Born	January 1, 1987 (1987-01-01) (age 22), Edmonton, AB, CAN
Height Weight	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Right
NHL team F. teams	Edmonton Oilers Columbus Blue Jackets
Ntl. team	Canada
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2005 Columbus Blue Jackets
Pro career	2005 – present

Gilbert Brulé (born January 1, 1987 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center currently with the Edmonton Oilers organization of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted 6th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Brulé began his NHL career with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being traded to the Oilers prior to the 2008–09 season.

Brulé played major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for three seasons, earning league rookie of the year and playoff MVP and Memorial Cup leading scorer awards, while winning the 2006 WHL title and competing in the 2006 Memorial Cup with the Vancouver Giants.

Internationally, Brulé has represented Team Canada at the 2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2004 U-18 Junior World Cup, winning gold medals at both tournaments.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 International play 3 Career statistics 4 Awards 5 Records 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Playing career

Brulé was drafted 1st overall in the 2002 WHL Bantam Draft by the Vancouver Giants. In his first season as a Giant, Brulé tallied 60 points in 67 games, a Giants' franchise record for points by a rookie, earning him the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year. The following season, Brulé finished third in WHL scoring and was considered to be among the CHL's top prospects of that draft year, at one point, ranked behind only Sidney Crosby by International Scouting Services.^[1] He finished his second WHL season with 87 points, establishing another Giants' franchise record (since surpassed by Casey Pierro-Zabotel in 2008–09). Brulé was drafted 6th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He remained highest drafted Giant in team history until Evander Kane was drafted 4th overall in 2009.

Brulé immediately began the 2005–06 season in the NHL with the Blue Jackets, but after two stints on the injured reserve – he suffered a sternum fracture in Columbus' home opener, then a broken leg in late November^[2] – he was returned to the WHL for the remainder of the season. Once he recovered from his injury, Brulé returned to the Giants, scoring at a torrid pace and was named WHL Player of the Month for February.^[3] He completed the season with 23 goals and 38 points in just 27 games and earned WHL Second All-Star Team honours.^[4] In the playoffs, he led the Vancouver Giants to a President's Cup as WHL champions, and earned the airBC Trophy as playoff MVP. In the subsequent Memorial Cup – although eliminated in the semi-final – Brulé managed 12 points in 5 games, earning him the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the tournament's leading scorer.

In 2006–07, Brulé played his first full season with the Blue Jackets, appearing in 78 games and tallying 19 points. He took a step back, however, in his second NHL season and was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) on multiple occasions.^[5] With just 1 goal in 61 games with the Blue Jackets in 2007–08, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for Raffi Torres on July 1, 2008.^[6]

Brulé was one of the final cuts in his first training camp with the Oilers and was assigned to the Springfield Falcons, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. On October 17, 2008, he suffered a knee-on-knee hit from Adam McQuaid in a game against the Providence Bruins, missing several games.^[7] During a call-up, Brulé scored his first goal with the Oilers on January 11, 2009, in a 2–1 win against the St. Louis Blues.^[8] Finishing the season with 3 points in 11 games with the Oilers and 24 points in 39 games with the Falcons, he was re-signed to Edmonton in the off-season to a one-year, two-way contract on August 12, 2009.^[9]

[edit] International play

Medal record
Competitor for  Canada
Ice hockey
U18 Junior World Cup
Gold	2004 Czech Republic
World U17 Hockey Challenge
Silver	2004 Canada

Brulé made his international debut with Hockey Canada representing Team Pacific at the 2004 World U17 Hockey Challenge in Newfoundland. He led Team Pacific to the gold medal game with a one-goal, three-assist effort in the semi-final game against the United States, good for his third player of the game award of the tournament.^[10] However, Team Pacific would fall to Team Ontario 5–2 in the final, earning silver. Later that year, he represented Team Canada in the 2004 U18 Junior World Cup as an alternate captain. Brulé helped lead Team Canada to gold, scoring the game winning goal in the championship game, a 4–1 win against the Czech Republic.^[11]

[edit] Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Quesnel Millionaires	BCHL		48	32	25	57	71		7	4	7	11	?
2002–03	Vancouver Giants	WHL		1	0	0	0	0		4	1	0	1	0
2003–04	Vancouver Giants	WHL		67	25	35	60	100		11	4	5	9	10
2004–05	Vancouver Giants	WHL		70	39	48	87	169		6	1	3	4	8
2005–06	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		7	2	2	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Vancouver Giants	WHL		27	23	15	38	40		18	16	14	30	44
2006–07	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		78	9	10	19	28		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		61	1	8	9	24		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		16	5	5	10	44		13	2	3	5	16
2008–09	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		11	2	1	3	12		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Springfield Falcons	AHL		39	13	11	24	58		—	—	—	—	—
WHL totals				165	87	98	185	309		39	22	22	44	62
NHL totals				157	14	21	35	64		—	—	—	—	—

[edit] Awards

CHL

• CHL All-Rookie Team - 2003–04
• CHL Scholastic Player of the Year - 2004–05
• CHL Second Team All-Star - 2004–05
• CHL Top Prospects Game MVP - 2005
• CHL Memorial Cup All-Star - 2005–06
• Ed Chynoweth Trophy (Memorial Cup leading scorer) - 2005–06

WHL

• Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year) - 2003–04
• Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy (WHL Scholastic Player of the Year) - 2004–05
• WHL First Team West All-Star - 2004–05
• WHL Player of the Week - February 13-19, 2006^[3]
• WHL Player of the Month - February 2006^[3]
• WHL Second Team West All-Star - 2005–06
• airBC Trophy (WHL Playoffs MVP) - 2005–06
• Top Scorer WHL Playoffs - 2005–06

[edit] Records

• Vancouver Giants franchise record; most points, rookie - 60 in 2003–04

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Gilbert Brulé's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Gilbert Brule Minor Hockey Video
• Gilbert Brule Fan Forum

Preceded by Alixadre Picard

Columbus Blue Jackets first round draft pick 2005

Succeeded by Derick Brassard