Brayden Point Bio
Brayden Point is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League. Selected by the Lightning in the third round, 79th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, he has become one of the franchise’s most important players. Point is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning back-to-back titles with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021, and he led the playoffs in goal scoring on both occasions.
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing roughly 175 pounds, Point is known for his quick release, smart two-way play, and clutch performances in big moments. Beyond the NHL, he has represented Canada at multiple international tournaments, including the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Early Life and Background
Brayden Point was born on March 13, 1996, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Growing up in a hockey-driven family, he developed his skills on the ice from a young age, eventually playing minor hockey in the Calgary region. The competitive environment of Alberta youth hockey helped sharpen his game and prepared him for higher-level opportunities.
Point comes from a family with athletic ties to the sport, as his older brother, Riley Point, also played hockey and suited up for the Canmore Eagles of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The two brothers even shared the ice together briefly, playing four games when Brayden was called up to join Riley’s team, an experience that strengthened their shared connection to the game.
Path to Hockey
Point’s climb up the hockey ladder began in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where the Moose Jaw Warriors selected him 14th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. In his first full season with the Warriors, he scored 24 goals and 57 points across 67 games, showing offensive promise well beyond his age. His strong play even drew the attention of the Kontinental Hockey League, as Traktor Chelyabinsk picked him 167th overall in the 2013 KHL Junior Draft.
During his NHL draft year, Point led Moose Jaw in scoring with 36 goals and 91 points in 72 games and earned a spot in the 2014 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Ranked 31st among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, he was selected 79th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. After one more dominant WHL season in which he posted 35 goals and 88 points in 48 games, Point signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Lightning on March 26, 2015, and closed his junior career with a brief stint at the American Hockey League level with the Syracuse Crunch.
Brayden Point Career
Early Career (2016-2018)
Point cracked the Lightning’s opening-night roster in October 2016 after a strong training camp in which he recorded three preseason goals. He made his NHL debut on October 13, 2016, in a 6-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings, picked up his first NHL point two days later by assisting on a Valtteri Filppula game winner against the New Jersey Devils, and scored his first NHL goal on November 5, 2016, on the power play against New Jersey. He finished that rookie year as the NHL’s Third Star of the Week in April 2017, capping a steady introduction to the league.
The 2017-18 season brought his first NHL All-Star selection, replacing injured teammate Victor Hedman, and his first taste of playoff hockey. He appeared in all 17 postseason games, recording seven goals and nine assists for 16 points as the Lightning came within one win of the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the eventual champion Washington Capitals in seven games.
Tampa Bay Lightning Breakthrough (2018-2020)
Point’s emergence as a top-six centre became clear in 2018-19, when he posted 41 goals and 51 assists for 92 points in 79 games and helped Tampa Bay win its first Presidents’ Trophy. He opened that season with a memorable natural hat trick on November 15, 2018, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring three goals in 1 minute 31 seconds, the sixth-fastest three goals in NHL history. After signing a three-year, $20.25 million extension in September 2019, Point bounced back from off-season hip surgery to post 25 goals and 39 assists in 66 games during the 2019-20 regular season.
The 2020 playoffs cemented his reputation as a clutch performer. He scored the winning goal in the fourth-longest game in NHL history, a quintuple-overtime thriller against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and later added an overtime series-clincher in Game 5. In the Eastern Conference Final, he set a Lightning franchise record with five points in a single playoff game. Tampa Bay went on to win the Stanley Cup, and Point led the entire NHL in playoff goals with 14 while adding 19 assists for 33 points. He also scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars.
Tampa Bay Lightning Era (2020-2025)
The Lightning repeated as Stanley Cup champions in 2021, defeating the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Montreal Canadiens in succession. Point led Tampa Bay with 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 regular season and added 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points in 23 playoff games, once again leading the league in playoff goals. On July 28, 2021, he signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension that cemented his long-term future in Tampa Bay.
Over the following seasons, Point continued to deliver offensively while missing time due to injuries, including a shoulder issue in 2021-22 and a torn quad in the 2022 playoffs. He hit the 200-goal milestone on February 23, 2023, against the Buffalo Sabres and finished 2022-23 with 51 goals and 44 assists for 95 points, leading the team in goals and finishing as a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy finalist for the first time. In 2023-24, he played his 500th career game on October 10, 2023, and again led Tampa Bay with 46 goals, adding 44 assists for 90 points. The 2024-25 season saw him post a team-leading 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points in 77 games, taking only seven penalty minutes, the fewest among the top 50 league scorers. He was named a Lady Byng Trophy finalist for the second time.
Driving Style and Strengths
Point is a smart, quick, and highly efficient two-way centre whose game centers on an elite one-timer release, strong face-off work, and intelligent defensive reads. He excels on the power play, where his ability to find soft shooting areas makes him a constant threat, and he has built a productive partnership with linemates such as Nikita Kucherov. Coaches have praised his hockey sense and his ability to elevate his game in high-pressure situations, particularly in the postseason.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Point’s signature moments are his Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2020, his quintuple-overtime winner against Columbus in the 2020 playoffs, his franchise-record five-point playoff game, his 200th NHL goal in February 2023, and his 500th career NHL game in October 2023. He has also represented Canada at major international events, including a gold medal at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship and a championship at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, and was named to the 2026 Winter Olympic team before withdrawing due to a knee injury.
Brayden Point Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Point’s older brother, Riley Point, is also involved in hockey and played for the Canmore Eagles. The brothers even played together for four games when Brayden was called up to the Eagles’ roster, an experience that highlighted the family’s deep connection to the sport. Their shared background helped shape Brayden’s competitive drive and early development.
Personal Life
Point is known for keeping his personal life largely private, and public details about his relationships are limited. He continues to make his home in the Tampa Bay area while playing for the Lightning.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2024-25 NHL season, Point delivered another high-level offensive performance, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning with 42 goals and adding 40 assists for 82 points in 77 games. His low penalty total of just seven minutes reflected his disciplined style of play and helped earn him a second Lady Byng Memorial Trophy nomination as a finalist. He remained one of the league’s most efficient goal scorers and a driving force in Tampa Bay’s top six.
On the international stage, Point represented Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, helping the team defeat the United States to capture the championship. He was subsequently named to the Canadian roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics but withdrew shortly before the tournament due to a knee injury, opening the door for Seth Jarvis to take his place. Entering the next NHL campaign, Point remains a central figure in the Lightning’s pursuit of another Stanley Cup run and continues to rank among the league’s most consistent two-way centres.
