By Jeff Nagle
When the Riverview Royals dropped an offersheet to pry forward Brett Leason from the Oromocto Senators, fans were stumped. The 25 year old forward found himself the odd man out on a Senators' deep forward group, so management allowed him to seek employment elsewhere. Enter the Royals. The Royals offered the talented forward a 3 year deal worth $1.75m. With that salary threshold, the Senators were entitled to a 2nd and 3rd round draft pick in compensation, and they took it. It was a gamble at the time, but it seems to be paying off so far.
With 24 games played, Leason has 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points. Playing alongside Auston Mathews and Jesper Bratt, the trio has been the saving grace of the Royals during their recent 3 game winning streak. Leason is near the top of the rookie leaderboard with former Royal, Cole Perfetti leading the way for the Miramichi Moose.
"We saw a star in the making with Brett. He had 105 points for the powerhouse Fiddleheads last year, and that kind of output is not common. He was ready for a top six role, and we thought the price to pick him up was well worth it. Leason will be an important player for us as we navigate our retool, and in time he could become a key piece as we climb the ladder back to being a contender." said GM Nagle.
2/4/2025 - 238 words
