Brayden McNabb

Brayden Luke McNabb (born January 21, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL).

This marked the first time six different players scored their first goal for the Sabres since 1992–93.

McNabb was selected in the second round, 37th overall, of the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft.

He debuted with the Kootenay Ice during their last three games of the 2006–07 season.

In the 2007–08 season, he appeared in 65 games, recording 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points.

Additionally, he had one assist in 10 playoff games for the Ice.

In the 2008–09 season, McNabb played in the style of a defensive-focused defenceman, and his numbers reflected it.

In 67 games played, he had 10 goals and 26 assists for 36 points, and also accumulated 140 penalty minutes.

He also contributed in the playoffs yet again with five assists in four games.

In that season, he played in the CHL Top Prospects Game for Team Orr, adding three assists for the squad and going +3 while doing so.

He was originally selected 66th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

He previously played for the Sabres and the Los Angeles Kings.

McNabb won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

He was also a member of Team Canada for the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championships., and the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial, in which he and his team received a gold medal.

On June 26, 2009, McNabb was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres.

He attended Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a prep school in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, where he played alongside former Buffalo Sabre Tyler Myers, also a defenceman.

McNabb was the Kootenay Ice captain from 2010–11.

He helped lead them to the 2011 Memorial Cup against Owen Sound, where he was suspended one game for elbowing Joey Hishon.

On May 18, 2011, McNabb concluded his junior career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

Following the signing, he was invited to the Sabres training camp prior to the 2011–12 season.

After attending their training camp, McNabb was re-assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, for the start of the season.

He remained with the Americans until November 26, 2011, when he earned his first NHL recall due to injuries in the Sabres' lineup.

During this recall period, he scored his first NHL goal on December 26, 2011, against Tomáš Vokoun of the Washington Capitals.

McNabb remained at the NHL level before suffering a concussion in a January game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As such, he missed eight games to recover and was re-assigned to the AHL in February.

McNabb re-joined the Sabres in March following the suspension of Tyler Myers.

By the conclusion of the season, McNabb was one of six different players to score their first career NHL goals during the season.

As the Sabres failed to qualify for the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, McNabb was returned to the Americans to help push them towards a deep 2012 Calder Cup playoffs berth.

McNabb returned to the Sabres' training camp for the 2012–13 season but was re-assigned to the AHL prior to the start of his sophomore campaign.

By the end of October, McNabb had maintained a five-game assist streak which included four assists on the power-play.

He continued to improve offensively throughout the season and accumulated three goals and 18 assists through 39 games.

As such, McNabb was selected to represent the Americans at the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic and competed in the hardest shot event.

His sophomore season hit a bump due to a leg injury in March.

At the time, he had accumulated with five goals and 25 assists through 45 games.

Despite this, he set career-highs in all offensive categories, including goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes, while appearing in 62 games.

In the final year of his entry-level contract, McNabb entered the Sabres' Development Camp with the intent of making the teams' opening night roster.

He was returned to the AHL to begin the 2013–14 season but was recalled shortly after competing in 15 games.

McNabb made his season debut on November 21, playing alongside Jamie McBain in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

After serving as a healthy scratch for two games, McNabb was re-assigned to the AHL in December for their game against the Utica Comets.

During the game against the Comets, he scored a goal and two assists to be named the game’s first star.