Connor Brown

Connor Brown (born January 14, 1994) is a Canadian ice hockey right winger currently playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brown was selected by the Maple Leafs in the sixth round (156th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Amateur
Brown grew up playing youth hockey in the Toronto area. He played first for the West Mall Lightning mite select team, in the North York Hockey League, where his father was the head coach. The Lightning team later morphed in the GTHL Toronto Marlboros team for 1994 born players. The core of the team won ten straight city championships and included seven players who would go on to be selected at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft: Brown, Scott Laughton, Matt Finn, Adam Pelech, Scott Kosmachuk, Jake Paterson, and Matia Marcantuoni.

Brown was selected in the 13th round (251st overall) of the 2010 OHL Priority Draft by the Erie Otters. He spent the 2010-11 season playing Junior "A" hockey for the St. Michael's Buzzers in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Brown joined the Otters for the 2011-12 season and led the team in points (53), goals (25), and assists (28). Brown was drafted in the 6th round, 156 overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

He returned to the Otters for the 2012-13 season, serving as the captain of the team.

While playing with the Erie Otters during the 2013-14 OHL season, Brown scored 45 goals and 83 assists for 128 points in 68 games. He went on to score 8 goals and 10 assists in 14 games during the playoffs to cap off what was the best season in the team's history. Brown was awarded both the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the OHL's top scoring right winger, and the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the top scoring player in the OHL. At the time of his departure, he held the Otters franchise record for most points in a single season. His record has since been passed by former line-mate Dylan Strome, who beat it by one point the following season.

Professional
On November 22, 2013, the Leafs signed Brown to a three year entry level contract. Until March 2016 when he was recalled by the Maple Leafs, he played for the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs' AHL affiliate. In his first year with the Marlies, he won the AHL Rookie scoring title, finishing the regular season with 21 goals and 40 assists.

Brown made his NHL debut on March 17, 2016 against the Florida Panthers. He scored his first NHL goal on March 24, 2016 against Frederik Andersen of the Anaheim Ducks.

Brown made the Maple Leafs full time for the 2016-17 season, however, a deep presence of forward depth meant Brown was playing on the 4th line with Matt Martin, though he saw time on the penalty kill. After five games in a limited role, Maple Leafs veteran forward Milan Michálek was placed on waivers in order to make room and give Brown a bigger role on the team. Former Maple Leaf Ben Smith rejoined the team via waivers in order to take Brown's former spot.