Andy Brandt is entering his third season as head coach and general manager of the Madison Capitols with a combined 72-40-9-3 (.629) record, marking the highest point percentage by a coach in the franchise’s Tier 1 history.
The Wausau, Wisconsin, native joined the Capitols in May of 2023 following a season coaching at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. With the Badgers, Brandt served as an assistant coach under Tony Granato, who is part of a hockey family deep Capitols ties. Tony’s brother, Don, captained the team during his playing career and later served as an interim coach of the team before eventually coaching at the NHL level.
In 2024-25, Brandt led the Capitols to the most wins, 39, and points, 84, in a single-season. The team made the playoffs for the second straight season, which is the first time that the franchise has made consecutive appearances in the team’s Tier 1 history. This also means that Brandt is the only coach in team history to make the playoffs in each of their first two seasons. The records did not just stop at wins and points for the Capitols in 2024-25. Madison scored the most goals (250), gave up the least amount (185), had the best power play percentage (27.7%), and had the best penalty kill percentage (82.1%) in the team’s Tier 1 era.
In his first season behind the bench of Madison, the Capitols broke the team’s record for points in a season with 72 and tied the most wins in a season, 33, which had been accomplished twice in 1986-87 and 1988-89 both under Scott Owens, who served as head coach of the team for four seasons before going onto coach at Colorado College for 18 seasons, fourteen as head coach. The Capitols returned to the playoffs that season after collecting the least amount of points in the league the year prior to Brandt taking over.
In two seasons as head coach and general manager of the Capitols, Brandt has advanced 27 players to the NCAA Division I level along with 3 amount of players being selected in the NHL Draft.
As one of only six coaches that assume the role of general manager along with his coaching duties, Brandt has successfully led three USHL Drafts for the Capitols. He has selected or recruited key pieces as part of the Phase I process for the team including selecting Sam Kappell and Mason Moe in 2023 and the tenders of Jet Kwajah in 2024 and Stephen Cover and Michael Tang in 2025. In his first Phase II Draft, nine of the first ten selections ended up playing full seasons with the Capitols including crucial pieces like Austin Burnevik, Carsen Musser, and Aiden Long.
Along with his draft success, trades have been a crucial part to Brandt’s success in his first two seasons. Brandt acquired Patriks Berzins, James Hong, and John Stout during his first season via trade. Berzins played a key piece to the Caps goaltending duo that season. Hong was second on the team in points behind only Austin Burnevik. Stout, a prospect at the time, led the league in plus-minus in 2024-25. Following up his first year’s success in trades, Brandt brought in Caleb Heil and Ajay White in trades on draft day in 2024. The duo helped Madison allow the least amount of goals in the franchise’s Tier 1 history. The team went onto trade for Egor Barabanov, Bobby Cowan, and Jackson Nevers prior to and during the 2024-25 season. Barabanov and Cowan combined for 90 points last season while Nevers battled through injuries and registered 15 points.
Brandt’s head coaching performance in 2024-25 led him to being named a finalist for USHL Coach of the Year, an award eventually won by Rocky Russo of Lincoln. Brandt became the second Capitols head coach to become a finalist for the award in the team’s history. Owens won the award in 1987-88. Along with his head coaching duties, he was also named a finalist for USHL General Manager of the Year, an award won by Nick Fabrizio. Brandt became the first Madison general manager to be a finalist for that award as well. The Capitols’ bench boss was the only person to serve as a finalist for both awards this season.
Prior to joining the Capitols, Brandt served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin as mentioned above. During his one season with the Badgers, Wisconsin went 13-23-0 with a Big Ten record of 6-18-0. Tony Granato served as the head coach of Wisconsin that season with Mark Osiecki serving as the program’s Associate Head Coach. Osiecki played part of the 1986-87 season with the Capitols before skating for the Badgers for three seasons. He went onto play in the NHL for Calgary, Minnesota, Ottawa, and Winnipeg. Osiecki is one of five former Capitols to play in the NHL.
He spent five years at St. Norbert College, NCAA D3, located in De Pere, Wisconsin. With the Green Knights, Brandt served as the Associate Head Coach under longtime coach Tim Coughlin. In his time at St. Norbert College, he helped lead the Green Knights to the program’s fifth national championship in 2018, Brandt’s first season. St. Norbert appeared in three NCAA tournaments during his time in De Pere. In total, the Green Knights recorded a record of 91-26-6.
St. Norbert College won two Harris Cup’s during his tenure, 2018 and 2019. The Harris Cup is awarded to the postseason champion of the NCHA, Northern Hockey Hockey Association. The Green Knights also won the Peters Cup in 2019, the NCHA regular season trophy. The Green Knights went 56-15-3 in conference play during Brandt’s five years at St. Norbert.
Brandt spent his first four seasons in coaching with the professional team that he played the majority of his games with, the ECHL’s Atlanta/Gwinnett Gladiators. The first two seasons with the Gladiators, Brandt coached as an Assistant Coach under Rick Emmett. Emmett was relieved of his duties on December 2, 2014, and Brandt became the interim head coach of the team. At the conclusion of the 2014-15 season, the team rebranded to the Atlanta Gladiators, and the former captain of the team, Andy Brandt, became the full time head coach of the team. During his time as head coach of the team, the Gladiators went 61-68-11-4 including a 34-31-5-2 record in Brandt’s first season.
Prior to his time in coaching, Brandt played seven seasons at the pro level, mainly with Gwinnett but also appearing in games in the AHL with Abbotsford, Lake Erie, and Manitoba. Brandt served as the captain of the Gladiators in his final pro season, 2012-13. In total, the Capitols head coach played in 435 professional games, 357 with Gwinnett. The forward played three 72 game seasons, meaning he did not miss a game during those seasons. He totaled 220 points in 421 ECHL games including five 30+ point seasons. Brandt’s number 41 was retired by the Gladiators.
The Wisconsin native had the chance to suit up for his state’s only division one program from 2003-2007 playing alongside Capitols Associate Head Coach Tom Gilbert for three of his four seasons. Brandt played in 130 games with the University of Wisconsin. Of his 130 games played, none were more important than April 8, 2006, when he helped the Badgers capture the program’s sixth national championship. Brandt also got to play alongside Capitols Goaltending Coach Shane Connelly for the final two seasons at Wisconsin. Connelly was Wisconsin’s Director of Hockey Operations during Andy’s time as an assistant coach with the Badgers.
Brandt played his junior hockey with the Pittsburgh Forge of the North American Hockey League. After registering 49 points in 2001-02 in his first season, he was named to the NAHL All-Rookie First Team. He was a draft pick of the Omaha Lancers in 2002.
Andy can be reached at andybrandt@madcapshockey.com.
