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Penguins' underrated forward emerging as one of the NHL's top underdog stories
Penguins forward Justin Brazeau is emerging as one of the best feel-good, underdog stories in the entire NHL with his stellar play this season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 on the road on Sunday, with Justin Brazeau picking up his first hat-trick ever in the NHL.
The Penguins currently have a record of 16-12-9 with 41 points, which is seventh in the Metropolitan Division and only a point away from the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Justin Brazeau is far exceeding expectations this season
Brazeau, 6-6, a forward, is up to 11 goals this year, tying his personal career-best output set during the 2024-25 season with Boston and Minnesota.
Now averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per contest, Brazeau has proved essential to Pittsburgh with his value extending well beyond his affordable $1.5 million salary.
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Carter Hutton: "For me, my player is Justin Brazeau. What a night for him on Sunday as he gets the hat trick. This is a player that's undrafted at 27 who has bounced around. His career numbers have been good and he's had a good run. With the Boston Bruins last season, he had 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 57 games, and this year he's already tied his career high in goals with 11.
Last night was a big performance for a Penguins team that needs to find a way to win hockey games. I think for Pittsburgh, going into Chicago out of the break and finding a way to beat the Blackhawks is big. As for Brazeau, he's a big body. He started strong and I didn't know if it was sustainable, but again, it's fun to watch."
Carter Hutton: "For me, my player is Justin Brazeau. What a night for him on Sunday as he gets the hat trick. This is a player that's undrafted at 27 who has bounced around. His career numbers have been good and he's had a good run. With the Boston Bruins last season, he had 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 57 games, and this year he's already tied his career high in goals with 11.
Last night was a big performance for a Penguins team that needs to find a way to win hockey games. I think for Pittsburgh, going into Chicago out of the break and finding a way to beat the Blackhawks is big. As for Brazeau, he's a big body. He started strong and I didn't know if it was sustainable, but again, it's fun to watch."
Why Justin Brazeau's hat trick could not have come at a better time
The hat trick proved to be well-timed for a Penguins team looking to find their footing in the playoff standings under new head coach Dan Muse.
The Penguins came out with an attacking offense in Chicago, and Brazeau's size and talent opened up opportunities for his teammates. In yesterday's game, what stood out was Brazeau's capability to be effective at both ends.
For the Penguins, the outcome not only helped improve their standing for the playoffs but also reinforced the value of Brazeau as a consistent source of scoring, at a time when the team needs as much as they can get.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 29 | 165 ANSWERS Penguins' underrated forward emerging as one of the NHL's top underdog stories Is Justin Brazeau the best underdog story of the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 144 | 87.3 % |
| No | 21 | 12.7 % |
| List of polls | ||