[4] He debuted in one game with the Giants during the subsequent WHL season, while playing Junior A[notes 1] in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Quesnel Millionaires.

Recording 57 points (32 goals and 25 assists) over 48 games in his lone BCHL season, he was named the Interior Conference's recipient of the Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.

He became the first Giants player to win a major WHL award,[6] receiving the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as league rookie of the year.

[10] The following season, Brulé finished third in WHL scoring with 87 points (39 goals and 48 assists),[11] establishing a Giants single-season point-scoring record (surpassed by Casey Pierro-Zabotel in 2008–09).

"[21] Brulé made the Blue Jackets' lineup in his first NHL training camp and signed with the club to a three-year, entry-level contract on October 3, 2005.

[22] He made his NHL debut against the Washington Capitals in the Blue Jackets' season opener two days later, notching an assist on a goal by Dan Fritsche in a 3–1 loss.

[7] Brulé scored his first NHL career goal that night against Phoenix Coyotes, his team's lone tally in a 5–1 loss, beating goaltender David LeNeveu with a shot from the left offensive zone faceoff circle.

[37] Four-and-a-half years after his junior career, the club honoured him in a ceremony prior to a game against the Kamloops Blazers on January 28, 2011, as part of "Gilbert Brulé Night".

Brulé was the fourth alumnus added to the club's Ring of Honour, commemorating the team's best players; a plaque was unveiled inside the stadium bearing his name and the number 17 he wore on his jersey as a Giant.

At the end of the Blue Jackets' regular season, Brulé was reassigned to Syracuse for the club's Calder Cup playoff run.

[7] On October 17, 2008, he suffered a knee-on-knee hit from opposing defenceman Adam McQuaid during a game against the Providence Bruins, causing him to miss several contests injured.

[49] With improved play and the injury of first-line winger Ales Hemsky,[50][51] Brulé moved up the Oilers' depth chart and recorded his best statistical season in the NHL.

On June 24, 2011, it was reported that Brulé had been traded along with a fourth-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Ryan Smyth.

[57] Due to health concerns, the deal never materialized as Brulé had not yet been cleared to play following his concussion (under league rules, an injured player can be traded but cannot be bought out, which is what the Kings had planned on doing).

Furthermore, Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi made it apparent to the media that the team wanted someone with a smaller salary cap hit if Brulé could not be bought out.

[58] The Oilers ultimately acquired Smyth in exchange for forward Colin Fraser (whose cap hit was over $1 million less) and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft.

Near the end of the Oilers' training camp, on October 2, 2011, he was placed on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the team's AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons.

[61] After recording 18 points (eight goals and ten assists) over 27 games with the Barons, Brulé was recalled by the Oilers on January 9, 2012, in lieu of injured forwards Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.

[67] On May 12, 2014, reports surfaced that Brulé opted to resume his playing career after signing a one-year contract with Russian club Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

[68] After one year in Yekaterinburg, he joined fellow KHL side Medvescak Zagreb of Croatia in July 2015[69] and had his contract renewed for the 2016–17 season.

On May 25, 2019, Brulé opted to return as a free agent for a second tenure with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, agreeing to a two-year contract.

Brulé helped lead Team Canada to gold, scoring the game-winning goal in the championship match, a 4–1 win against the Czech Republic.

[73] At the time of the final roster selection in December 2005, however, Brulé was recovering from a leg injury, suffered during NHL play with the Blue Jackets.

[77] Brulé received further media attention a year later for picking up a pair of hitchhikers who turned out to be Irish rock band U2 frontman Bono and his assistant in a West Vancouver neighbourhood on May 31, 2011.