Dustin Brown - can last season be replicated ?

[Gordie Howe Army]

At age 33 (and several non-spectacular seasons) Dustin Brown broke out for 61 points in 2017-18. What happened ? Did he find the fountain of youth in Cali ? Get a transfusion of vampire blood before the season started ? What caused him to be so good last year ?

Brown is on LA's top line with Kopitar. Anyone think he will score like that again next season (and maybe in future years as well) ? Or will he revert back to his usual 29 point previous self ?

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[redcard]

Coaching changed helped several veteran players hit career highs, Sutter's system stifled offense, Stevens allows them to be a little more free wheeling and the numbers reflect that.

He likely won't hit 61 again, but 40-50 should be reasonable.

 

[Stimpythecat]

He also didn't accrue the hard mileage that you'd expect a 33 year old 1st liner to have.

 

[Reclamation Project]

 

[Gordie Howe Army]

Coaching changed helped several veteran players hit career highs, Sutter's system stifled offense, Stevens allows them to be a little more free wheeling and the numbers reflect that.

He likely won't hit 61 again, but 40-50 should be reasonable.

Thanks !

His scoring increase makes total sense now - a coaching change to a more wide-open offense definitely could account for it.

As you suggest, he will likely regress from this career high somewhat but still do better than his last few low-scoring seasons.

 

[KINGS17]

 

[kings11]

I’d guess 25-25-50 as the minimum...

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Coaching change. He and Sutter really didn’t like each other.

We’ll see how much he can keep it up. That first line of Kovalchuk-Kopitar-Brown is truly boom bust material.

 

[Little Psycho]

Lettuce pray.

 

[KingsFan7824]

If Kovalchuk, Toffoli, Pearson, Kempe, and Iafallo can't help then he'll have to. In the last 29 games of the season, Brown scored 12 goals, while 4 of the 5 other guys mentioned scored 14.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Lettuce pray.

One of our Kings prayer circle meetings is long overdue.

 

[johnjm22]

It's possible, but unlikely. Maybe if the top line clicks really well.

20+ goals and 40+ points would make me happy.

Kovalchuk-Kopitar-Brown has to be the oldest top line in the league.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Lettuce pray.

 

[kovacro]

One of our Kings prayer circle meetings is long overdue.

 

[Little Psycho]

One of our Kings prayer circle meetings is long overdue.

It unusual to request a prayer circle before the season has started and for a non-injuried player (he got surgery on his shoulder tho?) but if that's what the people want I cannot say no to it.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Am I picking up on a vibe in here, or am I just hungry?

 

[damacles1156]

The League has changed.

I would say it's likely Brown scores similar numbers. Brown is not required to hit any more or have good board play. The game is more transition oriented, more like pond hockey. Which is why we should be really disappointed in the numbers Toffoli/Pearson put up.

If Kopitar can break the nasty habit of gluing himself to the wall on the PP, he would hit 100 points.

 

[The Tikkanen]

He needs a lot of time on ice, 3:50 more than the previous season which really makes Sutter look bad. He needs to shoot a lot. Kovalchuk should help that because the D are gonna be worried about Kopitar and Kovalchuk giving Brown space. And he needs to not throw hits, 189 last season which is a career low minus his 46 game season. I think with Kovalchuk on his line he can repeat or beat last season. My magic 8 ball says yes.

 

[johnjm22]

With Brown it's not a question of his skill, it's a question of his age.

Brown will turn 34 early in the season. There was only two players in the league this past season aged 34+ that scored 20 goals; Marleau and Sedin.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Surprised his offseason shoulder surgery hasn’t been brought up as a factor. Sounds like he’s been doing rehab instead of normal offseason training to this point.

Dustin Brown (shoulder) is coming along, too, and there’s no grave concern that his rehabilitation is going to mesh too disproportionately into his seasonal preparation, per Stevens. “Brownie’s where we thought he’d be at this point. He’s back east now. I talked to him the other day, he felt things were going well. You don’t like to see a guy in a rehab situation. You want him to be training. But we feel like he can be fully rehabbed, fully trained, ready to go.”

Stevens holds coaching summit; Brown, Lewis updates; Vilardi + dev camp - LA Kings Insider

 

[KingTrouty]

 

[Reclamation Project]

The kiddos don't want a Toyota, they want an AMG!

 

[YP44]

50 points would be very welcome IMO

 

[TruKingFan]

What's the premise for the question? Is the Kings success in 18-19 predicated upon DB replicating his 17-18 production? Are we back to trying to get rid of that contract and trading him for a 5th round pick?

 

[kilowatt]

People surprised by Brown’s production should note that Stevens put him in a first line role, unlike the third-line minutes he was receiving from Sutter.