Wade Brookbank

Wade Brookbank (born September 29, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 127 games in the National Hockey League with the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes between 2003 and 2009. He is currently a pro scout for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Playing career Undrafted, Brookbank previously played for the Anchorage Aces of the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL), the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League (CHL), the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League (IHL), the Grand Rapids Griffins, Providence Bruins, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Binghamton Senators, Milwaukee Admirals, Norfolk Admirals and Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL), and the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL.

The 2000–01 season saw him win two professional hockey championships. He played the first half of the season with the CHL's Oklahoma City Blazers before being called up by the IHL's Orlando Solar Bears where he won the last Turner Cup before the IHL amalgamated with the American Hockey League. He then went back to the Blazers where he helped them capture the CHL championship. His unofficial role is that of an enforcer, evident from his 43 career NHL fights, including 17 in his rookie season. Brookbank scored his first career NHL goal with the Canucks against Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals on January 31, 2004 in a 6-1 victory. As an NHL player, he played primarily on wing.

He was traded by the Hurricanes, along with Josef Melichar and a fourth-round draft pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jussi Jokinen on February 7, 2009. He was then assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals to finish the 2008–09 season. A free agent in the following off-season, he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 31, 2009.

On July 21, 2010, Brookbank signed as a free agent to a one-year deal with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.

Following the 2013-14 season, Brookbank retired from professional hockey. He is currently a pro scout for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Personal life Brookbank's younger brother Sheldon was also a professional ice hockey player who last played for the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. He also has an older brother, Leigh. Leigh (Yorkton Terriers), Wade (Melville Millionaires), and Sheldon (Humboldt Broncos) are all Junior "A" alumni of the SJHL. Their father Murray was an assistant coach from 2004/05 to 2011/12 with the Humboldt Broncos. Brookbank is the cousin of Geoff Sanderson, a former NHL player.

In 2007, Brookbank was named as one of the Oklahoma City Blazers' 15 greatest players.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1996–97 Melville Millionaires SJHL 60 1 10 11 412 — — — — — 1997–98 Melville Millionaires SJHL 58 8 21 29 330 — — — — — 1997–98 Anchorage Aces WCHL 7 0 0 0 46 4 0 0 0 20 1998–99 Anchorage Aces WCHL 56 0 4 4 337 5 0 0 0 7 1999–00 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 68 3 9 12 354 7 1 1 2 29 2000–01 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 46 1 13 14 267 5 0 0 0 24 2000–01 Orlando Solar Bears IHL 29 0 1 1 122 4 0 0 0 6 2001–02 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 73 1 6 7 337 3 0 1 1 14 2002–03 Binghamton Senators AHL 8 0 0 0 28 — — — — — 2003–04 Nashville Predators NHL 9 0 0 0 38 — — — — — 2003–04 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 6 0 0 0 6 — — — — — 2003–04 Vancouver Canucks NHL 20 2 0 2 95 — — — — — 2003–04 Binghamton Senators AHL 4 0 0 0 31 — — — — — 2003–04 Manitoba Moose AHL 4 0 0 0 12 — — — — — 2004–05 Manitoba Moose AHL 68 0 10 10 285 9 0 0 0 10 2005–06 Vancouver Canucks NHL 32 1 2 3 81 — — — — — 2006–07 Boston Bruins NHL 7 1 0 1 15 — — — — — 2006–07 Providence Bruins AHL 4 0 0 0 15 — — — — — 2006–07 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 39 1 0 1 116 5 0 0 0 6 2007–08 Albany River Rats AHL 25 0 2 2 28 — — — — — 2007–08 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 32 1 1 2 76 — — — — — 2008–09 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 27 1 0 1 40 — — — — — 2008–09 Norfolk Admirals AHL 24 0 1 1 46 — — — — — 2009–10 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 68 3 4 7 168 4 0 0 0 6 2010–11 Rockford IceHogs AHL 56 2 0 2 143 — — — — — 2011–12 Rockford IceHogs AHL 17 1 4 5 44 — — — — — 2012–13 Rockford IceHogs AHL 28 0 1 1 100 — — — — — 2013–14 Rockford IceHogs AHL 27 0 1 1 30 — — — — — AHL totals 451 8 29 37 1389 21 0 1 1 36 NHL totals 127 6 3 9 345 — — — — —

Transactions Sep 1, 2000 - Signed as a free agent by Orlando Solar Bears. Jul 27, 2001 - Signed as a free agent by the Ottawa Senators. Oct 3, 2003 - Claimed by the Nashville Predators from the Ottawa Senators in the NHL Waiver Draft. Dec 17, 2003 - Traded to the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations. Dec 19, 2003 - Claimed by the Ottawa Senators off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks. Dec 29, 2003 - Traded to the Florida Panthers for future considerations. Jan 3, 2004 - Claimed by the Vancouver Canucks off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Jul 21, 2006 - Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Boston Bruins. Dec 19, 2006 - Traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations. Jul 3, 2007 - Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Carolina Hurricanes. Feb 7, 2009 - Traded, along with Josef Melichar and a fourth round draft pick in the 2009 draft, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jussi Jokinen. Jul 31, 2009 - Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jul 21, 2010 - Signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Rockford IceHogs.