Eric Brewer (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

Brewer began his career in junior hockey with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he was named to the WHL West Second All-Star Team and selected for the 1998 WHL All-Star Game (though he missed the game due to injury). He was drafted fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1997 NHL entry draft and signed a three-year, $2.775-million entry-level contract with a $1-million signing bonus. After parts of two seasons with the Islanders and a stint with their AHL affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, Brewer was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2000. He later played for the St. Louis Blues (serving as captain for two years), Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Brewer represented Canada at eight International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned events, winning three Ice Hockey World Championships gold medals and one World Cup of Hockey gold medal in addition to his Olympic gold. He was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 with his British Columbian teammates and into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022.

Reader's Guide

Eric Brewer's legacy is defined by his consistent NHL career as a reliable defenceman and his international success with Canada. He was regarded as a future Norris Trophy candidate early in his career and was considered untouchable by the Islanders at the 1999 trade deadline alongside Zdeno Chára, Kenny Jönsson, and Roberto Luongo. His Olympic gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics led to his induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Off the ice, Brewer became a part owner of the Prince George Cougars in 2014, and the team awards the Eric Brewer Award for Defenceman of the Year each season. His charitable work includes participation in multiple charity hockey games during the 2004–05 NHL lockout and charity golf tournaments. Brewer's induction into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022 (as part of the 2020 class, delayed by COVID-19) further cements his impact on hockey in British Columbia.

A Sixteen-Season Blue-Line Journey

Eric Brewer carved out a sixteen-season NHL career spanning from 2000 to 2015, establishing himself as one of the league's most dependable defensive players. Selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 1997 entry draft, he signed an entry-level contract carrying the maximum rookie base salary and a one-million-dollar signing bonus, a reflection of the high expectations management placed on his shoulders. He was widely regarded as a future Norris Trophy contender and was considered untouchable at the 1999 trade deadline alongside teammates Zdeno Chára, Kenny Jönsson, and Roberto Luongo. Over the course of his professional journey, Brewer suited up for six NHL franchises—the Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs—and earned the distinction of captaining the Blues for two consecutive seasons. His excellence was further recognized with an NHL All-Star selection. Beyond the NHL, he also appeared for the Lowell Lock Monsters in the American Hockey League, demonstrating his commitment to competitive play at every level of the sport.

Canada's Golden-Era Defenceman

On the international stage, Eric Brewer became one of Canada's most decorated blue-liners, representing his country at eight IIHF-sanctioned tournaments throughout his career. His trophy cabinet includes three Ice Hockey World Championship gold medals and a World Cup of Hockey gold, underscoring his consistency across multiple formats of international competition. His crowning achievement arrived at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he captured the Olympic gold medal—a milestone that cemented his place among Canada's elite hockey figures. In recognition of that Olympic triumph, Brewer was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 alongside his fellow British Columbian teammates. His international résumé also includes representing Canada at the 1998 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, a tournament he completed before returning to his final WHL season. Across these eight major events, Brewer's steady presence on the defensive end provided the structural backbone for multiple gold-medal campaigns during a particularly successful era for Canadian hockey.

From Small-Town British Columbia to the NHL Draft

Eric Brewer's path to professional hockey was forged in the small communities of British Columbia. Born in Vernon and raised in Ashcroft, he began his development in the Ashcroft Minor Hockey program before his family relocated to Kamloops when he was fourteen. There, he excelled with the Bantam AAA Jardine Blazers and was exposed to the BCAHA Best Ever program in 1995, a pipeline designed to identify players for international competition. Looking up to NHL stars Scott Niedermayer and Jeremy Roenick, Brewer was selected in the sixth round of the 1994 WHL bantam draft by the Prince George Cougars. His junior career was marked by steady progression: a Rookie of the Year season, a playoff run that saw Prince George eliminate the top-seeded Portland Winter Hawks, and a statistical peak of thirty-three points in just thirty-four games. Despite missing the 1998 WHL All-Star Game to injury, he earned a spot on the West Second All-Star Team and was ranked the sixth-best North American skater heading into the 1997 NHL draft. The Cougars later honored him by naming him to their all-time team in a 1999 CHL promotion.

Ownership, Honors, and Giving Back

Beyond his playing days, Eric Brewer has maintained a deep connection to the hockey communities that shaped him. In 2014, he joined a group of investors—including fellow Cougars alumnus Dan Hamhuis—to become a part owner of the Prince George Cougars, the very team where he honed his junior skills. Each season, the franchise presents the Eric Brewer Award for Defenceman of the Year, a testament to his enduring influence on the organization. His legacy was further solidified in July 2022 when he was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class, a ceremony delayed by pandemic-related gathering restrictions. Off the ice, Brewer has been a consistent supporter of charitable causes, participating in lockout-era charity games such as the Ryan Smyth and Friends tour and the Our Game to Give event, as well as off-season golf events like the Burn Fund Tournament and the Recchi-Doan Classic. He and his wife Rebecca, whom he met while playing junior hockey, reside in Vancouver with their two daughters.

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