Brandon Coe had a unique experience after being drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic meant the OHL cancelled the 2020-21 season, and so Coe ended up playing in the AHL for the San Jose Barracuda as an 18 year old, just months after being drafted. I sat down with him over Zoom to try and find out what that journey was like.
Who Is Brandon Coe?
If you ask him, he’ll say he’s a skilled power forward. Coe certainly has size, skill and speed on his side, and after scoring 5 goals all season in his first real AHL season, he already has 6 of them in just 15 games so far this year, putting him on pace for a 26 goal season. He’s always been more of a playmaker, never scoring more goals than assists, but he has just one apple this year, putting him in contention for the unofficial Cy Young award of the AHL.
Coe first realised he could make a career out of hockey when he was fifteen, and was drafted into the OHL. He “hasn’t looked back since”, and has gone from OHL rookie to alternate captain to AHL player in the space of five years.
Coe was one of the more unique AHL players in the 2020-21 season, as he was just 18 years old, fresh off his draft year. This isn’t unusual for many European players, but as a member of the North Bay Battalion of the OHL, Coe should have been ineligible for the AHL until his 20th birthday, as per the CHL-NHL agreement.
COVID-19 threw a spanner in that agreement, as due to restrictions in the province of Ontario, the OHL did not play that season, and so many OHL players had to find other places to play. It was a steep learning curve for the teenager, but one that served him well in the long run.
In the OHL, the oldest guy you can play against is 20 years old when you’re 16 or 17 but jumping in a team playing against [guys in their thirties], it was definitely a bit of an adjustment period during that year, but I think it definitely helped myself in knowing what to expect [in the future.]
Coe on playing in the AHL as an 18 year old
Coe only played in 17 games for the Barracuda that year, recording a goal and four assists, but playing in a league that’s so much tougher than the OHL seems to have served him well, as he went back to North Bay, wore an A on his jersey for the 2021-22 season, and scored 101 points including 34 goals for the Battalion. According to him, there are still bumps in the road to conquer, but going from the AHL back to the OHL did only good things for his confidence.
Coming Out Hot
Brandon Coe had one of the hottest starts of any Barracuda player, with four goals and an assist in his first six games to start the season. When asked what he thought the difference was, Coe talked at length about confidence and consistency.
I think last year I definitely struggled with with keeping my game at a consistent level and then going into this year, I tried to bring the same game every night: playing hard, getting to the net and scoring in the slot and trying to find myself in those areas where the pucks tend to go.
Coe on how he’s managed to tie his AHL career high in goals only 2 months into the season
He’s also been shooting the puck more, and spent a lot of his summer working on that shot. Last season he had 42 shots all year. This season, only 16 games in, he has 20 shots, almost half in less than a third of the games. He also changed his stick in the offseason, playing with a different curve and a slightly longer stick. all these things combined have been the right mix for Coe to play some of his best hockey yet.
What’s Next For Brandon Coe?
The playoffs are still in reach for this team. It’s still early, and it’s fair to consider it a team-wide goal. But when asked about personal goals, Coe talked again about consistency.
Being the most consistent player I can possibly be. I think that’s the biggest thing in pro hockey. Guys lose jobs or take other people’s jobs when they can be the same player every single night. I think that’s the biggest thing coaches and organisations look for. And I think if you do that your your game will follow along on the ice and and as well as a team.
Coe on what he wants to achieve this season
The Barracuda have players on their roster that can be difference makers, and Coe is one of them. He’s been a little cold as of late, but when he finds that consistency, he could be a twenty goal scorer for this team that’s in need of offence. He’s currently tied for the team lead in goals with Danil Gushchin, Thomas Bordeleau and Justin Bailey (currently up with the Sharks), but I believe there’s another level to his game to be unlocked this season.
Photo credit: Maddie Dutra
