T . J . Brodie T . J . Brodie ( born June 7 , 1990 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He was a fourth round selection of the Flames at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft . Brodie played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) prior to turning professional in 2010 and making his National Hockey League debut with Calgary . Playing career . Brodie grew up in the small town of Dresden , Ontario playing minor hockey for the Dresden Kings of the OMHA Southwestern Ontario League . Later in his minor career , he played AAA hockey for the Chatham - Kent Cyclones of the Pavilion League . Brodie was selected by the Saginaw Spirit in the third round of the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) priority selection in 2006 out of the Cyclones program and spent the majority of the 2006 – 07 season with the Junior B Leamington Flyers where he was voted the defensive rookie of the year and named to the rookie and first all - star teams in the Western Ontario Hockey League . He also appeared in 20 games with the Spirit before moving up to the OHL full time in the 2007 – 08 season . He appeared in all 68 games for the Spirit that year , scoring 30 points as a 17 - year - old . Seeking an offensive defenceman , the Calgary Flames selected Brodie in the fourth round , 114th overall , at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft . He improved to 50 points in 2008 – 09 and was praised by his coaches as being one of the best all - around defencemen in the OHL . His season earned the attention of Hockey Canada , which invited him to their summer evaluation camp for the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . Brodie began the 2009 – 10 season in Saginaw , but was traded to the Barrie Colts after 19 games as part of a four - player deal . The Colts finished the year as the top ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League , but were defeated by the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL championship series . Entering his 20 - year - old season , the Flames expected Brodie was ready to turn professional in 2010 – 11 . The team praised the improvements he made to his game , and anticipated that he would join their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate in Abbotsford . A strong showing at the team ' s rookie camp , and performances in the main camp that impressed both his coaches and teammates , resulted in Brodie earning a spot with the Flames to begin the season . He appeared in three games , recording two penalty minutes , before being assigned to the Abbotsford Heat . Brodie established himself as one of the Heat ' s top scorers and is considered one of the team ' s top prospects , but was also criticized by Calgary general manager Jay Feaster for not respecting the quality of the AHL and was sat out of a game by his coaches as a result . While he did not challenge those complaints , Brodie ' s play was such that he was named the team ' s lone representative at the 2011 AHL All - Star Game . He finished the year as Abbotsford ' s leading scorer amongst defencemen , and tied for second on the team overall , with 34 points . He led the Heat in assists with 29 . Brodie began the 2011 – 12 season in Abbotsford , but an injury to Anton Babchuk led to his recall by the Flames on November 11 , 2011 . He scored his first NHL point by assisting on a goal by Lee Stempniak against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 18 . He scored his first NHL goal nine days later against Niklas Bäckström of the Minnesota Wild when an attempted pass to Tim Jackman was deflected into the goal . Career statistics . " Statistics complete to the end of the 2010 – 11 season . "