Waived: [VAN] D Erik Brannstrom waived by the Canucks

[Zirakzigil]

Fine, twist my rubber arm. You can throw him in when Miller comes to the Pens.

 

[Brookbank]

 

[tyhee]

Weren't Canucks fans talking about how well he was doing not too long ago? What happened?

The issue is really with the way this year's defence was constructed. It was being shown up before Hronek got hurt, but with him having been out for some time now the Canuck defence has been:

Hughes-who has been incredible and, obviously, is exceptional in transition

With the rest of the defence there's a pattern, they seem to be big but not generally puck movers.

Myers is big, has great reach, munches minutes but is best when the team is playing disciplined defence and isn't as good when the team is making a lot of mistakes-which is something the Canucks have been doing quite a bit this season. He isn't consistently sound moving the puck out of his zone.

Soucy-is big and strong and in the past has been a capable defender, but even before this season moving the puck wasn't considered a strength.

Forbort-big and strong and not a puck mover.

Desharnais-big and strong but someone you really don't want to spend much time with the puck on his stick.

Juulsen-strong, aggressive, but someone you really don't want to spend much time with the puck on his stick.

So the Canucks' 3rd pair early in the season was Forbort-Desharnais, and they were getting caved in. It seemed neither one of them could move the puck out of their zone. The Canucks acquired Brannstrom, who isn't big, isn't strong, isn't particularly sound defensively but was capable of clearing the puck out of his zone. Canucks fans and media were pleased-both Forbort-Brannstrom and Brannstrom-Desharnais were doing better than Forbort-Desharnais.

It seemed that stylistically Brannstrom was considered to provide something missing on the Canucks' defence, while the people he played with provided something he was missing, and for some time his results seemed to be bearing that out, but it seems Tocchet decided that the offence and puck moving Brannstrom provided didn't make up for being small, relatively weak and not particularly sound defensively.

 

[Petes2424]

If they didn’t already have Quinn and Hronek, maybe they’re not doing this. They just can’t depend on 3 smaller dmen. You have to wonder if he does get claimed though.

His contract and “some” of his play this year, has to intrigue more than a few managers with injuries on their blue line, or pending trades in the near future. A team like Detroit, would still like more puck movement and Petry is out injured and Chiarot might be on his way out of town. Something like that might work for 2-3 weeks and then he either sticks or he’s back on waivers.

I think he may get claimed here.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Colorado should claim him for giggles

 

[Freaky Styley]

He was doing great at transitioning the puck and being a threat on the PP. Then suddenly he was just out and never came back in.

Some say his defensive game was terrible but it wasn't obvious from the eye test.

Tocchet only like dinosaurs on defense so dinosaurs he will get. Somebody pick this kid up. He deserves to play.


And yet, Myers, Juulson, Deshardais and Forbort's games are rife with defensive gaffs.

3/4 of those guys are right-handed and all are big enough to clear a crease and hold their own in the corners. Those things matter, particularly down the lineup.

 

[Cogburn]

Brannstrom was fine for us on the bottom pairing, but Tocchet seems to hate players that can move the puck competently.

Advanced stats aren't good, but I'd prefer him to Soucy, Desharnais and Juulsen.

I guess his greatest flaw is not being right handed.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

If Brannstrom was 2 inches taller and jacked, he would probably be a pretty solid bottom pairing D. But he still wouldn't be more than that, and he's not 2 inches taller and jacked (well, at least not relative to what is needed as a 5'9 D with no standout skills).

 

[TS Quint]

So appeal to authority on every single decision your NHL team makes? Screw your appeal to authority mumbo jumbo.

Tocchet prefers big d-men with PK utility. You're not going to convince me Noah Juulsen or Vincent Desharnais are better players than Brannstrom though - we have a coach with an obvious bias.

I don't even disagree with the fundamental idea that a bigger d-man with PK utility is probably more valuable. I just disagree with the fact that when you already have 5 of those on your roster that maybe a puck mover isn't such a bad idea.

Good coaches make mistakes and I personally feel like the misuse of Brannstrom over the last month+ is one of them. If Canuck fans can't debate this because of your appeal to authority nonsense there's really no point of a place like hf of existing.

Tocchet had the entire team over performing just last season and he's already dumber than the worst of Canuck fans 40 games into this year. Amazing. I'd definitely be going with Tocchet's opinion in any case.

 

[sting101]

Above average in the offensive zone
Average in the neutral zone
Poor in the defensive zone
* bad at boxing out
* bad at retrievals with pressure
* bad at passing under pressure
Poor in 1v1 battles
Doesn't PK well
Not a good PP option
Very good skater but just not skilled enough deceptive or composed enough to be a regular on a good team is what I saw.

Still thought he offered some offense and puck support in the opposition side of the ice vs some of the board smashers we have and probably should have got more runway but his last few games were really bad and he played like he was afraid

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

He's very limited defensively and struggles reading plays. Mostly, he can't kill penalties, which doesn't afford him the leash Denarhais and Juulsen get despite being awful on a given average. It also doesn't help Brannstrom can't play RD whatsoever.

iirc there were a few games where he was forced to play the right side and he looked fine there

 

[Boud]

For watching him for years in Ottawa, he’s a decent bottom pair or 7th D.

Decent skater. Good at exiting his zone. Decent offensive instincts but doesn’t put up points. He’s better defensensively than you would expect for a small defensemen. He was asked to be almost like a shutdown Dman in Ottawa so he had no choice but to improve defensensively.

Issue is coaches don’t like small defensemen UNLESS they can control the play and their skating makes up for their lack of size. Brannstrom is not a dynamic skater, he’s a good skater. He’ll always have a tough time getting regular minutes. He’s not great at anything. He’s average at about everythinf but he’s good in transition.

I see him as a guy who should get an opportunity on a rebuilding team. Put him on a team with 0 expectations and give him a lot of opportunity. I could see it paying off.