Boston Bruins get it right with former Boston College captain Patrick Brown
By Tim Burke
The Boston Bruins announced the signing of former Boston College Captain Patrick Brown to a two-year contract with an 800K cap hit. Brown, the nephew of current Boston College head Coach Greg Brown, played four years at Boston College and was a member of the Eagles 2011-2012 NCAA championship team and was a two-time Hockey East champion.
Brown’s senior season at BC was his best, as he produced fifteen goals and fifteen assists in 40 contests while serving as team captain. Brown played 120 games in four years at Boston College and posted 43 points.
Following his collegiate career, Brown has played nine seasons of professional hockey in both the AHL and NHL. He has captained the Charlotte Checkers and Henderson Silver Knights, affiliates of the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights, respectively, and is a veteran of 149 NHL games.
The Boston Bruins made the right call with Patrick Brown
This past season, Brown played a career-high 61 games for the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottowa Senators and illustrated versatility playing both wing and center and an imposing physical presence with 167 hits, which would have ranked third on the Bruins.
At 6 foot 1, 210, Brown fits in well with offseason additions James Van Riemsdyk (6 foot 3, 210)-, Milan Lucic (6 foot 3, 240), and Morgan Geekie (6 foot 3, 200), who add size, skill, and experience to the bottom 6 forward group.
Patrick Brown is not the most eye-catching signing, but he is a solid depth forward who will compete for a fourth-line spot in the Bruins lineup. The Bruins tend to find success at finding fringe NHL players to fill fourth-line roles.
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AJ Greer, Joakim Nordstrom, and Tim Schaller all come to mind. Brown’s versatility, physicality, and reliable defensive play will certainly help him find a role with the Bruins. Given the cap situation the Bruins are facing, they need to find low-cost veterans who can compete for fourth-line minutes to fill out the roster. Brown fits that role, and given his style of play, I expect him to fit in nicely in Boston.