When it comes to recent NHL news, many of you may know Andrew Brunette as the interim head coach for the Florida Panthers, after Joel Quenneville resigned due to recent sexual abuse allegations on October 28th, 2021. If you are a long-time Minnesota Wild fan, you’ll probably remember him as a seasoned left-winger who played six seasons with the team. All in all, what many fans may not know about him was that he had played in the NHL for around 19 years playing over 1,000 NHL games with many teams . He also has plenty of coaching/management experience to add value to being the new interim head coach for the Florida Panthers. We will dive into Andrew Brunette’s history, both as a player and coach, in this new series of NHL Profiles on Ten Thousand Sports.
Early Life/Playing Career Bio:
Born and raised in Valley East, Ontario in the city of Sudbury, Brunette had a successful hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League before being drafted into the NHL. Drafted in 1990 to the OHL(Ontario Hockey League) in the seventh round by the Owen Sound Platers, Brunette would play with several future NHL players and would score 295 points in 195 games over three seasons. He would go onto win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, the league trophy for scoring, and would attract the attention of NHL Scouts. Brunette would be drafted seventh round by the Washington Capitals in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft in Quebec City, and would start in the minors for the Capitals. After spending one year with three teams in the Hampton Road Admirals(ECHL), Providence Bruins(AHL), and Portland Pirates(AHL), he would be called up to the NHL for the first time for the Washington Capitals in the 1996-1997 season.
NHL Career As A Player
During his first season with the Washington Capitals, he only played in 11 games, and split time between the Capitals and the Portland Pirates. During the next two seasons, he would play in 51 games. During the 1998-1999 season, the NHL would have an expansion draft that included the formation of the Nashville Predators, and Brunette would be selected by the Predators. His claim to fame with the Predators is that he scored the franchise’s first goal, but his stint with the Predators would not last long. He would eventually move and play two seasons for the newly formed Atlanta Thrashers, but wouldn’t make a big impact until his move to the newly formed Minnesota Wild in the 2001-2002 season. Burnette with the Wild would score 21 goals with 48 assists in his first season, and would prove vital in the Wild’s 2003 playoff run to the Western Conference Semifinal.
After the 2004-2005 lockout, Brunette would sign with the Minnesota Wilds rival, the Colorado Avalanche,. He would also achieve postseason success with them in the Western Conference quarterfinals of 2005-2006 . In the 2006-2007 season, Brunette would score 27 goals with 56 assists with the Avalanche, which statically was his best season. From 2008-2009 to the 2010-2011 season, Brunette would play a second stint with the Minnesota Wild, until his eventual retirement after one season with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-2012 season. Brunette would retire with 1,110 NHL game appearances, with 268 goals, 465 assists, and 765 points. He is well remember in his playing career for his toughness and consistency, and played in 509 consecutive NHL games before suffering a torn ACL injury during the 2008-2009 season.
NHL Coaching/Management Career
Following his retirement, he would serve as a Minnesota Wild assistant coach for two years before being promoted to Assistant GM. From the 2014 season to Brunette’s final season with the Wild in 2018-2019, the Minnesota Wild would qualify for the playoffs each year, but would not advance to a Stanley Cup Final. He would join the Florida Panthers as an assistant coach in 2019, and was the assistant coach until being named the Panthers Interim head coach following Joel Quenneville resignation on October 28th 2001. The Panthers under Brunette are 4-1 with an overtime loss as of the publishing date of this article.
Conclusion
Overall, Brunette’s career in the NHL as both a coach and a player is nothing short of impressive. He is one of a relatively small list of players to have played over 1,000 career NHL games, and his career as a player has translated well into his career as a coach/manager. While Brunette’s story as a coach is still being written, his impact as a player certainly continues to set an example for both current and future NHL players.