Brayden Point: Player Profile

Brayden Point was born in Calgary, Canada, on March 13, 1996. As a 13-year-old, Point scored 21 goals and added 12 assists for 33 points in 60 games for the Calgary Bisons. He then added seven goals and five assists in 12 games for the team during the AMBHL playoffs. Point is not known for his statistical output alone, though. His leadership has been evident from a young age.

Point was named captain of the Calgary Bison during the 2010-11 season. In 33 games, he scored 42 goals and added 60 assists. These 102 points were 10 more than the second-most points scored by any other player on Point’s AAA team. Having proven that he was too skilled for the AMBHL, Point then made the move to the WHL. Point was drafted 14^th overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL prospects draft.

During the WHL season leading up to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Point had 36 goals and 55 assists in 72 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors. These 91 points were 36 more than the 55 points that Point’s fellow teammate, Jack Rodewald. This was on a Moose Jaw team that finished the season with 51 points. The question was whether Point’s 5’11” frame could hold up to the rigors of an 82-game NHL season.

Tampa Bay Lightning Draft Brayden Point with the 79th Overall Pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft

The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Point with the 79^th pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft out of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. The pick that was used to draft Point was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. That is not to say that Point did not have his flaws. Beyond his lack of size, Point’s defensive game was not as sharp as his offensive game, perhaps because of his small frame.

At 5’11” and 170 lbs., Point was seen as undersized. If Point were one inch taller, he would have been seen as a slam-dunk first-round draft pick. Lucky for the Lightning that he measured up to the size that he did. Steve Yzerman, who was the general manager of the Lightning who drafted Point, could not have seen the pick working out as well as it did. The one thing that Point did not do when Yzerman was the general manager of the Lightning was to win a Stanley Cup.