Looking to shore up the defensive depth today, the Edmonton Oilers have signed defender Josh Brown to a three-year contract with an AAV of $1M.
Who is Josh Brown?
Brown is a 30-year-old defender originally drafted in the sixth round by the Florida Panthers in 2013. He was a slower developer as a late round pick, spending a couple of seasons post draft playing out his junior career and then spending four seasons working his way up through the minor leagues from the ECHL.
In 2018–19, he made his NHL debut with the Panthers. Since then, he has also spent time with the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and most recently, the (now defunct) Arizona Coyotes.
In 2023–24, Brown played in 51 games with the Coyotes, scoring three goals and recording 10 total points.
| Season | Tm | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | ATOI | BLK | HIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | FLA | 37 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 13:18 | 31 | 80 |
| 2019-20 | FLA | 56 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 13:25 | 53 | 77 |
| 2020-21 | OTT | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 14:08 | 40 | 71 |
| 2021-22 | TOT | 52 | 0 | 6 | 6 | -7 | 14:13 | 62 | 118 |
| 2021-22 | OTT | 46 | 0 | 6 | 6 | -9 | 13:59 | 57 | 106 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:58 | 5 | 12 |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 68 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -18 | 15:46 | 118 | 152 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 51 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 14:45 | 85 | 112 |
| Career | 6 yrs | 290 | 11 | 23 | 34 | -26 | 14:24 | 389 | 610 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/1/2024.
Where does Brown fit in the Edmonton Oilers lineup?
With news that Vincent Desharnais was likely to explore other options, the Oilers needed a tough, physical defender on the right side to replace him. Brown fits that mold. The focus of his game is not on offence at all. He is a physical, hard-nosed defender who hits and blocks shots. Exactly what they need from a sixth or seventh defender on the third pair.
He has never really averaged enough ice time to be given a higher role, but it is easy to see Brown fitting on the third pair and likely see time on the penalty kill.
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