Brett Kulak Bio
Brett Kulak is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on January 6, 1994, in Stony Plain, Alberta, he was selected 105th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 192 pounds, Kulak is recognized for his steady, two-way play on the back end and his ability to log reliable minutes in all situations.
Across more than a decade in professional hockey, Kulak has suited up for the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche. He skates left and has built a reputation as a dependable defender whose game travels well through the grind of a long NHL season.
Early Life and Background
Brett Kulak was raised on a farm near Stony Plain, Alberta, where he grew up alongside his parents, Gil and Laura, and his older brothers, Tyson and Kyle. The rural setting gave him plenty of space to develop a love of hockey, and he began playing organized youth hockey through the Stony Plain and Spruce Grove Minor Hockey Association. The early hours on local rinks helped shape the skating and defensive instincts that would later define his game.
His size and mobility quickly caught the attention of Western Hockey League scouts, and he was selected 197th overall by the Vancouver Giants in the WHL Bantam Draft. That selection marked the start of a clear path toward top-level junior hockey and, eventually, the NHL.
Path to Hockey
Kulak spent four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Vancouver Giants from 2010 to 2014, appearing in 216 games and producing 35 goals and 93 assists. Those numbers reflected a young defenceman who could move the puck as well as defend, a profile that appealed to NHL scouts tracking the WHL’s draft-eligible class.
After his junior seasons concluded in both 2012–13 and 2013–14, Kulak joined the Calgary Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, on amateur try-out agreements, playing four and six games in those respective years. Those stints gave him his first real taste of professional hockey and set the stage for his NHL opportunity.
Brett Kulak Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
On March 18, 2014, the Calgary Flames signed Kulak to a three-year, entry-level contract, officially launching his professional career. He opened the 2014–15 season with the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles before earning a promotion to the AHL’s Adirondack Flames, where his steady play in the minors did not go unnoticed.
That progress earned him a recall to the NHL, and on April 11, 2015, Kulak made his debut for the Flames in the team’s final regular-season game, a 5–1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The appearance marked the end of his developmental phase and the start of his NHL journey.
Calgary Flames Breakthrough (2015–2018)
Kulak’s first full taste of NHL action came in the 2016–17 season, when he recorded his first career point by assisting on Michael Frolík’s opening goal in a 4–3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on October 18, 2016. He finished that campaign with three assists in 21 games, showing he could contribute at the top level.
On August 28, 2017, the Flames re-signed the restricted free agent to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000, signaling their continued confidence in his development. Across his time in the organization, Kulak had evolved from a depth call-up into a regular contributor on the Calgary blue line.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2018–2022)
On October 1, 2018, the Flames traded Kulak to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Matt Taormina and Rinat Valiev, and he was briefly assigned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket before being called up later that fall. On December 29, 2018, he scored his first goal for Montreal in a 5–6 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and on January 12, 2019, he notched his first game-winning goal in a 3–0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.
On May 25, 2019, the Canadiens signed him to a three-year, $5.55 million contract extension with an annual average value of $1.85 million. Kulak typically played on Montreal’s third pairing, and he was a regular in the Canadiens’ deep playoff run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. His final game as a Canadien came on March 19, 2022, when he scored a goal in a 5–1 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Edmonton Oilers Era (2022–2025)
On March 21, 2022, the Canadiens dealt Kulak to the Edmonton Oilers ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for William Lagesson, a conditional second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick, with Montreal retaining 50 percent of his remaining salary. He registered two goals and six assists in 18 regular-season games to close out 2021–22 and was paired primarily with Tyson Barrie during the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, where Edmonton reached the Western Conference Final before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in four games.
Following the season, Kulak signed a new four-year, $11 million contract with the Oilers, cementing his role as a key piece of Edmonton’s defence corps. He spent three more seasons in Edmonton, continuing to log steady minutes on the back end.
Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche (2025–2026)
On December 12, 2025, the Oilers traded Kulak, goaltender Stuart Skinner, and a 2029 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin, signaling a fresh start for the veteran defenceman. After only two months in Pittsburgh, he was traded again on February 24, 2026, to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Sam Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.
With that move, Kulak became the first player in NHL history to play at least 25 games with three different teams in a single season. During the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored his first career playoff game-winning goal in overtime of Game 5 of the Avalanche’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kulak is a mobile, left-shot defenceman whose game is built on positional reliability, calm puck movement, and the ability to play a responsible defensive role against top lines. Coaches have trusted him in all situations, and his pairing with Tyson Barrie in Edmonton was credited with elevating Barrie’s effectiveness, a sign of the stability he brings to a defensive partner.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kulak’s NHL debut on April 11, 2015, his first NHL point on October 18, 2016, and his first NHL goal on December 29, 2018, each marked clear steps in his development. His historic 2025–26 season, in which he suited up for 25-plus games with three different clubs, and his first playoff game-winning goal in 2026 stand as signature milestones of his career to date.
Brett Kulak Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Brett Kulak grew up on a farm near Stony Plain, Alberta, with his parents Gil and Laura and his older brothers Tyson and Kyle. Hockey was a central part of family life, and the discipline shaped by small-town Alberta helped carry him from local minor hockey to the WHL and ultimately the NHL.
Personal Life
Kulak and his wife have two children, and family milestones have occasionally intersected with his playing career. Notably, he missed the morning practice before a pivotal Game 7 against the Los Angeles Kings in 2022 to attend the birth of his daughter, before still suiting up for the game that night.
2025 Season Performance
Kulak began the 2025 season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he continued in a steady depth role on the blue line as the team pursued another deep playoff push. He produced reliably in his own end and on the penalty kill, helping Edmonton stay in the mix in the competitive Pacific Division.
On December 12, 2025, the Oilers traded him, along with Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin, opening a new chapter of his season. After roughly two months in Pittsburgh, he was dealt again on February 24, 2026, to the Colorado Avalanche, where he finished the regular season and helped stabilize the defence corps.
That unusual three-team journey in a single season led to a memorable 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, highlighted by his first career playoff game-winning goal in overtime of Game 5 of the Avalanche’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. The season underlined his value as a dependable, mobile defender capable of stepping into new systems and producing right away.
