Carl Brewer - Hockey Hall of Fame

[Canadiens1958]

One of the more fascinating people that happened to play hockey in the NHL. Carl Brewer had a interesting NHL career, moderately successful while building a reputation as an individual who went against the flow. Does his on ice contribution translate into a HHOF enshrinement?

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/b/breweca01.html

Short but interesting career.Fewer NHL games than Bobby Orr. Solid contributor to the three Stanley Cup winning teams that the Maple Leafs produced during the early 1960's. 1 first and 3 second, AST. No awards - consistent as no Leaf defenseman has ever won the Norris even though the team had a history of excellent defensive play.

Offensively. Reached a plateau - mid 20 point range during his first season and pretty well maintained it during the O6 segment of his career. Rarely a rusher but could move the puck out of danger. Better shot than his long time partner Bob Baun and Terry Harper of the Canadiens but that was it at the NHL level. After his first NHL sabbatical played for Canada's National Team and in Finland. Cameback to the NHL and contributed an AST quality season, improved offensive game, in Detroit helping the 1969-70 Red Wings make the playoffs - quick four game exit.

Defensively. Fairly good skater, solid physically with more than sufficient skills to have a well rounded defensive game.No single outstanding feature. One of those d-men that players hated playing against - would do all the little things. Had the ideal partner in Bobby Baun. Came to play every game with the same effort against the leading players.

Contributions. Little difference between his playoff and regular season performance.Plateaued early offensively.

Comments. Relatively short - not injury related NHL career, spent most of what would have been his prime away from the NHL. Possible to live with the fact that the offensive aspects of Brewer's game reached a plateau and sustained the level during his first Leaf career.Fit the team's philosophy.

Not certain how to balance his overall body of hockey related contributions with the length of his NHL playing career.Longevity has a paradoxical characteristic in the NHL. At times injury or circumstances are part of the context while at times they are not.

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[Dennis Bonvie]

Actually had him at #99 on my list. Just remembered as a kid hearing how well respected he was as a player and how much his contempararies thought of him. Then I read a bit about him and found out just what an unusual guy he was.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12097

 

[Hab-a-maniac]

As a player he certainly had a number of accolades in a short time and lesser players on that Leaf team have gotten in. But the off-and-on again nature of his career hurt him. To get in as a builder or something would make sense seeing as how he got the wheels rolling to take down Alan Eagleson but my guess is that the HOF voting board has some Eagleson buddies still on it who don't like how Brewer took on their friend. But as for players beating the crooked system, Brewer (along with Ted Lindsay) is to hockey what Curt Flood was to baseball. He helped get the PA going ironically enough by bringing in Eagleson, then took a major stand on behalf of ex-players getting screwed out of pension money to get rid of the very guy he brought into the fold. I don't see why he can't get in somehow.

 

[Big Phil]

He's a funny case. If you were to combine his "builders" legacy and his on ice play then I think he's in. But I've never liked doing that and I've heard the same thing mentioned for Doug Wilson as a GM/player. He did a couple things you don't like though. He left hockey in 1965 at the age of 27 and right after one of his 2nd team all-star selections. Then he returns for three years and then makes an ill fated comeback attempt 8 years after that in 1979. Even the Leafs players weren't appreciative of a 41 year old geezer bumping someone off the team. Think of it as comparable to Claude Lemieux making his comeback for 18 games in 2009. It falls into the category of "what are you doing?"

He was solid. But the HHOF isn't starving without him in there. I know he personally has raised the bar for defensemen with 4 all-star selections not in the HHOF but you just wish he'd have stuck around longer. He was perhaps a little bit better than Baun, but was he THAT much better than him? I don't think so. Baun did some nice things but should never get consideration for the HHOF. He played 11 seasons, with half of them being 57 games or under. I've always fallen on the side that he had a nice career but that if I had a gun to my head he'd stay where he is.

Now as a builder..............he probably should be in by now. But not as a player