Confirmed with Link: Brindley Signs

[majormajor]

obviously he has drawn a lot of comparisons/playing style comparisons to Cam Atkinson.

as it stands right now in this moment, do you think brindley has potential to be better than Cam (at his peak), equal as cam, or do you think his potential is less?

I think there is a big range of outcomes with Brindley, as far as we know. He's not built square like Cam is, so you still have to wonder if injuries might hold him back. On the other hand, I think Brindley has better hockey sense, maybe high end. That opens up the possibility that we'll have a very special player someday.

 

[ClevelandJacketFan]

Brindley, to me, seems much more well rounded than Cam. He won't put up those same big goal numbers, but he'll be on every specialist unit, and will probably put up the same amount of points as Cam because I think he can be an elite wing distributor.

 

[koteka]

I think there is a big range of outcomes with Brindley, as far as we know. He's not built square like Cam is, so you still have to wonder if injuries might hold him back.

I think a big question with Brindley is can he avoid concussions. Cam was able to. Calvert and Blanks weren’t.

 

[majormajor]

I think a big question with Brindley is can he avoid concussions. Cam was able to. Calvert and Blanks weren’t.

And I've seen this with many other prospects over the years. Short guys built square like Cam, or Mateychuk, or Gourde, or Stankoven, are much less likely to get elbowed in the head on routine contact. They get fewer concussions. Brindley isn't that thick and he has to be super careful. The league is littered with formerly promising small players who got hit in the head too often, like Tyler Johnson and Kailer Yamamoto. Brindley has already changed his playstyle significantly from his first year at Michigan when he was a physical buzzsaw. Most teams looked at that and didn't think he was going to survive the NHL physically. Thankfully for us he is so much more than a little physical player.

 

[Cowumbus]

Brindley is our top prospect AINEC

Seriously though, *I hope* he’s going to be a “secondary” piece on a very good playoff team. How Point and Palat were for the TBL during their early reign. Point obviously just kept getting better.

 

[EspenK]

And I've seen this with many other prospects over the years. Short guys built square like Cam,

Bet he could absorb a lot

 

[Indy18]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841844482540458136

 

[AndBoomGoesTheCannon]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841844482540458136

Out 4-6 weeks - broken finger

 

[Cowumbus]

@koteka @majormajor thanks for jinxing him guys!!!

 

[koteka]

@koteka @majormajor thanks for jinxing him guys!!!

Is his brain in his finger? It is possible - he did go to Michigan.

Go Bucks!

 

[squashmaple]

Really not dispelling those "forward version of Blankenburg" comparisons.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Really not dispelling those "forward version of Blankenburg" comparisons.

I get what you're saying but Blank's injuries were almost always "playing above his weight class" type injuries. A broken finger isn't really in that category.

Could prove indicative, I guess, but I'm not there yet.

 

[squashmaple]

I get what you're saying but Blank's injuries were almost always "playing above his weight class" type injuries. A broken finger isn't really in that category.

Could prove indicative, I guess, but I'm not there yet.

Just makes me very nervous to see a small sparkplug type player getting hurt, even if it's a freak sort of injury that's the result of a bouncing puck. Most of Blanks' injuries were individually freak injuries, too.

 

[thebus88]

I think a big question with Brindley is can he avoid concussions. Cam was able to. Calvert and Blanks weren’t.

On average, I’m wondering how many “undiagnosed” concussions you think NHL players have had growing up playing through minor hockey, juniors/college, and once they hit the pros?? Hint, it’s A LOT more than most people realize.

“Concussions” didn’t have much of an impact on Calvert, nor is that what’s going to hold back Blankenburg from being an NHL player. Obviously severe concussions or getting knocked out repeatedly/often is not a good thing, but, the game has changed significantly and Brindley has more than enough on ice awareness, that I don’t think they should really be looked at as a threat or issue.

Really not dispelling those "forward version of Blankenburg" comparisons.

What, that he’s willing to sacrifice his body to block a shot??

Looks like they teach players how to play hockey the right way up here, eh?

Side note: Why do you guys focus on NCAA football here, and not NCAA hockey?? Just curious.

 

[majormajor]

“Concussions” didn’t have much of an impact on Calvert

Matt Calvert wears darkened visor despite ‘recovery’ from concussion

Matt Calvert hasn’t exactly earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to self-diagnosis.

The Columbus Blue Jackets forward, who plans on returning to the lineup against the New Jersey Devils, missed 15 games with a concussion and a neck injury. Calvert claims he didn’t realize he had concussion symptoms until the neck injury was diagnosed around Feb. 27. His coach, Todd Richards, said he wasn’t sure if Calvert was hiding those symptoms from the team in order to remain on the ice.

From Aaron Portzline:

"Almost about a week ago, we pin-pointed the problem," Calvert said. "With these things, they think the problem is always in your head. For a while there, there was a concussion. But after that we had to figure some stuff out and go to a couple of different therapists. It's been a bit of a long road, but I think we've got a handle on it now"

"It feels good to feel good again. It was a little frustrating throughout the whole process."

Calvert will wear a darkened visor, he said, as he's been sensitive to bright lights. "I've had problems with light sensitivity, so I'll wear it for the rest of the season," Calvert said.

UPDATED: Matt Calvert ‘out indefinitely,’ absence related to concussion issues

“He’s had some concussion issues in the past, and I don’t know if he’s diagnosed that,” Bednar told CHN. “But he’s not feeling right at this point, so he’s taking a little bit of time to get healthy. That’s where we’re at with him.”

It’s hard not to fear the worst here. Given Calvert’s concussion history and his battle with post-concussive symptoms over the last few years

It’s hard to ignore the clues though. Just a couple of weeks ago, Matt Calvert confirmed his new stylish pink visor was not a fashion statement, but rather a necessary tool he uses to filter out the bright lights of hockey rinks — something that he needs due to light sensitivity issues that have stemmed from his post-concussion symptoms. He’s had to wear these darkened visors in the past, as well, while battling though concussion issues while a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

That was his last NHL game, mid 2021.

 

[squashmaple]

What, that he’s willing to sacrifice his body to block a shot??

Looks like they teach players how to play hockey the right way up here, eh?

Side note: Why do you guys focus on NCAA football here, and not NCAA hockey?? Just curious.

Was Johnny Gaudreau not playing hockey "the right way?" Since you expect even little guys to sacrifice the body and all.

I don't give a fraction of a s*** about college sports, period. I'm glad the athletes are getting paid as they should now.

 

[Seedtype]

Well crud, get well soon, kid.

 

[thebus88]

Matt Calvert wears darkened visor despite ‘recovery’ from concussion






UPDATED: Matt Calvert ‘out indefinitely,’ absence related to concussion issues







That was his last NHL game, mid 2021.

I could/should dug a bit more before making the comment, but, my point is that “concussions” didn’t really impact his ability or impact on the ice. What do ALL players retire from? Age? Or what comes with age, injuries?

That said, I also didn’t realize he was as young as he is, so it’s clear that’s obviously had an impact on his retirement/career so I guess I’ll backtrack on my wording, and yet still claim the semantics defense.

But, going to HDB to check his age, what stands out is I thought Calvert put up a little better offensive numbers for a couple years. Things I want to point out is that his production stayed consistent, injuries (diagnosed?) or not.

And getting back to Brindley, because of this lack of offensive skill, guys like Calvert, who did have some legit skill, (and Blankenburg) are asked and tasked with playing a certain way, and in both guys’ case, as “undersized” NHL players, did what was needed and went out there like warriors shift after shift. This is not what will be asked of Brindley.

Honestly, thinking more about Calvert, and how he played in Junior’s to get himself to the NHL, just imagine what he went through as an undersized player even before Juniors in Western Canada, probably just to get him into the WHL. Again, I think some of you would be fascinated at the true number of concussions some of these players have had over the years.

 

[majormajor]

I could/should dug a bit more before making the comment, but, my point is that “concussions” didn’t really impact his ability or impact on the ice. What do ALL players retire from? Age? Or what comes with age, injuries?

That said, I also didn’t realize he was as young as he is, so it’s clear that’s obviously had an impact on his retirement/career so I guess I’ll backtrack on my wording, and yet still claim the semantics defense.

But, going to HDB to check his age, what stands out is I thought Calvert put up a little better offensive numbers for a couple years. Things I want to point out is that his production stayed consistent, injuries (diagnosed?) or not.

And getting back to Brindley, because of this lack of offensive skill, guys like Calvert, who did have some legit skill, (and Blankenburg) are asked and tasked with playing a certain way, and in both guys’ case, as “undersized” NHL players, did what was needed and went out there like warriors shift after shift. This is not what will be asked of Brindley.

Honestly, thinking more about Calvert, and how he played in Junior’s to get himself to the NHL, just imagine what he went through as an undersized player even before Juniors in Western Canada, probably just to get him into the WHL. Again, I think some of you would be fascinated at the true number of concussions some of these players have had over the years.

It's hard to say with Calvert because he had concussion issues from very early. It can permanently lower your ability, not always a short term thing.

 

[Viqsi]

Side note: Why do you guys focus on NCAA football here, and not NCAA hockey?? Just curious.

I can't speak for others, but in my case, while I eventually became a hockey fan in general and Jackets fan in particular thanks to George Matthews, I was born a Buckeye football fan - born on-campus at OSU Medical Center not far from where my grandather taught classes at OSU to a pair of Buckeyes who were married on-campus two decades before the Jackets ever existed. It's a simple first-mover advantage.

 

[Cowumbus]

Just makes me very nervous to see a small sparkplug type player getting hurt, even if it's a freak sort of injury that's the result of a bouncing puck. Most of Blanks' injuries were individually freak injuries, too.

In two years at UM I believe he only missed one game. And tbh Brindley is a much better skater and more elusive than NB.

 

[thebus88]

Was Johnny Gaudreau not playing hockey "the right way?" Since you expect even little guys to sacrifice the body and all.

I don't give a fraction of a s*** about college sports, period. I'm glad the athletes are getting paid as they should now.

Well, the timing isn’t great here, but, Gaudreau didn’t really consistently play exactly how I would have liked or how he could have. To be clear, I’m a human being that is smaller than JG. To me, “little guy” is a slur. Apology accepted.

Do you even understand how Brindley was hurt? There’s a difference between banging bodies every shift and guys blocking shots at the blue line. Nobody is asking Brindley or Gaudreau, or Mateychuk etc. to take runs at people or take dumb risks to “sacrifice their body” for the team, but, EVERY player should be willing to get in front of a shot to block it.

What this REALLY brings to question, is if you want your players to go out of their way to block shots during the preseason. This is where I stray away from wanting players to go all out every shift. There were a few instances on the PK where I was a bit worried about Chinakhov, and is now a new aspect I’m thinking about, not wanting guys like him or KJ on the PK regularly.

To add, I absolutely cringe when players stick their hands/palms out to block shots. The dude shooting at Brindley hit him right in the “gut”, his hand just happened to be right there.