Vancouver Canucks of Tomorrow: Brady Keeper

Canucks of Tomorrow is assessing every prospect in the Vancouver Canucks system and what they are projecting to be in the future. We’ll be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of their game, as well as what the future holds for them if and when they advance through the Vancouver organization. Today, we feature Brady Keeper.

BRADY KEEPER

Position: Right shot Defenceman

How Acquired: 2021 Free agent acquisition, signed July 28th

2021-22 Stats: (GP-W-L-OTL) Did not play

Contract Status: One season remaining on a two-year, one-way NHL deal with a cap hit of $762,500

Anticipated 2022-23 Team: Abbotsford Canucks

Prospect Synopsis

This Vancouver Canucks prospect report is a bit different in multiple ways. First of all, this ‘prospect’ is already on an NHL deal, has recently turned 26-years-old, and didn’t play a hockey game last season.

Brady Keeper broke his leg in training camp last September, just a day before the Vancouver Canucks played their first preseason game in Spokane against the Seattle Kraken. It was a spiral fracture of his left leg.

“It’s unfortunate, I thought his game had gotten better as camp has gone on,” said Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Travis Green at the time.

Keeper began skating again in March but did not participate in any professional games at the end of the season. He’s expected back for training camp.

The 6-foot-2, 197-pounder right show D-man has played in two regular season NHL games and one playoff game, all with the Florida Panthers. The undrafted native of Cross Lake, Manitoba is the first player from the Pimicikamak Cree Nation to play an NHL game. He was signed by the Panthers in 2019 just after finishing two seasons at the University of Maine.

He’s tallied 21 points from the blueline in 72 career American Hockey League games.

Good size, will sacrifice his body, plays a strong team game, would summarize the early scouting reports.

Future

Life and career simply jumped ahead by a year. Keeper will try to pick up where he left off. Clearly not a favourite to make the big club, he’ll aim to surprise by using his work ethic to his advantage, while right shot D-men are in need.

He’ll need to clear waivers when sent down to Abbotsford of the AHL.

Keeper will have a lot of people pulling for him at camp. VHN recommends this story by Patrick Johnston in April.