Gavin Brindley

June 2025 – Brindley jumped from the NCAA to professional hockey this year and struggled to adapt his scoring to the next level. In the AHL, he only scored 17 points in 52 games, a noticeable step back from the 53 points he had in 40 games in the NCAA the year before. However, it should be noted that while in the NCAA, he played alongside multiple high-end talents at Michigan, with whom he could play off. This year, he played in the bottom six of an AHL lineup. While Brindley is potent offensively in the right situation, he is a player who never gives up on a play and is constantly moving, akin to Logan Stankoven (a recent undersized player who has made an NHL home). No matter where the play is, Brindley is continuously moving and making sure he is improving his ability to impact the game. He should ultimately become a good NHL player due to his motor and offensive capabilities. Expect him to have a breakout year in the AHL next year, and he could even sniff NHL action if he proves his game has reached the level of NHL play. He projects as a middle-six winger in the long term. James Connelly

June 2023 – Brindley was selected 34th overall by the Blue Jackets. Pat Quinn

April 2023 – Brindley excels in so many areas, one is bound to hit and make him a valuable NHLer. He has playmaking skill and hands for days, but doesn’t default to any particular set-in-stone habit or skill. He cuts to the inside with both fearlessness and calculated timing, setting himself up for prime-ice puck touches regularly. When his skills and habits don’t suffice to make him a positive-impact winger, he can also track back with tremendous backward skating and get involved in defensive plays to cover for an aggressive defender. His stick angling makes him surprisingly good at defending the rush in those circumstances.  In Brindley, a team is getting one of the best defensive forwards in the class, with enough skill and projectability to top out as a very solid, very versatile second-line winger. Hadi Kalakeche

September 2022 – One of the older prospects available in this year’s draft, Brindley had an excellent sophomore season with Tri-City in the USHL, where he was able to post 42 points in 51 games. Participating in the World Juniors as well, he notched a respectable four points in six games on a stacked USA team. Playing this year with the Michigan Wolverines, Brindley could be in line to light up the scoresheet regularly.

Brindley is an excellent skater with great agility, speed, and edgework that make him a dynamic puck carrier. His skating ability is a massive part of his game, and he pairs it very nicely with his ability to keep his head up and move the puck. A playmaker at heart, Brindley has quick hands in tight that he is able to change the angle of his passing lanes to deceive and beat defenders and feed pucks into scoring areas. His shot is a solid tool of his as he has a quick release on it, it is very powerful and accurate, and he likes to use it and creates rebound chances from it. He is constantly on the move and plays with high intensity, frequently darting into open space and getting to the dirty areas to duke it out with the defense. As a smaller player, he does find himself physically outmatched at times around the net, but he does a great job peeling away from battles, and his quick acceleration can provide him with enough space to get a chance away before his man is able to close him down. His defensive game is still improving, but he is decent in his own end and closes down pucks very quickly, and can be known to line up a hit. He blends skill and tenacity together in an effective way, and Brindley can be an effective player in the top-six or top-nine of a lineup. A high-octane Wolverine offensive system could be something he really thrives in, and his progression throughout the season will be fun to watch. Alexander Annun