Philadelphia Flyers prospect Bryce Brodzinski has announced that he will be returning for his fifth year at the University of Minnesota to play for the Gophers one last time.
Drafted in 2019, Brodzinski has quietly improved on a yearly basis for the Gophers and is expected to play a large role next season alongside Arizona Coyotes top prospect Logan Cooley.
The Flyers drafted Brodzinski with the 196th selection in the 7th round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He joined Cam York (14th overall), Bobby Brink (34th overall), Ronnie Attard (72nd overall), Mason Millman (103rd overall), Egor Serdyuk (165th overall), and Roddy Ross (169th overall) that summer. In his draft season, he recorded 7 goals and 17 points in 19 games for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL before committing to the University of Minnesota.
While with the Gophers, Brodzinski scored 7 goals and 12 points in 37 games in his first season in 2019-20. He then scored 8 goals and 14 points in 30 games in 2020-21, followed that up with 12 goals and 26 points in 2021-22, and is coming off a 19-goal, 31-point campaign in 40 games this season. The University of Minnesota were loaded up front this past season with Cooley, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies, St. Louis Blues prospect Jimmy Snuggerud, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber. Knies, Faber, and Cooley were named to the All-American West First Team.
Brodzinski is a former Minnesota Mr. Hockey winner from 2019, which is awarded to the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota. Some former winners include Ryan McDonagh in 2007, Nick Leddy in 2009, Nick Bjugstad in 2010, and Casey Mittelstadt in 2017.
Brodzinski is expected to be roommates with fellow teammates Cooley, Justen Close, and Jaxon Nelson, and it is reported that once he heard they were all committing for another season, he was right behind them in joining ahead of the 2023-24 season. The Gophers have their eyes set on winning the national title next season after falling short in their bid this year, as they were defeated in overtime by Quinnipac after blowing a late third period lead.
Flyers website contributor Bill Meltzer tweeted out late on Saturday that the Flyers will still be holding onto his rights for an additional season because of the NCAA’s allowance for a 5th year due to the effect that COVID had on the 2020-21 season.
The soon-to-be 23-year-old stands at 6’0″ and 196 pounds and should be signed by the Flyers sometime next year. He will most likely figure into the AHL first with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and with the Flyers rebuilding, but he should have all the tools necessary for a very successful 5th year with the Gophers in 2023-24.
