Brian Flynn (ice hockey)
Brian Flynn | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 26, 1988 United States |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey forward |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Playing in the NHL for Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens |
Brian Michael Flynn (born July 26, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently an unrestricted free agent. Although he was not selected in the NHL Draft, Flynn has competed at the National Hockey League level with both the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.
Playing career
Flynn developed his early hockey skills playing for the Middlesex Islanders in youth leagues and continued through high school at Connecticut's Pomfret School. He advanced to collegiate hockey with the Maine Black Bears competing in the NCAA Division I. His performance earned him a place on the 2011-12 Hockey East First-Team All-Stars.
On March 28, 2012, Flynn secured a two-way, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres. Being older than 22 years, he was eligible to sign as a free agent without going through the NHL Draft process. During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Flynn was promoted to the NHL roster on March 1, 2013, and netted his inaugural NHL goal on March 7 against the New Jersey Devils.
Flynn was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on March 2, 2015, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. In his first playoff appearance on April 15, 2015, he scored the decisive game-winning goal. Subsequently, Flynn agreed to a two-year contract extension with Montreal on July 1, 2015.
After spending two and a half seasons with Montreal, Flynn signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Dallas Stars on July 1, 2017. He was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, where he tallied 18 goals and totaled 47 points over 66 games, contributing significantly to the team’s run to the Calder Cup finals.
As a free agent again, Flynn inked a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2018. His season with their AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage was limited to just 21 games due to injury. In January 2019, he and the Blues mutually agreed to terminate his contract.
Following this, Flynn signed for Swiss National League (NL) team EV Zug for the remainder of the 2018–19 season. After being released post-season, he joined HC Ambrì-Piotta on an initial four-month contract in August 2019 which was later extended through the conclusion of the 2020–21 campaign.
After three seasons competing in Switzerland, Flynn returned to North America as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 29, 2021.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Pomfret School | HS–Prep | 29 | 31 | 22 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Pomfret School | HS–Prep | 27 | 26 | 23 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs | EJHL | 41 | 26 | 19 | 45 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | University of Maine | HE | 38 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | University of Maine | HE | 39 | 19 | 28 | 47 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | University of Maine | HE | 36 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | University of Maine | HE | 40 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 45 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 26 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 54 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 56 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2016–17 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 51 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017–18 | Texas Stars | AHL | 66 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 14 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 21 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | EV Zug | NL | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2019–20 | HC Ambrì-Piotta | NL | 49 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | HC Ambrì-Piotta | NL | 50 | 9 | 25 | 34 | 35 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | Utica Comets | AHL | 61 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | Team Patrick (3ICE) | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| NHL totals | 275 | 27 | 34 | 61 | 32 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Awards and honors
| Distinction | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegiate Level | ||
| Len Ceglarski Award for Sportsmanship in Hockey East | 2011 | |
| Selected to the Hockey East First Team | 2011–12 | |