Traded Erik Brännström - D - Part III

[GCK]

I don't see Zaitsev going anywhere. He was the top pk Rd. The pk was good. Brannstrom started PKing regularly towards the end of season. Idk, maybe Dorion packages him up somewhere if the feeling in Belleville is one or both of JBD and Thomson are ready

I see Holden as a perfect 7th D on a pre retirement contract

I’d like to see one of Brannstrom or Thomson packaged to get a real top 4 RD. I don’t care which one but we need to fix that spot.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I don't see Zaitsev going anywhere. He was the top pk Rd. The pk was good. Brannstrom started PKing regularly towards the end of season. Idk, maybe Dorion packages him up somewhere if the feeling in Belleville is one or both of JBD and Thomson are ready

I see Holden as a perfect 7th D on a pre retirement contract

This could very well be Dorion and DJs view. Which is unfortunate because Holden is better than Zaitsev. If anyone should be a 7D, it’s Zaitsev.

 

[JD1]

I’d like to see one of Brannstrom or Thomson packaged to get a real top 4 RD. I don’t care which one but we need to fix that spot.

Unless we're talking someone signed with term, I don't see that happening

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I don't see Zaitsev going anywhere. He was the top pk Rd. The pk was good. Brannstrom started PKing regularly towards the end of season. Idk, maybe Dorion packages him up somewhere if the feeling in Belleville is one or both of JBD and Thomson are ready

I see Holden as a perfect 7th D on a pre retirement contract

Holden is so much better than Zaitsev though

 

[Micklebot]

I don't see Zaitsev going anywhere. He was the top pk Rd. The pk was good. Brannstrom started PKing regularly towards the end of season. Idk, maybe Dorion packages him up somewhere if the feeling in Belleville is one or both of JBD and Thomson are ready

I see Holden as a perfect 7th D on a pre retirement contract

Idk, I think the only thing Zaitsev has on Holden is a more expensive contract.

Yes, Zaitsev was the top PK right D, but Holden was the top PK D regardless of side, and played more than Zaitsev in at 5v5 despite being each others most common partners.

Since the acquisition of Hamonic, our 5v5 RD icetime has been Hamonic (17:09), Zub (16:54), Zaitsev (15:05), I don't see Zaitsev as more than a bottom pair dman next year unless he really turns around his game, and as such I think his role is in jeopardy. Zub and Hamonic are both good penalty killers, Zaitsev may have gotten used more in that role, but we aren't giving up much if anything switching to them, where as I do think switching from Holden to Brannstrom as our top LD on the PK is giving up a lot.

Now, DJ has shown a reluctance to play guys on their off side in the past, so that gives Zaitsev a leg up since I'd agree that all 3 of Chabot, Brannstrom and Sanderson should/will be in the lineup. Maybe JBD or Thomson challenge for that final RD spot, idk, but if it were me, I'd play one of Brannstrom or Holden on their off side over Zaitsev, and I'd play both Zub and Hamonic ahead of Zaitsev.

 

[JD1]

Idk, I think the only thing Zaitsev has on Holden is a more expensive contract.

Yes, Zaitsev was the top PK right D, but Holden was the top PK D regardless of side, and played more than Zaitsev in at 5v5 despite being each others most common partners.

Since the acquisition of Hamonic, our 5v5 RD icetime has been Hamonic (17:09), Zub (16:54), Zaitsev (15:05), I don't see Zaitsev as more than a bottom pair dman next year unless he really turns around his game, and as such I think his role is in jeopardy. Zub and Hamonic are both good penalty killers, Zaitsev may have gotten used more in that role, but we aren't giving up much if anything switching to them, where as I do think switching from Holden to Brannstrom as our top LD on the PK is giving up a lot.

Now, DJ has shown a reluctance to play guys on their off side in the past, so that gives Zaitsev a leg up since I'd agree that all 3 of Chabot, Brannstrom and Sanderson should/will be in the lineup. Maybe JBD or Thomson challenge for that final RD spot, idk, but if it were me, I'd play one of Brannstrom or Holden on their off side over Zaitsev, and I'd play both Zub and Hamonic ahead of Zaitsev.

I think Holden got the ld pk ice because Chabot doesn't really pk and earlier in the season Brannstrom wasn't PKing.

 

[aragorn]

Nobody is playing the PK for the entire two minutes, the first PK unit is Holden & Zaitsev like it or not & the second PK unti is likely Sanderson & Zub. Chabot & Hamonic could also see some PK time, Hamonic for sure.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Brown, Formenton, Joseph, Stu

That’s a fast tenacious PK forward group. We already get at least one short handed breakaway a game, it would be nice if one of the guys getting them could score regularly on breakaways.

For real that would be an extra goal every couple games…

We also need to work on two on ones, we never do the early pass to get the defender to stay on his feet. That double pass looks beauty when you can make it work.

 

[JungleBeat]

Too slow to reach his full potential.

 

[robsenz]

Too slow to reach his full potential.

Sad, but true

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Too much hockey IQ to not be a valuable defender.

like he has been for the last two seasons.

 

[stempniaksen]

Too slow to reach his full potential.

He's way better than he's shown here and I'm convinced he turns into something if he gets away from DJ, but yeah, I've also bought into this.

I absolutely buy into the argument you need size or gear and unfortunately seems as though Brann has neither.

 

[bicboi64]

Brannstrom is younger than Liljegren who signed for 2 years $1.4 million aav. I hope we can extend Brannstrom for a similar deal, could end up having great value for us

 

[aragorn]

They need to package him with another player or two who don't have a future here for something that can help them long term.

 

[Cosmix]

They need to package him with another player or two who don't have a future here for something that can help them long term.

Would be great if they could do that but I think a trade for a top 4 D will require giving up some valuable assets such as a first round pick and decent prospect/player.

The Fiala trade was interesting to see what he cost. I was surprised as I thought Fiala would cost more than that.

 

[Cosmix]

Still need a better dman than Holden in the top-4, either as a partner for Chabot or for Branny, for us to actually aim at the playoffs in 2023.

Unfortunately, the corporate objective the last few seasons has been to reduce costs, not put a good team on the ice. They called it a "rebuild" but we all know what it was.

 

[aragorn]

Would be great if they could do that but I think a trade for a top 4 D will require giving up some valuable assets such as a first round pick and decent prospect/player.

The Fiala trade was interesting to see what he cost. I was surprised as I thought Fiala would cost more than that.

It doesn't have to be for a top six forward or top 4 D, if they can get a player back that is young & helps the team moving forward, Paul was a bottom six player who has emerged as a pretty good playoff performer. A guy like that who is hard to play against, big & tough who occassionally adds some offence isn't bad either for players we no longer need.

 

[Sweatred]

Unfortunately, the corporate objective the last few seasons has been to reduce costs, not put a good team on the ice. They called it a "rebuild" but we all know what it was.

Incorrect - the corporate objective has been to reduce losses …

 

[bicboi64]

It doesn't have to be for a top six forward or top 4 D, if they can get a player back that is young & helps the team moving forward, Paul was a bottom six player who has emerged as a pretty good playoff performer. A guy like that who is hard to play against, big & tough who occassionally adds some offence isn't bad either for players we no longer need.

At that point I'd rather see if we can offload MDZ and Zaitsev so Brann gets more ice time. That'll give us a better idea of what we have an extension for him won't be too costly (considering what Liljegren got)

 

[Ice-Tray]

Unfortunately, the corporate objective the last few seasons has been to reduce costs, not put a good team on the ice. They called it a "rebuild" but we all know what it was.

Hahaha, that’s definitely the bitter cynical viewpoint to take. What a burden of an opinion to hold!

We have been signing all of our important young players to huge deals each summer, with another one on deck right now. We have been watching a pretty exciting ground up rebuild.

I really don’t understand why people are holding out enjoying the process, choosing conspiracy theories instead.

 

[Loach]

Unfortunately, the corporate objective the last few seasons has been to reduce costs, not put a good team on the ice. They called it a "rebuild" but we all know what it was.

This is correct, but it is still a "rebuild". Just a different sort and for different reasons. If the future holds what the past has taught us...it will be half a rebuild and half "just get into the playoffs and anything can happen".

 

[Que]

Branny needs to be put into an environment where he can thrive. Meaning minutes but sheltered from tough assignments.

He should be traded to a contender, I think flipping him back to Vegas is the right move for both him and the team.

 

[JD1]

This is correct, but it is still a "rebuild". Just a different sort and for different reasons. If the future holds what the past has taught us...it will be half a rebuild and half "just get into the playoffs and anything can happen".

I don't think in franchise history we've ever been in the state we're currently in with a core moving thru their prime together.

It's definitely a rebuild even if we consider there was a financial motivation for it. We'd be in terrible shape with 21M allocated to Karlsson and Stone. Karlsson's play has deteriorated and Stone just had back surgery.

I think history has been get into the playoffs and anything can happen. Fingers crossed we win a round. Actually I think that was more the case from 08 to 17.

Prior to that, the 99 to 07 years we were pretty solid but still not quite the same as now with do many young players bundled together and entering their primes

 

[jbeck5]

Branny needs to be put into an environment where he can thrive. Meaning minutes but sheltered from tough assignments.

He should be traded to a contender, I think flipping him back to Vegas is the right move for both him and the team.

Hahahahaha

Brannstrom traded to Vegas for 3rd.

Essentially "stone to Vegas for 3rd round pick 3 years from now"

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Brannstrom as good as gone. Colorado winning cup without Girard just affirms the idea that you can't have subpar 6'0 D in this league to make noise in playoffs.

Fox and Makar are basically 6. Brannstrom closer to 5'9.