Player Discussion Connor Brown (C) - Update: Signs 3 year, $10.8M deal

[GCK]

2025-26 is very far for the NHL. I tried to make a roster on Cap Friendly, here's what it looks like (keep in mind it's a bit messy because CF doesn't allow to do this further than 2023-24) :

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Tkachuk, Brady $8,205,714 LW, C UFA - 5	Norris, Joshua $7,000,000 C RFA	Batherson, Drake $4,975,000 RW UFA - 4
Greig, Ridly $894,167 LW RFA - 1	Stützle, Tim $8,000,000 LW, C RFA	Formenton, Alex $5,000,000 LW RFA
Paul, Nicholas $3,000,000 C, LW UFA	Pinto, Shane $5,000,000 C RFA	Brown, Connor $5,000,000 LW, RW UFA
Crookshank, Angus $838,333 LW RFA - 1	Kastelic, Mark $1,500,000 C RFA	Sokolov, Egor $1,500,000 LW RFA
Boucher, Tyler $925,000 RW RFA - 1

[THEAD] [/THEAD]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Chabot, Thomas $8,000,000 LD UFA - 5	Zub, Artem $5,000,000 RD UFA	Søgaard, Mads $925,000 G RFA - 1
Sanderson, Jake $8,000,000	Bernard-Docker, Jacob $1,500,000 RD RFA	Gustavsson, Filip $1,500,000 G RFA
Brännström, Erik $1,500,000 RD RFA	Thomson, Lassi $863,333 RD RFA - 1
Kleven, Tyler $1,500,000

[THEAD] [/THEAD]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

That lineup is about 80 M$. Will Forms, Sandy and Stu make that much for a long term contract as soon as their ELC is up? I gave up generous offers in general. Norris might cost a bit more than 7.0 but Kastelic/Sokolov/Kleven/etc might not. I tried to balance it all. We don't know at this point in time how much these guys will cost in 4 years. We need our GM to pull a few "Bathersons" and not only "Tkachuks"

I understand your point for Greig, for example. He becomes RFA in 2024-25 so the question is how much will he cost by then?

The reality is we won't be able to go 8 years on all the young guys, some bridges might be necessary. Also, you don't go 7-8 years with Zub, Brown and Paul, but more like 3-5 years depending. You always need some contracts expiring along the way, which is how your cap stays "manageable"

But one thing for sure, we'll have to :

- Spend to cap (which will probably start rising again by then)
- Learn to play with the cap, something we haven't done since almost the beginning of the cap era.

Also, don't forget that you always have the possibility to trade a player for a cheaper player and/or futures. It's a GOOD problem to have. And unfortunately, there's always some injuries and LTIR situations that change the plans so we'll see but I would not worry about the Sens being over the cap. I would instead worry about the owner WANTING to spend to the cap and/or the GM screwing up on some contracts

Not terrible on most of the potential numbers but Gus will make much more than 1.5M if he is our number 1.

 

[coladin]

He is basically Daniel Alfredsson. Have noticed for a while, but he is a 75% version of him

 

[Icelevel]

He is basically Daniel Alfredsson. Have noticed for a while, but he is a 75% version of him

Similar in a lot of ways. But…I’d say closer to a 65% version

 

[OD99]

Had added this to some comments I made in the Formenton thread but share here as well:

"On another note, the other guy who we keep saying isn't really a 2nd liner and isn't a natural point producer is Connor Brown.

7 goals and 24 points in 31 games and has only gone 2 games without a point all season. The 1st 2 games of the year and then our last 2 recent shutouts."

Guy has picked it up again and proves to be so effective all over the ice. I am OK with him not being what many would consider a traditional top 6.

For the record I am also OK with saying if we want to be Stanley Cup contenders we should hope for him to be our 3rd line RW...and if Forms is the 3rd line LF with Pinto then we are in very good shape.

 

[Answer]

I rather we keep him than trading for a 2nd, or even a late 1st

 

[SensontheRush]

He is basically Daniel Alfredsson. Have noticed for a while, but he is a 75% version of him

I was telling people I could see 60 points from Connor Brown this year.

I don't think he has reached his final form either.

 

[aragorn]

Had added this to some comments I made in the Formenton thread but share here as well:

"On another note, the other guy who we keep saying isn't really a 2nd liner and isn't a natural point producer is Connor Brown.

7 goals and 24 points in 31 games and has only gone 2 games without a point all season. The 1st 2 games of the year and then our last 2 recent shutouts."

Guy has picked it up again and proves to be so effective all over the ice. I am OK with him not being what many would consider a traditional top 6.

For the record I am also OK with saying if we want to be Stanley Cup contenders we should hope for him to be our 3rd line RW...and if Forms is the 3rd line LF with Pinto then we are in very good shape.

I've been arguing for the last two yrs that C. Brown is more than a 3rd line player & can drive a line. Actually he can play on any of the top 3 lines & be successful, he is a much better playmaker tham most people give him credit for & he has a motor that never stops. He's also a coach's dream all over the ice & in every situation, he does every thing well.

 

[TeamRenzo]

I hope we don't trade him

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Really wish we would have signed him longer term.

 

[armani]

Paul-Pinto-Brown as an elite 3rd line with 2nd line production will make this team deep for a playoff run. Trading Paul for a 2nd makes zero sense if this team is real about FYOUS (or at least being competitive). C. Brown and Paul are the types of players needed to have post season success, these guys are also elite PKers. Why trade these players and create new holes?

Extend Paul this season ;-), definitely re-up Connor Brown next year. $4.5M/year cap hit on a 4-5 year deal may do it if Brown wants to be part of the FYOUS. Cap hit is thankfully not a concern in the near future even with some key RFAs in the offing, while some money/contracts will come out of the books to balance things out when needed.

A Pinto Brown Dick 3rd line lets DJ employ a 3-line heavy team and save cap space on unnecessary 4th line super scrubs who cost too much. The 4th line won't play much when Norris, Stutzle, and Pinto lines eat up 90% of ice time.

Along with 2022 picks, the prospect pipeline will also provide depth to the big club in the FYOUS years.

 

[Silencio]

Keep Brown if at all possible. He's the kind of player that Cup winning teams always have on their roster.

 

[HSF]

He is basically Daniel Alfredsson. Have noticed for a while, but he is a 75% version of him

clarke mcarthur

 

[coladin]

Similar in a lot of ways. But…I’d say closer to a 65% version

Lol i did put 65 first.

His hustle, his drive, his team play...he reminds me so much of him. His intensity when things go good and bad, he is so into the game and I love that. He would have made a phenomenal captain as well. He is Alfie in spirit, clearly doesn't have the shot or the dangle, but man, what an impressive player

 

[coladin]

clarke mcarthur

That is a good comparable, but I think he is a better overall player than Grizz

 

[bert]

I think you can give term to guys like Formenton as well. Get in early and have a lower AAV on the back end.

He is exactly the type of guy you give the White deal. They basically gave it to the wrong guy. He creates on his own and produces with whoever he plays with. They should throw a 6 year 24 million dollar deal at him that's back loaded right now.

 

[bert]

That is a good comparable, but I think he is a better overall player than Grizz

They're very similar. I agree.

 

[Sweatred]

He is exactly the type of guy you give the White deal. They basically gave it to the wrong guy. He creates on his own and produces with whoever he plays with. They should throw a 6 year 24 million dollar deal at him that's back loaded right now.

You said that about the White deal too… and we know where that went … everyone loves Brown but there is no way 6 years ages well. His game is rooted in shear determination/desperation and he forces himself to compete … age and comfort will soften that drive. He punches above his weight class but it’s not sustainable. That’s where the dark side of ClarkeM comp is Relevant too.

 

[SensFactor]

I've said it before and I will say it again extend C. Brown and Zub.

You need quality vets that can play and lead the kids. Going full youth just extends the rebuild until they can age.

 

[Micklebot]

That is a good comparable, but I think he is a better overall player than Grizz

Perhaps, but MacArthur was a bit higher skill imo.

 

[aragorn]

Paul-Pinto-Brown as an elite 3rd line with 2nd line production will make this team deep for a playoff run. Trading Paul for a 2nd makes zero sense if this team is real about FYOUS (or at least being competitive). C. Brown and Paul are the types of players needed to have post season success, these guys are also elite PKers. Why trade these players and create new holes?

Extend Paul this season ;-), definitely re-up Connor Brown next year. $4.5M/year cap hit on a 4-5 year deal may do it if Brown wants to be part of the FYOUS. Cap hit is thankfully not a concern in the near future even with some key RFAs in the offing, while some money/contracts will come out of the books to balance things out when needed.

A Pinto Brown Dick 3rd line lets DJ employ a 3-line heavy team and save cap space on unnecessary 4th line super scrubs who cost too much. The 4th line won't play much when Norris, Stutzle, and Pinto lines eat up 90% of ice time.

Along with 2022 picks, the prospect pipeline will also provide depth to the big club in the FYOUS years.

If Boucher would end up to be the player most of us hope he can be & why they drafted him so high would be the perfect player for a Formenton & Stutzle line creating three dynamic lines.

Tkachuk - Norris - Batherson
Formenton - Stutzle - Boucher
Paul - Pinto - C. Brown
Jarventie - Kastelic - Sokolov

 

[NyQuil]

If Boucher would end up to be the player most of us hope he can be & why they drafted him so high would be the perfect player for a Formenton & Stutzle line creating three dynamic lines.

I think that's a pretty big "if" at this stage.

A guy like Greig who is missing from your line-up has a better chance of being that player.

 

[aragorn]

I think that's a pretty big "if" at this stage.

A guy like Greig who is missing from your line-up has a better chance of being that player.

Obviously this isn't happening immediately & is clearly a down the road look. I think Greig who is a left shot eventually replaces White as a 3rd line centre or plays up at LW if Stutzle stays at centre. I have Paul there now, but my guess is he eventually ends up on the 4th line at LW with Kastelic & Sokolov. They clearly drafted Boucher for a reason & while this yr has been a write off for him he is only 19 yrs old & we shouldn't be writing him off so soon or not giving the scouts a chance to see what they saw in him.

Stutzle still isn't the 70 pt producer so many on here have told us he is going to be & given he is only 20 yrs old still has plenty of time to get there. Just because it hasn't worked this yr doesn't mean it won't work next yr or the yr after that & there are plenty of examples of late bloomers, but in Boucher's case it's more injury related. He doesn't have to be a great scorer he just has to help his line produce more & at some point down the road I think he will.

 

[GoMyTeam]

Currently 17th in the NHL for forward TOI per game.

Him and Cirelli (35th for TOI per game) are the only guys in the top 50 who have more PK than PP time.

 

[GCK]

Obviously this isn't happening immediately & is clearly a down the road look. I think Greig who is a left shot eventually replaces White as a 3rd line centre or plays up at LW if Stutzle stays at centre. I have Paul there now, but my guess is he eventually ends up on the 4th line at LW with Kastelic & Sokolov. They clearly drafted Boucher for a reason & while this yr has been a write off for him he is only 19 yrs old & we shouldn't be writing him off so soon or not giving the scouts a chance to see what they saw in him.

Stutzle still isn't the 70 pt producer so many on here have told us he is going to be & given he is only 20 yrs old still has plenty of time to get there. Just because it hasn't worked this yr doesn't mean it won't work next yr or the yr after that & there are plenty of examples of late bloomers, but in Boucher's case it's more injury related. He doesn't have to be a great scorer he just has to help his line produce more & at some point down the road I think he will.

I think you need to watch and assess how far Stu has come. He is now showing more patience which comes with reps and he is making fewer mistakes in the offensive zone. Judging his production while this team is icing at best 3 top 6 players is unfair just as it is with Brady.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

I think you need to watch and assess how far Stu has come. He is now showing more patience which comes with reps and he is making fewer mistakes in the offensive zone. Judging his production while this team is icing at best 3 top 6 players is unfair just as it is with Brady.

Including his remarkably increased defensive game.

He saved a goal last night on a terrific backcheck.