Quinnipiac sophomore Skyler Brind’Amour has been surrounded by hockey since the day he was born. If his last name rings a bell, that is because he is the son of NHL legend and Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour.

Learning From the Best

While developing his talent in the shadows of PNC Arena, Skyler Brind’Amour was able to learn the game from one of the brightest minds hockey has to offer. Despite his father’s passionate coaching style, Skyler Brind’Amour knows that his father took it easier on him than he does on his current NHL players.

“Watching the Canes games now, he definitely gives it to his guys and the refs a little bit,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “I’ll have to say he’s a little harder now than he was on me.”

According to Skyler Brind’Amour, Rod Brind’Amour has always been active in his son’s hockey journey. Even while serving as the captain of an NHL team, Rod Brind’Amour made sure to support his son whenever he had the chance.

“Anytime he could possibly get to a game or practice, or anything like that, he was there,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “Even if he was rushing, he would make his way there to help out.”

An Unlikely Hockey Town

Raleigh, North Carolina is not necessarily known for its hockey prowess. However, during Skyler Brind’Amour’s time with the U-16 Jr. Hurricanes, his team ranked top-10 in the nation.

Even the fan culture has grown in Raleigh, according to Skyler Brind’Amour. When his father’s Hurricanes swept the New York Islanders in the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Skyler Brind’Amour was impressed with the exciting atmosphere inside the arena.

“I remember that series. I was back home for it. The place was going wild back in North Carolina, and it was great to see,” Skyler Brind’Amour said.

Stanley Cup Victory

When he was just seven years old, Skyler Brind’Amour was able to witness his father raise the Stanley Cup on home ice. The Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the series, sealed on an empty net goal by Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams.

Although he was very young, Skyler Brind’Amour recalls his altercation with the trophy on the following morning.

“I went home that night, and I think I fell asleep on the couch. I remember I woke up early in the morning, and my Dad had put the Stanley Cup right next to it,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “The first thing I saw in the morning was the cup, and I was just kind of sitting there for a moment.”

A Unique Draft Day

Ironically enough, Skyler Brind’Amour was selected in the 6th round of the 2017 NHL draft by the Oilers, the same team his father took down in the Stanley Cup Finals. Despite prior interest shown by the Oilers, he was uncertain whether his name would ever be called.

Skyler Brind’Amour and his father went out golfing in order to take his mind off of the situation, leading to a very unconventional draft story.

“On the way home [from golfing] we put the draft on the radio kind of in the background. All of a sudden we hear my name get called on the radio as we’re pulling into our house,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “It was a dream come true, for sure.”

Early Success in College

For now, Skyler Brind’Amour is in Hamden, Connecticut playing in his second season with the Quinnipiac Bobcats. Despite being an underclassmen on the team, he has already cemented himself as a key asset.

Skyler Brind'Amour's spin-o-rama goal last night landed at #3 on #SCTop10! That's 2 top plays appearances on SportsCenter for us in the last 3 weeks! #BobcatNation pic.twitter.com/PgWF57fljM

— Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey (@QU_MIH) March 1, 2020

In his freshman season, Skyler Brind’Amour was awarded the team’s Rookie of the Year with 13 points in 34 games and was one of two first-year players to play in every contest. He highlighted a few teammates who have helped his transition into the college game.

“Nick Jermain, Alex Whelan––those two guys were really good with bringing the group together,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “This year, our Captain Odeen Tufto is another guy who’s really big on continuing the culture here at Quinnipiac.”

Championship is Within Sights

Winning the ECAC is a goal that Quinnipiac has set its mind on since the beginning of the season. This achievement is certainly attainable, as they are ranked 12th nationally in USCHO’s latest poll.

Only six games games remain on Quinnipiac’s regular season schedule, with Colgate and St. Lawrence as their final two opponents. Skyler Brind’Amour knows how important these matchups are and will not take the competition lightly.

“There are no easy games on the schedule,” Skyler Brind’Amour said. “Whatever the rankings say, we know we’ve gotta play our best in order to win.”

Skyler Brind’Amour and Quinnipiac travel to Hamilton, New York on Friday, February 12 for the first of back-to-back games against Colgate.

John Smark