Brendl Hits Stride?

[Nielson81]

Has Pavel Brendl finally hit his stride, found a place that will give him a chance.

Since being dealt to the Coyotes he has flourished in San Antonio. He has 16 points in 14 games including 8 goals and appears be the teams most dangerous offensive player.

How long until he gets a chance with the Yotes.

Click to read more...

 

[Form and Substance]

It's been like fifty years that he's been trying to crack an NHL lineup. I don't know if he's a bust yet or not, but he's well on his way.

 

[The Nemesis]

Brendl is one of those guys who has all the skill in the world and no will to work at using it. This will let him light up the AHL and minor leagues, while seeing him fail miserably at the NHL level because he refuses to put in any effort.

 

[Nielson81]

I'm one of those rare guys who feels he still has never really gotten a shot.

In spot action since his draft year he has only layed in 76 games and scored 11 goals with 11 assists.

If you think about it.....that wouldn't be a bad rookie season.

I think if the Yotes give him a shot, he will pay off. Play him with Nagy

 

[TheZherdev]

Recalling him when he was a rangers prospect, the guy was a HUGE dissapointment and I'm pretty sure hes still considered a bust. Put him in the NHL and his skill will get shot again like always. You'll see.

 

[Metallian*]

Pavel Bustl

 

[gallagher]

He's 24. I won't call him a bust until he's 27. Maybe 26.

The PHX franchise is the place to be for youngsters who have speed and skill and need a chance to get icetime and a place to try and score.

Put me and like two other people and his parents in a group labelled "haven't given up on Brendl yet".

______________________
www.stlouisgametime.com

 

[Twist and Shout]

Put me and like two other people and his parents in a group labelled "haven't given up on Brendl yet".

Yep, I'm definately in that group too. People have laughed at me for believing in him, but it's not over until it's over for Brendl.

 

[bleedgreen]

people forget that in his last chance in the nhl, he did it. he was awesome with the canes till mccabe popped his shoulder. with the freeagent pickups he wasnt a fast enough skater to fit with lavi's plan this year. he played well in camp, he just got outquicked. put me in the "he'll make it group".

 

[Safir*]

Let's not forget that Brendl struggled a bit in Europe last season. He started the season in the first Czech league, struggled, and was send down to the second league.

Afterwards he went to second league in Finland and seemed to rebound over there. He had 19 points in 21 game while playing with Jokipojat Joensuu.

He also appeared in 4 games (3 goals) for Thurgau in the 2nd Swiss League.

According to eurohockey.net he was also on the roster of Malmö IF Redhawks, but he never played a match for them.

Five teams in one season?
------------
I wish him all the best and I hope that he manages to play in Phoenix for quite some time.

 

[Vagrant]

I'm still skeptical. I had high hopes for him until his shoulder incident, and then it evaporated. He spent the year off getting out of shape and working his way off more teams that I can count, and he came back with an even worse attitude by all accounts. He does this year after year. Works hard to get back into game shape, falls off and gets out of game shape, works hard to get back into game shape, falls off and gets out of game shape.

He's productive at the AHL level, but even if he does pan out at this point i've got him marked for no more than a 25-30 goal scorer with even less assists. He simply doesn't have the skating ability or desire to go into the high traffic area's to get points. I think his offensive abilities are greatly overrated now, considering his offensive production since being drafted.

In other news, Krys Kolanos has 11 points in 10 games with Lowell as well. Hopefully this deal will turn out to be a win for both sides.

 

[Art Vandelay]

According to eurohockey.net he was also on the roster of Malmö IF Redhawks, but he never played a match for them.

He was fired for being out of shape.

 

[SDBondra]

There are plenty of players out there who produce HUGE in the AHL but just aren't NHL caliber. I think Brendl is one of those players. There are other players who don't really produce in the AHL but turn out to be solid NHL'ers. Unfortunately it's not apples-to-apples. I think it's probably mostly due to the huge size/speed difference of defensemen in the NHL vs. AHL. From what I've seen of Brendl (admittedly not much), he's neither big enough or fast enough to give NHL defensemen much difficulty. Having a world-class wrist shot doesn't really help much if you can't get a shot off.

 

[Jacob]

Brendl is one of those guys who has all the skill in the world and no will to work at using it.

I don't think his skill is that great.

He's slow and has poor puckhandling skills. The only skill I see in him is a decent shot and a good-sized frame.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

Brendl is a bust. I dont see why anything has chaned just because he is finally producing in the AHL again. The guy is 24 years old, has had his chances over and over again and will be a minor leaguer. Slow skating is a huge drawback, and his skills arent good enough to compensate for his bad skating.

 

[Seph]

Brendl in a lot of ways reminds me of Olli Jokinen. Has everything it takes to be an excellent player except the drive/desire. Olli found it late with a little help from Keenan. I don't think it's impossible for the same thing to happen for Brendl. I think his development's stalled enough by this point that he'll never fully reach his draft day expectations, but he still could turn into a decent scorer.

Jokinen's stats prior to his breakout year in 02-03 (when he was 24, no less) were pretty similar to Brendl's NHL stats as far as PPG goes, though of course, Jokinen had much more NHL playing time by that point due to having come up through much weaker clubs. Not saying he will break out, it all hinges on whether he makes the decision to do what it takes. And maybe a coach helps him make that decision, or maybe he finally realizes it for himself, but if it doesn't happen, he'll be another one of those high potential busts. If it does, he could still break out.

 

[Seph]

Brendl is a bust. I dont see why anything has chaned just because he is finally producing in the AHL again. The guy is 24 years old, has had his chances over and over again and will be a minor leaguer. Slow skating is a huge drawback, and his skills arent good enough to compensate for his bad skating.

I suspect a lot of his poor skating is due to poor conditioning. Fixing that alone could potentially make a world of difference for him.

 

[bleedgreen]

I suspect a lot of his poor skating is due to poor conditioning. Fixing that alone could potentially make a world of difference for him.

i read he came to camp in pretty good shape this year, and worked hard. he just didnt fit in with lavi's style, and with stiiman ans whitney being added on the wings - he had too much competition for a top 6 spot - and brendl is no third/fourth liner.

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

Brendl in a lot of ways reminds me of Olli Jokinen. Has everything it takes to be an excellent player except the drive/desire. Olli found it late with a little help from Keenan. I don't think it's impossible for the same thing to happen for Brendl. I think his development's stalled enough by this point that he'll never fully reach his draft day expectations, but he still could turn into a decent scorer.

Jokinen's stats prior to his breakout year in 02-03 (when he was 24, no less) were pretty similar to Brendl's NHL stats as far as PPG goes, though of course, Jokinen had much more NHL playing time by that point due to having come up through much weaker clubs. Not saying he will break out, it all hinges on whether he makes the decision to do what it takes. And maybe a coach helps him make that decision, or maybe he finally realizes it for himself, but if it doesn't happen, he'll be another one of those high potential busts. If it does, he could still break out.

Olli Jokinen for a start is alot more physical, more skilled and just a better alround player. Jokinen did look like a bust, but is one of those rare instances where he turned his career around .... with Mike Keenan no less .

 

[Seph]

i read he came to camp in pretty good shape this year, and worked hard. he just didnt fit in with lavi's style, and with stiiman ans whitney being added on the wings - he had too much competition for a top 6 spot - and brendl is no third/fourth liner.

Well, good for him then, maybe that's why he's finally starting to put up some points, though he did have a good half season for Lowell before the lockout. I suspect it had more to do with competition for the top 6 spots, or the fact that he just doesn't seem ready for a top 6 spot regardless of whose ahead of him. And yeah, either he's producing in the top 6, or he's a healthy scratch/in the AHL. There's no room in the bottom 6 for a guy like him, at least not on a good team.

If he was willing to be coached and do what it took, I think Lavi could've molded him to his style. I mean, Mark Parrish isn't much of a skater either, and Lavi loved him in NYI. But Parrish also shows a lot more grit and determination, and is more coachable, which is why he's a solid NHLer and Brendl is in the AHL. That will always be the question with Brendl.

 

[Seph]

Olli Jokinen for a start is alot more physical, more skilled and just a better alround player. Jokinen did look like a bust, but is one of those rare instances where he turned his career around .... with Mike Keenan no less .

He is now. He was pretty soft for a while, especially for a guy his size. Anyway, my comparison had nothing to do with styles or even with upside, but with the shared trait of questionable desire causing them to look like busts. Jokinen found it and succeeded, Brendl will have to do the same if he is to ever make it.

 

[bleedgreen]

think of lavi's top 3/4th line gyus on the island. you had guys like blake and bates that really excelled with him. now its guys like the adams boys, nordgren when he plays, larose. small quick gritty players. if you can skate quick and play good transition, youre a lavi 3/4th liner. if you dont have great footspeed, regardless of your skill you dont really fit the plan. it doesnt surprise me that lavi wouldnt use him in that role, and he had plenty of guys for the top 6 this year. it was a timing issue, which is his own fault because he had put that kinda effort in earlier he wouldve been on track earlier. its a shame, i think once he gets his shot he will be a top goal scorer - even if its mostly pp. his shot is WAY above average. he needs to play on a team that doesnt mind his flaws if he scores, and puts him with a good center. hopefully the yotes are that team. i like kolanos, and hopefully he fits better, but i have trouble believing his high end comes close to pavel's.

 

[Damien]

Here in Calgary with the Hitmen he was great... when the games did'nt matter, it's very cliche but he has a lack of heart from what I'm seen...no desire.

 

[Roughneck]

Here in Calgary with the Hitmen he was great... when the games did'nt matter, it's very cliche but he has a lack of heart from what I'm seen...no desire.

He was good when the games mattered as well, his performance against the Regina Pats to win the series is evidence of that. I believe this was the year the Rebels won. But he just didn't have the drive that an NHL player needs.

He may have been one of the most talented players to ever play in the CHL, but you're right, no desire, if he actually cared he would already be in NHL legend status, I was a huge Brendl fan, I even have his jersey, but for a guy with his skill and his size, he might be the biggest waste of talent the NHL has ever seen.

 

[DaveG]

He's 24. I won't call him a bust until he's 27. Maybe 26.

The PHX franchise is the place to be for youngsters who have speed and skill and need a chance to get icetime and a place to try and score.

Put me and like two other people and his parents in a group labelled "haven't given up on Brendl yet".

______________________
www.stlouisgametime.com

I'm with you in that camp for sure, but believe me when I say that the speed part is as inaccurate as you can get for describing Pavel. Still, he has an enormous amount of skill and can hopefully put it all together.