In a sign that general manager Bill Guerin might not be 100% certain the solution to his bottom-six line-up is in-house the Minnesota Wild signed an intriguing youngish forward to a professional try-out contract just weeks before training camp opens. On Friday, they announced that winger Brett Leason had signed a PTO and been invited to camp.
Leason, 26, was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft. He made his debut with the Caps in the 2021-22 season, registering six points (three goals, three assists) in 36 games. He would be waived in October of 2022 and then quickly signed by the Anaheim Ducks. While they didn’t tender the restricted free agent a contract in the summer of 2024, they did sign him to a one-year deal and he appeared in 62 games for them last season.
Unfortunately, he struggled down the stretch and was a healthy scratch as Anaheim rotated in some of their younger prospects. Once again he faced life as a RFA this past summer, but unlike the summer prior, Anaheim didn’t sign him. After not receiving a contract or even an offer, he was available for the Wild to sign to a PTO.
So, what is it about Leason that has interested Guerin and his professional scouting staff? Size and hockey IQ. The Calgary native is listed at 6’5” and 220 lbs and has chipped away at a living as a penalty-killer and bottom-six forward that can pot the occasional goal. In his best NHL season (2023-24) he posted 11 goals in 68 games for Anaheim. Not bad for someone dwelling on the third and fourth lines.
Last season he posted a 2.31 GA/60 and 2.96 xGA/60 at 5v5 for the Ducks. While those numbers aren’t anything to write home about, for a team that struggled like Anaheim they were relatively decent. His relative GA/60 was -0.04 and his xGA was -0.06 so the Ducks weren’t really that much worse during the 10:27 of ice time when he was on the ice. He also averaged 1:42 of short-handed time for them, which was third among forwards for Anaheim last season.
While he would likely spend most of his time on the wing, he would give them a right-handed option at the face-off dot as well, something that the Wild really don’t have outside of Ryan Hartman. Leason has struggled in the face-off dot winning just 33% of his career draws, but having a player who can take draws naturally on the right-side of the ice gives a team a little extra flexibility, especially short-handed.
Leason joins the battle for the fourth line with Nicholas Aube-Kubel, Yakov Trenin, and Vinnie Hinostrova along with rookies Liam Ohgren. There is a path to him making the team with a strong training camp, especially if Ohgren and Danila Yurov struggle. Even if he doesn’t make the squad out of camp, he could still ink a NHL contract, spend some time in Iowa and then earn a call-up at some point during the season.