C Gavin Brindley - University of Michigan, NCAA (2023, 34th, CBJ)

[FLAMESFAN]

If you don’t think Brindley is a one of the top talents in this draft I don’t know what to tell you. He can do it all. If he was 1” taller he’d be seen as a top 10 pick. He makes Fantilli a better player as well.

If my team was to pass on Brindley in the mid first I’d be really pissed.

Do you put him ahead of Wood, Moore, and Leonard?
Lots of good players he'd have to jump to be picked mid 1st.

 

[NickH8]

Do you put him ahead of Wood, Moore, and Leonard?
Lots of good players he'd have to jump to be picked mid 1st.

This is such a funny question to read as someone like me who has Moore and Leonard in the top 10 and Brindley in the teens
I don't mean that in a your opinion is bad way it's just fun how people's perspectives on the draft is so different.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

This is such a funny question to read as someone like me who has Moore and Leonard in the top 10 and Brindley in the teens
I don't mean that in a your opinion is bad way it's just fun how people's perspectives on the draft is so different.

Hey, I'm no expert and only watch the guys in WJC. I do like to keep track of all these rankings, and I'm really not sure of the American kids.
So, where do you have Wood?

 

[NickH8]

Hey, I'm no expert and only watch the guys in WJC. I do like to keep track of all these rankings, and I'm really not sure of the American kids.
So, where do you have Wood?

Late first. I respect what he's done in the NCAA but his game is very simple, north south, skate in and shoot, use your body to best guys. Good for getting him to an NHL 3rd line level, but not great for upside. I get that a lot of scouts love those safe picks though, and a good 3rd line center is very valuable, it's just sort of a preference thing for me.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Late first. I respect what he's done in the NCAA but his game is very simple, north south, skate in and shoot, use your body to best guys. Good for getting him to an NHL 3rd line level, but not great for upside. I get that a lot of scouts love those safe picks though, and a good 3rd line center is very valuable, it's just sort of a preference thing for me.

Intersesting.
I know Leonard & Moore have gotten alot of love, but their stats don't really pop out for playing Highschool.
At least Wood & Brindley have good stats for 1st year of College. But, the again I haven't watched these players!
And I just noticed that Wood is actually Canadian. Huh.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Do you put him ahead of Wood, Moore, and Leonard?
Lots of good players he'd have to jump to be picked mid 1st.

I put him ahead of Wood. Leonard is in my top 10 and Moore is 13. As of today, I have Brindley ranked 15.

 

[NickH8]

Intersesting.
I know Leonard & Moore have gotten alot of love, but their stats don't really pop out for playing Highschool.
At least Wood & Brindley have good stats for 1st year of College. But, the again I haven't watched these players!
And I just noticed that Wood is actually Canadian. Huh.

USHL, not high school. Very different but I get your meaning.
Their stats not popping out is really a side effect of Smith and Perreaults gaudy stats. I think only Hughes had a higher ppg than them last I checked?

 

[Nabrules]

People keep saying “top 20 lock” and even discussing top 10. McKenzie’s list had him 43, meaning a lot of NHL teams don’t have him in the first. Obviously still 3 months left of the season but I doubt he goes top 20

 

[GermanSpitfire]

People keep saying “top 20 lock” and even discussing top 10. McKenzie’s list has him 43 lol

Type of kid that grows on you the more you see him play honestly.

At first I didn’t see what was so special about him - but after watching him more and more I think he‘ll be a first rounder.

 

[Scintillating10]

Do you put him ahead of Wood, Moore, and Leonard?
Lots of good players he'd have to jump to be picked mid 1st.

158 lbs though?

 

[WeThreeKings]

People keep saying “top 20 lock” and even discussing top 10. McKenzie’s list had him 43, meaning a lot of NHL teams don’t have him in the first. Obviously still 3 months left of the season but I doubt he goes top 20

It comes down to the difference in opinion.

If you think Brindley is a play-driver, then people are putting a first round grade on him. If you think he is a complementary player, then he is getting the 2nd round grade. NHL teams don't generally pick small complementary players that high, even if they have pro habits and pro style offense that looks translatable.

I don't see a play driver. I see an efficient complementary winger with pro habits, so I don't see him as a first rounder, especially in this draft.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

It comes down to the difference in opinion.

If you think Brindley is a play-driver, then people are putting a first round grade on him. If you think he is a complementary player, then he is getting the 2nd round grade. NHL teams don't generally pick small complementary players that high, even if they have pro habits and pro style offense that looks translatable.

I don't see a play driver. I see an efficient complementary winger with pro habits, so I don't see him as a first rounder, especially in this draft.

Who do you have ahead of him? There aren’t many real play drivers in this draft after 10 in my eyes.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Who do you have ahead of him? There aren’t many real play drivers in this draft for me after 10.

Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli, Michkov.
Smith, Yager, Cristall, Benson, Sale, Dvorsky.
Dragicevic, Gulyayev, Heidt, Wood, Reinbacher, ASP.
Ritchie, Honzek, Danielson, Moore, Leonard, Hrabal.
Dower-Nilsson, Ziemmer, Musty, Allen, Barlow, Bjarnason.
Rykov, Stenberg, Lindstein, Stramel, Fisker-Molgaard, Fowler, Gauthier, Perreault, But, Ciernick, Cagnoni, Cataford.
Haltunnen, Price, Tourigny, Whitelaw, Molendyk, Strbak, Suniev, Rehkopf.

Not that I think every player ahead of him are play-drivers, but the profiles of those who are complementary players don't come with a size deficit and/or possess a skill or trait that skews above average, where with Brindley I don't see a talent he has that is above average.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Bedard, Carlsson, Fantilli, Michkov.
Smith, Yager, Cristall, Benson, Sale, Dvorsky.
Dragicevic, Gulyayev, Heidt, Wood, Reinbacher, ASP.
Ritchie, Honzek, Danielson, Moore, Leonard, Hrabal.
Dower-Nilsson, Ziemmer, Musty, Allen, Barlow, Bjarnason.
Rykov, Stenberg, Lindstein, Stramel, Fisker-Molgaard, Fowler, Gauthier, Perreault, But, Ciernick, Cagnoni, Cataford.
Haltunnen, Price, Tourigny, Whitelaw, Molendyk, Strbak, Suniev, Rehkopf.

Not that I think every player ahead of him are play-drivers, but the profiles of those who are complementary players don't come with a size deficit and/or possess a skill or trait that skews above average, where with Brindley I don't see a talent he has that is above average.

If you have Dower-Nilsson, Cam Allen, Halttunen and several of these players ahead of Brindley, with all due respect, I think we are simply watching a different sport.

 

[Torts]

If you don’t think Brindley is a one of the top talents in this draft I don’t know what to tell you. He can do it all. If he was 1” taller he’d be seen as a top 10 pick. He makes Fantilli a better player as well.

If my team was to pass on Brindley in the mid first I’d be really pissed.

He's got "player picked at the beginning of the 2nd that every team regrets not selecting in the 1st." vibes. Great player and continues to produce during his freshman season.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

If you have Dower-Nilsson, Cam Allen, Halttunen and several of these players ahead of Brindley, with all due respect, I think we are simply watching a different sport.

I think his point was that there are many players that could be taken mid first, and for sure there will be those taken just outside the 1st that will have managers & fans bitchin about how they didn't take them.
We see small play drivers fall in the draft all the time.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If you have Dower-Nilsson, Cam Allen, Halttunen and several of these players ahead of Brindley, with all due respect, I think we are simply watching a different sport.

Dower-Nilsson has an obvious skating issue, but the offensive tools, one for one, are better than Brindley's. I'm going to swing for the home run with Dower-Nilsson, cause he's a play driver all day if he can get the skating and physical form up. Is the floor a lot lower? Hell yeah, but I'm an upside guy.

Allen is still a right shot defenseman with qualities. He's got a good shot, he's physical for his size, he's a good skater. His reputation has dropped a lot and I agree, but I'm still drafting a 2nd/3rd pair RHD over an undersized support forward.

Halttunen I soured on for awhile, he had top 10 billing and he just hasn't shown that in a long time. But again when I look at him against Brindley. Do I want a complementary forward at 5'9? or do I take the bigger player, who still has a good shot and a bit of a power forward streak in him? And I'm gonna bet on Halttunen finding a way to help my team in a support role more than Brindley at his size.

 

[Torts]

Can we update the thread title from Tri City to Michigan?

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Dower-Nilsson has an obvious skating issue, but the offensive tools, one for one, are better than Brindley's. I'm going to swing for the home run with Dower-Nilsson, cause he's a play driver all day if he can get the skating and physical form up. Is the floor a lot lower? Hell yeah, but I'm an upside guy.

Allen is still a right shot defenseman with qualities. He's got a good shot, he's physical for his size, he's a good skater. His reputation has dropped a lot and I agree, but I'm still drafting a 2nd/3rd pair RHD over an undersized support forward.

Halttunen I soured on for awhile, he had top 10 billing and he just hasn't shown that in a long time. But again when I look at him against Brindley. Do I want a complementary forward at 5'9? or do I take the bigger player, who still has a good shot and a bit of a power forward streak in him? And I'm gonna bet on Halttunen finding a way to help my team in a support role more than Brindley at his size.

What I’m trying to tell you is the risks associated with drafting a lot of the players you had before Brindley are actually way higher despite them being bigger players.

When I watch NDN, Allen, Halttunen, Suniev, Stenberg, etc, I’m not certain I see an NHL player in any capacity. For instance, when I tracked NDN I thought the risks were way too high to even draft him in the first two rounds based on his skill set and style of play I have him ranked 65.

When I watch Brindley, I actually see a player who I think has great odds to play in the NHL. I think he’s actually a really safe pick despite his size. His skating, skill, motor, and hockey IQ far surpass most players in this draft. I can see the argument for about 15-20 of the players you listed going ahead of him, but no more than that.

 

[WeThreeKings]

What I’m trying to tell you is the risks associated with drafting a lot of the players you had before Brindley are actually way higher despite them being bigger players.

When I watch NDN, Allen, Halttunen, Suniev, Stenberg, etc, I’m not certain I see an NHL player in any capacity. For instance, when I tracked NDN I thought the risks were way too high to even draft him in the first two rounds based on his skill set and style of play I have him ranked 65.

When I watch Brindley, I actually see a player who I think has great odds to play in the NHL. I think he’s actually a really safe pick despite his size. His skating, skill, motor, and hockey IQ far surpass most players in this draft. I can see the argument for about 15-20 of the players you listed going ahead of him, but no more than that.

I know there's more risks associated with drafting some of the players I have ranked ahead of Brindley. But my philosophy is that I would rather strike out on a guy I think, with the right coaching and skill development, can become a certifiable difference maker in the top 6.

I'm aware that with NDN, I may legitimately end up with nothing but a SHL top 6er. But if I hit, I could have a legitimate top 6 center/winger with high offensive output.

I agree that Brindley has a safer floor and an easier projection. But when I put him side to side with the guys I ranked higher, there's the question of upside or that if they become a complementary player, that they'd be a more advantageous complementary player to have in my line-up than Brindley.

If I project Haltunnen and Brindley as complementary pieces (and I do), which Brindley is projecting to be a safer bet to make the NHL.. I'd much rather spend my pick on Halttunen who has size and a menacing shot over Brindley who doesn't have size and doesn't have a high-end physical tool or skill. That's what keeps pushing Brindley down my list, he either loses in upside, or he loses in his floor because there are other traits and size that those players offer which NHL teams would much rather have in support roles.

 

[Torts]

I know there's more risks associated with drafting some of the players I have ranked ahead of Brindley. But my philosophy is that I would rather strike out on a guy I think, with the right coaching and skill development, can become a certifiable difference maker in the top 6.

I'm aware that with NDN, I may legitimately end up with nothing but a SHL top 6er. But if I hit, I could have a legitimate top 6 center/winger with high offensive output.

I agree that Brindley has a safer floor and an easier projection. But when I put him side to side with the guys I ranked higher, there's the question of upside or that if they become a complementary player, that they'd be a more advantageous complementary player to have in my line-up than Brindley.

If I project Haltunnen and Brindley as complementary pieces (and I do), which Brindley is projecting to be a safer bet to make the NHL.. I'd much rather spend my pick on Halttunen who has size and a menacing shot over Brindley who doesn't have size and doesn't have a high-end physical tool or skill. That's what keeps pushing Brindley down my list, he either loses in upside, or he loses in his floor because there are other traits and size that those players offer which NHL teams would much rather have in support roles.

The bolded part sounds like the same rationale teams took and then selected the likes of Brett Howden, Tyler Benson and Pascal Laberge before Alex Debrincat.

 

[BigToe]

3 point game today

Primary assist



Goal



Second goal was an empty netter

 

[WeThreeKings]

The bolded part sounds like the same rationale teams took and then selected the likes of Brett Howden, Tyler Benson and Pascal Laberge before Alex Debrincat.

Not even close.. did you see where I mentioned losing out on upside? Debrincat had an elite tool, he was a lethal scorer and his shot tool was going to be elite at the NHL level. We can't point to one part of Brindley's toolkit that is high-end.. so why would I opt for a smaller complementary winger?

If Brindley could shoot like Debrincat, I'd be valuing him a lot higher.

 

[NickH8]

It's quite humorous watching people say he's a complementary player and doesn't have upside among clips of him ripping shots from the ovi spot and creating scoring chances for his team.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

It's quite humorous watching people say he's a complementary player and doesn't have upside among clips of him ripping shots from the ovi spot and creating scoring chances for his team.

I just don’t think people have watched him recently. He’s really improved over the year and has a big impact on the game. He makes some really high level plays out there. 10 points in his last 5 games is no fluke. Making the world juniors as a draft eligible is no fluke.

Sure, he’s playing Fantilli now. But, Brindley has amplified Fantilli’s game as well. They are both really talented players.

I have Brindley at 15 on my list.