Brad Navin
| Birthday: 1992-06-05 | Position: LW |
| Eligible for draft: 2011 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2011 | Height: 6-2 |
| Acquired: 7th round (197th overall), 2011 | Weight: 192 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2008-09: Brad Navin scored 25 goals with 18 assists in 16 games as a sophomore for Waupaca High School (Wisconsin).
2009-10: Navin led all scorers in Wisconsin high school hockey with 53 goals and 39 assists in 25 games for Waupaca. Navin scored 12 goals on the power play and 9 short-handed goals.
2010-11: Navin was the leading scorer for Team Wisconsin in the fall Upper Midwest Elite Hockey League. In 24 games, he scored 20 goals with 10 assists and scored eight times on the power play. Navin was off to a rapid start in his senior year at Waupaca, scoring 29 goals with 23 assists in just 14 games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Navin signed a letter of intent in May to play college hockey for the Wisconsin Badgers. Navin was ranked 163rd among North American skaters by Central Scouting and was selected by the Sabres in the 7th round (197th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
2011-12: Navin made the jump directly from high school hockey to college – skating in 36 of 37 games for the University of Wisconsin as a freshman. Playing in primarily a third and fourth line role in his first season, he scored 3 goals with 3 assists and was minus-five with 16 penalty minutes. The Badgers were 10th in the WCHA, just their third season finishing under-.500 since head coach Mike Eaves took over in 2002-03.
2012-13: Navin played in 34 of 42 games for Wisconsin in his sophomore season. Skating on the Badgers fourth line with fellow Wisconsin natives Keegan Meuer and Matt Paape, he scored 1 goal with 3 assists and was +3 with 8 penalty minutes. The Badgers finished tied for fourth in the WCHA but earned an NCAA tournament berth after capturing the Broadmoor Trophy playoff championship by defeating Colorado College, 3-2, in the final. Wisconsin lost to Hockey East champion Massachusetts-Lowell in the NCAA Northeast Regional semi-finals.
2013-14: Navin skated in 36 games for the University of Wisconsin as a junior. He scored 4 goals with 5 assists and was +10 with 12 penalty minutes. The Badgers earned an NCAA Tournament berth, defeating Ohio State, 5-4 in overtime, in the championship game of the inaugural Big Ten tournament after finishing second in the regular season. Wisconsin lost 5-2 to North Dakota in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals.
2014-15: Navin played in all 35 games for Wisconsin in his senior season. He scored 3 goals with 5 assists and was -22 with 22 penalty minutes. Wisconsin won just four games all season and was eliminated by Michigan, 5-1, in the Big Ten quarterfinals; the worst season in Madison since the Badgers’ program returned to the varsity level in 1963.
Talent Analysis
Navin is a lanky forward who played primarily a lower line role in his four years of college hockey at Wisconsin. He has a strong shot but generally plays a two-way game. He prefers to work his way through tight corners and find openings but is not overly skilled and struggles to generate scoring chances. He skates well for a big center but must continue to improve to compete at the pro level.
Future
After four years at Wisconsin, Navin will become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by August 15th, 2015, and will likely have to begin his pro career on a minor league deal or in Europe. He is a defensively responsible player but needs to develop better offensive instincts and all-round game for a shot in the NHL. As of now, he is considered a long shot.
