Kingston Frontenacs Game Day February 7, 2020

by Marcus Boutilier
@bouthockey ohlnetwork.ca
Every team in hockey needs a good mix of playing
styles from its players to be an effective squad
able to cover all facets of a game. While Evan Brand
may not get his name on the scoresheet often, it’s
his other intangibles that help provide that depth and
sandpaper every coach loves. His game is not for the
faint of heart as he plays a big-game and ensures
opposing players have an uncomfortable night
playing the Frontenacs.
Brand was taken in the 2017 OHL Priority
Selection with the 29th pick in the second round
joining Luke Drewitt and Ryan Dugas as the other
assets Kingston added during that summer that are
currently on the roster. He had been playing in the
Mississauga Rebels Minor Midget program during
the 2016-17 season playing with current Oshawa
General Philip Tomasino. In 54 games, the evergrowing
defenceman had two goals and 16 assists for
an 18-point regular season before appearing at the
OHL Cup in the postseason.
The 6-foot-5, 208-pound rearguard made his
Kingston debut on Sept 22, 2017, earning an assist
in his first game on a Cody Morgan goal just over
twenty-two minutes into his OHL career to help the
Frontenacs to a 3-2 victory. He played in 27 more
games in the 2017-18 season before a trade that
saw Kingston acquire some veterans for a playoff
push. To go along with the trade, they sent the then
16-year-old to the Kingston Voyageurs for the balance
of the season. He played in 15 games for the Vees
and registered a goal and an assist while playing a
physical game and accumulating 42 penalty minutes.
That season also saw the Toronto, ON native
appear at the U-17 tournament representing Canada
Red on a squad that included current Frontenac Nick
Wong and some other great players like potential
2020 1st overall NHL selection Alex Lafreniere and
Hurricanes first-rounder Ryan Suzuki. Brand had two
assists in six games with eight penalty minutes.
The 2018-19 season saw Brand take a larger role
on the team appearing in 61 games while adding four
assists. Not afraid to take on anyone, he made sure
his teammates were protected and played a heavy
game including blocking key shots and playing hard
on opposing forwards in the Kingston zone.
This season, Brand has continued his steady play
helping the Frontenacs younger players have some
comfort level knowing he has their back if things get
rough. Always ready to stick up for his teammates,
he’s shown a few times in 2019-20 it will not go
unnoticed should a player take runs at Kingston elite
scorers.
He scored his first career OHL goal on Oct 14 in
Ottawa in a wild game that saw the 67’s win 8-7 in
overtime. He’s also added two assists and has fired
31 shots on goal while helping clear traffic in front
of Christian Propp and Ryan Dugas. On Nov 8, he
took on John Parker-Jones from Peterborough in the
Remembrance Day game in a very memorable tussle
as he took on another rough customer. KF
16
OFFICIAL GAME DAY MAGAZINE, VOLUME 47, ISSUE 25