It has taken until the 35th instalment of this series to get to a player whom many consider a Toronto Marlies legend.

T.J. Brennan might only have spent two and a part seasons in Toronto, but he quickly became a fan favourite and dominated the league in scoring from the blue line.

Brennan’s journey to the professional league began in the QMJHL.

His play with the St. John’s Fog Devils and Montréal Juniors “A” convinced the Buffalo Sabres to draft him 31st overall in 2007.

It failed to work out for the defenseman in Buffalo.

Brennan spent the majority of his time with Buffalo AHL affiliates in Portland (Pirates) and Rochester before being traded to Florida in the March of 2013.

Florida traded his rights to Nashville in June, but Brennan would sign as a free agent with Toronto just three weeks later.

After playing a combined forty games in the NHL (21 – Buffalo/ 19 – Florida), Brennan was looking for a fresh start in Canada.

While not receiving any NHL time in Toronto during the 2013-14 season, Brennan was a force on the blue line for the Marlies.

Amongst defensemen, he led the league in goals (25) and points (72) during the regular season.

Brennan played in the AHL All-Star Game, was selected to the AHL First All-Star Team and was named the AHL’s Best Defenseman (Eddie Shore Award).

In a playoff run for Toronto that fell just short of silverware, Brennan led all blue liners with six goals.

The following year saw Brennan bounce around several organisations before finally ending up back in Toronto.

After signing as a free agent on July 1st with New York Islanders, the Moorestown native was traded to Chicago in early October.

After featuring exclusively with the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago traded Brennan to Toronto in late February.

The 2014-15 Marlies struggled in the first half of the season. They lacked the star quality and offensive talent from previous years.

The addition of Brennan complemented a series of other moves to bolster Toronto’s farm team, which had the desired effect.

In nineteen regular-season games, Brennan hit the ground running with sixteen points (3 Goals/13 Assists).

The defenseman would also receive a first shot in the NHL as a Maple Leaf. In a six-game stint, Brennan recorded his first point wearing the blue and white. A secondary assist on a power-play goal for Nazem Kadri.

The Toronto Marlies were huge underdogs in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

In a five-game series against Grand Rapid Griffins, the first two games would be hosted in Toronto before heading to Michigan for completion.

In Game One, Brennan opened the scoring with just 26 seconds on the clock. Toronto would prevail 7-4 despite trailing 3-2 after blowing a 2-0 lead.

In Game Two, Brennan was the hero. After falling behind by two goals inside six minutes, Toronto had levelled the game heading into the third period.

On a power play with just over six minutes remaining, Brennan released a trademark cannon of a shot from the point to put the Marlies ahead 3-2. 

It was a fantastic full connection on a wobbling puck. The crowd noise was emphatic, as was the defenseman’s celebration, with the importance of the goal not lost on anyone inside the building.

Two empty-net goals would seal the deal for Toronto, who took a 2-0 series lead to Michigan.

Despite Brennan recording five points in the series, Toronto would be reverse-swept by the eventual Calder Cup champions.

Brennan committed to Toronto for another season, and it was the Marlies who once again benefitted.

The defenseman would receive another short stint in the NHL.

Brennan would score his first goal for the Maple Leafs against Florida.

Back at the AHL level, Brennan would win another Eddie Shore Award following a dominant offensive showing.

A total of sixty-eight points in 69 games included twenty-five goals.

Brennan led the league amongst all defensemen in those two categories and was once again an AHL All-Star.

Despite a roster chock full of talent, the Marlies would fall short in the play-offs.

An Eastern Conference Final defeat to the Hershey Bears was disappointing, but Brennan could not be faulted for his effort (5 Goals/4 Assists).

It was rumoured that the American native would sign overseas in the summer of 2016.

That wasn’t to be the case as Brennan signed a two-year deal with Philadelphia and would re-pen the same deal in 2018.

There would be no more NHL action for the offensive blue liner but he was still effective at the AHL level, racking up 148 points across three seasons with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

During the final year of his second deal, Brennan’s production and play tailed off. 

Various rumours were flying about as to why that was the case. The relationship with his hometown club ended with Philadelphia trading him to Chicago.

Brennan was just six games into the second stint with the Rockford IceHogs when the pandemic hit, resulting in the cancellation of the 2019-20 season.

It was a rather unfortunate way for Brennan’s stellar AHL career to end.

For the 2020-21 campaign, the New Jersey native signed with the Switzerland Second Division team, HC Thurgau.

Though only suiting up for 22 games, Brennan finished second on the team in points (24) and led all SL defensemen in goals (10).

A move to Austria for the most recent season proved profitable, for both Brennan and his latest club, EC Salzburg.

The American led all defensemen in points (47 in 48 games) and was accordingly named to the All-Star team.

Salzburg were league champions but fell short in the post-season despite Brennan’s point per game effort (7 Goals & 5 assists) through twelve outings. That was the most by any defenseman in post-season action.

Brennan also flourished in the Champions Hockey League, helping himself to three goals and five assist in eight games.

T.J. Brennan is a free agent at the time of writing though doubtless, he will have plenty of suitors in Europe after producing excellent numbers from the blue line in two campaigns thus far.

His American Hockey League legacy is more than just about points and awards.

Brennan made himself a fan favourite with every team he represented by making time for those in the stands.

Even when returning to former clubs as an opposition player, there would always be a line of home fans wanting to reacquaint themselves with Brennan and wish him well.

When the 33-year-old finally hangs up the skates for good, a place in the AHL Hall of Fame awaits one of the best offensive blueliners the league has seen.

112th in all-time AHL scoring – 478 Points

3rd in all-time AHL scoring by defensemen – 478 Points

4th in all-time AHL goals by defensemen – 157 Goals

Eddie Shore Winner x 2

AHL Most Goals by Defenseman x 4

AHL Most Points by Defenseman x 3

AHL First All-Star Team x 3

AHL Second All-Star Team x 1

Five AHL All-Star Game Appearances

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