Erik Brannstrom is a legit NHL level puck moving D

[Coffey]

He’s coming for Edlers 2nd place spot on all time assists as a Canuck dman.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Does every slightly positive thing in Van need a thread?

demko remains mysteriously injured from last spring

miller is on a personal leave

hronek just separated his shoulder (probably)

pettersson has just emerged from a nine month funk

boeser just returned from getting concussed on a totally unnecessary cheap shot

so yeah if it’s not too much trouble we’d appreciate it if you let us have a few please

 

[Canucks LB]

What is such a nice story about it? Most teams have guys in this category and threads aren't needed for them. Doubt a thread like this is great for board activity either. 15ish minutes a night for a blueliner is really low ice time as well even if on the 3rd pair.

It’s a nice story because he got bounced around and found a home and he’s playing really well, it’s the same thing why we have a thread about podkolzin just above this.

Let people be happy

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Amazing how VAN got him

Was mistreated and hated by DJ Smith in Ottawa for simply not being 6’2 200 lbs

Was dumped by COL for Poolman so they could active LTIR

Now he has found a home in VAN under Toecchet’s system

DJ Smith hated him so much he played him more than Tocchet has, like, 200 times

 

[KevinRedkey]

His problem was always size, which is often needed in a 3rd pairing role. If you can see past that, then he's a solid and capable NHL defenceman. The only news here is someone outside of Ottawa has taken notice.

 

[NextGoalIsHuge]

I'm quite happy with him too. Though, its still early. Let's let things play out.

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Ewww a Canuck....

I liked him better when he was a Vegas Golden Knight.

 

[robsenz]

I've defended this guy for years on this forum, should have been developed better than he was, Ottawa didn't do much for his progression at all.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Just let people be happy man, what’s the problem with the thread, it’s a positive thread about a nice story, what’s the problem with that?

It helps with activity on the boards as well, where I’m assuming lots of people enjoy

Also if this isnt thread worthy then it would have been deleted by now already

Or no one would have replied at all

That fact that we are on page 2 means it is thread worthy

If Podkolzin having 8 pts is thread worthy, why not this one

 

[Rowlet]

Also if this isnt thread worthy then it would have been deleted by now already

Or no one would have replied at all

That fact that we are on page 2 means it is thread worthy

If Podkolzin having 8 pts is thread worthy, why not this one

Because Brannstrom only has 7 points

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Yeah we knew this, unfortunately he isn’t a 6’4 ogre who’s dumb as rocks, which is what the Sens prefer.

 

[tucker3434]

A lot of teams aren’t going to have room for an OFD on the bottom pairing (including Colorado). Same with putting a small scoring forward in your bottom 6. It works out okay when they’re showing up in the scoresheet. But the moment they aren’t, teams tend to want a PK specialist or some other low event player that can eat some bad minutes in that spot.

Is Vancouver really going to give the guy 70%+ o zone starts indefinitely?

 

[Rowlet]

A lot of teams aren’t going to have room for an OFD on the bottom pairing (including Colorado). Same with putting a small scoring forward in your bottom 6. It works out okay when they’re showing up in the scoresheet. But the moment they aren’t, teams tend to want a PK specialist or some other low event player that can eat some bad minutes in that spot.

Is Vancouver really going to give the guy 70%+ o zone starts indefinitely?

Zone starts aren't a great measure of how sheltered someone is anymore, the vast majority of shifts are started on the fly.

Besides, he's only like 2% higher than Makar.

 

[Ajex12x]

not everybody gets to be a superstar. He’s proving he’s an NHL calibre guy who can add puck moving to the bottom pairing and breaking the idea that he was a tweener.

And not everybody needs a thread.

 

[tucker3434]

Zone starts aren't a great measure of how sheltered someone is anymore, the vast majority of shifts are started on the fly.

Besides, he's only like 2% higher than Makar.

But guys like Makar (and Hughes) are who you really want to be giving those o zone starts to. I wouldn’t want a Brannstrom higher than a Hughes in that stat. That’s not what my bottom pairing defensemen are for.

 

[Rowlet]

But guys like Makar (and Hughes) are who you really want to be giving those o zone starts to. I wouldn’t want a Brannstrom higher than a Hughes in that stat. That’s not what my bottom pairing defensemen are for.

Right but again, the vast majority of shifts are started on the fly, and zone starts are not a good argument, and haven't been since like 2016.

The difference between 55% and 70% is like... a couple per game.

 

[benfranklin]

He is still a bottom pairing guy on every other team in the league. Because the Nucks have a terrible bottom 4, doesnt make Brannstrom good.

 

[benfranklin]

Right but again, the vast majority of shifts are started on the fly, and zone starts are not a good argument, and haven't been since like 2016.

The difference between 55% and 70% is like... a couple per game.

For dmen, the vast majority of on the fly starts are dump ins where the other team is starting with the puck. So anytime a defenseman can start with his team potentially having the puck is a huge advantage stats wise.

 

[tucker3434]

Right but again, the vast majority of shifts are started on the fly, and zone starts are not a good argument, and haven't been since like 2016.

The difference between 55% and 70% is like... a couple per game.

I wouldn’t want him at 55% either unless I had a shutdown/DFD 2nd pairing. Just seems like a unique circumstance where’d you throw your bottom pairing guys out in the o zone that often. Long term, I think he’ll need to pump up his production and carve out a middle pairing role if he wants to stick around the NHL.

 

[ijuka]

do all canadian teams' fans make random threads on main boards when one of their players is doing somewhat decently?

 

[Rowlet]

For dmen, the vast majority of on the fly starts are dump ins where the other team is starting with the puck. So anytime a defenseman can start with his team potentially having the puck is a huge advantage stats wise.View attachment 938792

I know, you love zone starts, but they're not good measurements. I'm not going to keep talking about them with you, we moved past them almost ten years ago.

I wouldn’t want him at 55% either unless I had a shutdown/DFD 2nd pairing. Just seems like a unique circumstance where’d you throw your bottom pairing guys out in the o zone that often. Long term, I think he’ll need to pump up his production and carve out a middle pairing role if he wants to stick around the NHL.

55% is what Hughes gets, but again the difference is only a couple per game and not that relevent in the long run.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Making threads for 'NHL level' players... we have lost the impact of shame in our society.

Or else maybe hfboards isn't for casuals who have never heard of non superstars?

 

[benfranklin]

I know, you love zone starts, but they're not good measurements. I'm not going to keep talking about them with you, we moved past them almost ten years ago.



55% is what Hughes gets, but again the difference is only a couple per game and not that relevent in the long run.

No you read one article and assumed its not a point of discussion anymore. You're wrong and they have proven to heavily favor all 5 players who get more of them analytically. Every point is extremely important and if 5-10 of your season points come off an offensive draw, that could easily be 5-10% of your total points that you had because of your o zone start. Its important to factor in.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I'm glad he's doing well. He was always clearly a skilled player for sens. I think he just did not at all fit in the Avs system and I'm glad they sent him somewhere he could flourish instead of square peg/round holing him all year.

 

[Rowlet]

No you read one article and assumed its not a point of discussion anymore. You're wrong and they have proven to heavily favor all 5 players who get more of them analytically. Every point is extremely important and if 5-10 of your season points come off an offensive draw, that could easily be 5-10% of your total points that you had because of your o zone start. Its important to factor in.

that's cool