Wojtek Wolski Defines The Brampton Battalion

The Brampton Battalion have been a member of the Ontario Hockey League only since the 1998-99 season. In the thirteen years of the club’s existence, one player is truly synonymous with the Brampton Battalion.

Wojtek Wolski played four years with the Battalion from 2002-03 to 2005-06. Through consistency and an explosive final season, Wolski is Brampton’s all-time leader in regular season goals, assists and points. Wojtek is also the owner of several other team records.

Wolski was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He spent two more seasons after the draft with the Battalion and put up exceptional numbers. In his final season with Brampton, Wojtek scored 47 goals and added 81 assists for 128 points while playing only 57 of the team’s 68 regular season games.

Wolski’s 128 points placed him third in the Ontario Hockey League, behind Rob Schremp and David Bolland of the London Knights. Each of Wojtek’s totals that season remain team single season records for goals, assists and points. His leadership helped the team to a second place finish in the Eastern Conference and a first place finish in the Central Division. The Battalion were upset by their division rivals, the Barrie Colts, in the conference semi-finals.

For his efforts in his senior year, Wojtek was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s most outstanding player. He was also awarded the William Hanley Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player.

Wojtek’s career totals with Brampton are easily the best in team history. His 132 goals, 199 assists and 331 points are all followed in the distance by second place Cody Hodgson. Wolski is third all-time on the team for total games played with 253, behind Luke Lynes and Chris Rowan.

Wolski jumped right to the NHL after the Battalion were eliminated by Barrie in the 2005-06 post season, playing eight games for the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He has continued to be a regular in the NHL, playing through to the 2009-10 trade deadline with the Avalanche. At the deadline, he was moved to the Phoenix Coyotes. This past season, he was traded again, this time to the New York Rangers. He is under contract by the Rangers for the 2011-12 season.

Is he still a rising star in the NHL? His offensive numbers peaked in 2009-10 with a combined 23 goals and 65 points between the Coyotes and Rangers. A far cry from the numbers he put up in his final season in the OHL, but at 25 years old, Wolski still has a bright future ahead of him in the NHL.