With the 34th pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets have selected Gavin Brindley from the University of Michigan of the NCAA
About Gavin Brindley
One of the top two-way wingers available in this year’s draft, Gavin Brindley is a prospect that saw his draft stock rise all season. In his first year at the University of Michigan, he recorded 38 points in 41 games and was also included on Team USA’s roster at this year’s World Juniors. Listed at 5-foot-9, he is a relentless player who rarely takes a shift off.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
Brindley’s playmaking ability often flies under the radar. He also uses his smooth skating to open up passing lanes and is skilled enough to deliver crisp tape-to-tape passes to his teammates in scoring positions. Overall, he is a prospect that projects well and should be able to make an impact at the NHL level.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Gavin Brindley is one of the most polarizing players in this year’s draft, with some viewing his skill and tenacity as legit NHL assets while others say his lack of size makes the rest of his game irrelevant. I’ll address the elephant in the room right away and tell you that Brindley is 5-foot-9, a full five inches shorter than his University of Michigan Wolverines teammate Adam Fantilli. Unlike Fantilli, Brindley’s size will never be viewed as a positive in the NHL, but they do have at least one thing in common. They’re both shift and dynamic puck carriers.
“What Brindley lacks in size, he makes up for with every other possible facet of his game, from puck battles to physical play, from his incredible compete level to an excellent skating package. He is incredibly agile with and without the puck, and has the speed to really take advantage of his opponents’ weaknesses both off the rush and while forechecking.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Guide
“It’s a rare sight to see Brindley standing still as he’s constantly moving and keeping the energy up for his team. He’s confident and strong enough to charge the middle of the ice and attack the net when opportunity arises, and he’s much better at protecting the puck that you would expect from a player of his size. Brindley has played up and down the lineup for the University of Michigan this year as a freshman and has settled in as one of their most heavily relied upon players.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Blue Jackets Plans
Brindley joins a strong young core in Columbus that includes Kent Johnson, Jordan Dumais and David Jiricek. This is also a great opportunity for the Blue Jackets as they will get to see him play with third-overall selection Adam Fantilli at the University of Michigan and watch them develop together on the same line. A great selection early in the second round, Columbus adds a top-tier prospect to their already deep prospect pool.
