Patrick Brown, once associated with the Philadelphia Flyers, is facing a challenging turn in his career as the Boston Bruins place him on waivers, intending to assign him to the AHL's Providence Bruins, as reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
The 31-year-old center joined the Bruins last summer with a two-year, $1.6 million deal but has played a limited role, making minimal impact on the team. Brown, originally signed by the Hurricanes in 2014 as an undrafted free agent, has accumulated experience in 144 NHL games and 403 AHL games over nine years. Despite maintaining a depth NHL role with various teams, including the Bruins, Flyers, and Senators, Brown has not seen AHL action since the 2020-21 season when he served as the captain of the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights' minor-league affiliate.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, the Bruins have waived Brown and recalled him for brief periods, yet he has not seen any action for AHL Providence. In six NHL games this season, Brown has failed to register a point, posting a -1 rating, two penalty minutes, and four shots on goal, averaging 9:19 of ice time per game. While maintaining a respectable 53.8% faceoff success rate, he has taken only 13 draws. However, his possession numbers lag behind teammates, and he has experienced limited usage in the offensive zone, starting just eight percent of his shifts there.
Brown's struggles have been evident, leading to his recent healthy scratch in six out of the last seven games. His only appearance in November, against the Islanders, saw him logging a season-high 11:23 of ice time without making a significant impact.
Having remained on the active NHL roster for over 30 days since clearing waivers last month, Brown now faces the possibility of passing through waivers again unclaimed to return to Providence. As his playing time diminishes and challenges mount, Brown's career appears to be at a crossroads, reflecting a challenging chapter for the former Philadelphia Flyers contributor.
