Blue Jackets draft Gavin Brindley 34th overall
The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Gavin Brindley with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Gavin Brindley
Position: Right wing
Height: 5-foot-8
Weight: 168 lbs
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
Club: Michigan (NCAA)
Nationality: 🇺🇸
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 23rd among North American skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 41 | 12 | 26 |
| World juniors | 7 | 1 | 3 |
Brindley was one of the biggest risers on Central Scouting's final list, jumping from the No. 40 North American skater on the midterm rankings to No. 23 by season's end.
One of the main reasons for his 17-spot rise was his torrid scoring after the world juniors. Having tallied just one goal and 10 points in 20 games to start the campaign, Brindley returned to Michigan after winning bronze with Team USA and flourished.
He scored 11 goals and 28 points in 21 games after the tournament, nearly tripling his output from the first half. Playing alongside Adam Fantilli certainly helped, but Brindley was effective in his own right.
Brindley was one of four draft-eligible players in the NCAA this season and ranked third in scoring rate behind Fantilli and UConn's Matthew Wood. Had Brindley scored at his second-half pace of 1.33 points per game over the full season, he would've had the third-highest scoring campaign by a draft-eligible NCAA player since 1994.
He was a shot-generating machine down the stretch, averaging 4.3 on goal in his final 10 contests, and played a crucial role in Michigan's upset over Minnesota in the Big Ten championship game, where he recorded three assists.
Brindley made the U.S. world junior team over higher-ranked prospects such as Will Smith and Ryan Leonard.
He's expected to return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season.
What they're saying
"Brindley buzzes around the ice, playing with a ton of pace and giving his best effort nightly," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote. "There aren't a ton of two-way forwards in the NHL who barely touch 5-foot-9, but Brindley has the right mix of traits to be the next one even if there's risk on his projection."
"The beauty of Brindley's game is that while he may prove talented enough to play in a skill role at the NHL level, he's got the approach/tools to play an effective bottom-six game too," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote. "That will limit concerns about his height."
"Brindley's skating and work ethic show he can play a lot of different ways and find success," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters. "To coin a phrase, he's got that dog in him."
Click here to watch Brindley's highlights.