Quick Facts
Biography
Brian James Strait (born January 4, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman, currently playing for the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Amateur
Strait played two seasons at the Northfield Mount Hermon School, recording 12 points during his freshman season, and 20 the next year. Beginning in 2004 he joined the U.S. National Development Team in the North American Hockey League. He was the captain of the gold-medal U.S. team at the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships.
After graduating from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School in 2006, Strait attended Boston University, where he began playing for the Boston Terriers men's ice hockey team. In his freshman season, Strait was twice selected as Hockey East rookie of the week. He served as captain of the U.S. team at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where the team finished fourth. That season he also was selected runner-up for the Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman award. During his junior season at Boston, Strait served as an alternate captain. That season, the Terriers won the Beanpot, Hockey East and the NCAA Division I national championship.
Professional
After his junior season at Boston University, Strait signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who selected Strait in 2006. He began his professional career a few months later with the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Strait made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh on February 21, 2011 against the Washington Capitals. On the eve of the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, he was picked off of waivers from the Penguins by the New York Islanders January 18, 2013. After establishing his role within the Islanders defense after 6 games he signed a three-year one-way extension deal worth $775,000 per year on January 31, 2013. He scored his first NHL goal on December 20, 2013 against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers.
On July 1, 2016, Strait signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Winnipeg Jets.
Career statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | U.S. National Development Team | USDP | 60 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | U.S. National Development Team | USDP | 65 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Boston University | HE | 36 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Boston University | HE | 37 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Boston University | HE | 38 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 78 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 73 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 75 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 49 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 2010–11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 41 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | New York Islanders | NHL | 19 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 2013–14 | New York Islanders | NHL | 47 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | New York Islanders | NHL | 52 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | New York Islanders | NHL | 52 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 58 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 187 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 91 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | United States | WJC18 | 01 ! | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2008 | United States | WJC | 4th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Junior totals | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||||