RW Jeremy Bracco - Toronto Marlies, AHL (2015, 61st, TOR) II

[Tim Raines]

Bracco is the ideal junior player. His vision is outstanding, his puck skills are top notch and he's very shifty and elusive.

What he has improved the most in my opinion is his offensive decision-making and shot release. He is extremely good at deciding when to pass and when to shoot and his timing is impeccable. His shot is both quick and accurate and he doesn't tip his hand at all. He keeps his head up 100% of the time and has the same wrist motion for shooting top right as he does low left. It's tough on goalies.

Having said all that, he is still a long way from success at the NHL level. He still avoids contact like the plague, lets the opponent in on loose pucks first and prefers to reach in with the stick on any board battle. It's partly self-preservation, but I can't see a Babcock being okay with that.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Bracco is the ideal junior player. His vision is outstanding, his puck skills are top notch and he's very shifty and elusive.

What he has improved the most in my opinion is his offensive decision-making and shot release. He is extremely good at deciding when to pass and when to shoot and his timing is impeccable. His shot is both quick and accurate and he doesn't tip his hand at all. He keeps his head up 100% of the time and has the same wrist motion for shooting top right as he does low left. It's tough on goalies.

Having said all that, he is still a long way from success at the NHL level. He still avoids contact like the plague, lets the opponent in on loose pucks first and prefers to reach in with the stick on any board battle. It's partly self-preservation, but I can't see a Babcock being okay with that.

You know who else avoids contract? Mitch Marner

Now Braco in all likelihood isn't going to be Marner but avoding contact CAN be good

 

[leafhky88]

You know who else avoids contract? Mitch Marner

Now Braco in all likelihood isn't going to be Marner but avoding contact CAN be good

I don't see them as very comparable. Marner in my mind does not really "avoid contact" either. Is he elusive and hard to hit when he has the puck? Yes. However, Marner is more than capable of playing the cycle game and has scored a lot of his goals by going to dirty areas (such as in front of the net). His goal against Nashville is an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wzmWDb1GXU

Marner also in junior and in the pros has been a rover - you also see him despite being a winger, being one of the first players back and picking up the puck even below his own goal line. He is a true 200 foot player who is relentless in terms of puck pursuit.

Tim is a Rangers' season ticket holder and his views on Bracco reflect my viewings. That said, Bracco is fun to watch with the puck with some great skill. I hope it translates well.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Bracco is the ideal junior player. His vision is outstanding, his puck skills are top notch and he's very shifty and elusive.

What he has improved the most in my opinion is his offensive decision-making and shot release. He is extremely good at deciding when to pass and when to shoot and his timing is impeccable. His shot is both quick and accurate and he doesn't tip his hand at all. He keeps his head up 100% of the time and has the same wrist motion for shooting top right as he does low left. It's tough on goalies.

Having said all that, he is still a long way from success at the NHL level. He still avoids contact like the plague, lets the opponent in on loose pucks first and prefers to reach in with the stick on any board battle. It's partly self-preservation, but I can't see a Babcock being okay with that.

Having also seen most of his games this year, I agree with all of this.

 

[arrbez]

You know who else avoids contract? Mitch Marner

Now Braco in all likelihood isn't going to be Marner but avoding contact CAN be good

Marner is surprisingly willing to engage physically for someone his size. Watch him battle for the puck along the boards against guys 50 lbs heavier every game. It's one of his most impressive attributes considering he's a 160 pound teenager.

In terms of Leaf players who wouldn't engage physically, Phil Kessel was the poster boy. It was almost endearing how unwilling he was to go into the corner with someone. Like you couldn't get mad, it was just Phil being Phil. But Phil was also super-elite at other aspects. I don't see him play much, but the concern with Bracco is probably that he'll be Wellwood 2.0 and his play without the puck will limit his opportunity to play with the puck.

 

[Menzinger]

The Leafs most intriguing prospect not in the NHL. His boom potential remains sky high - fingers crossed he gets there

 

[93LEAFS]

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Marner is surprisingly willing to engage physically for someone his size. Watch him battle for the puck along the boards against guys 50 lbs heavier every game. It's one of his most impressive attributes considering he's a 160 pound teenager.

In terms of Leaf players who wouldn't engage physically, Phil Kessel was the poster boy. It was almost endearing how unwilling he was to go into the corner with someone. Like you couldn't get mad, it was just Phil being Phil. But Phil was also super-elite at other aspects. I don't see him play much, but the concern with Bracco is probably that he'll be Wellwood 2.0 and his play without the puck will limit his opportunity to play with the puck.

They said during a recent broadcast he's only been hit 17 times the team has played 19 games.

That tells me he avoids contract

 

[izzy]

What a season so far, him and Mascherin are sick. Unreal both were 2nd rounders and not even early 2nd rounders at that.

 

[93LEAFS]

They said during a recent broadcast he's only been hit 17 times the team has played 19 games.

That tells me he avoids contract

I think you are talking about different aspects of avoiding contact. Marner goes into the corner and will fight for the puck (and actually emerges with the puck a surprising amount of times). Marner avoids being hit cleanly quite often because he has elite agility and anticipation. When he was drafted, that was the notable difference between him and fellow high-end undersized players like Konecny and Fabbri (who play more north/south and tend to get rocked occasionally, especially at the OHL level).

Having seen Bracco a bunch of times, he tends to avoid going into the corner at all. Comparatively to Marner, Bracco will not lay the body on another player when it is the best option. To put it simply, Marner avoids getting hit when he has the puck due to his skill set, but isn't afraid to hit someone to separate them from the puck (which Bracco is).

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I think you are talking about different aspects of avoiding contact. Marner goes into the corner and will fight for the puck (and actually emerges with the puck a surprising amount of times). Marner avoids being hit cleanly quite often because he has elite agility and anticipation. When he was drafted, that was the notable difference between him and fellow high-end undersized players like Konecny and Fabbri (who play more north/south and tend to get rocked occasionally, especially at the OHL level).

Having seen Bracco a bunch of times, he tends to avoid going into the corner at all. Comparatively to Marner, Bracco will not lay the body on another player when it is the best option. To put it simply, Marner avoids getting hit when he has the puck due to his skill set, but isn't afraid to hit someone to separate them from the puck (which Bracco is).

Yes, this is the type of thing Tim meant regarding Bracco avoiding contact.

 

[Mitchy]

Beast.

Was very surprised that he lasted all the way till the end of the second round. His offensive talent (especially his vision and passing) is insane and his ceiling is sky high. He still has a long way to go and certainly isn't even a guaranteed NHLer, but I loved the 2015 draft because of the Leafs' willingness to go with high ceiling prospects like Bracco. So far, so good for him.

 

[Twist and Shout]

No idea how his skill set is going to translate... Hope he can improve without the puck.

 

[Knies iT]

43 points in 20 games...



Could be a huge year for his physical development, should prepare him for the AHL next year.

 

[slashtrey]

Bracco is on a 24 game point streak (all season) for 49 points. 3 primary assists, none on the PP, on Saturday in a 5-4 win for Kitchener. He's also not playing on Mascherin's line anymore. This should be his last year in the OHL.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Bracco is on a 24 game point streak (all season) for 49 points. 3 primary assists, none on the PP, on Saturday in a 5-4 win for Kitchener. He's also not playing on Mascherin's line anymore. This should be his last year in the OHL.

Considering he's 19, that's really not that much of an accomplishment.

 

[slashtrey]

Considering he's 19, that's really not that much of an accomplishment.

I didn't say to give him a trophy for it, just stating it for anyone reading.

 

[slashtrey]

OT winner last night on a snipe to make it a 26 game point streak.

 

[TheDoldrums]

3rd in the OHL scoring race behind the two Erie kids.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Maybe he will be used kinda as "fourth" liner for the Leafs . Meaning he doesn't play on the top 3 lines but is a PP specialist. Like thousands of other juniors before him he will have to adjust to the AHL/NHL or else he will be another guy we will talk about in 20 years. "Remember that small, high scoring sniper,
that played for Kitchener.

IMO he's packaged to the Isles this summer for one of their Dmen that Isles can't protect. Either Hamonic or Pulock coming back to Leafs.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Maybe he will be used kinda as "fourth" liner for the Leafs . Meaning he doesn't play on the top 3 lines but is a PP specialist. Like thousands of other juniors before him he will have to adjust to the AHL/NHL or else he will be another guy we will talk about in 20 years. "Remember that small, high scoring sniper,
that played for Kitchener.

IMO he's packaged to the Isles this summer for one of their Dmen that Isles can't protect. Either Hamonic or Pulock coming back to Leafs.

Why arent the Isles protecting these guys? Bracco isn't worth either regardless imo.

 

[MarryMarner]

If this guy can translate into the NHL look out. Unbelievable skill set. I actually think him on Matthews wing one day might be really nice, Matthews can create the space Bracco will need to operate.

 

[NarcoPolo]

If this guy can translate into the NHL look out. Unbelievable skill set. I actually think him on Matthews wing one day might be really nice, Matthews can create the space Bracco will need to operate.

Highly doubt Babcock will be a Bracco fan tbh

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Highly doubt Babcock will be a Bracco fan tbh

Bracco is pretty much exactly the type of player that Babcock would hate.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Bracco's very, very skilled, but not very committed or willing to engage defensively and may be one of the most consistently passive forecheckers I've seen on the Rangers in a number of years. To make it in the NHL (especially for Babcock) his give-a-**** meter away from the puck will have to drastically increase.