The club has been shopping Brannstrom forever, and there is no market for him. For a guy who was supposed to generate offense he simply doesn't, and his lack of size and physical play make him a poor fit for the third pairing. If we want to remake this roster we absolutely have to move on from guys like Brannstrom and Joseph to change our mix.
As others have said, he will likely sign somewhere on a one year, one million "show me" contract. We'll see what happens to him after that but like others, I see a long career in Europe in his future. Brannstrom will be great in Europe with the bigger ice and less physical play.
Yeah, moving some of our best 2-way players should really be our PRIORITY. I mean, we've been too good defensively.
Brannstrom-Anyone: Overmatched
I’d offer him a 3 x 1.25M as depth and if he refused just moved on.
Overmatched? He has he best metrics on the team of the last 2 years combined. He's been a net+ in terms of scoring chances and shot differential. That's what I am looking for in a defenseman rather than a tough guy like Hamonic who can stop the puck with his teeth but gets CAVED IN all game. But at the same time, my vision of the game is not really traditional I guess. For a goalie, the guys you end up appreciating the most are the ones who get the puck out smartly and quickly. Guys like Chabot, Sanderson and Brannstrom rather than guys like Hamonic and Chychrun
I would very surprised if Kleven is, overall, more effective this year than Brannstrom was last year.
I suspect Brannstrom is gone and I'm fine with that, but I don't think that just plugging in Kleven is the proper solution. If we could get a cheap vet for insurance that would be ideal.
The end goal of having Kleven in the playoffs over Brannstrom is fine but I mean, we haven't gotten there for 7 years lol. And people have been talking about Brannstrom lacking size for the playoffs... I mean, I would like to get there as a first step
I would certainly invest 2.0 in Brannstrom as an insurance policy who can play both sides effectively and up and down the line up when there is an injury (even at forward). I would much rather do that than waste away cap space on guys like Korpisalo, White, Tierney, Hamonic, Del Zotto, Kubalik, etc etc etc
I wonder how he would be with an actual good partner. He’s always had to do all the breakout and puck carrying duties AND all the defensive duties on the third pair
He has even better advanced metrics when paired with quality. Watch the Canes or the Panthers get him when he becomes our trash. A man's trash is another man's treasure. Some win by just being smarter.
He would have to accept a lower salary to be on a good team or he could go on a team in transition and maybe have a bigger role. I would get him if I was Calgary