Is this the Brassard we're going to get?

[Ian]

Next year is going to be pretty scary once Richards gets bought out (never thought I'd type that).

I'd be extremely nervous penciling Brassard in as 2C, and I don't think it's 100% guaranteed you can bet on Miller (or Lindberg) being able to take on 3C minutes.

Scared for the contract they might float to Stastny.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Next year is going to be pretty scary once Richards gets bought out (never thought I'd type that).

I'd be extremely nervous penciling Brassard in as 2C, and I don't think it's 100% guaranteed you can bet on Miller (or Lindberg) being able to take on 3C minutes.

Scared for the contract they might float to Stastny.

Im fully expecting Sather's next misadventure at finding an answer at center. I believe Joe Thornton is a free agent - should be fun.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yes. AA is better defensively.

No way. Not a fan of Anisimov at all.

 

[Ail]

No way. Not a fan of Anisimov at all.

Both streaky and have a similar skill set. Arty is better defensively and a bigger body. He can play on the PK and knows playing it with Cally/Stepan well.

I'd do that trade.

Realistically however they should see what is available for him on the market, but I wouldn't re-sign him. His strongest asset is his ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone. I just don't think he's a part of this team's future. I stand by my opinion from day one of this trade.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

Next year is going to be pretty scary once Richards gets bought out.

Everyone thought he'd get bought out over the summer and look how that ended up. You never know with Sather. I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps Brad for the rest of his contract.

 

[Vidic15*]

Next year is going to be pretty scary once Richards gets bought out (never thought I'd type that).

I'd be extremely nervous penciling Brassard in as 2C, and I don't think it's 100% guaranteed you can bet on Miller (or Lindberg) being able to take on 3C minutes.

Scared for the contract they might float to Stastny.

Richards AND Boyle will be gone. Teams like Edmonton and Montreal, who are desperate for players with size, will overpay him.

 

[Zucc36]

Didn´t some CBJ fans say last year after the trade that the NYR fans would se Brassard come out flying and then slowly falling a sleep to a mediocre player?
I am not very impressed by him, taken the money he´s paid.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

Im fully expecting Sather's next misadventure at finding an answer at center. I believe Joe Thornton is a free agent - should be fun.

bad mouthed the Rangers and is friends with Rick Nash.. i can see that happening..

 

[eco's bones]

Hes streaky, doesnt produce at a solid rate, is prone to bone headed plays at times, is soft, and adds almost nothing else to the team if he isnt producing offensively.

The Rangers already have too many players like that in the middle of their lineup.

Brassard has not been playing as softly as you make out. He's tied for third on the team in hits with 29. They might not be spectacular hits but he's hardly playing a non involved game. If Brassard is a big worry for us with the other 2 centers going pretty well then we're not doing too bad. At least it can be said that you're looking for someone other than Kreider's case to get on.

It's not like this guy is the reincarnation of Eric Christensen or Wojtek Wolski.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Brassard has not been playing as softly as you make out. He's tied for third on the team in hits with 29. They might not be spectacular hits but he's hardly playing a non involved game. If Brassard is a big worry for us with the other 2 centers going pretty well then we're not doing too bad. At least it can be said that you're looking for someone other than Kreider's case to get on.

It's not like this guy is the reincarnation of Eric Christensen or Wojtek Wolski.

I was on Kreider's case until he started playing well. Funny how that happens.

In Brassard's case, Im not even saying hes playing particularly poorly. Im saying he is who most of us thought he was.

 

[Ian]

Richards AND Boyle will be gone. Teams like Edmonton and Montreal, who are desperate for players with size, will overpay him.

Eh, if BB wants to chase a pay check, I'd have no problem losing him.

He's a nice player, but a la Prust, he's a luxury 4th liner that'll probably make 2m+, which is extremely not worth it for a team with this much tied up already in 4-5 guys.

Lindberg should be able to fill his role easily next season, and there are always Powe/Moore-esque players available for <1m going into training camp.

 

[Ian]

Everyone thought he'd get bought out over the summer and look how that ended up. You never know with Sather. I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps Brad for the rest of his contract.

Not even Sather is this monumentally stupid.

 

[eco's bones]

I was on Kreider's case until he started playing well. Funny how that happens.

In Brassard's case, Im not even saying hes playing particularly poorly. Im saying he is who most of us thought he was.

Basically he has 55 point potential--whether he makes that this year is another thing. If he hits for 40 or more playing more or less the third line with the other 2 scoring centers scoring more then we should be okay as far as offensive production. He's never been more than a 2nd line center and is never likely to be. He's been playing more with Pouliot, Pyatt, Miller and Dorsett lately. If I had one candidate for immediate removal on the team it's Pyatt. Pouliot though IMO would be a better target than Brassard to pick on--looking on overall talent and not doing much with it and after that Del Zotto.

In any case Brassard intrigues me and yeah I take playoff performance more seriously than regular season performance. He stepped up last year in the playoffs--most players step down if only just a little. I'm thinking anyway it would be good to see if he could repeat that. Boyle is an example of another player whose overall game gets better in the postseason. It's true you have to get there first but if you have a bunch of types that play better in the playoffs it bodes well. And not saying that anyone on the Rangers reminds me of Lucic but he had a pretty forgettable regular season last year and then turned into a monster in the playoffs--one of the main reasons the Bruins went to the finals.

 

[Trxjw]

He's had a few missed chances, and a few of his linemates have failed to capitalize on chances he's created. I still think he'll sniff 60 points this year.

 

[McRanger]

He's had a few missed chances, and a few of his linemates have failed to capitalize on chances he's created. I still think he'll sniff 60 points this year.

Agreed.

He really only needs to hit 50's, ~.65 PPG, to give the team excellent production from a 2nd line center. Especially since he might only be getting 3rd line ES time and 2nd PP time.

He should have about 3-4 more points if Pouilot could have finished on the number of tap ins that he missed the first few games.

He's streaky but he's talented. I wouldn't write him off yet.

 

[nyrpassion]

He's on pace for 35 points. I was hoping for at least 50. But stats aside, he's not creating much out there. Night and day from his stint with the team last year. Is the honeymoon over and has he reverted back to old habits?

No way was I seeing Brass getting 50 points IMO. I think 35-40 is a good range, and that's what he's on pace for. I agree that he should be more, but I can't say I'm surprised by his play this season.