Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
I know I have not seen the Sens live under DJ Smith so no I didn't see him in the NHL last year. I remember him from the 2018 rookie development camp, skill was apparent and speed was fine but the guy that impressed me the most was Wolanin by a country mile. I remember it was 2018 because it was just after Tkachuk got drafted. Also seen him once (or more?) in Laval in 2018-19 and he was pretty dominant. Last NHL regular season games I have seen in Montreal/Ottawa, Brown wasn't there so if I have ever seen him at that level, it would have been pre-season and before 2018. I agree it's hard to compare NHL with AHL speed/pace. But I didn't see it as a major problem vs his peers when I saw him live.
Has it been said that any of the injuries he had affected his speed/mobility? I don't think I have ever read that. But anyway, like I said he won't ever be a fast skater in the NHL as there is so many great skaters so he could look very slow compared to a Formenton. But he can still move enough to create stuff. His game is more about passing and vision, of course he'll have to learn to use his size and reach as much as possible. I feel like sometimes people diminish the importance of the "passing game", an area the Ottawa Senators clearly have to improve a lot. And that includes the PP.
By the way, found my Brown report from the 2018 rookie tournament
Brown : Didn't dominate, needs to improve his first 2 steps acceleration. Like others have hinted, this is a guy who would actually look better in a more structured game. I saw him deliver some nice hits, one that made his team regain possession but he needs to be able to find a way to impose himself physically to create space for himself and his teammates. Personally, I'd see him with Tkachuk and White, guys who create a lot of space themselves, allowing him to have the puck on his stick. That's when he can be good. But don't expect a prime Getzlaf, he is more a passive player like Spezza with superior vision and playmaking. If you can accept that, you won't complain too much on Brown, who should be a real asset on the PP. The plan should be to have a Duchene-Brown-Chlapik 1-2-3 punch down the middle in the near future, but probably not this year.
Yeah agree about Spezza in general, even if he was no Bergeron/Crosby, he was great for us, mainly before his back problems. But to be exact with that quote, he was 5th in NHL PPG in 2006-07 (but behind Crosby, Thornton, Iginla and Lecavalier)
Also he was not 1st in PPG in the playoffs
NHL Stats
Guys with at least 10 GP : Michael Nylander, Scott Gomez, Heatley/Alfredsson/Jagr/Spezza all tied with 1.10 PPG. 4 guys with higher PPGs but only 5-6 GP (St-Louis/Richards/Lecavalier/Dumont)
