# Brayden Point

Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Point won the Stanley Cup back-to-back with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, leading the playoffs in goal scoring both times, including scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal of the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals.

## Playing career
### Major junior career

Point was drafted in the first round, fourteenth overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors of the 2011 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. In his first full season with the club, he scored 24 goals and 57 points in 67 games. At the conclusion of the season, Point was selected in the fifth round, 167th overall by Traktor Chelyabinsk in the 2013 KHL Junior Draft.
In his NHL draft year, Point led the Warriors in scoring with 36 goals and 91 points in 72 games. His play was rewarded by his participation in the 2014 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Point was ranked 31st among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Services. He was drafted in the third round, 79th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Point returned to the Warriors for the 2014–15 season, where he once again led the team in scoring. On March 26, 2015, the Lightning signed Point to a three-year, entry-level contract. At the conclusion of the season, Point joined the Lightning's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. In nine games for the Crunch, he recorded two goals and two assists. He also went scoreless in two postseason games.
In his final year with the Warriors, Point had 35 goals and 88 points in 48 games.

### Tampa Bay Lightning (2016–present)

On October 11, 2016, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that Point had made the opening night roster out of training camp. Point had had an impressive training camp, recording three preseason goals. Lightning centre and captain Steven Stamkos stated that he believed Point deserved to play in the NHL. Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman stated that the team "felt like he's earned the right for us to give him a look right off the bat." On October 13, Point made his NHL debut in a 6–4 Lightning win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. On October 15, Point recorded his first NHL point, which came when he assisted on Valtteri Filppula's game winner in the 3rd period. The win came against the visiting New Jersey Devils. On October 18, Point recorded his first NHL shootout goal on his first attempt against goaltender James Reimer of the Florida Panthers. In doing so, Point became the 27th player to score in the shootout before their first career NHL goal. Additionally, he became just the thirteenth player to get the shootout decider before their first career goal. On November 5, Point recorded his first career NHL goal in a 4–1 win over the visiting New Jersey Devils. The goal came on the power play off a redirection of a Nikita Kucherov slap shot, which beat Devils' goaltender Cory Schneider. On December 29, the Lightning announced that Point would miss the next 4–6 weeks with an upper body injury. The injury was sustained in a game against the Montreal Canadiens the night before. On January 31, 2017, Point returned to the lineup against the Boston Bruins. On April 10, Point was named the NHL Third Star of the Week.
On January 24, 2018, Point was named to the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. Point replaced injured teammate Victor Hedman. This was Point's first selection to the All-Star Game. After the All-Star break, Point was the 3rd highest scorer on his team, and the top game-winning goal scorer, with 10 goals. On April 12, Point appeared in his first career NHL Stanley Cup playoff game in the first game in the first round of the 2018 playoffs, a 5–2 Lightning win over the visiting New Jersey Devils. Point recorded his first career playoff assist and point in the Lightning victory. On April 14, Point recorded his first career playoff goal, which came in game two of the series, ending in a 5–3 Lightning win over the Devils at Amalie Arena. After defeating the eighth-seeded Devils in five games in the first round, the Lightning would defeat the third-seeded Boston Bruins in five games in the second round before getting defeated in seven games by the second-seeded and eventual Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, one win short from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. Point ended his first playoff with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in all 17 games.
Point recorded his first career natural hat-trick in a 4–3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 15, 2018. He recorded his three goals within 1 minute and 31 seconds, the sixth-fastest three goals scored in NHL history. Point ended the 2018–19 season with 41 goals and 51 assists for 92 points in 79 games, helping the Lightning capture their first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history before ultimately being swept in the first round of the 2019 playoffs by the eighth-seeded Columbus Blue Jackets and ending the playoff with one goal and no assists for one point in all four games.
On September 23, 2019, the Lightning re-signed Point to a three-year, $20.25 million extension. That same day, he revealed he had undergone hip surgery in the 2019 off-season to repair a torn labrum and that he is ready to start the 2019–20 season, in which he recorded 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 66 games until the final three weeks of the season got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 11, 2020, in the first round of the 2020 playoffs, Point scored the winning goal in game one against the Columbus Blue Jackets in what was the fourth-longest game in NHL history. His goal came with 9:33 left in quintuple overtime. Eight days later, in game five, Point scored in the first overtime period to clinch the series for the Lightning. On September 7, Point recorded a five-point night to help the Lightning to a 8–2 win over the New York Islanders in the first game of the Eastern Conference final. The five-point game established a new franchise record for most points in a single playoff game. Point eventually won the Stanley Cup on September 28 after the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in six games during the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals and led the league in goals (14) while also recording 19 assists for 33 points. He and Nikita Kucherov also became the first teammates to have 30 playoff points (Point (33), Kucherov (34) since Sidney Crosby (31) and Evgeni Malkin (37) in 2009.
Point finished the COVID-shortened 2020–21 season with 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points in all 56 games before helping the Lightning repeat as Stanley Cup champions as they defeated the inner-state rival Florida Panthers in six games, Carolina Hurricanes in six games and New York Islanders in seven games in the first three rounds of the 2021 playoffs before defeating the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. He ended the playoffs with 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points in all 23 games.
On July 28, 2021, Point signed an eight-year, $76 million extension with the Lightning.

## International play

As a 16-year-old, he was named an alternate captain for fifth place Canada Pacific in the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. As a 17-year-old, Point was chosen to compete with the Canadian U-18 squad at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament where he won a gold medal and MVP honours, and he also helped Team Canada capture the bronze medal at the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships. Brayden was also named to the Team Canada roster that captured a gold medal at the 2015 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships.
On April 12, 2017, Point was named to Canada's men's national ice hockey team for the 2017 IIHF World Championship. On May 21, 2017, Point earned a silver medal with Team Canada when they were defeated by Team Sweden 2–1.

## Personal life

Point is the younger brother of Riley Point, who also played for the Canmore Eagles. The two brothers played together for four games while Point was a call up.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league
| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2011–12 | Canmore Eagles | AJHL | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 67 | 24 | 33 | 57 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 72 | 36 | 55 | 91 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 60 | 38 | 49 | 87 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 48 | 35 | 53 | 88 | 36 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 10 |
| 2016–17 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 68 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 32 | 34 | 66 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 10 |
| 2018–19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 79 | 41 | 51 | 92 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 66 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 11 | 22 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 10 |
| 2020–21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 56 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 11 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 8 |
| 2021–22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 66 | 28 | 30 | 58 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 2022–23 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 51 | 44 | 95 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023–24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 81 | 46 | 44 | 90 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 580 | 264 | 289 | 553 | 142 | 87 | 42 | 45 | 87 | 41 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2013 | Canada | IH18 | | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2013 | Canada Pacific | U17 | 5th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| 2014 | Canada | U18 | | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | Canada | WJC | | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 2016 | Canada | WJC | 6th | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 | Canada | WC | | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | Canada | 4NF | | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 26 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 22 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 |

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year |
| WHL |||
| CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (Team Orr) | 2014 |
| East First All-Star Team | 2015, 2016 |
| NHL |||
| NHL All-Star Game | 2018 |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2020, 2021 |
| International |||
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Gold Medal | 2013 |
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament MVP | 2013 |
| World U-17 Hockey Challenge Silver Medal | 2014 |
| IIHF World U18 Championship Bronze Medal | 2014 |
| IIHF World U20 Championship Gold Medal | 2015 |
| IIHF World Championships Silver Medal | 2017 |
| 4 Nations Face-Off champion | 2025 |

### Records
#### Tampa Bay Lightning

* Most playoff goals in a single season, (14) (2020, 2021).