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The Chicago Blackhawks bought out the contract of TJ Brodie this summer, and the defenseman has yet to find a new home. With over 14 years of NHL experience, the blue liner could be an attractive option for a team late in NHL Free Agency.
The Canadian was selected No. 114 overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2008 NHL Draft. He broke into the NHL in 2010-11 with the Flames, but would not become a mainstay in the NHL until 2012-13. Since then, he has spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Blackhawks. Overall, the veteran has played in 962 NHL games with 58 goals and 300 assists. He has also found time in 56 playoff games, adding five goals and 17 assists.
Brodie is not the same top-end blue line player he once was, but his veteran presence and talent make the 35-year-old a quality option for many teams. Here are three squads that could benefit from the services of the veteran defenseman.
The Canadiens could use a veteran blue liner
The Montreal front office has already made a major move on defense this offseason, as the Canadiens traded for Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The team was tied for 22nd in the NHL in goals against last year, and will improve with the addition of the star defender from Long Island. Dobson is just 25 years old, and this team is filled with youth on the blue line. Of the seven defenders currently under contract, Mike Matheson is the oldest at 31.
Dobson is expected to be paired with Kaiden Guhle, who is 23 years old but a solid defender. Meanwhile, Lane Huston and Jayden Struble are currently projected on the second rotation according to Daily Faceoff. The final pairing is expected to be Matheson and Alexandre Carrier. Still, these rotations can be changed to add veteran presence, and Brodie could move onto the second rotation with Hutson to give the 21-year-old some veteran leadership.
The biggest issue for the Canadiens is cap space. They are currently almost $5 million over the cap. Part of this is the money tied up with Carey Price, which could be moved. If Montreal can find cap space, adding a player with nearly 1,000 games of NHL experience plus playoff experience could be massive for this young group of defenders.
Could TJ Brodie return to Calgary?
Brodie started his NHL career in Calgary, and the team may need a veteran defenseman. The team currently has eight blue liners under contract, so signing Brodie does not make a ton of sense in their current situation. Still, the front office may move Rasmus Andersson, and signing Brodie could help alleviate the pain of losing their defender.
Andersson, a 28-year-old rearguard, has played in 536 games in his NHL career and has been a solid two-way defender. While Brodie does not have the same two-way skill he once had, he has scored 25 or more points in two of his last four campaigns. He could pair well with Kevin Bahl, a younger defender who just got an extension from Calgary. Overall, Brodie could be a stopgap if the team trades away Andersson. This would not be necessary if the team retained him, though.
The Avalanche could use one more defenseman
The Colorado Avalanche have just seven blueliners currently under contract, and one of them is Keaton Middleton, who is still green at the NHL level. Of the seven they have, only Devon Toews spent the entire season playing on the left side. Meanwhile, Samuel Girard spent most of his year playing on the left side as well. The team still has Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Sam Malinski, and Brent Burns under contract. All four of them spent most of the 2024-25 campaign playing on the right side of the defense.
The Avalanche need a player who can play on the left side, and Brodie is just that. The Avs have over $6 million in cap space and can afford a small contract for the veteran blueliner. He could play on the third defensive rotation with Burns, giving the team a reliable third defensive rotation. This would require Brodie to accept a smaller role on a team. Based on the fact that the Blackhawks waived him, he may need to be willing to accept this reality.
For Brodie, he is at a point in his career where he will probably need to accept a reduced role with a team to continue his career. Multiple NHL clubs could give him that. He has still shown ability to be a solid two-way D-man, but not at the same level he used to be. Regardless, he provides veteran leadership and quality play. He is still good enough to play in the show, and the Canadiens, Flames, and Avalanche should all look into signing the blue liner.
