The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forward Christopher Brown to an AHL contract for the 2019-20 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
Brown, 23, was drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. The Sabres own his exclusive NHL rights until Aug. 15, but weren't planning to sign him, which is why he signed an AHL deal elsewhere.
Brown finished fifth in scoring for Boston College in his senior season, recording seven goals and nine assists in 39 games. He was teammates with defenseman Michael Kim, who has already been signed to an AHL contract with Wilkes-Barre for next season.
After Brown’s senior year at Boston College ended and he was not signed by the Sabres or their AHL affiliate in Rochester, Brown joined Wilkes-Barre on an amateur tryout deal, recording one assist in three games.
Brown is a right-handed shot, and measures 6 feet, 180 pounds.
Brown’s father, Doug Brown, played 854 games in the NHL, primarily with the Red Wings and Devils, plus one season in Pittsburgh in 1993-94. Chris’ brother, Patrick Brown, has spent the past five years in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers and is under contract with the Golden Knights for next season. Chris’ uncle, Greg Brown, played 94 games in the NHL, including 36 in Pittsburgh in 1993-94. His other uncle, John Mara, is the president, CEO, and co-owner of the New York Giants.
Brown is from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., the same hometown as forward Sam Miletic. Brown and Miletic played three seasons together at Cranbrook Kingswood School, as well as a season together in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers.
