What about Brown?

[Mess]

The only reason to trade Brownie is if you can return and better piece in return that makes the team better in the process.

Case in point say Connor Brown and 2nd/prospect for Chris Kreider type move.

where Kreider -- Matthews -- Hyman >>> Hyman -- Matthews -- Brown (if Nylander is moved to C).

 

[Ziggdiezan]

he is a 30 point player. He is already 24 yrs old there isn't a lot of growth left before his peak years. Can't question his commitment one bit but as a 30-40 point player that shouldn't get you into 'core' piece category. If we keep him id be totally happy, but I think moving forward he will be surpassed by Kapanen, Johnsson and grundstrom pretty quickly. All 3 of them can PK and Kapanen and Johnsson have shown there is still more growth in them at the nhl level if given roles higher up the lineup like brown was given they IMO could score 30-40 points but still have more growth to go higher than that. Grundstrom of course is more of a gut feeling but I think he can score more than brown.

AJ is about to turn 24 so I guess he is done developing too...

Brown was used either on the 4th line or carrying the entire defensive load on the third and saw pretty limited ES minutes.

I don't think it is fair at all to call Brown a 30 point player and say his development is comeptlely done.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Brown is a beauty, I wouldn't move him. PP, PK and can score 20+, is young.

 

[Joey Hoser]

I really really like Brown, but if he's the difference in getting that top paring D then we have depth at that position and can afford to loose him.

I think everyone in this board likes Brown, its just we have surplus of talent on the wings and his value is quite high, sometimes you have to use that.

I like Brown, but I really can't imagine how he could be the difference in acquiring a top pairing D man. I don't think you could trade 10 Connor Browns for one of those.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

When put in a position to succeed, he can do well enough, as evidenced by his 20 goals playing predominantly on Matthews' wing. Thing is, that handcuffs 34 a bit, as he plays better with better players (who woulda thunk it?).

Problem for Brownie is that, with all the depth and talent we have on the wings, he is unlikely to be getting that kind of opportunity again. Right now, in Toronto alone (NHL and AHL), there are Marner, Nylander, Hyman, Marleau, Kapanen, Johnsson, and Grundstrom who all are/have the potential to be better than Brown in very short order. All of Hyman, Marleau, Kapanen and Johnsson (possibly Grundstrom as well) can fill the same roles that Brown does, with at least one skill that stands out above everything he has, and all put in just as much effort on the ice.

If I'm Dubas, as much as I like Brown the person, and even the professional, I look to move him to a team that is looking for offensive depth, that sees a youngish player capable of putting up 20 and can PK, and get some solid assets before they see him for what he is, which is a nice piece, but not a core player on a contending team. I look at him similar to Versteeg. Nice support player, but not someone you keep around once they get surpassed on the depth chart.

Brown played primarily with Kadri and Komarov for his 20 goal rookie season.

I find it very odd how people are saying AJ and Kap are much better than Brown when neither have proven really anything at the NHL level and have similar AHL numbers to Brown. AJ is almost the same age too. Shiny toy syndrome perhaps.

 

[Cor]

Brown had a down year, so it's no surprise people are down on him.

At the end of the day, he's a good young player. However, out of all our good young players, he's the one that is probably the most expendable to deal for an upgrade say, on D.

 

[Silver91]

Brown played primarily with Kadri and Komarov for his 20 goal rookie season.

I find it very odd how people are saying AJ and Kap are much better than Brown when neither have proven really anything at the NHL level and have similar AHL numbers to Brown. AJ is almost the same age too. Shiny toy syndrome perhaps.

He played a LOT of minutes with 34 and 11. But even playing with 43 and 47, he was getting more minutes than he will any time soon.

As for AJ and Kap, both are better skaters than Brown, Kapanen by a long shot, and fill the same role he does. I don't know if Kapanen is going to be a better offensive player, but as a bottom 6 winger who kills penalties, I'll take him over Brown for sure. AJ can also kill penalties, and his hands are better than Brown's, so I'd take him on the PP over Brown.

It's not that I think they're better overall players right now, they just both fill the same roles as him, and have certain attributes that stand out more than any one skill that Brown has, while also having a lunch pail mentality.

 

[bluumax]

I like Brown, but I really can't imagine how he could be the difference in acquiring a top pairing D man. I don't think you could trade 10 Connor Browns for one of those.

I think you've misunderstood my post, if we had a deal in place involving a top line core Dman and they said "we need a sweetener", id drive Brown to the airport myself.

In other words, Dont get attached to good players if trading them means improving an area of weakness.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

He played a LOT of minutes with 34 and 11. But even playing with 43 and 47, he was getting more minutes than he will any time soon.

As for AJ and Kap, both are better skaters than Brown, Kapanen by a long shot, and fill the same role he does. I don't know if Kapanen is going to be a better offensive player, but as a bottom 6 winger who kills penalties, I'll take him over Brown for sure. AJ can also kill penalties, and his hands are better than Brown's, so I'd take him on the PP over Brown.

It's not that I think they're better overall players right now, they just both fill the same roles as him, and have certain attributes that stand out more than any one skill that Brown has, while also having a lunch pail mentality.

Ya I think he played like 30 to 40 percent of the time with Matthews. If Nylander moves to center Brown will certainly be getting similar minutes to his rookie year.

Brown is a better goal scorer than Kap who seems to blow a lot of big scoring opportunities on breakaways and such. Also seems to have better vision of the ice from what i have seen. AJ comparrsion doesn't really matter I guess as he is a left winger so will see more ice time than Brown no matter what but at this point he is less than a year younger than Brown and hasn't sniffed 20 goals in the NHL.

I just find it odd how people have AJ and Kap in a completely different tier than Brown yet Brown has proven more in the NHL by a long shot, is a similar age and has similar AHL numbers.

 

[justafan22]

He's the type of player that gets moved like Versteeg did when a cup contending team has cap issues.

 

[Silver91]

Ya I think he played like 30 to 40 percent of the time with Matthews. If Nylander moves to center Brown will certainly be getting similar minutes to his rookie year.

Brown is a better goal scorer than Kap who seems to blow a lot of big scoring opportunities on breakaways and such. Also seems to have better vision of the ice from what i have seen. AJ comparrsion doesn't really matter I guess as he is a left winger so will see more ice time than Brown no matter what but at this point he is less than a year younger than Brown and hasn't sniffed 20 goals in the NHL.

I just find it odd how people have AJ and Kap in a completely different tier than Brown yet Brown has proven more in the NHL by a long shot, is a similar age and has similar AHL numbers.

That's really the only way I see Brown getting minutes needed, if Dubas doesn't add a 3rd C, which I don't see happening. I think right now, especially while 16/34 are on ELCs next season, the goal is to load up as much as possible. So, unless Dubas fails on that front, I see the top 9 shaking out something like this:

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Johnsson - (Center) - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Kapanen

Maybe he takes Kapanen's spot on Kadri's wing, but that line had very little success last season, so I don't see Babs going back to it this season.

I also don't think it's people seeing them in a different tier, more in the same tier and likely cheaper combined than Brown costs on his own.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think that the farm systems should be churning out players like Brown on a regular basis.

 

[Mr Hockey]

I think that the farm systems should be churning out players like Brown on a regular basis.

20 goal scoring rookies ...

 

[Leaf Lander]

Brown is a good player with a great contract.

he is one of the few players the leafs don't need to loose.

Brown kadri rielly Anderson all have good contracts

 

[Suntouchable13]

20 goal scoring rookies ...

Maybe not 20 goal scoring rookies, but more like 30 point bottom 6 wingers. Let's not pretend that he is some special player.

 

[-DeMo-]

alot of people seem down on Brown, but he's a top 9 player for sure, and I don't really see why people think guys like Kapanen and Johnsson are better players imo Brown's superior today hence why he played in the top 9 in the playoffs and AJ/KK played on the fourth line. I doubt to start the season either of those guys will get a top 9 spot over Brown either. I see these three as basically the same caliber of player. little different makeup of each but I think they will level out around the same level. it's also funny hearing people say Brown is done developing but AJ who was born in the same calendar year still has room to grow. Brown was a full year ahead of Johnsson in development in terms of making the NHL out of camp 22 years old for Brown and 23 years old for Johnsson assuming he makes the team this fall.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Brown is a better goal scorer than Kap who seems to blow a lot of big scoring opportunities on breakaways and such. Also seems to have better vision of the ice from what i have seen. AJ comparrsion doesn't really matter I guess as he is a left winger so will see more ice time than Brown no matter what but at this point he is less than a year younger than Brown and hasn't sniffed 20 goals in the NHL.

I just find it odd how people have AJ and Kap in a completely different tier than Brown yet Brown has proven more in the NHL by a long shot, is a similar age and has similar AHL numbers.

I don't think people are saying AJ and Kappy are in a different tier than Brown. They're saying (At least from what I've seen) that they're all in the same tier, but AJ/Kappy are higher in that tier). You have to look at the context of the situation for AJ/Kappy vs Brown too. Connor Brown got to play NA hockey his whole life. AJ came from Sweden to AHL in 2016/2017 (Brown's 1st year in the NHL), where he had to adapt to North American hockey. Kappy came when he was 18. He put up a 0.94 PPG in the AHL at the same age (20 and 21 year old seasons) Brown put up 0.82 PPG. Kapanen is 2 years younger, so he's on the exact same track as Brown to the NHL.

The biggest reason why I have AJ/Kappy higher than Brown in the future (SAME tier though), is that AJ/Kappy drive their own lines and create their own chances (you can literally see the fifty thousand breakaways Kappy gets). That's not a shot at Brown, Brown can play with anyone and do well while AJ/Kappy probably can't.

 

[Muston Atthews]

He’s lucky to be in the coaches good books. In no way should he be a lock to make this team after the year he had and the talent we have coming up but Babcock loves him so he will.

 

[Liminality]

He’s lucky to be in the coaches good books. In no way should he be a lock to make this team after the year he had and the talent we have coming up but Babcock loves him so he will.

What talent do we have that pushes Brown off the team completely? He was put on pretty much every line last season and still had about the same amount of even strength points as last year.
People keep on doubting him but he keeps putting in the work.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Brown played primarily with Kadri and Komarov for his 20 goal rookie season.

I find it very odd how people are saying AJ and Kap are much better than Brown when neither have proven really anything at the NHL level and have similar AHL numbers to Brown. AJ is almost the same age too. Shiny toy syndrome perhaps.

Kapanen was on pace for more goals than Brown this year and was stuck with semi regular playing time on the fourth line and no PP time. Brown often played with Kadri, Marleau and occasionally Auston Matthews all year long and was stapled to a PP that featured Matthews, Nylander and Marleau

 

[Muston Atthews]

What talent do we have that pushes Brown off the team completely? He was put on pretty much every line last season and still had about the same amount of even strength points as last year.
People keep on doubting him but he keeps putting in the work.

He does absolutely nothing better than most of our wing options coming up. All of our upcoming wingers can score, are faster and can also PK.

 

[TheProspector]

He's a 2nd/3rd line tweener. Leivo is better. If we can keep Leivo and Brown on the third line, they'll be very effective there.

 

[Liminality]

He does absolutely nothing better than most of our wing options coming up. All of our upcoming wingers can score, are faster and can also PK.

Please list them all if you would. I'm very curious.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I have a feeling he gets traded in a package deal

 

[Muston Atthews]

Please list them all if you would. I'm very curious.

Johnsson, Kapanen?