Golden Knights’ Brendan Brisson set for Silver Knights debut

Brendan Brisson’s whirlwind season — which took him to the University of Michigan, the Olympics and the Frozen Four — has reached its final destination: professional hockey.

The Golden Knights’ 2020 first-round pick signed a tryout agreement with the Silver Knights on Tuesday. The right wing indicated he will begin the next phase of his career in the American Hockey League starting with Wednesday’s 7 p.m. game against Stockton at the Dollar Loan Center.

“It’s going to be a good test for me,” said Brisson, who arrived in Las Vegas on Monday and skated with the Silver Knights on Tuesday. “I just can’t wait to see how I feel out there. It felt good in practice today. It’s going to be a good game tomorrow to get my first one under my belt.”

Brisson, considered one of the Golden Knights’ top prospects, had 21 goals and 21 assists in 38 games as a sophomore at Michigan.

The 20-year-old, taken with the 29th pick, was one of seven first-round selections on a star-studded Wolverines roster that lost 3-2 in overtime to Denver in the national semifinals. Brisson is the fourth one to turn pro after the season, joining sophomore center Matty Berniers (No. 2 to Seattle in 2021), sophomore left wing Kent Johnson (No. 5 to Columbus in 2021) and sophomore defenseman Owen Power (No. 1 to Buffalo in 2021). Sophomore center Thomas Bordeleau, taken nine picks behind Brisson in the second round, also signed a tryout agreement with the San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate Tuesday.

“A lot of us talked about it together,”Brisson said. “We all had the same decision. We all wanted to turn pro.”

Brisson found a way to stand out even among Michigan’s talented roster. The Manhattan Beach, California, native led the Wolverines in goals and shots and was second in points to Berniers. The left-shot forward has become well-known for his lethal one-timer from his off wing, which he uses often in transition and on the power play.

Brisson took a brief break from Michigan this season to compete in the Winter Olympics in Beijing. He had two goals in four games for Team USA, which lost to Slovakia in a shootout in the quarterfinals.

Brisson will now try his hand at a new level with the Silver Knights. The team has seven games remaining, all at home. His tryout agreement most likely paves the way for him to sign his entry-level deal with the Golden Knights in the offseason.

Brisson won’t hurt for career advice as he takes his next steps. His father, Pat Brisson, is one of the NHL’s premier agents, with a client list that includes Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane and Nathan MacKinnon. He also represents Golden Knights players Jonathan Marchessault and Nicolas Roy.

“Being at Michigan for two years was really important for my development,” Brisson said. “I grew a lot as a player and person. I feel like it was time to turn pro.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.