GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[Honour Over Glory]

I think your concerns are valid but I'm not super worried about Graves or even Sullivan ruining Brunicke by keeping him up.

If he's good/ready he'll find his way imo.

As you are well aware, I have absolutely zero trust in Sullivan and Quinn

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Brunicke looking good with Pettersson is a data point in answering the question of 'Is Marcus Pettersson good at mentoring young defensemen?'

 

[The Old Master]

Depends on whats best for him as far as developement goes. I dont mind burning a year of the ECL if he improves more then if he goes back to juniors. If hes screwed around between being anchored by Graves and sitting in the pressbox, well, then id rather not burn the 1st ELS year.

and we do know sully's track record

 

[Gurglesons]

Last time an 18 year old 2nd round pick played on this team we won a cup.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Last time an 18 year old 2nd round pick played on this team we won a cup.

Considering the other magical ingredient is a midseason coach firing, you should be ecstatic if Brunicke makes the squad.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Then they both end up in Michigan.

I don't wish that on my worst enemy.

 

[Pancakes]

As you are well aware, I have absolutely zero trust in Sullivan and Quinn

I don't have much either, I just think if Brunicke actually is ready to play this year he'll show it despite Sullivan's best efforts to mess it all up

 

[Honour Over Glory]

My comparison was Blake Coleman.

I don't think his production is ever going to be star level. I think he's the type of player that wins you a cup though and his attitude is undeniable in the pre-season, off ice stuff.

I can sort of see where you're getting that idea from for the comparison. Both are smart defensively, good play drivers, Blake is about 3" shorter and a far better skater than Rutger is, also Coleman is just finally realizing his potential, he had a couple of good seasons in NJ before he was moved (back to back 20 goal seasons) and his game wasn't well rounded offensively there until he joined the Flames and especially more so the last couple of seasons. But I think Rutger has better offensive instincts than Coleman at the same age.

Coleman just recently started to use his linemates more offensively and effectively, for me Rutger is already better than him at that. But I mean, I wish he could skate like Coleman, he'd definitely be a lock if that were the case, as I feel like he hangs a little back because of his skating and he adjusts his game for his positioning not to burn him if the puck goes back the other way and he is on the backcheck.

Let's be reality, if McG was any better a prospect then the Pens likely couldn't've traded for him.

I mean if we ignore the fact that he wanted out of Winnipeg entirely, yeah sure, that could be an assumption one could make.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

We should not blame ANYONE for a preseason results. Vets just go through the motions.

It is about getting ready (for the vets) and proving yourself (for the kids).

The problem is, the vets go through the motions during the regular season too, and the kids are not rewarded when they do prove themselves.

That is a Sullivan trademark.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Considering the other magical ingredient is a midseason coach firing, you should be ecstatic if Brunicke makes the squad.

What does a Derek Lalonde firing in Detroit have to do with Harrison Brunicke?

Shirley you are not suggesting a coaching change in Pittsburgh???

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Because those are the names that frequently came up as comparisons when we first acquired him, so I was curious how close he's actually been to that first comparison.

If he turns into a regular NHLer, cool. But a big part of the hype (at least to me) was this idea that he has future star potential. Maybe he still does. I'm not writing him off. I'm just saying that if the expectation is less than that now then the initial hype was overblown.

I mean a) if you are wondering the bolded that is not what your initial post said— it was this:

“Man, those Jamie Benn/Jason Robertson/Matthew Tkachuk comparisons are certainly looking like a pipe dream now”

I can only reply to what you post. It was not “curious to see how close he’s been” to them

and b) if he’s able to produce points in the league he’ll be a similar unique player to those guys as a top liner with weaker foot speed who scores below the hashes. I think there is a big difference between “this guy will be as good as these stars” and “if this guy becomes a good player he could succeed in ways similar to these players” but I forget I’m on HFBoards where everything has to be instant gratification and black and white.

He doesn’t have to dominate preseason games for that to continue to be true. But he’s been quite solid by every metric.

and why are expectations lower after 4 preseason games he’s looked solid in?