Brunette played for the Platers for three seasons between 1990 and 1993 and scored 295 points in 195 games, winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (the league scoring title) in 1993. He was subsequently drafted by the Washington Capitals in the seventh round, 174th overall, in the 1993 NHL entry draft.
After playing in the inaugural 1998–99 season for the Predators, he moved to the newly created Atlanta Thrashers and played two seasons there before moving to the Minnesota Wild in the 2001–02 season. Brunette scored the winning goal in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Colorado Avalanche on April 22, 2003, the final game of Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy's career. Brunette stayed with the Wild until 2004 and signed as a free agent for the Colorado Avalanche after the 2004–05 lockout.
He scored the series-clinching goal for the Avalanche on April 30, 2006, against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the 2006 Western Conference Quarterfinals. The 2006–07 season was his best individual season, averaging over a point per game for his first time in the NHL, playing on a line with superstar centreJoe Sakic. Brunette scored his 500th NHL career point on October 26, 2007, against the Calgary Flames.[1] He played three consecutive full 82-game seasons with the Avalanche.
Brunette signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Minnesota Wild on July 1, 2008, to begin a second stint with the club.[2] On October 9, he was named an alternate captain alongside Mikko Koivu.[3]
Brunette was highly regarded for his physical durability and consistency, qualities which allowed him to play in 509 consecutive games without having to sit out due to injury from 2002 to 2009.[4] However, he was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee but insisted on finishing the 2008–09 season before having surgery in the off-season.[5][6]
On July 1, 2011, Brunette signed a one-year, $2 million with the Chicago Blackhawks.[7] During the 2011–12 season, Brunette, in a reduced role, recorded a career-low in points with 27 in 78 games.
With the 2012–13 NHL lockout and limited NHL interest as a free agent upon the resumption of the shortened 2012–13 season, on February 13, 2013, Brunette announced his retirement from his playing career and that he would rejoin the Minnesota Wild organization as its hockey operations advisor.[8]
Coaching career
Brunette was an assistant coach of the Minnesota Wild for two seasons from the 2014–15 season and served as the Wild's assistant general manager until the conclusion of the 2018–19 season.[citation needed] On June 4, 2019, he joined the Florida Panthers as an assistant coach on head coach Joel Quenneville's staff. On October 29, 2021, Brunette was named the interim head coach of the Panthers after head coach Quenneville resigned on October 28.[9][10] Following the Panthers getting swept by the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, there was much uncertainty about Brunette's future as head coach. On June 22, 2022, the Panthers announced that Paul Maurice would be the next head coach of the franchise. Brunette was offered a significant position within the organization, but ultimately decided to leave for an assistant position with the New Jersey Devils.[11]
After one season in New Jersey, Brunette was named head coach of the Nashville Predators, whom he had previously played for, on May 31, 2023.[12]
