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

[Why2Jay]

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.

Part of the problem? Are you for real bud? Brodie was one of our best D this year, a major part of Gios Norris wing and has been nothing but a professional his entire career in Calgary.

 

[Why2Jay]

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.

Wouldn't have been able to say it better myself .

 

[jasonleaffan]

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

Toronto has world class health care, this is an excerpt from an article I found-
The MS clinic at St. Michael's is one of the largest of its kind in North America, and one of seven adult MS centres in Ontario, that focuses on diagnosis and treatments of MS. The clinic is staffed by eight MS neurology specialists and accommodates more than 7,000 patients from the Greater Toronto Area.
Multiple Sclerosis Clinic - St. Michael's Hospital

If you were thinking they would have gone south for warmer weather, Toronto is definitely warmer year round than Alberta. There's also nothing keeping them here during the offseason.

 

[CraigsList]

Toronto has world class health care, this is an excerpt from an article I found-
The MS clinic at St. Michael's is one of the largest of its kind in North America, and one of seven adult MS centres in Ontario, that focuses on diagnosis and treatments of MS. The clinic is staffed by eight MS neurology specialists and accommodates more than 7,000 patients from the Greater Toronto Area.
Multiple Sclerosis Clinic - St. Michael's Hospital

If you were thinking they would have gone south for warmer weather, Toronto is definitely warmer year round than Alberta. There's also nothing keeping them here during the offseason.

good to know Brodie’s wife will be taken care of. That’s most important.

 

[CujosMask]

Solid 2nd line Defender

lol rrrrrrriiiiiiiight

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

If Rielly and Brodie show some solid chemistry, we are looking at an amazing top 4.

Muzzin/Holl pairing numbers since Keefe was hired and they were assigned the shutdown role:

5v5
TOI/GP: 14:46
QoC: Shudown pairing
Offensive Zone Start%: 35.46%
CF%: 55.01
xGF%: 58.42

Those numbers are simply incredible.

Stop saying Holl is a bad player.

He is a bad player he proved that the second Muzzin got hurt, those numbers are ALL Muzzin

 

[topshelf15]

Really liked that signing...The bottom 6 with Thorton and Spezza not so much..

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Really liked that signing...The bottom 6 with Thorton and Spezza not so much..

Well Brodie adds more skating, skill, passing to the team. Posters alhere then mention that Brodie lacks the mental toughness and experience for when "the going gets tough" so those two signings are veteran, voice of reason type signings for when the team faces adversity.

The signings cover all the bases.
It seems like a well-balanced approach to me.

 

[topshelf15]

Well Brodie adds more skating, skill, passing to the team. Posters alhere then mention that Brodie lacks the mental toughness and experience for when "the going gets tough" so those two signings are veteran, voice of reason type signings for when the team faces adversity.

The signings cover all the bases.
It seems like a well-balanced approach to me.

Part of the issue with Toronto was being soft to play against,their defense has been upgraded in this area for sure...The bottom 6 is still a issue,they need speed and physical play from that area, more than they need aged skill...

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Part of the issue with Toronto was being soft to play against,their defense has been upgraded in this area for sure...The bottom 6 is still a issue,they need speed and physical play from that area, more than they need aged skill...

They had speed there it didn't work

 

[topshelf15]

They had speed there it didn't work

Speed and physicality isnt something they have had enough of since the Kadri days...The first series against Boston u guys were so close,the lines up front had balance...The defense needed some more physicality ,but in the chase to fix the blueline ..The bottom 6 has suffered,and looks like the weak area now

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Speed and physicality isnt something they have had enough of since the Kadri days...The first series against Boston u guys were so close,the lines up front had balance...The defense needed some more physicality ,but in the chase to fix the blueline ..The bottom 6 has suffered,and looks like the weak area now

Kadri would likely still be here but he chose to be a moron

 

[Fatass]

Kadri would likely still be here but he chose to be a moron

Regardless of the reason, it was a bad trade by Dubas. He should have kept Kadri until the return was more fair.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Regardless of the reason, it was a bad trade by Dubas. He should have kept Kadri until the return was more fair.

It was, but he couldn't be kept he had to go, and to be fair the original deal was blocked

 

[Fatass]

It was, but he couldn't be kept he had to go, and to be fair the original deal was blocked

Was Brodie the return in that deal to Calgary that Kadri said no to?

 

[Maple Leaf]

It was, but he couldn't be kept he had to go, and to be fair the original deal was blocked

The NHL demanded the Leafs trade Kadri

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Was Brodie the return in that deal to Calgary that Kadri said no to?

Yes, Jankoski was also in it. That's why I wasn't shocked at all by this signing

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

The NHL demanded the Leafs trade Kadri

Kadri's actions demanded the Leafs trade Kadri

 

[Allhailtheleafs]

Kadri's actions demanded the Leafs trade Kadri

Agreed. Loved him on the leafs, but he was a liability in the playoffs. It's nice seeing him suceed in Colorado . Guy deserves it.

 

[topshelf15]

Kadri was a liabilty because he was the only Leaf with jam and an easy target

 

[Morbo]

Kadri was a liabilty because he was the only Leaf with jam and an easy target

No, he was an easy target because of his history of lacking discipline and putting himself ahead of the team.

 

[topshelf15]

No, he was an easy target because of his history of lacking discipline and putting himself ahead of the team.

Boston targeted him as they knew there was no one else on that roster that would pose any sort of threat to them physically...They needed to get someone to help guide him not trade him

 

[Leafmealone11]

No, he was an easy target because of his history of lacking discipline and putting himself ahead of the team.

Umm he was under serious pressure to be the guy to push back and stand up for the team, it wasn’t selfish he was trying to return the pain for his team. It was dumb and over the top but it was not selfish

 

[Legion34]

Agreed. Loved him on the leafs, but he was a liability in the playoffs. It's nice seeing him suceed in Colorado . Guy deserves it.

to be fair.... he was a huge part of costing them the series too. Just this time he played all the games.

 

[Legion34]

Boston targeted him as they knew there was no one else on that roster that would pose any sort of threat to them physically...They needed to get someone to help guide him not trade him

? kadri has been a leaf for a decade. He was a loose cannon with tough guys on the team. Heck didn’t we have Matt Martin on the team the first time? we had tons of physical players throughout the years.

He got suspended twice and should probably have got one for going after Ovys knee in the wash series.


kadri was a good player. Top 6C with an edge. Loved the team. Cared. Excellent at being a pest and shadowing a C. Couldn’t play in a 5 man D structure that well. Just like game 7 ot let’s a rookie walk in and score the game winner

he was a loose cannon like tucker. Heck he was suspended for being late 6 years into his career
And was parking in handicapped spots. A little guidance wouldn’t change him. He had tons of guidance and toughness over the years