Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] T.J. Brodie signs with the Maple Leafs (4 years, $5M AAV)

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Really surprised he signed for that. Heck, Leafs should have kept him if he was willing to take a deal like that even if it was just for 1 year! Guy looks like a near lock for 50 points, and even if his defence isn’t great that kind of production off the blue line is normally $6 million, minimum. Edmonton did well.

Living in Alberta I see Brodie a lot he's much MUCH better

 

[NoName]

Living in Alberta I see Brodie a lot he's much MUCH better

I hope you are right

 

[Kranix]

He was perhaps the best d-man on the flames this season. But he has really put in the time the last 48 hours, and now he's probably one of the best in the league.

 

[DFF]

Brodie is a ballerina on skate. Beautiful to watch. But when the going got tough, I don't think he has been there. He was part of the flames problem not the solution. Leafs will be for a surprise if they think he is their solution.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Brodie is a ballerina on skate. Beautiful to watch. But when the going gets tough, I don't think he has been there. He was part of the flames problem not the solution. Leafs will be for a surprise if they think he is their solution.

They think he's the best partner Morgan Rielly has ever had, and seeing as that bar is currently set at Ron Hainsey, who we liked, A LOT but is not a guy that should be paired with Morgan Rielly I assure you they are right.

Because if he can't walk over that bar, not jump, there is no jumping this is not pole vault he simply needs to walk over that bar that's lying on the floor.

If he can't do that, that would mean he's no longer an NHL player and that's just not true

 

[NyQuil]

In some ways, I think he's a much better signing than Pietrangelo, who would have arrived with a much larger salary and much larger expectations that he may not have been able to meet.

Alex would go from a team where they had a tremendous defensive squad by committee, to being the guy that would be called upon to singlehandedly turn around the defensive fortunes and culture of the franchise. As good as he is, I don't think he's a savior.

With Brodie, I think those expectations will be a little more muted, commiserate with his salary and skill set.

 

[DFF]

They think he's the best partner Morgan Rielly has ever had, and seeing as that bar is currently set at Ron Hainsey, who we liked, A LOT but is not a guy that should be paired with Morgan Rielly I assure you they are right.

Because if he can't walk over that bar, not jump, there is no jumping this is not pole vault he simply needs to walk over that bar that's lying on the floor.

If he can't do that, that would mean he's no longer an NHL player and that's just not true

Sure

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

They think he's the best partner Morgan Rielly has ever had, and seeing as that bar is currently set at Ron Hainsey, who we liked, A LOT but is not a guy that should be paired with Morgan Rielly I assure you they are right.

Because if he can't walk over that bar, not jump, there is no jumping this is not pole vault he simply needs to walk over that bar that's lying on the floor.

If he can't do that, that would mean he's no longer an NHL player and that's just not true

honestly he is pretty close to Reilly in talent IMO.

The haters are the same people who complained after the Flames had 107 points last year and easily won the west. I’m sure your fanbase have your fair share of glass 4/5ths empty types too.

he does make mistakes but the amount of low key smart plays Brodie makes is insane. I find fans tend to see the really good and really bad, so players who are consistently solid like Backlund and Brodie, don’t get as appreciated for how good they really are.

 

[Double Dion]

honestly he is pretty close to Reilly in talent IMO.

The haters are the same people who complained after the Flames had 107 points last year and easily won the west. I’m sure your fanbase have your fair share of glass 4/5ths empty types too.

he does make mistakes but the amount of low key smart plays Brodie makes is insane. I find fans tend to see the really good and really bad, so players who are consistently solid like Backlund and Brodie, don’t get as appreciated for how good they really are.

Brodie and Backlund are extremely under appreciated in our city. The more intelligent and informed fans know what those two guys are though. It's mainly the guys who think Don Cherry is right about everything who don't care for them. We will miss Brodie a lot and wouldn't be a playoff team without Backlund.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

honestly he is pretty close to Reilly in talent IMO.

The haters are the same people who complained after the Flames had 107 points last year and easily won the west. I’m sure your fanbase have your fair share of glass 4/5ths empty types too.

he does make mistakes but the amount of low key smart plays Brodie makes is insane. I find fans tend to see the really good and really bad, so players who are consistently solid like Backlund and Brodie, don’t get as appreciated for how good they really are.

I live in Fort Mac, I'm well aware of what TJ Brodie is and that's why I'm so happy because I KNOW Rielly and Brodie works because I have seen more of Brodie than most Leaf fans.

What I am surprised about is the class your fans have shown in this thread, I thought you guys would be PISSED

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

I live in Fort Mac, I'm well aware of what TJ Brodie is and that's why I'm so happy because I KNOW Rielly and Brodie works because I have seen more of Brodie than most Leaf fans.

What I am surprised about is the class your fans have shown in this thread, I thought you guys would be PISSED

We are very sad to see him go but we kind of expected it, the rumor was he was migrating south because of his wife's MS so Toronto was a bit surprising to me. Regardless you will love him in blue and white

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

We are very sad to see him go but we kind of expected it, the rumor was he was migrating south because of his wife's MS so Toronto was a bit surprising to me. Regardless you will love him in blue and white

See I kind of expected him in Toronto because he was traded to Toronto last summer so it doesn't surprise me Dubas went and got him.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Go watch some footage from 2016-2018 when he wasn’t stapled to Gio and let me know how “defensively responsible” he looks.

Maybe this post will be a better response to you than the other one I gave you:

Brodie is prone to a bad mistake here and there. But overall he was our best defender this year with honorable mention to Rasmus Andersson. Leafs fans will like him.

People might not know his wife was diagnosed with MS. That might have had something to do with his 2 less good years 3 and 4 years ago.

I believe that played a HUGE part to those two down years he had.
Sometimes we forget that professional athletes are human too, and things can happen outside of their sport that can affect the way they play.
Your thoughts??

 

[CraigsList]

It still hurts.

 

[NinjaKick]

Absolutely love this signing... Dubas has done a solid job this offseason imo

 

[DJJones]

Kinda coming around to losing Brodie. One of the best transition guys in the league, he's on my main Jersey (glad retros are coming back), but his weaknesses were the Flames weaknesses in the playoffs.

Clear the front of the net, win the f***ing puck battle and get it out of the zone. That's a defenders first job and Brodie was always only average at that.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It still hurts.

Has getting Tanev helped?

 

[CraigsList]

Has getting Tanev helped?

For sure it has, but Brodie was a solid player. He’s gonna let Rielly explode offensively like Giordano got to. The clear advantage goes to Toronto though because Rielly is so young and has yet to hit his prime.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

See I kind of expected him in Toronto because he was traded to Toronto last summer so it doesn't surprise me Dubas went and got him.

Yeah but he put Toronto on his NTC after that trade got nixed

 

[Zach716]

This is a really good deal for the Leafs. Hate to see it

 

[Janks]

For sure it has, but Brodie was a solid player. He’s gonna let Rielly explode offensively like Giordano got to. The clear advantage goes to Toronto though because Rielly is so young and has yet to hit his prime.

My thinking as well. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if Rielly has career numbers this year. If TJ gels with him, you’ll have a hell of a 1st D pairing. I think Flames fans are going to miss him a lot more than they thought they would have. Especially during the Gully years where he stapled TJ with Stone and on the left side.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

My thinking as well. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if Rielly has career numbers this year. If TJ gels with him, you’ll have a hell of a 1st D pairing. I think Flames fans are going to miss him a lot more than they thought they would have. Especially during the Gully years where he stapled TJ with Stone and on the left side.

Rielly put up 20 goals and 72 points and finished 4th or 5th in Norris voting 2 years ago.

If you are right he's in for a hell of a year

 

[Kents polished head]

Absolutely love this signing... Dubas has done a solid job this offseason imo

Not sure turning Kapanen, Johnsson and Barrie into Brodie, Simmonds and Bogosian is what I consider "Solid job". Depth at forward is shallower than it was last season and it was already problematic for them.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Not sure turning Kapanen, Johnsson and Barrie into Brodie, Simmonds and Bogosian is what I consider "Solid job". Depth at forward is shallower than it was last season and it was already problematic for them.

I mean this is a I am assuming intentionally shallow read of what has actually happened with the Leafs this off season so far.

 

[FoamRoller]

Hey Folks.
Flames fan here that doesn't post (might be my first) but since I am not sure exactly how to feel about Brodie's departure I thought I'd review his play from my perspective. I've seen a lot of questions asking about "what Brodie is" and though I'm not an analytics guy at all - thought I'd chime in. I know I'm late to the party and most of this has already been covered but feedback would be appreciated.

The best parts of Brodie's game imo are:
1. Skating ability
2. Vision
3. Passing ability

How do these manifest in his game?
1. He covers for his partner at the offensive blue line exceptionally well:

• He's loose puck recovery machine

- in the neutral zone he's able to retrieve the puck, shield the puck from any opposing player and return the play to the offensive zone quickly
- if the puck makes it back to the defensive zone then he will hold for a line change or again quickly skate the puck back or move the puck up ice so offensive pressure can be applied.

• angles and defensive stick work are exceptional. He can keep up to (with few exceptions) and hinder the best on the other team.

2. Joins the rush

• if allowed he'll storm out of nowhere especially on overtime (I'd guess 3-4 more OT wins this year for TO just because of this).

3. Break outs - skate it out or make a great first pass? Your choice.
I wouldn't say he has great offensive skills per se but he has great skills to support offense (if that makes any sense).

Things that aren't great but aren't bad either:
1. Shot - it's not a muffin at all but he'll only use it when:

• defensive coverage breaks down so that he can move in from the blueline (top of the circles or closer) - this applies to the PP as well as 5v5.
• On the rush - you'll notice this most in OT

Intensity - Brodie reminds me of JBo in this respect. He's naturally a low key personality and this can be applied to his play style as well. He just looks so natural all the time you sometimes question his give a crap meter (I think unjustly the vast majority of the time).

Things his game lacks:
1. Physical presence.

• Brodie is not good at breaking up the cycle or locking down the front of the net.

IMO, this was an issue for Calgary. Too many times Calgary (especially the first line) were pinned in their end. I attribute this many times to the fact that both Monohan and Brodie have the same flaws in their games (lose board battles and can't provide a physical net front presence). This left Gio to do both with predictable results.
I am not sure that TO will have the same issue but thought I'd throw it out there.

Other items:
1. Gafs - this one is tricky for me as I think there are two reasons for these (50/50 breakdown):

• Intensity - as previously mentioned - it just seems theat some nights Brodie just leaves his brain in the dressing room -not often but on occasion.
• The worst luck ever, of all time. He'll have a puck bounce over his stick, then his skate will come untied but it won't matter as the blade on the other skate will fall off and as he's skating on one blade to retrieve the puck before the other guy a light will fall from the ceiling knocking him off his feet and then the puck is in the net. And unfortunately there is no review rule for having a light fall from the rafters, so sorry.

At that point you just have to throw up your hands - you can't blame the guy.

tldr;
Brodie is an excellent support partner for a true #1 and I think TO has made a great signing here.
Sorry to see him go.