marlies, the Toronto Maple Leafs' top affiliate.

Overager Brazeau scored a franchise-record 61 goals with the North Bay Battalion in the 2018-19 Ontario Hockey League season, adding 52 assists for 113 points in 68 games, and was second in the league scoring race, four points behind Jason Robertson of the Niagara IceDogs. Brazeau won the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL's top-scoring right winger.

"I'm happy for Justin," said Stan Butler, the Battalion's director of hockey operations and head coach.

"Any time a kid comes in as a 13th-round pick and works as hard as he did and accomplishes as much as he did, it's a sign to the other players what happens when you work hard and develop."

Brazeau's contract calls for a base salary of $70,000 a season and a $60,000 signing bonus each year.

Brazeau, who turned 21 on Feb. 2, was a 13th-round pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection from the New Liskeard Cubs minor midgets. In 268 games over four seasons, he scored 128 goals and earned 110 assists for 238 points. He ranks third in Battalion history in points and second in goals and is tied for seventh place in assists. He is eighth in career games played.

The six-foot-six, 226-pound Brazeau tied a franchise record set by Wojtek Wolski by amassing seven points, including three goals, in an 8-3 victory Oct. 21 over the visiting Kingston Frontenacs. Brazeau was named the OHL and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week for the period ended Oct. 21, the CHL Player of the Week for the period ended Dec. 16 and was the OHL Player of the Month for October.

Brazeau twice went undrafted to the National Hockey League, making him a free agent.

He's the second Battalion player to sign with an AHL club since the Troops' season ended in the first playoff round against Niagara last Friday night at St. Catharines, joining centre and linemate Matthew Struthers, who inked an amateur tryout contract with the Laval Rocket, the leading affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.

Struthers, who turns 20 on Dec. 26, is a candidate for an overage spot with the Battalion next season.

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