Brett Leason

Playing career

Brett Leason grew up playing minor hockey in Calgary, Alberta, suiting up for the Calgary Stampeders and the junior Calgary Flames in the Alberta Minor Hockey Association. The Tri-City Americans selected him in the third round, 50th overall, of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft. In 2015, he won a silver medal with Calgary North at the Alberta Cup. After earning a roster spot with the Americans for the 2016–17 season, he struggled to move up the lineup and was traded the following year to the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for a draft pick. With the Raiders, Leason broke out, recording 15 goals and 32 points over 54 games. During the 2018–19 season, he led the Raiders in scoring with 36 goals and 89 points, helping the team finish first in the league. He carried that performance into the WHL playoffs, leading his team with 10 goals and 25 points in 22 games as the Raiders won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions. Leason and the Raiders then competed in the 2019 Memorial Cup, where they placed fourth. At season’s end, he was named to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team.

After going undrafted in his first two years of eligibility, the Washington Capitals selected Leason 56th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals on July 11, 2019. Leason spent his first two full professional seasons in the American Hockey League with the Hershey Bears. He made his NHL debut for Washington on October 29, 2021, against the Arizona Coyotes. Three days later, he scored his first NHL goal, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy in a 3–2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He finished that season with three goals and six points in 36 games. Leason made his Stanley Cup playoffs debut in Game 2 of Washington’s first-round series against the Florida Panthers, replacing the injured Tom Wilson. On June 20, 2022, he re-signed with the Capitals on a two-year, $1.55 million contract. However, he failed to make the team out of training camp and was placed on waivers on October 9, 2022.

The next day, the Anaheim Ducks claimed Leason off waivers. He made his Ducks debut on October 17 in a 6–4 loss to the New York Rangers. On November 5, he scored his first goal as a Duck, beating James Reimer in a 5–4 win over the San Jose Sharks.