Brandon Gignac

March 2020 – Gignac’s struggles have endured as the center had just three points over his last ten contests. What is worse is that shot and chance volume has dropped along with playing time. Others have passed him on the depth chart which is troubling.  Chris Wassel 

January 2020 – Gignac has continued to be a bit below expectations on offense. Overall, he has just three goals and 11 points in 26 games. Injury has hampered his progress but utilization has as well. Health will be key for the rest of the season.  Chris Wassel

November 2019 –  Gignac has taken a bit of a step back in the early going with just three assists in eight contests. The Binghamton center has suffered from a disorganized system and some inconsistency which has resulted in his ice time getting shifted around. Chris Wassel

April 2019 – Gignac finished the AHL campaign with 36 points (12 goals) in 68 games. The forward has much work to do in the summer but could be one to watch come training camp. Chris Wassel

March 2019 – The last two seasons have seen Gignac transition gradually from unpolished junior forward to a forward more capable of playing the pro game. There are still noted deficiencies in his game like covering the guy without the puck. However, he showed in Binghamton his offensive side — 30 points in 55 games. The ten goals were also encouraging and that helped him earn a one-game call-up for New Jersey. Gignac must work on defensive responsibility in the summer including puck tracking his opposing center. Chris Wassel

April 2017 – Benefiting from an impressive Shawinigan campaign which ended after a first-round playoff loss in six games to the Val-d’Or Foreurs, Gignac joined AHL postseason-bound Albany. Overall, the smallish speed burner tallied 23 goals and 39 assists in 59 QMJHL contests, topping his 2015-16 points total by one in eight fewer games. He added four assists in the recently-concluded Shawinigan playoff series. Kevin Wickersham

March 2017 – Gignac is still racking up impressive QMJHL numbers that outpace his 2015-16 production. Totaling 21 goals and 39 assists with just three regular-season Shawinigan games remaining on the schedule, his 1.05 points-per-game average is tops among Cataractes centers and the best of his career. An alternate captain for his club, Gignac’s NHL opportunities may come sooner rather than later given New Jersey’s thin forward depth at the NHL level. Kevin Wickersham

December 2016 – Gignac has posted impressive scoring totals during his tenure with Shawinigan in the QMJHL, averaging nearly a point-per-game over the past two campaigns. His numbers lean more toward assists than goals, as his past three seasons in juniors have shown (9 G 31 A in 2014-15; 24 G 37 A in 2015-16; and 6 G 16 A in 2016-17). Known for his extreme quickness on the ice and ability to distribute the puck, Gignac profiles as an undersized speedster with impressive vision who keeps defenses on their toes with his explosiveness.

Since he possesses neither great strength nor size, some have contended that his slight frame may not withstand the rigors of higher levels of competition, but at 19 years of age, Gignac has time to add muscle as he prepares for a possible ascent up the professional hockey ladder. Kevin Wickersham