MS said:
"When we benched him he felt offended. He decided to leave and we agreed. It is best for both sides."
Quote in the article from the team's GM. To me that doesn't sound like being cut. He got benched, was pissed off, and asked to leave.
Giving up is not much better than being kicked out, IMO.
MS said:
Again, I think what most people are missing here is that he answered a lot of the criticisms against him with his play last year. He worked hard in Lowell and was lighting it up down there. After his recall to Carolina he was getting terrific reviews from their coaches for his improved hustle and defensive play and was producing at a solid level (5 goals in 17 games) before he was hurt.
I haven't seen him in the AHL but I don't know if I would call his numbers there "lighting it up". He's 22-23 years old. Those are very ordinary numbers (33 points in 33 games) for a mature, experienced guy who is all about offense.
I did see him in Carolina, however, and was not too impressed. When I read that he was a more intense players, I couldn't wait to watch him. I was disappointed. He's still the old Brendl with the occasional effort boost but stretches of floating and he is still extremely unidimensional to me.
My biggest problem is that he is not even *offensively* well-rounded. This is what kills it for me. If he was all (great) offense and no defense, I could live with it. But I find deficiencies in his offensive game.
It was the same thing back in Philly. You had guys with rose-colored glasses saying he was improved and there was the occasional good comment in newspaper from the coaching staff... and then he would disappear once again.
MS said:
Everyone in Carolina seems to be expecting him to play a major role when play resumes.
It's Carolina. They have to, they're starving for any kind of talent over there. They're expectations are more hope and optimism than anything else. Not that Brendl doesn't have a chance but he's rather ordinary so far and everytime he switches to an upper level, it becomes harder for him to cheat his way and his impact becomes less and less important.
MS said:
He's far from being 'done' and this incident doesn't really mean all that much in the bigger picture, as far as I'm concerned.
That I find hard to believe. With all the red flags about Brendl's attitude, this is definitly one more concern for me. I would not touch this player with a ten foot pole. Not because he's the most awful ever but there's much better out there.
There are guys who are more promising and many who will probably score just as much in the NHL while giving you a more well-rounded game.
This is just anoher instance where Brendl gave up. Another in a long line of red flags. You have to give some room and a margin for players to blow a fuse or play subpar, or have problems adapting. These things happen. But with Brendl, there's always something happening.
Why is he wasting his time over there anyway? Can't he play in the AHL this year? If he can, he definitly should.