Rob Brown - a weird career

[Cursed Lemon]

Was just looking up prolific scorers in the IHL when I came across Rob Brown, whose career arc is as follows:

1. Amasses a stupefying 464 points in 192 games in juniors, including a playoff run of 46 points in 16 games
2. Enters the NHL to three excellent years with Pittsburgh
3. Traded to Hartford, spends the next seven seasons splitting time between a relatively uninspired NHL tenure with four different teams and a 1.6 PPG performance in the IHL including winning the Lamoreux scoring title three times
4. Returns to the NHL for three decent but non-noteworthy years again with Pittsburgh
5. Makes a pit stop in the IHL before ending his career with a pair of north-of-PPG years in AHL including a playoff run of 33 points in 25 games

Such a bizarre up and down with this guy. So weird that he couldn't make it stick after his first few years with the Penguins.

Click to read more...

 

[quietbruinfan]

He had great hands, and ability to read plays. His skating was fair to poor.

 

[The Panther]

Was just looking up prolific scorers in the IHL when I came across Rob Brown, whose career arc is as follows:

1. Amasses a stupefying 464 points in 192 games in juniors, including a playoff run of 46 points in 16 games
2. Enters the NHL to three excellent years with Pittsburgh
3. Traded to Hartford, spends the next seven seasons splitting time between a relatively uninspired NHL tenure with four different teams and a 1.6 PPG performance in the IHL including winning the Lamoreux scoring title three times
4. Returns to the NHL for three decent but non-noteworthy years again with Pittsburgh
5. Makes a pit stop in the IHL before ending his career with a pair of north-of-PPG years in AHL including a playoff run of 33 points in 25 games

Such a bizarre up and down with this guy. So weird that he couldn't make it stick after his first few years with the Penguins.

He's a respected media commentator in Oilers' land these days, although I never listen to him so I can't say if he's any good on the air.

Yeah, a bit of a weird career. Despite all the "rode-Mario's-coattails-in-1988-89" (true to an extent), Brown was clearly a super-talented player. In 1986-87, he outscored both Joe Sakic and Theoren Fleury in the WHL (his 212 points was 66 more than second place), and this club was coached by Ken Hitchcock, not known for giving players free-reign.

Entered the NHL during 1987-88 with the Pens, and had a very respectable 51-game rookie season. Also scored 6 goals in 7 games that winter at the World Juniors. From autumn of 1988, they put him on full-time duty on Mario Lemieux's line and on the first-unit PP. Result? Brown scored a staggering 51 points in the first 24 games of the new season (he was basically pacing Gretzky and Yzerman two months in). He slowed down after that (still had a big January), but still was insanely productive with 115 points in 68 games (pace of 135 points). Looking at his scores that year, of his 49 goals, 30 were assisted by Lemieux (though, to be fair, Lemieux had the 'primary' assist on only 18 of Brown's 49 goals).

The Pens as a whole sagged a bit in 1989-90, and Mario's scoring was down a bit early in the season. I wonder, was this when they pulled Brown off his line or something? The scoring stats show a bunch of different players assisting on Brown's goals that season, and only 3 of his first 19 goals were on the PP, suggesting that maybe he wasn't getting first-unit PP time anymore. Lemieux assisted on only 9 of Brown's 33 goals in 1989-90, and only 2 of his final 16.

Anyway, I'd venture that in 1989-90 in Pittsburgh and 1990-91 with Hartford, we get a pretty good look at what a healthy, motivated Brown should have looked like -- around a PPG player, with the usual defensive / size issues.

My understanding is that Brown had some party/lifestyle issues that may have affected his hockey career; not that he'd be the first player this would apply to....

He sort of crapped out in Chicago, though. Did he clash with Keenan or something?

(I had no idea he'd ever played for L.A. He got in two games with the late-Gretzky-Kings in 1995.)

Bit weird that the post-Mario Pens decided to reacquire him in 1997.

His career is sort of Jimmy-Carson-lite.

Brown also had a very odd hairline:

 

[Staniowski]

Rob Brown led the WHL in scoring when he was 17 (his draft year).....but he wasn't a big NHL prospect.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

it’s instructive to compare rob brown to mark recchi

same age, on the same WHL powerhouse (coached by ken hitchcock), almost identical production on the same pittsburgh team in their first three real years (239 pts/199 games for brown, 250 pts/210 games for recchi).

but brown was the more naturally gifted player: massively outscored recchi (and everyone else who had ever played in the WHL) in their year together in kamloops, drafted by the same penguins team but two years earlier, made the penguins two years earlier.

brown’s year three was recchi’s rookie year. that year tells the whole story:

first half — brown: 45 pts/40 games, recchi: 23 pts/34 games

second half — brown: 35 pts/40 games, recchi: 44 pts/40 games

next year, brown was traded for fast, teo-way penalty killing scott young and proceeded to bounce around for another 12-odd years oscillating between being a bad team PP specialist and damn near the greatest scorer who ever played in the minors

meanwhile recchi averaged 110 pts a year over the next four seasons, en route to a 22 season hall of fame career that saw him retire on his third cup, immediately after leading the stanley cup finals in scoring

so what was the difference? both short guys, recchi a little shorter, but also 20 pounds heavier. brown almost certainly had better puck skills, which is no slight to recchi, who’s also in the 99th percentile of offensive ability all time, but recchi skated better and played with infinitely more physicality and motor.

but the meat of the obvious stylistic differences is recchi was a guy who throughout his career brought something to the table on lines with great players: mario and lindros, to pierre turgeon, to eric staal, and all the way to patrice bergeron. he won puck battles, cycled the puck with authority, forechecked, on top of his high level playmaking and scoring abilities. and also, when mario and lindros were out of the lineup, recchi filled the void and finished top five in scoring and led those teams into the playoffs and, in the philly case, continued carrying the scoring load on a deep run to within a game of the finals.

brown, on the other hand, succeeded wildly with mario for a time, but didn’t add anything. which is why recchi took his job in the second half of his rookie year.

 

[Hobnobs]

Was just looking up prolific scorers in the IHL when I came across Rob Brown, whose career arc is as follows:

1. Amasses a stupefying 464 points in 192 games in juniors, including a playoff run of 46 points in 16 games
2. Enters the NHL to three excellent years with Pittsburgh
3. Traded to Hartford, spends the next seven seasons splitting time between a relatively uninspired NHL tenure with four different teams and a 1.6 PPG performance in the IHL including winning the Lamoreux scoring title three times
4. Returns to the NHL for three decent but non-noteworthy years again with Pittsburgh
5. Makes a pit stop in the IHL before ending his career with a pair of north-of-PPG years in AHL including a playoff run of 33 points in 25 games

Such a bizarre up and down with this guy. So weird that he couldn't make it stick after his first few years with the Penguins.

He was a very poor skater and came with a bad attitude. Often criticized for poor work ethic and being a diva.

EDIT: I will say that he seemed to have changed his attitude once he got older and is a well like dguy in Edmonton.

 

[hacksaw7]

He's a respected media commentator in Oilers' land these days, although I never listen to him so I can't say if he's any good on the air.

Yeah, a bit of a weird career. Despite all the "rode-Mario's-coattails-in-1988-89" (true to an extent), Brown was clearly a super-talented player. In 1986-87, he outscored both Joe Sakic and Theoren Fleury in the WHL (his 212 points was 66 more than second place), and this club was coached by Ken Hitchcock, not known for giving players free-reign.

Entered the NHL during 1987-88 with the Pens, and had a very respectable 51-game rookie season. Also scored 6 goals in 7 games that winter at the World Juniors. From autumn of 1988, they put him on full-time duty on Mario Lemieux's line and on the first-unit PP. Result? Brown scored a staggering 51 points in the first 24 games of the new season (he was basically pacing Gretzky and Yzerman two months in). He slowed down after that (still had a big January), but still was insanely productive with 115 points in 68 games (pace of 135 points). Looking at his scores that year, of his 49 goals, 30 were assisted by Lemieux (though, to be fair, Lemieux had the 'primary' assist on only 18 of Brown's 49 goals).

The Pens as a whole sagged a bit in 1989-90, and Mario's scoring was down a bit early in the season. I wonder, was this when they pulled Brown off his line or something? The scoring stats show a bunch of different players assisting on Brown's goals that season, and only 3 of his first 19 goals were on the PP, suggesting that maybe he wasn't getting first-unit PP time anymore. Lemieux assisted on only 9 of Brown's 33 goals in 1989-90, and only 2 of his final 16.

Anyway, I'd venture that in 1989-90 in Pittsburgh and 1990-91 with Hartford, we get a pretty good look at what a healthy, motivated Brown should have looked like -- around a PPG player, with the usual defensive / size issues.

My understanding is that Brown had some party/lifestyle issues that may have affected his hockey career; not that he'd be the first player this would apply to....

He sort of crapped out in Chicago, though. Did he clash with Keenan or something?

(I had no idea he'd ever played for L.A. He got in two games with the late-Gretzky-Kings in 1995.)

Bit weird that the post-Mario Pens decided to reacquire him in 1997.

His career is sort of Jimmy-Carson-lite.

Brown also had a very odd hairline:

He's a respected media commentator in Oilers' land these days, although I never listen to him so I can't say if he's any good on the air.

Yeah, a bit of a weird career. Despite all the "rode-Mario's-coattails-in-1988-89" (true to an extent), Brown was clearly a super-talented player. In 1986-87, he outscored both Joe Sakic and Theoren Fleury in the WHL (his 212 points was 66 more than second place), and this club was coached by Ken Hitchcock, not known for giving players free-reign.

Entered the NHL during 1987-88 with the Pens, and had a very respectable 51-game rookie season. Also scored 6 goals in 7 games that winter at the World Juniors. From autumn of 1988, they put him on full-time duty on Mario Lemieux's line and on the first-unit PP. Result? Brown scored a staggering 51 points in the first 24 games of the new season (he was basically pacing Gretzky and Yzerman two months in). He slowed down after that (still had a big January), but still was insanely productive with 115 points in 68 games (pace of 135 points). Looking at his scores that year, of his 49 goals, 30 were assisted by Lemieux (though, to be fair, Lemieux had the 'primary' assist on only 18 of Brown's 49 goals).

The Pens as a whole sagged a bit in 1989-90, and Mario's scoring was down a bit early in the season. I wonder, was this when they pulled Brown off his line or something? The scoring stats show a bunch of different players assisting on Brown's goals that season, and only 3 of his first 19 goals were on the PP, suggesting that maybe he wasn't getting first-unit PP time anymore. Lemieux assisted on only 9 of Brown's 33 goals in 1989-90, and only 2 of his final 16.

Anyway, I'd venture that in 1989-90 in Pittsburgh and 1990-91 with Hartford, we get a pretty good look at what a healthy, motivated Brown should have looked like -- around a PPG player, with the usual defensive / size issues.

My understanding is that Brown had some party/lifestyle issues that may have affected his hockey career; not that he'd be the first player this would apply to....

He sort of crapped out in Chicago, though. Did he clash with Keenan or something?

(I had no idea he'd ever played for L.A. He got in two games with the late-Gretzky-Kings in 1995.)

Bit weird that the post-Mario Pens decided to reacquire him in 1997.

His career is sort of Jimmy-Carson-lite.

Brown also had a very odd hairline:
View attachment 619869

Because it's not a real hairline

These are very early, poorly done hair plugs

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Brown also had a very odd hairline:
View attachment 619869

This is f***ing weird because he could've totally made bald work lol

 

[Moose Head]

He was a very poor skater and came with a bad attitude. Often criticized for poor work ethic and being a diva.

EDIT: I will say that he seemed to have changed his attitude once he got older and is a well like dguy in Edmonton.

I talked to a relative of his once. Diva is a good term.

 

[Voight]

Fun fact - he's currently on HFBoards !

@Rob Brown

 

[cupcrazyman2]

Rob Brown led the WHL in scoring when he was 17 (his draft year).....but he wasn't a big NHL prospect.

1986 NHL Entry Draft Picks at hockeydb.com

A sortable list of players drafted in the 1986 NHL Entry draft, including their career scoring after being drafted

www.hockeydb.com

It was a deep draft & look at how many players made the nhl.Scouts were also still hung up on the size factor 5'11" and 185lbs & Pittsburg didn't draft him until pick #67 in the 4th Round.

 

[Rob Brown]

Fun fact - he's currently on HFBoards !

@Rob Brown

Hi, it me.

 

[CrosbyIsKing87]

Brown was a huge point producer on the Pens in 88-89. He was great in front of the net, scoring the "garbage goals" getting in the other team's kitchen. His hockey IQ was really high too. I think Mario said that he was the player that thought most like him on the ice. They just clicked right away when they played on the same line. But The Vadim got it right: Recchi showed up and was the better overall player. Then they traded for Mullen and drafted Jagr so there was a logjam at RW and Brown seemed to be the odd man out. He wasn't a fast skater and didn't work overly hard (he was known for being really laid back and happy-go-lucky which was a fit for that team and the style they played but I'm sure the coaches didn't care for it). It was surprising to me when he fell so far down the lineup and then was traded but looking back it makes sense. Recchi, Mullen, Jagr were the ones to stick with. I am always nostalgic when i think of Brown because that was a really fun and exciting team. He is still pretty popular in Pittsburgh.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Hi, it me.

Explain yourself, you weird-career-haver

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Brown was drafted by Eddie Johnston, and really epitomized the kind of one-dimensional offensive player that was typical of the Johnston era Pens (80-88). He followed in the footsteps of Paul Gardner: slow, lazy/indifferent backchecker, useless without the puck, basically only effective around the opponent's net. In 88, Tony Esposito bent the DeBartolos' ears and engineered a coup, pushing out Johnston. Tony O promoted Gene Ubriaco from the farm to coach the Pens for the 88-89 season, and Brown exploded offensively alongside Lemieux and Coffey. When the Pens stumbled out of the gate in 89-90, the DeBartolos canned Espo and Ubriaco in December and hired Craig Patrick to run the team. Patrick got behind the bench himself for the rest of the season, mostly as a way to assess his talent and make decisions on how to build the best possible team around Lemieux. Within a year guys like Brown, Dan Quinn, John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, Andrew McBain and Tony Tanti were sent out, and a group of more well-rounded, consistent, and character players like Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, Ulf Samuelsson, Scott Young and Bryan Trottier were brought in to support the young core around Lemieux, Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens and Jaromir Jagr, under the deft coaching of Badger Bob Johnson, who led them to the Cup.

Interestingly, Johnston became GM of the Whalers in 89, and Patrick fleeced him out of Francis, Samuelsson and Young in two separate trades, sticking Johnston with Cullen, Zalapski and Brown, all of whom lost their shine very shortly after their departure from Pittsburgh.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

He's a respected media commentator in Oilers' land these days, although I never listen to him so I can't say if he's any good on the air.

Yeah, a bit of a weird career. Despite all the "rode-Mario's-coattails-in-1988-89" (true to an extent), Brown was clearly a super-talented player. In 1986-87, he outscored both Joe Sakic and Theoren Fleury in the WHL (his 212 points was 66 more than second place), and this club was coached by Ken Hitchcock, not known for giving players free-reign.

Entered the NHL during 1987-88 with the Pens, and had a very respectable 51-game rookie season. Also scored 6 goals in 7 games that winter at the World Juniors. From autumn of 1988, they put him on full-time duty on Mario Lemieux's line and on the first-unit PP. Result? Brown scored a staggering 51 points in the first 24 games of the new season (he was basically pacing Gretzky and Yzerman two months in). He slowed down after that (still had a big January), but still was insanely productive with 115 points in 68 games (pace of 135 points). Looking at his scores that year, of his 49 goals, 30 were assisted by Lemieux (though, to be fair, Lemieux had the 'primary' assist on only 18 of Brown's 49 goals).

The Pens as a whole sagged a bit in 1989-90, and Mario's scoring was down a bit early in the season. I wonder, was this when they pulled Brown off his line or something? The scoring stats show a bunch of different players assisting on Brown's goals that season, and only 3 of his first 19 goals were on the PP, suggesting that maybe he wasn't getting first-unit PP time anymore. Lemieux assisted on only 9 of Brown's 33 goals in 1989-90, and only 2 of his final 16.

Anyway, I'd venture that in 1989-90 in Pittsburgh and 1990-91 with Hartford, we get a pretty good look at what a healthy, motivated Brown should have looked like -- around a PPG player, with the usual defensive / size issues.

My understanding is that Brown had some party/lifestyle issues that may have affected his hockey career; not that he'd be the first player this would apply to....

He sort of crapped out in Chicago, though. Did he clash with Keenan or something?

(I had no idea he'd ever played for L.A. He got in two games with the late-Gretzky-Kings in 1995.)

Bit weird that the post-Mario Pens decided to reacquire him in 1997.

His career is sort of Jimmy-Carson-lite.

Brown also had a very odd hairline:
View attachment 619869

"Lifestyle/partying issues". I say this slightly tongue in cheek as no conclusions should be drawn from a single photo, but this would not look out of place as a DUI mugshot.

 

[Neutrinos]

134 goals, 385 points in his last 132 WHL games

Then goes on to put up 49 goals, 115 points in just 68 games as a 20 year old with Pittsburgh

He joins the likes of Simpson and Carson as forwards from the '80's who looked as though they were future Hall of Famers before they even reached the legal drinking age

Whenever I play as Chicago in NHL'94, I swap out Goulet for Brown purely out of respect

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Within a year guys like Brown, Dan Quinn, John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, Andrew McBain and Tony Tanti were sent out, and a group of more well-rounded, consistent, and character players like Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, Ulf Samuelsson, Scott Young and Bryan Trottier were brought in to support the young core around Lemieux, Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens and Jaromir Jagr, under the deft coaching of Badger Bob Johnson, who led them to the Cup.

that was really an amazing run of GMing by a hall of fame GM

just a master's class of looking at your crop of young guys and knowing who the keepers are

Interestingly, Johnston became GM of the Whalers in 89, and Patrick fleeced him out of Francis, Samuelsson and Young in two separate trades, sticking Johnston with Cullen, Zalapski and Brown, all of whom lost their shine very shortly after their departure from Pittsburgh.

weird though that after they flamed out in hartford, patrick later brought back all three of brown, quinn, cullen for second stints.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Brown was a huge point producer on the Pens in 88-89. He was great in front of the net, scoring the "garbage goals" getting in the other team's kitchen. His hockey IQ was really high too. I think Mario said that he was the player that thought most like him on the ice. They just clicked right away when they played on the same line. But The Vadim got it right: Recchi showed up and was the better overall player. Then they traded for Mullen and drafted Jagr so there was a logjam at RW and Brown seemed to be the odd man out. He wasn't a fast skater and didn't work overly hard (he was known for being really laid back and happy-go-lucky which was a fit for that team and the style they played but I'm sure the coaches didn't care for it). It was surprising to me when he fell so far down the lineup and then was traded but looking back it makes sense. Recchi, Mullen, Jagr were the ones to stick with. I am always nostalgic when i think of Brown because that was a really fun and exciting team. He is still pretty popular in Pittsburgh.

brown was traded for another right wing, scott young. but a totally different kind of player: fast skater, hardworking, killed penalties.

but then less than a year later, the logjam reared its head again as young was flipped to quebec to try to salvage bryan fogarty. young ultimately would play 1,000 more games and score 300 more goals (including playoffs) but as with brown there was just no room for him there with recchi/tocchet, young jagr, and mullen.

 

[DingerMcSlapshot]

He's a respected media commentator in Oilers' land these days, although I never listen to him so I can't say if he's any good on the air.

Yeah, a bit of a weird career. Despite all the "rode-Mario's-coattails-in-1988-89" (true to an extent), Brown was clearly a super-talented player. In 1986-87, he outscored both Joe Sakic and Theoren Fleury in the WHL (his 212 points was 66 more than second place), and this club was coached by Ken Hitchcock, not known for giving players free-reign.

Entered the NHL during 1987-88 with the Pens, and had a very respectable 51-game rookie season. Also scored 6 goals in 7 games that winter at the World Juniors. From autumn of 1988, they put him on full-time duty on Mario Lemieux's line and on the first-unit PP. Result? Brown scored a staggering 51 points in the first 24 games of the new season (he was basically pacing Gretzky and Yzerman two months in). He slowed down after that (still had a big January), but still was insanely productive with 115 points in 68 games (pace of 135 points). Looking at his scores that year, of his 49 goals, 30 were assisted by Lemieux (though, to be fair, Lemieux had the 'primary' assist on only 18 of Brown's 49 goals).

The Pens as a whole sagged a bit in 1989-90, and Mario's scoring was down a bit early in the season. I wonder, was this when they pulled Brown off his line or something? The scoring stats show a bunch of different players assisting on Brown's goals that season, and only 3 of his first 19 goals were on the PP, suggesting that maybe he wasn't getting first-unit PP time anymore. Lemieux assisted on only 9 of Brown's 33 goals in 1989-90, and only 2 of his final 16.

Anyway, I'd venture that in 1989-90 in Pittsburgh and 1990-91 with Hartford, we get a pretty good look at what a healthy, motivated Brown should have looked like -- around a PPG player, with the usual defensive / size issues.

My understanding is that Brown had some party/lifestyle issues that may have affected his hockey career; not that he'd be the first player this would apply to....

He sort of crapped out in Chicago, though. Did he clash with Keenan or something?

(I had no idea he'd ever played for L.A. He got in two games with the late-Gretzky-Kings in 1995.)

Bit weird that the post-Mario Pens decided to reacquire him in 1997.

His career is sort of Jimmy-Carson-lite.

Brown also had a very odd hairline:
View attachment 619869

Hair plugs. He got laughed at alot by everyone.

 

[Hobnobs]

weird though that after they flamed out in hartford, patrick later brought back all three of brown, quinn, cullen for second stints.

They were brought back on orders from Lemiuex. It was the typical boys club saga.

 

[wetcoast]

Brown was drafted by Eddie Johnston, and really epitomized the kind of one-dimensional offensive player that was typical of the Johnston era Pens (80-88). He followed in the footsteps of Paul Gardner: slow, lazy/indifferent backchecker, useless without the puck, basically only effective around the opponent's net. In 88, Tony Esposito bent the DeBartolos' ears and engineered a coup, pushing out Johnston. Tony O promoted Gene Ubriaco from the farm to coach the Pens for the 88-89 season, and Brown exploded offensively alongside Lemieux and Coffey. When the Pens stumbled out of the gate in 89-90, the DeBartolos canned Espo and Ubriaco in December and hired Craig Patrick to run the team. Patrick got behind the bench himself for the rest of the season, mostly as a way to assess his talent and make decisions on how to build the best possible team around Lemieux. Within a year guys like Brown, Dan Quinn, John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, Andrew McBain and Tony Tanti were sent out, and a group of more well-rounded, consistent, and character players like Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, Ulf Samuelsson, Scott Young and Bryan Trottier were brought in to support the young core around Lemieux, Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens and Jaromir Jagr, under the deft coaching of Badger Bob Johnson, who led them to the Cup.

Interestingly, Johnston became GM of the Whalers in 89, and Patrick fleeced him out of Francis, Samuelsson and Young in two separate trades, sticking Johnston with Cullen, Zalapski and Brown, all of whom lost their shine very shortly after their departure from Pittsburgh.

Great post even better avatar, Iron Mike Sharp was so much fun to watch as a kid.

 

[CrosbyIsKing87]

They were brought back on orders from Lemiuex. It was the typical boys club saga.

The Penguins had a lot of players who left and came back for another tour in Pitt: Brown, Quinn, Cullen, Martin Straka, Richard Park, Dave McLlwain, Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi, Marty McSorley

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

The Penguins had a lot of players who left and came back for another tour in Pitt: Brown, Quinn, Cullen, Martin Straka, Richard Park, Dave McLlwain, Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi, Marty McSorley

also bringing back guys in off ice roles

rick kehoe, eddie o, jim rutherford, ej had two stints between being a spy sent to destroy the whalers, and craig patrick’s back for tour number two right?

 

[Hobnobs]

The Penguins had a lot of players who left and came back for another tour in Pitt: Brown, Quinn, Cullen, Martin Straka, Richard Park, Dave McLlwain, Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi, Marty McSorley

Yup but Quinn, Mullen and I forget if there was someone else came back after Lemieux had his temper tantrum during the summer of 96 where he got Zubov traded and so on.

There were rumours of others coming back that year but they couldnt make more deals I guess.