Brandon DeFazio

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}{{Infobox ice hockey player

| alt =

| image = Brandon DeFazio 2012-05-05.JPG

| image_size = 230px

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|9|13}}

| birth_place = Oakville, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 215

| position = Left wing

| shoots = Left

| league =

| prospect_league =

| prospect_team =

| played_for = Vancouver Canucks
Kunlun Red Star
Lukko
HC Kometa Brno
ERC Ingolstadt
Schwenninger Wild Wings

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2011

| career_end = 2023

}}

Brandon DeFazio (born September 13, 1988) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He most recently played for Schwenninger Wild Wings of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

Playing career

Before turning professional, DeFazio attended Clarkson University where he played four seasons of NCAA Division I men's ice hockey with the Clarkson Golden Knights men's ice hockey team. After graduating from his senior year with Clarkson, DeFazio joined the Pittsburgh Penguins affiliate teams, the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to end the 2010–11 season.

Wilkes-Barre signed DeFazio to a one-year AHL contract and was also given a try-out and attended Pittsburgh's NHL training camp for the 2011–12 season.{{cite web| url = http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=589411 | title = Penguins reduce training camp roster | publisher = Pittsburgh Penguins | date = 2011-09-22 | access-date = 2011-09-22}}

On July 2, 2012, DeFazio signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the New York Islanders.{{cite web| url = http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=636928 |title = DeFazio & McDonald agree to terms | publisher = New York Islanders | date = 2012-07-02 | access-date = 2012-07-02}} A year later, though, DeFazio left the Islanders organization as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 12, 2013.{{cite web| url = http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=677896 | title = Canucks sign Ferriero, DeFazio | publisher = Vancouver Canucks | date = 2013-07-12 | access-date = 2013-07-12}}

In the 2014–15 season, DeFazio received his first NHL recall by the Canucks on November 9, 2014. He made his long-awaited NHL debut that night in a 2–1 shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks. DeFazio played in his second career game on November 11 against the Ottawa Senators, where he collected the first shot of his career while playing 5 minutes and 49 seconds.{{cite web| url = https://www.tsn.ca/canucks-recall-f-defazio-from-ahl-s-utica-comets-1.129458 | title = Canucks recall F DeFazio from AHL's Utica Comets | publisher = The Sports Network | date = 2014-11-09 | access-date = 2014-11-09}}

On July 6, 2015, having left the Canucks as a free agent, DeFazio returned to the Eastern Conference by signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Boston Bruins.{{cite web| url = http://bruins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=774029 | title = Bruins sign Jimmy Hayes, Brett Connolly and Brandon DeFazio | publisher = Boston Bruins | date = 2015-07-06 | access-date = 2015-07-06}}

In the off-season, DeFazio left the Bruins organization as a free agent and on July 25, 2016, he was signed to a one-year contract to continue in the AHL with the Texas Stars.{{cite web| url = http://www.texasstars.com/news/detail/texas-stars-sign-brandon-defazio-to-ahl-contract | title = Texas Stars sign Brandon DeFazio to AHL contract | publisher = Texas Stars | date = 2016-07-25 | access-date = 2016-07-25}} In the 2016–17 season, DeFazio compiled a career-best 47 points in appearing in every regular season game with Texas.

After 6 seasons largely in the AHL, DeFazio as a free agent agreed to a one-year deal with Chinese club, HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on June 6, 2017.{{cite web| url = http://rsport.ru/hockey/20170606/1121423406.html | title = Canadian AHL forward DeFazio to continue his career with Kunlun | website = rsport.ru | date = 2017-06-06 | access-date = 2017-06-06 | language = Russian}}

DeFazio left Kunlun for the following 2018–19 season, signing a year contract with Lukko of the Finnish Liiga, before returning for a second stint with Kunlun for the 2019–20 season.

As a free agent during the COVID-19 pandemic, DeFazio was later signed to a contract with the Czech Extraliga club, HC Kometa Brno, on November 17, 2020.{{cite web| url = https://www.hc-kometa.cz/clanek.asp?id=Kometa-posiluje-utok-Prichazi-zkuseny-kanadsky-hokejista-Brandon-DeFazio-11748 | title = Comets reinforce the offense with Brandon DeFazio | publisher = HC Kometa Brno | date = November 17, 2020 | access-date = November 17, 2020 | language = Czech}} Scoreless in 6 games with Brno in the 2020–21 season, DeFazio left the ELH to be the final addition to German DEL club, ERC Ingolstadt, on December 5, 2020.{{cite web| url = https://www.erc-ingolstadt.de/profis/newsdetail?id=6286 | title = DeFazio completes ERC squad | publisher = ERC Ingolstadt | date = December 5, 2020 | access-date = December 5, 2020 | language = German}}

On June 9, 2022, DeFazio signed as a free agent to a one-year contract with fellow German club, Schwenninger Wild Wings, for the 2022–23 season.{{cite web| url = https://www.schwenninger-wildwings.de/aktuell/schwenningen-legt-auf-dem-transfermarkt-nach/ | title = Schwenninger follows up on the transfer market | date = June 9, 2022 | publisher = June 9, 2022 | accessdate = June 9, 2022 | language = German}} DeFazio featured in every regular season game with the Wild Wings, collecting 10 goals and 21 points. Unable to help Schwenninger advance to the post-season, it was announced DeFazio would leave the club after his contract on March 9, 2023.{{cite web |date=9 March 2023 |title=Final talks bring first changes |url=https://www.schwenninger-wildwings.de/aktuell/abschlussgespraeche-bringen-erste-veraenderungen-2/ |accessdate=9 March 2023 |publisher=Schwenninger Wild Wings |language=German}}

Post-Playing Career

DeFazio ended his 13-year professional career and became a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins on August 30, 2023, where he primarily scouts amateur junior players in his native Ontario. {{Cite web |title=Penguins Announce Additions to Hockey Operations Department |url=https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/penguins-announce-additions-to-hockey-operations-department-345691966 |website=Official Website of the Pittsburgh Penguins|date=August 29, 2023 }}

Personal life

File:2021-10-17 Eisbären Berlin gegen ERC Ingolstadt (Deutsche Eishockey-Liga 2021-22) by Sandro Halank–072.jpg in 2021.]]

His father, Dean DeFazio, also played professional hockey within the Penguins organization.{{cite web | url = http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_773551.html | title = Son of former Pens forward Samuelsson knows his niche | publisher = Pittsburgh Live | date = 2011-12-25 | access-date = 2011-12-25 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120213223522/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_773551.html | archive-date = 2012-02-13 }} DeFazio was recognized for his work in the community, earning his AHL team's, man of the year award, multiple times. He is also currently married with one baby girl and a second child on the way.