The Edmonton Oilers have bolstered their blue line by signing defenseman Josh Brown to a three-year contract, carrying an average annual value (AAV) of $1 million.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 220 pounds, Brown spent the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes. During that campaign, he played in 51 games, recording three goals and seven assists for a total of 10 points, along with 75 penalty minutes.
The right-shot defenseman is joining his fifth NHL team, having been originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the sixth round (112th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Brown began his NHL career with the Panthers, playing two seasons from 2018-2020, where he tallied four goals, six assists, and 67 penalty minutes over 93 games. The London, Ontario native then moved to the Ottawa Senators for two years (2020-22), notching seven assists and 62 penalty minutes in 72 games. Brown was traded to the Boston Bruins ahead of the 2022 playoffs, appearing in one postseason game.
In the summer of 2022, Brown signed as a free agent with the Arizona Coyotes, where he played 119 games over two seasons. Throughout his six-year NHL career, Brown has accumulated 11 goals, 23 assists, and 296 penalty minutes across 290 games, averaging 14:24 of ice time per game.
The Oilers are hopeful that Brown’s physical presence and experience will add depth and stability to their defensive corps as they look to make a deep playoff run in the coming seasons.
