Prospect Info: Hunter Brzustewicz: 75th Overall 2023 Draft (Kitchener) - RD

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Discuss.

EDIT:

EliteProspects Profile - Hunter Brzustewicz at eliteprospects.com

Rankings:
Ranked #53 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #52 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #51 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #54 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #58 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #44 by THE HOCKEY NEWS
Ranked #52 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #66 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #61 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #41 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #82 by HPR/SHANE MALLOY
Ranked #48 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #56 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #32 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #91 by SMAHT SCOUTING

Click to read more...

 

[HairyKneel]

Langkow was a much better skater than Cody Hodgson. Hodgson made the Sedins look like burners

 

[credulous]

i don't know anything about brzustewicz or whether or not he's actually a quality prospect at this point but i do know that just tracking points isn't a very useful way to track prospects

matthew maggio, ty voit, amadeus lombardi, sasha petrujov and matvey petrov were the top 5 d+2 ohl scorers last year (in that order) and one of those players is a legit nhl prospect and the others are marginal prospects that you hope can show something in the ahl

context is important when looking at raw numbers

 

[Zarpan]

i don't know anything about brzustewicz or whether or not he's actually a quality prospect at this point but i do know that just tracking points isn't a very useful way to track prospects

matthew maggio, ty voit, amadeus lombardi, sasha petrujov and matvey petrov were the top 5 d+2 ohl scorers last year (in that order) and one of those players is a legit nhl prospect and the others are marginal prospects that you hope can show something in the ahl

context is important when looking at raw numbers

Tracking points only tells part of the picture, but if he can keep up anything close to his current point pace that should push him well up the prospect rankings.

Getting 100 points as a D+1 OHL defenseman would be pretty special. Getting 70 points as a D+2 OHL defensemen would be good, but certainly nowhere near as impressive.

 

[RobsonStreet]

Ha, I meant to say something like this in my previous post and then posted before I did. Yeah, there were a lot of shattered dreams with that pick and big disappointment and I think that's been projected back onto the pick itself and not that the expectations were unrealistic.

The hype on Hodgson was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. I don't think he ever realistically projected as anything other than a 60-70 point 1B/2A C at best but an entire fanbase was convinced he was going to be a megastar.

He was the first Canucks high draft pick in awhile to blow up his projections in his draft + 1 season, chasing 2 points per game most of that year in the OHL while also being heralded as a defensive centre and leader by the TSN talking heads. Add in featuring prominently on that WJC team with Subban and Eberle. It was really a perfect storm of hype.

It’s tough to compare but I think he was more hyped on this forum in his draft +1 year than Pettersson was.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Brzustewicz is currently on pace for a 130-point season which would be good for 3rd in all-time PPG by an OHL defenseman. That's just behind Brandt Clark's 22-23 season and Bryan Fogarty back in 88-89.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

As the OHL points leader, Hunter has become the hunted.

 

[Petey O]

Brzustewicz is currently on pace for a 130-point season which would be good for 3rd in all-time PPG by an OHL defenseman. That's just behind Brandt Clark's 22-23 season and Bryan Fogarty back in 88-89.

I'll take Brandt Clarke for a 3rd rounder, tyvm.

 

[Raistlin]

13 game streak now.

 

[arttk]

So uhhh what’s his NHL projection if he hits 100+ points?

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

1 assist tonight so far but -2. Team down 4-3 with 8 to go

 

[M2Beezy]

13 game streak now.

A 13 game streak is relatively small. When he hits a bigger number, like 15 or so then we can discuss it

 

[Raistlin]

A 13 game streak is relatively small. When he hits a bigger number, like 15 or so then we can discuss it

Not sure if serious.

He's a Defenseman.

 

[TryamkinPleaseReturn]

Not sure if serious.

He's a Defenseman.

If I know Beezy, he's always 100% serious and never sarcastic or facetious. We should try to inform him that 15 is actually not that significantly bigger than 13.

 

[Wisp]

Lekkermaki sure
Brzcustewicz, hell no

Lekkermaki sure? Kid is picking his teeth of a pro-mens league competition and leading it in scoring. Entirely possible you can drop him in on Pettersson's wing on an ELC next season.

Popping off In the CHL is great & encouraging but it's a Junior League ultimately and that should temper everyone's excitement.

(Ultimately we should not trade either of these prospects unless a crazy opportunity comes up)

 

[RobertKron]

Lekkermaki sure? Kid is picking his teeth of a pro-mens league competition and leading it in scoring. Entirely possible you can drop him in on Pettersson's wing on an ELC next season.

Popping off In the CHL is great & encouraging but it's a Junior League ultimately and that should temper everyone's excitement.

(Ultimately we should not trade either of these prospects unless a crazy opportunity comes up)

Lekkerimaki isn't leading the SHL in scoring.

 

[JohnHodgson]

Lekkerimaki isn't leading the SHL in scoring.

He was tied for the league in goals up until a couple days ago.

Trying to be a smartass instead of commenting on the actual post... typical stuff here.

 

[RobertKron]

He was tied for the league in goals up until a couple days ago.

Trying to be a smartass instead of commenting on the actual post... typical stuff here.

I mean, if we're urging folks to temper their excitement about the defenseman on pace for a 100+ point OHL season, maybe citing the goal scoring ranking of the winger currently shooting 30% and averaging like 1.7 SOG/GP as an example of untemperable excitement might also not be the move.

Lekkerimaki is obviously having a better season, which is obviously a great development, but heralding his position - or, rather, his position a couple days ago - on the goal scoring leaderboard as the criteria for that might not be the most sustainable stance.

 

[Wisp]

Yes, yes, Robert, I didn't check the latest cutting edge stats and gave you an opening to do a smart ass 'gotcha!' My fault, good for you.

My point still stands. He's having a great pro season vs men. Hunter is an amateur league.

 

[RobertKron]

Yes, yes, Robert, I didn't check the latest cutting edge stats and gave you an opening to do a smart ass 'gotcha!' My fault, good for you.

My point still stands. He's having a great pro season vs men. Hunter is an amateur league.

I didn't realize that looking to see if a scoring winger with 3 assists was shooting at a sustainable rate before declaring him to be "picking his teeth" of a league was cutting edge. I'm pleased to be considered so avant-garde.

My point is that they're both players having promising seasons, but neither is, at this point, necessarily having a year that makes them some kind of foundational blue-chipper. If we're just ignoring anything about their games aside from where they rank in certain scoring categories, the D+1 season Brzustewicz is having is pretty much otherworldly - which is why it's important to look at context.

 

[arttk]

I didn't realize that looking to see if a scoring winger with 3 assists was shooting at a sustainable rate before declaring him to be "picking his teeth" of a league was cutting edge. I'm pleased to be considered so avant-garde.

My point is that they're both players having promising seasons, but neither is, at this point, necessarily having a year that makes them some kind of foundational blue-chipper. If we're just ignoring anything about their games aside from where they rank in certain scoring categories, the D+1 season Brzustewicz is having is pretty much otherworldly - which is why it's important to look at context.

Orebro is pretty low scoring team and there is so much you can do as a playmaker when your teammates can’t score.

 

[Wisp]

I didn't realize that looking to see if a scoring winger with 3 assists was shooting at a sustainable rate before declaring him to be "picking his teeth" of a league was cutting edge. I'm pleased to be considered so avant-garde.

My point is that they're both players having promising seasons, but neither is, at this point, necessarily having a year that makes them some kind of foundational blue-chipper. If we're just ignoring anything about their games aside from where they rank in certain scoring categories, the D+1 season Brzustewicz is having is pretty much otherworldly - which is why it's important to look at context.

It is important to look at it in context, which is why should stop over looking which prospect is playing vs men and which is playing in an amateur league. Honestly.

 

[RobertKron]

It is important to look at it in context, which is why should stop over looking which prospect is playing vs men and which is playing in an amateur league. Honestly.

Who is overlooking that?

Orebro is pretty low scoring team and there is so much you can do as a playmaker when your teammates can’t score.

That wasn't my point, but FWIW, they're tied for 5th in goals in the 14 team league with 4 fewer goals than the top teams. He's 11th on the team in assists.

My point, though, was that if his goal total is basically the sole reason he's being proclaimed to be a realistic NHL first-liner next year and is "picking his teeth of a pro-mens league" 15 games in, then it might be worth looking a bit deeper at it and taking into consideration that he's shooting ~30% and averaging like 15 or so minutes or whatever it is per game.

Well, actually, my original point was just that if him being leading the league in goals was the reason to make that declaration, then it might be worth knowing that he's no longer leading the league in goals. (Also, leading the league in "scoring" typically means points rather than goals, but potato potato.)

 

[Raistlin]

Who is overlooking that?


That wasn't my point, but FWIW, they're tied for 5th in goals in the 14 team league with 4 fewer goals than the top teams. He's 11th on the team in assists.

My point, though, was that if his goal total is basically the sole reason he's being proclaimed to be a realistic NHL first-liner next year and is "picking his teeth of a pro-mens league" 15 games in, then it might be worth looking a bit deeper at it and taking into consideration that he's shooting ~30% and averaging like 15 or so minutes or whatever it is per game.

Well, actually, my original point was just that if him being leading the league in goals was the reason to make that declaration, then it might be worth knowing that he's no longer leading the league in goals. (Also, leading the league in "scoring" typically means points rather than goals, but potato potato.)

Please consider that he is good enough to force his pro team to play 19 year old him over older players, something that is an achievement in itself. Doing what he is doing first year in Orebro is something to be very excited about. Akin to Willander playing top pair in BU right away, something that he is finding trouble doing. Brzu is having a great year, but is tempered by his Soso defensive play and his age, I find what Lekkerimaki is doing a bit more impressive.

 

[arttk]

Who is overlooking that?


That wasn't my point, but FWIW, they're tied for 5th in goals in the 14 team league with 4 fewer goals than the top teams. He's 11th on the team in assists.

My point, though, was that if his goal total is basically the sole reason he's being proclaimed to be a realistic NHL first-liner next year and is "picking his teeth of a pro-mens league" 15 games in, then it might be worth looking a bit deeper at it and taking into consideration that he's shooting ~30% and averaging like 15 or so minutes or whatever it is per game.

Well, actually, my original point was just that if him being leading the league in goals was the reason to make that declaration, then it might be worth knowing that he's no longer leading the league in goals. (Also, leading the league in "scoring" typically means points rather than goals, but potato potato.)

I think it’s a valid concern about shooting % the only thing is that his line mates aren’t really high scorers so that does explain his low assist count a bit. It does sound like he does setup his line mates a bit and they are not that great at finishing.

 

[RobertKron]

Please consider that he is good enough to force his pro team to play 19 year old him over older players, something that is an achievement in itself. Doing what he is doing first year in Orebro is something to be very excited about. Akin to Willander playing top pair in BU right away, something that he is finding trouble doing. Brzu is having a great year, but is tempered by his Soso defensive play and his age, I find what Lekkerimaki is doing a bit more impressive.

I'm not even saying Lekkerimaki is having a poor season, or that Brzustewicz is better or whatever. I'm saying that proclaiming Lekkerimaki as a realistic potential NHL first liner next year and that he's dominating the SHL based only on his goal total is kind of silly.

Also, like, junior league or not if we're only talking about hockey card numbers, what Brzustewicz is doing is pretty f***ing unreal to probably a greater degree, which is another reason why it's worth considering context beyond just "he scores lots" or whatever.