Former Leaf and current KHLer makes a very curious life decision during a tumultuous time in Europe
Brendan Leipsic was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NHL draft by Nashville, but he never played an NHL game for them and instead made his NHL debut for the Leafs. He played just six games for the Leafs in the 2015/16 season, but played 27 games for the Marlies the year prior and an additional 65 in the 2015-16 season. He also played 49 games for the Marlies in the 2016-2017 season before joining the then expansion Vegas Golden Knights before being dealt to Vancouver.
Leipsic last played in the NHL during the 2019-20 season with the Washington Capitals before he was essentially exiled from the NHL after text messages were leaked from a group chat where Leipsic was caught making fun of teammates and their wives. He joined his friend and former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen in the KHL as Virtanen was released by the Canucks following some serious SA allegations.
Leipsic has spent the past 3 seasons playing in the KHL for CSKA Moskva and Metallurg Magnitogorsk where he has put up 24, 35 and 44 points respectively. Reports surfaced yesterday that after 3 seasons in the KHL, the 29-year-old Canadian has penned a letter to President Vladimir Putin asking for citizenship of the country he currently plays in. It is certainly a unique thing to do and should his request be granted it would give Leipsic the opportunity to play for the National Team.
Call me crazy, but it's a wild time to want to be in Russia.. but that's just my opinion on the matter.
