BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The New Jersey Devils have signed Bracken Kearns, Brian Gibbons, and Brian Strait to one-year, two-way contracts. The announcement was made today by Devils’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Ray Shero.
Gibbons, 29, spent the 2016-17 season with the American Hockey League’s Albany Devils and posted career-highs with 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in a team-leading 72 games played. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound forward finished tied for third on the team in points and assists. In addition, Gibbons posted one goal in four Calder Cup Playoff matches.
Strait, 29, spent the 2016-17 season with the Winnipeg Jets’ organization where he split time between the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. Strait tallied two assists in five regular-season NHL games with the Jets as well as 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 58 AHL games with Manitoba. The defenseman matched his previous AHL career-high in assists. Strait has 29 points (six goals, 23 assists) and 91 penalty minutes in 187 regular-season NHL games. He also had one goal and 16 penalty minutes in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Kearns, 36, spent the past two seasons with the New York Islanders and their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In 2016-17, Kearns played in two games with the Islanders and dressed in 74 regular-season games with Bridgeport as an alternate captain. Kearns notched new career-highs and led the Sound Tigers in points (51) and goals (23) for the second consecutive season. In 665 regular-season AHL contests, Kearns has 395 points (162 goals, 233 assists) and 687 penalty minutes. The North Vancouver, B.C., native also skated in 21 career Calder Cup Playoff contests, recording 11 points (two goals, nine assists).
