Kyle Dubas signed Justin Brazeau to his first professional contract, an AHL-only deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in the spring of 2019.

The big forward has been on quite the journey since then, spending time in the ECHL and AHL before taking his game to the next level the last couple of seasons with Boston and Minnesota.

The 27-year-old was rewarded with another contract from Dubas, this time in Pittsburgh – a one-way, two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.5 million.

“It feels really, really good to get the contract and the opportunity,” Brazeau said. “Getting a chance to expand my role and try to work my way up in the lineup and just kind of build off what I’ve done so far in the NHL.”

Brazeau made his NHL debut with the Bruins on Feb. 19, 2024 against Dallas – scoring in that first game. He ended up making Boston’s opening-night roster that fall and got the chance to move up alongside some of their top players, like four-time All-Star Brad Marchand. That helped, as did repetition.

“With every game, every day in the NHL, I think my confidence has kind of started to build and grow, getting adjusted to the speed of the game and the timings and stuff like that,” Brazeau said. “So, I don’t think it’s any one thing in particular. I think it’s just kind of that confidence and knowing that you belong in this league and you can be a good player.”

Both Marchand and Brazeau ended up moving at the deadline. Marchand to the Panthers, and Brazeau to the Wild. In 76 total games last season, Brazeau recorded 11 goals, 11 assists and 22 points.

Brazeau said he and the Penguins are on the same page in terms of expectations for this season: keep doing what he does best and find a role. Brazeau’s biggest asset, quite literally, is his size at 6-6 and 227 pounds. It will help the Penguins become harder to play against, particularly in the offensive zone.

“I’m a really good player at establishing that net-front,” Brazeau said. “I’m not going to be flying through the neutral zone, making a ton of plays off the rush and stuff like that. I think I’m more of a simple player in that sense.

“But once we get in that zone, (it’s about) extending possessions off rebounds or winning battles off that initial forecheck and stuff. So, I think that’s something in my game that I do really well.”

Brazeau said having that familiarity with Dubas and some of his staff has made him a lot more comfortable coming into this new situation, as does reuniting with Danton Heinen and Parker Wotherspoon, two of his teammates in Boston.

Brazeau and his fiancée Madison have already relocated to Pittsburgh, as they have a lot going on between a new team, planning a wedding, and preparing for the arrival of their first child, a boy, due in October.

“I got here last week, so just trying to set up the new place and the living situations and kind of get the lay of the land,” Brazeau said. “Just to try and make as much of it a little easier once the season starts, and not have to be running around as much.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a bit of a crazy start to the year… but I’m excited.”