Brewer started his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1958. He also played with the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. He won three Stanley Cups with Toronto in 1962, 1963 and 1964. In 1966 and 1967 he played with the Canadian National team, winning a bronze medal at the 1967 Ice Hockey World Championships. His brief stint in HIFK made such an impact on Finnish hockey that he was inducted to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.