The Boston Bruins have lost some of their organizational forward depth. According to a team announcement, the DEL’s Adler Mannheim have signed Patrick Brown for the 2026-27 season.
In all fairness, at 34 years old, Brown’s professional career in North America was likely nearing its end, anyway. He was signed as a collegiate free agent by the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the 2014-15 campaign, and has primarily been an AHL talent for the last 11 years.
Although the Bloomfield Hills, MI native didn’t challenge for any scoring awards throughout his time in the AHL, his North American career is defined by his leadership. Brown was named captain for the Boston College Eagles for the 2013-14 NCAA season, and wore the ‘C’ for three different AHL organizations, including the Providence Bruins, for the past two years.
Despite carving out a consistent role in the AHL, Brown didn’t go without his NHL opportunities, either. Highlighted by a two-year stint with the Philadelphia Flyers in which he played 87 games from 2021 to 2023, Brown played parts of nine seasons with the Hurricanes, Golden Knights, Flyers, Senators, and Bruins. Assuming his NHL career has finished, Brown ends with 10 goals and 26 points in 164 appearances.
Understandably, his performance in the AHL has been much better. Beginning with the Charlotte Checkers in 2014-15, Brown has registered 111 goals and 286 points in 572 career games. Additionally, he captained the Checkers to a Calder Cup championship in 2019.