Brodie Dupont

Based on the 2004-05 season, Calgary Hitmen center Brodie Dupont might very well have been the most confusing prospect for the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. After a forgettable first half of the season, Dupont emerged as one of the most dangerous weapons on an explosive Hitmen offense. Scoring just eight points in 36 games, Dupont caught fire in second half, raising his totals on the season to 25 points in 70 games. After being drafted by the Rangers in the second round of the 2005 NHL Draft, Dupont more than doubled his production in the 2005-06 season.  He then finished his junior career in 2006-07 as one of the major offensive contributors to the Calgary Hitmen’s playoff run.

2007-08: Dupont’s rookie professional season was in 2007-08, and there is no question that he had an up-and-down year. Dupont’s best month was November, when he posted half of his 22 points for the year. He did often show his ability to fight, as well as toughness along the boards, which the Rangers are looking to develop.

2008-09: Dupont skated in 79 of 80 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) and provided occasional offense and scrappy two-way play in his second pro season with the Rangers organization. He scored 18 goals with 24 assists and was +5 with 112 PMs. The Wolf Pack finished first in the Atlantic Division before falling to Worcester in a six-game, first-round playoff series. Dupont had 2 assists and was even with 15 PMs in the playoffs.

2009-10: Dupont returned to the center position he played in junior hockey after playing wing for the Wolf Pack in his first two AHL seasons and played in all 80 games for Hartford. Dupont was +4 and the fifth-leading scorer on a team that struggled to score – finishing with 17 goals and 22 assists. His 124 penalty minutes were the third most on the Wolf Pack.Dupont was re-signed by the Rangers to a one-year contract as a restricted free agent in July 2010.

2010-11: Dupont made his NHL debut – skating five-and-a-half minutes for the Rangers in a January game in Atlanta – and was the third-leading scorer for the Rangers’ re-christened AHL franchise, the Connecticut Whale. He had no points or penalties in his brief appearance with New York. In 72 games for Connecticut he scored 14 goals with 31 assists and was -5 with 78 PMs. The Whale reached the playoffs after finishing third in the Atlantic Division. In the six-game first-round series with Portland, Dupont scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +1 with 6 PMs. The Predators acquired Dupont from the Rangers in exchange for forward Andreas Thuresson in July 2011.