By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277
Yesterday, the American Hockey League announced the playing captains who’ll participate in the upcoming 2026 All-Star Classic. Colorado Eagles forward and former Bruin Jayson Megna and Providence Bruins forward Patrick Brown were this year’s selections for this incredible honor, as both are playing well in their respective 2025-26 AHL regular seasons.
This year’s festivities will be held at the BMO Arena in Rockford, Illinois, the home of the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. This is the 90th season the league has been in existence and affiliated with numerous National Hockey League teams. On Tuesday, February 10th, the All-Star Classic gets things underway with the annual Skills Competition, and on Wednesday night, February 11th, there will be an AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony before the games begin in this year’s All-Star Challenge.
Providence forward Patrck Brown has been an integral part of the Boston Bruins organization for the last three seasons. After spending the 2022-23 season with the Philadelphia Flyers and finishing with the Ottawa Senators, the Boston Bruins signed the then-30-year-old to an NHL two-way contract. Now at the age of 33, Brown has been an extension of Head Coach Ryan Mougenel’s bench and is seemingly getting better like a fine wine as the 12th-year pro ages.
Brown is on pace for a career year as the Providence team captain has 12-22-34 totals after 30 games this season. Last year, the 6’-1” 218-pound Michigan native posted 17-29-46 in 56 AHL games in his second season with the Bruins organization. Patrick’s leadership and winning pedigree were key factors in the Bruins acquiring this all-around professional, and with the year he’s currently having, I won’t be surprised if the NHL Bruins sign him to an extension either this season or during the offseason downtime.
Younger developing players use this type of teammate as the bar for what it takes to be a pro, at any level, and as a motivational voice on the ice and in the room when green prospects need someone to lean on for advice and system structure. I believe what’s being seen on and off the ice from Brown is the exact same effort he’s going to exhibit as a bench boss himself. His uncle, Greg Brown, is a former professional hockey player and current Head Coach at Boston College, and could follow the same path to stay in the game and use these yearly experiences to develop teaching methods, passing that knowledge to future NCAA or maybe even NHL players in years to come after he finally hangs them up.
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