The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Connor Brown to a 4-year, $12 million contract with an average annual value (AVV) of $3 million.
Brown was a sixth-round pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, playing four seasons with the Maple Leafs, followed by three with the Ottawa Senators before being acquired by the Washington Capitals, where he suffered a torn ACL. After recovering from his knee injury, Brown signed with the Edmonton Oilers and spent the last two seasons with the team, and despite struggling in his first season back, Brown bounced back in 2024-25 to earn this payday.
Connor Brown’s Bounce Back Season
In 2023-24, Brown only managed four goals and eight assists in 71 games for the Oilers, the lowest point total of his career. In 2024-25, Brown finished the regular season with 13 goals and 30 points, more than doubling his point total.
With Brown’s production returning to his level in 2024-25, the injury concerns should be behind him. Yes, the ACL injury was severe. However, he has played two straight seasons of 70 or more games since and has played 55 or more games in eight of his nine career seasons (excluding seven games played in 2015-16).
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Brown’s 0.36 point per game pace last season was right in line with the 0.42 points per game he has put up throughout his career, considering he played two minutes less per game last season than his career average. Offensively, he excels at finding space in tight and around the net, with 58.49% of his shot attempts being graded as scoring chances and 29.71% being graded as high-danger chances.
However, Brown’s greatest strengths are his ability to hunt down pucks on the forecheck and his defensive reliability. Last season, he ranked 33rd among NHL forwards to play 1,000 minutes in takeaways per 60 minutes. He also ranked second among Oilers forwards who played 20 games in on-ice goals against, expected goals against and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes (via Natural Stat Trick).
Brown’s Experience Welcomed by The Devils
Time flies. Not that long ago, Brown and Connor McDavid were playing junior hockey for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League. Ten years later, the two Connors have now played in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. Brown has 59 playoff games under his belt across five different seasons, playing in three with the Maple Leafs before making Cup runs with the Oilers.
With over 600 games of regular-season experience as well, the Devils are getting a versatile forward who can play anywhere in the lineup. His defensive reliability and ability to retrieve pucks in the dirty areas of the ice make him a valuable asset, and he will be a boost to the Devils’ push for the Stanley Cup.
