Josh Brown Making Presence Felt in First Season with the Coyotes

Josh Brown has paid his dues.
Now he's applying that experience to become one of the most dependable blue liners on the team.
The towering 6-foot-5 defenseman, who signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes this past July, has fully embraced his role on the blue line as a penalty killer, enforcer, and stay-at-home defenseman.
Brown is averaging 18:07 of ice time per game with the Coyotes, nearly four minutes more than what he averaged in his career heading into this season. Though the 28-year-old isn't known for his prowess on offense, his three goals through 23 games match his career high - a stat he will almost assuredly break as the season wears on.

The impact he's had on the ice isn't something that surprised head coach André Tourigny, who said he recognized the untapped potential in Brown's game before he arrived in the desert.
"When you have the opportunity to do it every night, at some point you get confident," Tourigny said. "We all know he's really tough, he can fight, but he is more than that. Now he has room to play because he's respected, but on top of that he has more confidence and poise."

Brown played in various leagues before earning a regular role on an NHL blue line. He was captain of the OHL's 2014-15 Oshawa Generals team that won the Memorial Cup, and also spent time with the Portland Pirates (AHL) and Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) in 2015-16. He went on to play three seasons with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds, where he was an alternate captain, before he finally cracked the lineup on a regular basis with the Florida Panthers in 2019-20.
The London, Ontario native, who was drafted 152nd overall by the Panthers in the 2013 NHL Draft, has now played 194 career NHL games split between the Panthers, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Coyotes.
"He paid his dues with the NHL, played that role, been really competitive, so I'm not surprised in his success," Tourigny said. "I'm really happy with what he brings to the table."
Brown arrived in Arizona well before the start of training camp, something that helped him gel with his teammates right out of the gate. That camaraderie has been evident all season, considering he's never shy to stick up for his teammates when the time is right.
Though his offensive numbers are higher than what he's produced in previous seasons, Brown said he knows and embraces his role of being a more stable force on the defensive side of things, and that includes time spent on the penalty kill.

The Coyotes' PK started hot this season, and though it dipped a little during the team's 14-game road trip, its kill rate of 76.32 percent still ranks 22nd in the league, which is markedly higher than its position of 29th last season.
Arizona has not allowed a power-play goal in its last two games.
"It can really change the momentum of a game when you get a big block or get a big clear," Brown said. "They have the extra man, they're expected to score, so when you can shut down some of the best players in the world, clear the puck, and kill that penalty, it gets the guys fired up.
"It gets me fired up. It's always been my thing."
Brown did say Arizona's style of play opens things up on the offensive side a little more than he was used to, so he has been working on his play with the puck. He's been noticeably more active in the zone, as his 25 shots this season illustrate.
His career-high for shots in a single season is 48, set back with the Panthers in 56 games during the 2019-20 season.

"We have a lot more free range in the offensive zone with this team than what I've had in the past," Brown said. "I'm not an offensive guy, but I want to help out a little bit more when I do get out in the offensive zone."
Regardless of whether side of the puck the play is on though, Brown has made it his mission this season to ensure those on the ice are aware of his presence.
His teammates know it, the fans know it, and opposing teams are quickly becoming aware of it, too.
"These teams come in and think they're going to steamroll us, but we all come together as a group," Brown said. "It's a credit to my teammates, and the coaches, and every day just trying to get a little bit better."