Jacob Bryson

Lore & Background

Bryson was born in London, Ontario, to parents Nancy and Dean, and learned hockey from his father alongside his brother Ty and cousins Ella and Mitchell Vande Sompel. He played for the London Gold Minor Midget AAA team and was named to the Minor Midget AAA All-Star Game in 2012. After being passed over in the Ontario Hockey League Bantam Draft, he played for the Neponset Valley River Rats U18 team and committed to Providence College. He spent one season at Loomis Chaffee School before joining the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League for the 2015–16 season, where he led all Lancer defencemen in scoring and was named to the USHL All-Rookie First Team. At Providence College, he served as team co-captain and was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star and an American Hockey Coaches Association Second-Team All-American. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sabres after his junior season and began his professional career with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.

Reader's Guide

Bryson's significance lies in his path to the NHL as a late-round draft pick who developed through the NCAA route. After being overlooked in the OHL draft, he chose to preserve his NCAA eligibility and played in the USHL before attending Providence College. At Providence, he became a standout defenceman, earning All-Star and All-American honors while serving as co-captain. His NHL debut with the Sabres came on February 23, 2021, and he scored his first NHL goal on March 6, 2021, becoming the third player in Sabres history to score his first goal in the opening minute of a game. He spent six seasons with the Sabres organization before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets on March 6, 2026, alongside Isak Rosen, a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick, and a 2027 pick.

Did You Know?

• Bryson was drafted 99th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2017 NHL entry draft.
• He served as co-captain of the Providence Friars during his junior season.
• He scored his first NHL goal on March 6, 2021, in the opening minute of a game against the New York Islanders.