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Prince George Cougars goalie Tyler Brennan has made a deal with the Devils.
The 19-year-old Winnipeg native has signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the New Jersey Devils, the team that drafted him last year in the fourth round (102nd overall).
“I’d like to thank my family, friends, billet families, coaches, teammates, and everyone else who has helped me throughout my hockey career,” said Brennan. “Thank you to the Prince George Cougars organization for helping me develop and become the player and person I am today.”
Brennan, in his fourth WHL season, posted a 2.86 goals-against average and .898 save percentage, finishing the regular season with a 21-10-3-0 record and two shutouts. He went 15-3-1 in the second half of the season.
“This is great for Brennan,” said Cougars general manager and head coach Mark Lamb. “He battled some adversity that helped him turn it around. He was on top of his game before he got hurt so it is well deserved.”
So far in the playoffs Brennan sports a 1-1 record. He suffered a lower-body injury in the second period of Game 3 of the opening-round series against the Tri-City Americans and hasn’t played since.
He becomes the fourth Cougar to sign with an NHL team. That list includes defenceman Ethan Sampson (Philadelphia), forward Jaxsen Wiebe (Anaheim Ducks) and forward Chase Wheatcroft (Dallas Stars).
The Cougars are back on home ice Tuesday night (7 p.m.) at CN Centre for Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Seattle Thunderbirds. The T-birds are coming off a 5-1 win Saturday in Kent, Wash., and hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tickets are available at the TicketsNorth box office at CN Centre from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., or go online to www.ticketsnorth.ca.
