Players

Getting to Know… Brendan Leipsic

(Caps Outsider)

New to the Capitals but no stranger to the NHL lifestyle and sporting arena, Winnipeg-born winger Brendan Leipsic has made his way to Washington for the 2019-20 season and has earned himself a spot on the Caps’ fourth line.

Leipsic appeared destined to gain a living in a professional sporting career from an early age. His mother represented Canada in gymnastics at the 1984 Olympics, his father was an all star high school running back and his brother and sister excelled in College and International level hockey and gymnastics respectively.

Leipsic’s road to a professional hockey career began in Portland, where he played 68 regular season games and 21 playoff games for the Portland Winterhawks in 2010-11. He would spend the next three seasons with the Winterhawks, recording an impressive 120 points in 68 games in 2012-13 and led the CHL in points. This was enough for the NHL to come calling as Leipsic was drafted in the third round (89th overall) by the Nashville Predators in the 2012 NHL Entry Level Draft.

Leipsic played with Nashville’s affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, during his first professional season, tallying 36 points in 47 games and played in the 2015 AHL All Star Game. In February 2015, Leipsic was part of a package deal which sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Leipsic became an integral part of the Toronto Marlies unit in the AHL before some injury concerns within the Leafs gave him his long awaited NHL debut. Leipsic played his first NHL game on February 13th, 2016 against the Vancouver Canucks and even scored. He played only six games for the Maple Leafs during the season but spent the majority of that particular season with the Marlies, recording 54 points in his 65 games.

The 2017 expansion draft saw Leipsic on the move again. This time, he was headed west to the newly formed Vegas Golden Knights, where he signed a 2-year, $1.3 million contract. Here, Leipsic would become a full time NHL player, skating in 44 games with Vegas during the 2017-18 season. Early in 2018, Leipsic would be traded again, this time to Vancouver that February.

Unable to make a huge impact in Vancouver, Leipsic was placed on waivers by the Canucks late in 2018 and the struggling Los Angeles Kings took notice, picking up the speedy winger. There, Leipsic found scored five goals and 18 points in 45 games for the Kings.

A free agent at the end of the 2018-19 season, the Capitals signed him over the summer, and has carved himself a space in the lineup. While he only scored his first goal of the season in Friday’s 6-1 rout of the Buffalo Sabres, he hasn’t missed a game and has received praise from coach Todd Reirden.

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