Menu
BRENDAN WARREN SEASON IN REVIEW

BRENDAN WARREN: SEASON IN REVIEW

Jun 18, 2023

This was Brendan Warren's third season with the Rochester Americans, and it was the best one yet. Warren, who suited up in 43 games, played a key role on the Rochester squad — one that was bigger than the scoresheet.

"Warren doesn't get as much notoriety, but the guys in the room know how important he's been to our group this year," Amerks head coach Seth Appert said in April. "He sets our physicality. He sets our pace."

"He really plays to the identity that we want to play with as a group."

This came before Warren's return to the lineup. In his first game back, for his Calder Cup Playoffs debut, he had a goal and an assist in Toronto. And while he rarely found himself on the top line, he always made an impact on the game.

"It's a real credit to him, how much he's been missed," Appert continued. When explaining the identity of the team and how the team wants to play, it was always Warren's physicality and speed that were highlighted. He showcased the right tenacity that the coaches wanted to see.

And while he always feels that he had an edge to his game, it was something he focused on contributing this season. "I think that's the game that I've had to make for myself," Warren said at his end-of-season interview. "It's the identity that I have to bring every day to be successful and make an impact on our team."

He acknowledged that this was a team with highly-skilled players, where he found himself as a more of a support player. But he also pointed to the fact that this team took a little longer to come together. "On this team, it wasn't easy," he said.

"Things were looking a little grim in February, but when we started playing the way we knew we could, and started seeing some results, we had a good feeling this team could do something special."

It was a special season for Warren, even though he played in fewer games due to injury. Last season, Warren struggled to stay in the lineup, and found himself sidelined for much of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

"Some of the struggles I had last year, it motivated me," he said. "It lit a fire under me to train harder and come back this year with a drive and a purpose, and I just took things day-by-day trying to get better."

"The help from the coaches and their belief in me, I think just got better in a lot of different areas. I found a nice identity for myself and a way to play every day."

Warren attacked practice with the same intensity that he brought to a game, and he knew that was how he could make the biggest difference for this team — especially with a group of even-younger forwards.

And Warren found himself in a big role in the Calder Cup Playoffs this season.

"It's nice to be in those big playoff moments — the ones I missed out on last year — and to have an impact," he said. He added five points, almost matching his regular season production, in his 8 postseason appearances. 

Warren is an unrestricted free agent again this summer, after signing two one-year contracts with Rochester the last two off-seasons. All signings can be tracked through the 2023 Player Tracker.

Back to All