Confirmed with Link: Avs sign D Erik Brännström 900k X 1 year

[a mangy Meowth]

I like it - we need cheap NHL bodies to get us to the deadline

 

[henchman21]

I’m not sure what you’re getting at here. Outside of Hunt his first year, those guys all played a very small amount of time in Colorado. Englund was only making $200k on the Eagles. MacDonald is set to make over $500k. They saw how important it was to have Hunt down there all last season and probably want that stability again.

I'm saying that guys that get elevated salaries in the AHL tend to be some of the first callups. It is a pretty consistent thing with this organization. Beyond those guys, Megna, Dries, Blidh, Tynan, Wagner, Renouf, Sherwood. It happens pretty consistently. It wouldn't at all be surprising if MacDonald got ~10 games next season.

 

[Ararana]

Or Toews

If they trade Toews after trading Byram I'm going to lose my shit.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I'm saying that guys that get elevated salaries in the AHL tend to be some of the first callups. It is a pretty consistent thing with this organization. Beyond those guys, Megna, Dries, Blidh, Tynan, Wagner, Renouf, Sherwood. It happens pretty consistently. It wouldn't at all be surprising if MacDonald got ~10 games next season.

Depends on the position and situation. Brad Hunt didnt get any games over Malinski last year.

 

[Richard88]

To further this point, I still wouldn't rule out bringing JJ back to be the #7-8. Although maybe CMac isn't just so Bednar can't overplay him. But a mixture of Brannstrom/JJ/de Hann/Rosen/Behrens should be able to cover us on the left side until the deadline. I do think a G deal is coming.

Trading Girard and putting Brännström next to Manson would make sense stylistically, but Brännström isn't as good as Girard and has also always played better on his off side.

Toews --- Makar
Girard ---- Manson
DeHaan/xxxx - Brännström

That's the setup I'd imagine they're aiming for here.

 

[henchman21]

So... on Brannstrom's actual play. In the zone, Brannstrom has pretty much been a non factor in the NHL. His shot is poor and he plays timid at the line (I'd expect that to change here). He can pass pretty well. In the defensive zone, the one thing he is excellent at is puck retrieval. If he can get the puck clean, and he can have an outlet option... he will have a high success rate on clears and transition. If he has to battle, he's very likely to lose that battle. If he has to carry the puck, he's likely to skate himself into trouble. He's a very good outlet option though. Meaning if somebody else can win the battle and move the puck to him, he can outlet pass very well. In the neutral zone, he's a good passer still, but just gives away the blue line.

Depends on the position and situation. Brad Hunt didnt get any games over Malinski last year.

Sure and you can find some others in that situation too. More often than not though, those guys play with the Avs some and are higher up on the call up list. The Avs will probably use in the realm of 9-11 defesemen during the season. Chances are solid that MacDonald would be one of those.

 

[Gumballhead]

I feel like with how well Sean Walker fit in (mostly) with this team, this is a swing at the cheap version of a guy like that. He should certainly be better than Caleb Jones who was only good at practice skill competitions.

 

[Pokecheque]

If they trade Toews after trading Byram I'm going to lose my shit.

His contract extension just kicked in roughly 24 hours ago. They're not trading him.

 

[Ararana]

His contract extension just kicked in roughly 24 hours ago. They're not trading him.

I know, we're clearly talking theory land here.

 

[Richard88]

So... on Brannstrom's actual play. In the zone, Brannstrom has pretty much been a non factor in the NHL. His shot is poor and he plays timid at the line (I'd expect that to change here). He can pass pretty well. In the defensive zone, the one thing he is excellent at is puck retrieval. If he can get the puck clean, and he can have an outlet option... he will have a high success rate on clears and transition. If he has to battle, he's very likely to lose that battle. If he has to carry the puck, he's likely to skate himself into trouble. He's a very good outlet option though. Meaning if somebody else can win the battle and move the puck to him, he can outlet pass very well. In the neutral zone, he's a good passer still, but just gives away the blue line.


Sure and you can find some others in that situation too. More often than not though, those guys play with the Avs some and are higher up on the call up list. The Avs will probably use in the realm of 9-11 defesemen during the season. Chances are solid that MacDonald would be one of those.

How well do you think De Haan will complement Brännström?

 

[GirardSpinorama]

So... on Brannstrom's actual play. In the zone, Brannstrom has pretty much been a non factor in the NHL. His shot is poor and he plays timid at the line (I'd expect that to change here). He can pass pretty well. In the defensive zone, the one thing he is excellent at is puck retrieval. If he can get the puck clean, and he can have an outlet option... he will have a high success rate on clears and transition. If he has to battle, he's very likely to lose that battle. If he has to carry the puck, he's likely to skate himself into trouble. He's a very good outlet option though. Meaning if somebody else can win the battle and move the puck to him, he can outlet pass very well. In the neutral zone, he's a good passer still, but just gives away the blue line.


Sure and you can find some others in that situation too. More often than not though, those guys play with the Avs some and are higher up on the call up list. The Avs will probably use in the realm of 9-11 defesemen during the season. Chances are solid that MacDonald would be one of those.

Depends on injuries to Manson and how well Behrens progress.

Brannstrom certainly looks a bit like a Girard from this scouting report.

 

[Avs_19]

Smart move. Brannstrom is who I was hoping they'd target yesterday but figured it wouldn't be happening after the CDH signing.

 

[henchman21]

How well do you think De Haan will complement Brännström?

Mixed... one will be on their off hand (Brannstrom would be my guess). CDH can still win battles for pucks, but he can't get to them first any more. So there is some option that CDH can win the battle and defer to Brannstrom to clear. Both are mistake prone carrying the puck, CDH turns the puck over a lot passing too. Neither are especially adept at being cycle breakers.

IMO the pairing would be fine against teams without a ton of forechecking pressure. They'll have time and space to operate. If you ratchet up the pressure, it'd likely be a pairing that any turnover or not clean retrieval ends up being a high pressure, long shift in their own zone. Sadly I don't think you can offensive zone tilt them much either as they don't keep pucks all that well and give up the blue line rather easily.

 

[Avs9296]

We don't need him to PP. As long as his ES defence is solid and he can MOVE the puck that's good enough for a third pairing guy. Our system relies on moving the puck fast out of our zone. Without that our system falls apart. He has flaws of course but what 900K dman doesn't? I get that he's a bit redundant but I think he fits the SYSTEM well. Avs can beef up the blueline at the deadline.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

We're really hoping to find gems from badly coached teams (DJ Smith is just a disaster).

 

[henchman21]

Depends on injuries to Manson and how well Behrens progress.

Brannstrom certainly looks a bit like a Girard from this scouting report.

Behrens has a games played bonus that hits at 10 games. Possible he got promised that, also possible that he gets kept down because of the overage (same thing happened to Foudy a couple years ago).

Brannstrom is a bottom pairing version of Girard. Worse skater, softer, and not as offensively talented... but similar style.

 

[MacKaRant]

It goes further... here's the full left shot D depth chart

Toews
Girard
CDH
Brannstrom
Achan
Behrens
MacDonald
Rosen
Weinstein
Middleton
Aamodt

G, Brannstrom, Achan, MacDonald, and Rosen all play that similar style. Behrens has a bit more snarl, but he's not far removed from it either.

At near league minimum, why not let them all fight it out and see who earns the minutes and nails down a role? Competition to make the team out of training camp will be fierce

 

[HartKinnon]

Guy seems to be solid 3rd pair d. Dont get how one can be upset about this?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808183775685210336

 

[Avs44]

Guy seems to be solid 3rd pair d. Dont get how one can be upset about this?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808183775685210336

I don't think there's any "upset" about Brannstrom in of himself. It's about the fact that he's joined on the #5, #6, #7, and #8 option list by CDH, Malinski, MacDonald, and Rosen...

 

[expatriatedtexan]

What we really need is a #5-8 that is more like Manson and less like Girard.

 

[MacKaRant]

I don't think there's any "upset" about Brannstrom in of himself. It's about the fact that he's joined on the #5, #6, #7, and #8 option list by CDH, Malinski, MacDonald, and Rosen...

None of those players will count against the cap if they are sent down though due to their salaries being below the threshold. Just imagine these are PTO contracts with a guarantee to be with the Eagles if you're not claimed by another team

 

[Avs44]

None of those players will count against the cap if they are sent down though due to their salaries being below the threshold. Just imagine these are PTO contracts with a guarantee to be with the Eagles if you're not claimed by another team

Right...but I'm not complaining about the cap, I'm critiquing that we need a #5 and #6 defensman and these are the only options in the entire organization right now which means at least two of them are playing every night. And three of them will be playing every night if a top four guy gets injured.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

If he doesn't work out you can waive him and send him to the AHL. It's not going to be the next St Louis on waivers pickup but the downside is low. Why we whinging?

Oh wait it's HFBoards Avs. Of course we're whinging. It's what we do.

Why didn't Cmac trade Girard and then use f***ing magic to make Pronger a healthy 21 year old again and sign him?

 

[S E P H]

Any chance Brannstrom means Kylington in another language because damn if not?!

This bloke is an absolute coward when being forechequed against, turnover machine and hot potato with puck sort of player.

 

[tucker3434]

CF has us at 33 contracts and this one is entirely buryable. Whatever.