Brady Skjei

Did You Know?

• Skjei is of Norwegian descent.
• He was portrayed by Alex Moffat on a November 18, 2017, episode of Saturday Night Live.

Playing career

Skjei began high school hockey with the Lakeville North Panthers, earning Rookie of the Year in his first season and Most Valuable Player in his second. He then spent two years with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Michigan, one with the Under-17 team and one with the Under-18 team. After being drafted by the New York Rangers in 2012, he played his freshman season at the University of Minnesota, recording one goal and two assists in 36 games. He signed with the Rangers on April 1, 2015, and finished the 2014–15 season on an amateur tryout with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Skjei scored his first professional goal in a Calder Cup playoff game against the Providence Bruins on April 26, 2015. Promoted to the Rangers on December 15, 2015, after 2 goals and 9 assists in 27 AHL games, he played 7 regular-season games without a point but recorded two assists in the playoffs. His first NHL goal came on December 11, 2016, against the New Jersey Devils, and his first playoff goal on April 16, 2017, against the Montreal Canadiens. On April 29, 2017, he had his first multiple-goal game, scoring twice against the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs. He was named to the NHL's 2017 All-Rookie team on June 21, 2017. In the 2017–18 season, his points total dropped to 25, but his ice time increased after the trade of Ryan McDonagh. Skjei signed a six-year contract with the Rangers on July 28, 2018. On February 24, 2020, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2020 first-round pick.

International play

Skjei represents the United States internationally. He debuted at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, recording one goal and three assists in six games and earning a silver medal. In 2012, he won a gold medal at the IIHF World U18 Championships with the American Under-18 team. He attended the 2013 World Junior evaluation camp but was not selected, and later played in the 2014 World Junior Tournament. At the 2025 IIHF World Championship, he recorded one goal and two assists in ten games, helping the US win their first gold medal since 1933.