Brady Keeper facts for kids

Brady Keeper, born on June 5, 1996, is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman, which means he helps protect his team's goal. He currently plays for HK Poprad in the Slovak Extraliga and will join Glasgow Clan in the EIHL for the 2025-26 season. Even though he was not chosen in the main National Hockey League (NHL) draft, he still played for the Florida Panthers. Brady is also a proud member of the Cross Lake First Nation.

Brady Keeper's Hockey Journey

Starting in Junior Hockey

Brady Keeper began his hockey career playing junior hockey with the OCN Blizzard. This team is part of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). He played there from 2013 to 2017.

During the 2016–17 season, Brady was a standout player. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player. He also won the award for the Top Defenceman.

Playing College Hockey

After his junior career, Brady earned a scholarship. He went to the University of Maine to play college ice hockey. He played for the Maine Black Bears for two seasons.

In these two seasons, he scored 13 goals and had 57 points in 73 games. He almost left after two weeks, but decided to stay. In 2019, he was named to the Third All-Star team for Hockey East.

Joining the Professional Leagues

Even though no NHL team drafted him, Brady Keeper signed a contract. On March 21, 2019, he joined the Florida Panthers. He made his first NHL appearance on March 28, 2019.

Most of the 2019–20 season was spent with the Springfield Thunderbirds. This team is the Panthers' affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 6 goals and 18 points in 61 games.

Brady also played in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. He made his playoff debut on August 4, 2020. After that season, he signed another one-year contract with the Panthers.

During the 2020–21 season, which was shorter due to the pandemic, Brady played for the Syracuse Crunch. He played 11 games, scoring 2 goals and 3 points. He also played one game for the Panthers in the NHL.

Moving to Other Teams

After three seasons with the Panthers, Brady became a free agent. On July 28, 2021, he signed a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks. However, he faced a big challenge during his first training camp.

He broke both bones in his left leg, the tibia and fibula. This injury meant he missed the entire 2021–22 NHL season. He returned for the next season.

He played 35 games with the Abbotsford Canucks, the AHL team for Vancouver. He scored one goal and had six points.

On July 1, 2023, Brady signed a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He was then sent to their AHL team, the Laval Rocket. He missed three months of the 2023–24 season due to a lower body injury. He played 22 games, scoring one goal and four points.

On August 2, 2024, Brady decided to play hockey overseas. He signed a one-year contract with HK Poprad in Slovakia. This team plays in the Tipos Extraliga. He then agreed to join the Scottish team Glasgow Clan for the 2025-26 season.

Brady Keeper's Personal Life

Brady Keeper grew up in Cross Lake, a community in Northern Manitoba. He is the first person from the Cross Lake First Nation to play in the NHL. This is a very special achievement for him and his community.

Awards and Honours

Brady Keeper has received several awards for his hockey skills: