The Washington Capitals have signed right wing Chris Brown to a two-year, two-way contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced Thursday.
Brown, 24, has earned three points (two goals, one assist) in 22 career NHL games with Washington and Arizona. The 6’2”, 215-pound right wing appeared in five games with the Capitals last season and scored a goal on Oct. 16 against New Jersey. Brown scored his first NHL goal on March 22, 2014, at San Jose and earned his first NHL assist on March 25, 2014, at Los Angeles. Washington acquired Brown with Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft from Phoenix for Martin Erat and John Mitchell on March 4, 2014. Brown made his Capitals debut on March 6, 2014, at Boston.
Brown registered 28 points (17 goals, 11 assists) and 70 penalty minutes in 64 games with the Hershey Bears last season. He recorded six multi-point games in 2014-15 and earned three points (one goal, two assists) on Dec. 13 against Binghamton. In 195 career AHL games with Hershey and Portland, Brown has recorded 115 points (62 goals, 53 assists) and 238 penalty minutes.
During the 2011-12 season, Brown recorded 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 66 penalty minutes in 38 games with University of Michigan (CCHA), setting career highs in assists, points and penalty minutes. Brown led all Michigan rookies in 2009-10 with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists), and led the team with seven power-play goals in 45 games. He was also named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. Brown registered 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists) and 183 penalty minutes in 125 regular season games during his three-year career with the Wolverines. The Flower Mound, Texas native was the first ever Michigan recruit from the state of Texas.
Prior to his career at Michigan, Brown played for the United States National Under-18 Team at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP). As an 18-year-old, he recorded 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) and a team-leading 120 penalty minutes in 62 games in 2008-09 and also ranked second on the team with 10 power play goals. He helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the 2009 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in North Dakota, collecting seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games.
In addition, Brown also won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York, registering three points (two goals, one assist) in six games.
Brown was selected by the Coyotes in the second round (36th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft.
