TJ Brennan Signs On Long Island
After a very difficult season for Brennan in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, the stellar defenceman is ready for more playing time elsewhere. As free agency opened he signed a one-year, one-way deal with the New York Islanders which will ensure him some much warranted NHL playing time.
At 25, TJ Brennan hasn’t been able to earn much playing time in the NHL. He had a nice stint in Buffalo where he split time between the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans, but decided to take his talents to Toronto last season. Brennan was thought to be the Toronto Marlies top defenceman and was noted for his exceptional offence, however the Leafs never gave him a sniff resulting in him moving on. The New York Islanders who have made quite a splash in free agency, decided to take a gamble on the defenceman with tremendous offensive upside. He’ll be able to get some much needed time in the NHL next season on the revamped Islanders and may be able to showcase his skills for other teams when he once again tests the free agency market.
He’s quicker to get back after pinching, is a bit smarter from a positional standpoint than he has been before, and appears to be using his body more as well.
TJ Brennan just finished a career year in the AHL in which he won Eddie Shore Award as the outstanding defenceman in the American Hockey League. He played in all 76 games for the Toronto Marlies registering the most points (72) by an AHL defenceman since 2005-06 and the most goals (25) since 1999-2000. After that stellar season with the Marlies, the defenceman definitely deserved a little attention from some NHL team and since the Leafs weren’t ready to give him any, he needed a change.
For whatever reason Brennan has never been able to stick in the NHL. He’s always been that valuable call-up defenceman who is a great leader for the AHL. but isn’t a big player in the NHL. Some would say he has never really been given a fair shake in the NHL and that might be true, but now he will get his chance to make it. The New York Islanders will be giving TJ Brennan his shot to prove his worth in the NHL next season and who knows, alongside their major free agency moves, Brennan might power the Islanders to the post season.