Why the Maple Leafs signed free-agent forward Brendan Brisson

Brisson spent the majority of last season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, recording 37 points (19 goals and 18 assists) and 63 penalty minutes in 66 games.

Published Sep 04, 2026  •  Last updated 19 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Brendan Brisson #91 of the New York Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on September 23, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images

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As the off-season winds to a close, the Maple Leafs have added the potential for more forward depth.

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The club on Friday morning announced the signing of Brandon Brisson, who became an unrestricted free agent this summer when he was not given a qualifying offer by the New York Rangers.

Brisson signed a one-year contract, two-way contract with an average annual value of $850,000 US.

Brisson, who turns 25 in October, has played in 27 games in the National Hockey League, including three with the Rangers in 2025-26, when he had one assist.

He played in 24 games with the Vegas Golden Knights in two seasons after he was picked in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft, 29th overall, by Vegas in 2020.

In total, Brisson has two goals and seven assists in the NHL.

Brisson spent the majority of last season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, recording 37 points (19 goals and 18 assists) and 63 penalty minutes in 66 games. He wasn’t good defensively, however, as his minus-32 mark was the worst in the AHL.

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What is the outlook for Brisson?

Whether a shot with the Leafs becomes a reality for Brisson is to be determined. Given that general manager John Chayka re-built the club’s group of bottom-six forwards during the summer with the additions of Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime, among others, Brisson is a long shot at best to make an initial dent on the Leafs roster.

Brisson, the son of agent Patrick Brisson, should provide some scoring punch and experience on a Toronto Marlies team that will be defending its 2026 Calder Cup title.

On the whole, the signing of the six-foot, 198-pound Brisson is a low-risk move for the Leafs.

We won’t have to wait long to see Brisson try to impress new Leafs head coach Jim Hiller.

On-ice sessions at training camp get underway on Sept. 17 with the first pre-season matches, a pair of split-squad games versus the Montreal Canadiens, following on Sept. 19.

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