Brad Larsen

Lore & Background

Larsen was born in Nakusp, British Columbia, but grew up in Vernon, British Columbia. He played junior ice hockey for the Swift Current Broncos. He was drafted in round 3, 53rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1995 NHL entry draft. His rights were traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

He was not signed by the Avalanche and subsequently re-entered the draft, where he was drafted 87th overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft by the Avalanche. Larsen's first four professional years were spent almost entirely with Colorado's AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, before securing a full-time role as a member of the Avalanche in the 2001–02 season. He could not establish himself in the NHL because he was blighted by persistent back and groin injuries in the 2002–03 season.

Larsen returned in the 2003–04 season and spent time with both Hershey and Colorado before he was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers on February 25, 2004. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he played in a career-high 75 games with the Thrashers AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Upon resumption of the NHL in the 2005–06 season, Larsen established a checking line role with the Thrashers and posted a career-high 7 goals for 15 points. After playing in an NHL-high 72 games and helping Atlanta reach their maiden postseason the following season, Larsen was re-signed by the Thrashers to a two-year contract extension on June 22, 2007.

His offensive contributions dipped in the 2007–08 season, scoring just 1 goal and four points. On September 26, 2008, Larsen was traded by Atlanta, along with Ken Klee and Chad Painchaud, to the Anaheim Ducks for Mathieu Schneider. Larsen's injury woes returned at the start of the 2008–09 season, after suffering a sports hernia; he was then required to have hip surgery which consequently kept him sidelined for the entire season without debuting for the Ducks.

A free agent, Larsen was invited to the Buffalo Sabres training camp for the 2009–10 season, before signing with its AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates on September 12, 2009. He posted 13 goals and 27 points in 55 games. Helping the Pirates reach the quarterfinals in the Calder Cup playoffs, Larsen later announced his retirement to become an assistant coach with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL on August 20, 2010. Larsen was an assistant coach for the Springfield Falcons between 2010 and 2012.

Reader's Guide

Brad Larsen is a former NHL forward who played for the Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers, and later became a head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He never played for the Winnipeg Jets.