Brandon Baddock
| Birthday: 1995-03-29 | Position: LW |
| Eligible for draft: 2013 | Shoots: Right |
| Drafted: 2014 | Height: 6-3 |
| Acquired: 6th round (161st overall), 2014 | Weight: 205 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2010-11: Brandon Baddock played of the Lloydminster Rage midget minor team in Alberta. In 38 games he scored 27 goals with 23 assists and had 116 penalty minutes.
2011-12: Baddock, a seventh round pick of the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft, appeared in one WHL game in November; spending the year with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He had no points nor penalties in his only game for the WHL champion Oil Kings. Baddock scored 2 goals with 1 assist while registering 91 penalty minutes for the Bobcats in 41 regular season games. He had no points nor penalties in one playoff game.
2012-13: Baddock played in 59 of 72 games for Edmonton in his first WHL season. He scored 7 goals with 4 assists and was minus-2 with 73 penalty minutes playing on one of the league’s top teams. The Oli Kings finished first in the Central Division and lost to Portland in the WHL Finals. Baddock had 1 assist and was +5 with 12 penalty minutes in 22 playoff games.
2013-14: Baddock provided toughness and supplementary offense as Edmonton won the WHL and Memorial Cup championships. He scored 7 goals with 4 assists and was minus-2 with 73 penalty minutes in 59 regular season games — suffering a broken hand which forced him to miss the rest of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. Edmonton finished second to Calgary in the Central Division but lost just two playoff games in the first three rounds and won a classic seven-game series with Portland in the WHL Finals. Baddock scored 1 goal and was minus-1 with 6 penalty minutes in 13 playoff games. Edmonton lost two of its first three games at the Memorial Cup but defeated Val-d’Or in triple overtime in the semifinals and avenged an earlier loss to Guelph, 6-3, in the championship game. Baddock was +2 with no points and 2 penalty minutes in five Memorial Cup games. In his second year of draft eligibility, Baddock was selected by New Jersey in the sixth round (161st overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.
2014-15: Baddock had a career high 40 points while leading the Edmonton Oil Kings with 136 penalty minutes in his third WHL season. He scored 19 goals with 21 assists and was -11 in 71 regular season games. The defending Memorial Cup champions finished fifth in the Central Division and lost to Brandon in a first-round playoff series. Baddock scored 1 goal and was -1 with 10 penalty minutes in five playoff games.
Talent Analysis
Strength and toughness are his calling cards and he uses them quite well. With his 6-4, 205 pound frame, he has the edge in puck battles along the boards. He will be known more for his fists than his scoring touch in the pros.
Future
Baddock attended his second training camp with the Devils before returning to the WHL for an overage season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He continues to chip in offensively while playing a punishing game. Baddock has yet to sign an entry-level contract with the Devils so his professional future is still uncertain at this point. He is likely to spend time at the minor pro level but projects as a punishing lower line forward if he continues to progress.
