Brenden Dillon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brenden Dillon |
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Dillon with the Dallas Stars in 2014
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| Born | November 13, 1990 Surrey, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
New Jersey Devils Dallas Stars San Jose Sharks Washington Capitals Winnipeg Jets |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2011–present | ||
Brenden Dillon (born November 13, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). Before joining the Devils, Dillon played for the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals, and Winnipeg Jets. He was not chosen in the NHL draft. Before becoming a professional, Dillon played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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Brenden Dillon's Early Life
Brenden Dillon was born on November 13, 1990. His hometown is Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. His mother's name is Debbie. Brenden's father was born in Portugal and later moved to Toronto. Because of his family background, Brenden can speak both French and Portuguese. His younger sister was a beach volleyball player at York University.
Growing up, Brenden was very active in sports. He played volleyball, basketball, soccer, and ran track and field. He went to a private Catholic elementary school. There, he was often named the best track athlete for races like the 100m and 200m, and for the long jump.
Dillon's Hockey Journey
Starting in Amateur Hockey
When he was 15, Brenden started training with Impact Hockey Development. This helped him earn a spot on the junior B Hope Icebreakers team. They played in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PIJHL). Even though he was only five-foot-two at the time, Brenden was not picked in the Western Hockey League (WHL) Entry Draft. He played one season in the PIJHL. After that, he was signed by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Brenden played for the Thunderbirds for four seasons. During his time there, he scored 85 points in 271 games. On March 1, 2011, Brenden Dillon signed his first professional contract. It was a three-year deal with the Dallas Stars as a free agent.
Playing in the NHL
Dallas Stars Debut
After signing with the Stars, Brenden joined their minor league team, the Texas Stars. They play in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played 10 games for them in the 2010–11 season. He didn't score any points but had eight penalty minutes.
Brenden was invited to the Dallas Stars' training camp for the 2011–12 season. However, he was sent back to the Texas Stars. After playing 31 games and getting two goals and 11 assists, he was called up to the NHL. This happened when another player, Sheldon Souray, got injured. Brenden didn't play in that call-up.
He was called up again for the very last game of the season. Brenden made his NHL debut on April 8, 2012, against the St. Louis Blues. He played for almost 20 minutes. He had six shots on goal, four hits, and three blocked shots. He finished the season with the Texas Stars.
First NHL Goal and International Play
Because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Brenden started the 2012–13 season with the Texas Stars. He joined the Dallas Stars once the lockout ended. On February 1, 2013, Brenden had a special game. He got his first career Gordie Howe hat trick. This means he had a fight, an assist, and a goal in the same game! He also scored his first NHL goal in that game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Brenden was also chosen to play for Team Canada. He played in the 2013 IIHF World Championship. He scored one goal in eight games. Canada lost in the quarter-finals to Sweden.
In the 2013–14 season, Brenden played the whole year with the Stars. He set new personal bests, scoring 17 points in 80 games. His plus-minus rating was fourth best among all NHL defencemen. He missed only two games due to an injury. On October 2, 2014, he signed a new one-year contract with the Stars.
Moving to San Jose
On November 21, 2014, Brenden was traded to the San Jose Sharks. The Stars received defenceman Jason Demers and a draft pick in return. At the time of the trade, Brenden had three assists in 20 games. When he joined the Sharks, he was paired with experienced player Brent Burns.
Brenden finished the 2014–15 season with the Sharks. He scored two goals and seven assists in 60 games. On June 29, 2015, he signed a big five-year contract extension with San Jose. This deal was worth $16.35 million. In the first year of this new contract, Brenden scored 11 points in 79 games.
In his third full season with the Sharks, Brenden started scoring more points. He set new personal bests for assists and total points. On December 5, 2017, he was suspended for one game for slashing a player from the Washington Capitals.
After the 2018–19 season, Brenden received the Sharks' first "Media Good Guy" Award. This award is for players who are helpful and honest with the media. He was also nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. This award goes to a player who shows leadership and helps their community. Brenden was nominated for his work with the Sharks Foundation's Stick To Fitness program.
Time with the Capitals
After the 2019–20 season, the Sharks were not going to make the playoffs. Brenden was in the last year of his contract. So, on February 18, 2020, he was traded to the Washington Capitals. The Capitals sent a second-round draft pick and a conditional third-round pick to the Sharks. When he left the Sharks, Brenden was ninth in games played for the team. He was also seventh in penalty minutes in the team's history. Brenden had said he wanted to stay with the Sharks.
On October 6, 2020, Brenden signed a new four-year contract with the Capitals. It was worth $15.6 million.
Playing for the Jets
On July 26, 2021, Brenden was traded again. The Capitals sent him to the Winnipeg Jets. In return, the Capitals received second-round draft picks for 2022 and 2023. Later, on December 17, 2021, Brenden played his first game against his old team, the Capitals. In that game, he scored his first goal as a Winnipeg Jet.
Joining the Devils
After playing three seasons with the Jets, Brenden Dillon signed a new contract. On July 1, 2024, he joined the New Jersey Devils. He signed a three-year contract worth $12 million.
Brenden's Life Off the Ice
Brenden Dillon works with HEROS, which is a non-profit youth hockey organization. It helps young people in Western Canada. Brenden is an ambassador for the group. He helped open a new HEROS office in his hometown of Surrey, British Columbia.
Images for kids
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Dillon with the Dallas Stars in 2014
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Dillon playing for the Texas Stars in 2011
