What's wrong with Gilbert Brule?

[kingpest19]

Many great juniors have fizzled at the NHL level. Surely you are familiar with Rob Brown - the WHL single season point record holder at 212. Brown won the WHL scoring title by a record 45%, and he ended up being a great AHL/IHLer. What about Doug Wickenheiser? Jock Callander? Dennis Sobchuk? Pavel Brendl? Dale Derkatch? Kelly Guard?

I could go on but being a junior star is not the same thing as being an NHL star. The step from junior to the NHL is the biggest step to take and, based on the hockey I saw Brule play when I lived in Kelowna, he will not be a star at the NHL level.

Ogo thats what alot of people dont realize. I can think of the players i saw in Seattle in the Dub that were all hype but havent really done much at the NHL level let alone the AHL. Aulin, Saprykin, Lundmark, Marcel Hossa , Balej, Sutherby, the list goes on. The only ones I can recall having any sort of success in the NHL are Stoll, Erat , Comrie and Lupul. Like you said its a big step and not alot of players make it succesfully

 

[DJA]

why is he still in columbus, he should be playing big minutes in vancouver.

And what exactly does he have to prove in Vancouver?

 

[no Gino]

I don't think he even can play. He wasn't at the summer evaluation camp. I heard something about it on tsn. Bad move by hockey canada if he wasn't invited and now can't play. Can anyone confirm this?

He was invited. If he hadn't been, he could still go. If you are invited to the summer camp and decline, unless due to injury, Hockey Canada's policy is that you aren't welcome in December.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Please dare to explain...

im pretty sure he was making a joke about how gilbert brule has an anti-masculine sound, which is true, it has several soft consonants. Yes its french canadien, but just try not to be too offended. Deeeeeep breaths

 

[Kesler Kills Kommies]

And what exactly does he have to prove in Vancouver?

not really about proving, its about getting the big minutes and develop more. You wouldnt learn much by playing fourth line minutes.

 

[DJA]

not really about proving, its about getting the big minutes and develop more. You wouldnt learn much by playing fourth line minutes.

You learn what it takes to play in the NHL, you learn leadership from being around NHL veterans, you earn an NHL paycheck, you work out in NHL facilities, you learn from great coaches (hopefully Hitchcock). Can't see a downside to this.

 

[ZombieMatt]

Two things wrong with Brule.

1)The guy is 19 years old.

2)Any player of his size who is used to playing a certain style in junior is going to have some semblance of a readjustment period simply because of that, plus all the other changes of entering the NHL.

Wait, neither of those are problems, just facts that young players breaking into the NHL deal with.

He's fine.

 

[Redwingsfan]

yeah he is fine and he will be a star. i cant belive some guy here said he would be a third liner at best and maybe even a career AHL'er. the guy who said this has to remember one thing. not everyone is like crosby and ovechkin. 99% of all prospects needs a long time to get used to the nhl game. not everyone is capable of scoring 100 points in their first season. this has only happened like 5-6 times if my memory serves me right. and it has only happened like to times by a teenager. brule will be a star in the nhl. he just needs the normal time to get used to the high speed in the nhl and get used to being around bigger and stronger guys. when he gets used to that in a couple of years and also has gotten better in every aspect of the game he will be a great nhl player and he will be a first liner. no doubt.

 

[417]

This is alot like the Latendresse situation in Montreal...both players made the team when some thought they would of been better served in junior (well Latendresse alot more than Brule, but you get the point).

They both struggled out of the gate, although Latendresse unlike Brule, was given a legit shot at playing with players who can compliment his style. I think it's ridiculous for fans to expect the world from a guy like Brule, when he's playing in a role completely unaccustomed to him. He's used to being the go to player on his team or at the very least an offensive player who takes chances on the ice and plays on instinct, and now he's a player on the 4th line playing with pluggers and his # 1 mandate is to not get scored on when he's on the ice.

It's a completely different mindframe, and it's one even veteran players have troubled adjusting to, but here were talking about 19 yr old kids

I disagree that he'd be better served playing in the WHL, the only people that helps is the Vancouver Giants, their owners and their fans. It doesn't do a damn thing for Gilbert Brule the player. He's already dominated that league and doing it again helps instill bad habits more than anything.

He maybe only playing 5 to 8 minutes a game in Columbus, however, the experience of being in the NHL, playing with NHL players, travelling, practicing, etc. beats any experience he could get playing in the WHL.

Hopefully once Brule gets a few more games under his belt and the game slows down, maybe he can earn himelf more playing time and it'll be up to him to produce accordingly.

But for now, given his current role on his team, people should just lay off and let him complete his apprenticiship at the NHL level.

As I said for Latendresse on the Habs board a few weeks ago.

Brule is a better player today in the NHL, then he would be today in the WHL.

 

[LeMAD]

It's no a matter of getting experience, but to learn how to score goals, and he won't learn that while playing 5 mins a game in Columbus...

 

[417]

It's no a matter of getting experience, but to learn how to score goals, and he won't learn that while playing 5 mins a game in Columbus...

That makes no sense.

Brule knows how to score goals...he scored a ton of goals on all the WHL goalies last year, playing 5 minutes a game in Columbus against NHL goalies is more challenging if you ask me.

Who cares about stats at this point Brule's career? That's just bragging rights for fans...what's important is Brule's development, and he's better off in the NHL being challenged, than padding his ego in the WHL.

 

[Ti-girl]

Ogo thats what alot of people dont realize. I can think of the players i saw in Seattle in the Dub that were all hype but havent really done much at the NHL level let alone the AHL. Aulin, Saprykin, Lundmark, Marcel Hossa , Balej, Sutherby, the list goes on. The only ones I can recall having any sort of success in the NHL are Stoll, Erat , Comrie and Lupul. Like you said its a big step and not alot of players make it succesfully

And how long did it take players like Stoll, Erat and Lupul to find CONSISTENT success?

He's just a kid.

 

[kingpest19]

And how long did it take players like Stoll, Erat and Lupul to find CONSISTENT success?

He's just a kid.

Actually all 3 have been pretty consistent from the day they stepped foot in the league. All have improved their stats each year. The whole point is that while Brule was a star in junior theres a good chance hes not going to be a star in the NHL. History is full of players who were stars at lower level but couldnt make the transition to the NHL. It happens but yet people act like it doesnt.

 

[X0ssbar]

He's a finisher playing without playmakers. He's at his best in the corners or in the slot, but who's going get the puck to him? Judy Shelley? Who's going to carry the puck up the ice.

Team chemistry in Columbus is a joke, and that's why the whole set of forwards is underachieving. You can thank Doug MacLean for that one.

I hate to say it but you pretty much nailed it although I think he's a decent playmaker and has shown some nice flashes of being able to carry the puck.

Bottom line -- every forward on the Blue Jackets' roster, including two cup winners and proven vets in Modin and Fedorov, is underachieving under the current management.

Posters that are calling him a bust after 20+ games are out to lunch.