Michael Brodzinski

History

2009-10: Michael Brodzinski skated for Minnesota high school hockey power Blaine as a freshman along with his older brother Jonny Brodzinski (Los Angeles) and Florida Panthers’ prospect Nick Bjugstad. He scored 3 goals with 3 assists and 12 penalty minutes in 29 games. Blaine reached the Minnesota AA state tournament with a 3-1 win over Maple Grove in the Section 5AA championship game. Apple Valley ended the Bengals’ hopes for a state championship with a 2-0 shutout win in the first round and Blaine lost to Roseau, 7-5, in the consolation semifinals.

2010-11: Brodzinski skated for Team Northeast in the Upper Midwest Elite High School Hockey League in the fall before returning to Blaine High School for his sophomore season. He scored 3 goals with 9 assists and 22 penalty minutes in 23 games for Team Northeast. Brodzinski scored 14 goals with 17 assists and had 22 penalty minutes in 30 games for Blaine. The Bengals captured the Section 5AA title, reaching the state tournament for the second straight season. Brodzinski scored two goals in Blaine’s 4-3 win over Maple Grove in the sectional final and scored one goal in the Bengal’s 3-2 loss to Edina in their state tournament opener. White Bear Lake topped Blaine, 4-3, in the consolation semifinals.

2011-12: Brodzinski made his USHL debut in three late season games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks following his junior season at Blaine and played for Team Northwest in the UMEHSHL in the fall. In November 2011 he committed to playing college hockey at the University of Minnesota in 2013-14. He had 1 assist and was -3 with no penalties in three USHL games. Brodzinski led Blaine in scoring as a defenseman, scoring 13 goals with a team-high 20 assists and had 26 penalty minutes in 25 games. The Bengals season came to a disappointing end in the Section 5AA title game when Maple Grove scored four goals on a first period five-minute power play en route to a 15-1 win.

2012-13: Brodzinski was Muskegon’s third-leading scorer as a rookie in his first USHL season. He scored 16 goals with 17 assists and was +10 with 47 penalty minutes. The Lumberjacks finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, falling to eventual Clark Cup champion Dubuque in the playoff quarterfinals. Brodzinski was +1 with 1 assist and no penalties in three playoff games. Not among the 210 North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings, he was selected by San Jose in the fifth round (151st overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft.

2013-14: Brodzinski skated in 26 of 41 games for the University of Minnesota as a freshman — missing time with a lower body injury in mid-season. He scored 6 goals with 7 assists and was +8 with 12 penalty minutes, scoring twice on the Gophers’ power play. Minnesota finished first in the newly-formed Big 10 hockey conference and advanced to the Frozen Four championship game. After an upset loss to Ohio State in the Big 10 semifinals, Minnesota defeated Robert Morris and St. Cloud State to capture the NCAA West Regional and defeated North Dakota, 2-1, with a game-winning short-handed goal in the game’s final second. Union defeated Minnesota, 7-4, in the Frozen Four championship game.

2014-15: Brodzinski was the second-leading scorer amongst Minnesota behind Gophers’ leading scorer Mike Reilly in his sophomore season. Brodzinski scored 4 goals with 10 assists and was +10 with 16 penalty minutes in 36 games. Minnesota finished first in the Big Ten and captured the league’s only NCAA tournament berth, defeating Michigan, 4-2, in the conference championship game. Minnesota fell to in-state rival Minnesota-Duluth, 4-1, in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals.

Talent Analysis

Brodzinski is an offensive-defenseman who is a good skater and has the athletic build to compensate for his smaller size. He has all the offensive tools to become a world class blueliner and has worked to make better decisions after entering college hockey as a bit of a freewheeler. Brodzinski has an excellent shot, which commands plus strength and is accurate. His passing skills have shown steady improvement. Often criticized for his defensive play  due to his willingness to take risks, he often remedies those mistakes with Ryan McDonagh-like recovery ability. Brodzinski continues to work on his hockey sense.

Future

Brodzinski is entering his junior season at the University of Minnesota in 2015-16 and is expected to be the top offensive defenseman for the Gophers with leading scorer Mike Reilly signing a contract with the Minnesota Wild following last season. Brodzinski's lack of prototypical NHL defenseman size and his willingness to play an exuberant game from the backend will be challenges at the next level but his offensive ability suggests there is some Torey Krug-type potential.