Player Discussion: Derick Brassard 2019-20

[Newsworthy]

Lou Lamoriello is literally a hall of fame executive.

Who seems to have lost his touch.

 

[Newsworthy]

There is no way in hell Trotz is coming without LL. You know why? Because the Stanley Cup winning head coach realizes that LL is a great executive. He realizes this as does everyone else in hockey. But you go ahead and bury your head in the sand.

I guess Panarin realized the same thing.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

I guess Panarin realized the same thing.

Panarin wasn’t coming if Bill Torrey and Al Arbour were here so what’s your point again?

 

[MJF]

I guess Panarin realized the same thing.

Right. The minute he noticed we don’t play in Manhattan.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Brassard will be fine. Why do so many people want to define a season and a player in a handful of games? It’s absurd.

I hope you're right about him being fine, but the sample size is not a handful of games, it's a full season + a handful of games and growing. Not ideal for a 32 yr old player and the counter argument that he was on three teams last year doesn't hold up. There must have been reasons and, so far, we are seeing what they were.

 

[mm11]

I hope you're right about him being fine, but the sample size is not a handful of games, it's a full season + a handful of games and growing. Not ideal for a 32 yr old player and the counter argument that he was on three teams last year doesn't hold up. There must have been reasons and, so far, we are seeing what they were.

I see a whole lot of nothing from Brassard. Too lazy to look up the stats, but I don't see him winning key draws, battling for the puck, playing aggressive, skating hard and showing passion. The nhl is a tough game, and he has been around long enough to know what is needed to be done to have success. I have a feeling the guy is halfway out the door and looking forward to retiring and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Can't really blame the guy I guess

 

[IslesCLT]

I see a whole lot of nothing from Brassard. Too lazy to look up the stats, but I don't see him winning key draws, battling for the puck, playing aggressive, skating hard and showing passion. The nhl is a tough game, and he has been around long enough to know what is needed to be done to have success. I have a feeling the guy is halfway out the door and looking forward to retiring and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Can't really blame the guy I guess

Yeah he really needed 1.2 million this year to retire comfortably. His previous earnings of 38 million wasn’t enough

 

[buud]

When we're healthy, I think it would do him good, to watch a few games. Maybe it's a systems thing?

But so far, he looks lost.

If I had to make a choice right now, I'd prefer Bardreau/Fritz, move Zeeky up to 3rd line, maybe with Ladd and Whally?

If, and this is a real long shot, Brass was brought in to mentor Beau (similar size, path, style, etc...), then no complaints.

TITTY...

Trust In Trotz, Totally, Yeah.

 

[Trade]

I see a whole lot of nothing from Brassard. Too lazy to look up the stats, but I don't see him winning key draws, battling for the puck, playing aggressive, skating hard and showing passion. The nhl is a tough game, and he has been around long enough to know what is needed to be done to have success. I have a feeling the guy is halfway out the door and looking forward to retiring and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Can't really blame the guy I guess

Sounds like the exact player he started off as in Pittsburgh and stayed as. Gotta think the Ottawa's ECF game 7 loss ruined him to a point where he never fully recovered.

some folks would use that loss as ammunition to come back even harder, some would throw in the towel thinking they tried their best.

brassard seems like the latter.

 

[doublechili]

Filppula is kinda irrelevant since he signed for 2 years at $3 million per year on a NTC, 35+ contract, whereas Brassard signed for 1 year at $1.2 million with no restrictions. They're apples and oranges.

You can say you'd prefer someone other than Brassard, but to focus on Flip as that guy ignores that you're locked into him as your 3C for two years, period. I suspect Lou was looking for Brassard to be a low risk signing (kinda like Flip was last year) who leaves flexibility in case Koivula is ready later this year or next, etc.. If he's not getting it done they can trade him for a 5th rounder and bring up Fritz in the meantime and try to find someone else on the trade front. But in any event it's early to write him off.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

We have till the deadline to see what we have in Brassard. Hope Otto gets healthy soon so we can see what we have in house.

Brassard might just need a few weeks to adjust. Could still be the right move.

 

[PK Cronin]

Filppula came out of the gate pretty hot last year and faded late, though he was always pretty good defensively and had a calming presence on the rink. Brassard isn't known as a defensive center and is likely trying to adjust to that role, while still trying to create some offense. He has moments where he moves well and handles the puck decently, then others where he seems to be forcing things. Give him some more time before rushing to judgement, he's not the reason this team has lost any games right now. He's on a one year deal and can be replaced later in the season if need be.

 

[beach]

Who seems to have lost his touch.

Yes, that 105 point team he put together was horrific.

 

[Strummergas]

Yes, that 105 point team he put together was horrific.

Winning doesn't mean anything anymore. If the team isn't built the way THEY want it to be built, people will complain about it. I'm on another forum and it's the same thing. Just constant complaining about "intangible" players while the wins mount up. Yes, the team needs to continue to improve, but I just don't see how anyone can bitch about the last year and a half since the Snow/Weight era finally ended. After almost 30 years of crap team after crap team, I'll take the goddamn wins any way they can get them.

 

[Metnut]

Yes, that 105 point team he put together was horrific.

Wasn't last year's team almost entirely Snow players? Lou did bring in Trotz, but Snow never had the option to pay the type of money they paid for Barry and could only afford the dregs that we were stuck with.

If the Isles are going to be led by Barzal, Lee, Bailey, Nelson, Cizikas, Eberle, Pulock, Mayfield, Pelech, Beuvillier, then I don't think it's unreasonable to tip the cap to Snow for at least not leaving us in a pile of shit after he was fired. Yea, he was certainly a flawed GM whose biggest failures were not getting us a good coach (but, again, not easy to get a good coach when you can't pay any money) and not getting value for Tavares, but the team we're watching on the ice is largely the core he left behind.

 

[gadiamon72]

Filppula came out of the gate pretty hot last year and faded late, though he was always pretty good defensively and had a calming presence on the rink. Brassard isn't known as a defensive center and is likely trying to adjust to that role, while still trying to create some offense. He has moments where he moves well and handles the puck decently, then others where he seems to be forcing things. Give him some more time before rushing to judgement, he's not the reason this team has lost any games right now. He's on a one year deal and can be replaced later in the season if need be.

This!

Give him time to adjust. Some players don't fit systems like a glove and Brassard is one of them. It took Ebs time to adjust last year. Once he gets it, he'll be fine. These 4 days should allow him plenty of time to watch video and evaluate what he needs to do. He has the skill, he just needs to apply it to their system.

 

[PK Cronin]

Wasn't last year's team almost entirely Snow players? Lou did bring in Trotz, but Snow never had the option to pay the type of money they paid for Barry and could only afford the dregs that we were stuck with.

Snow players? You mean the same players that allowed the most goals in the league under Weight?

If the Isles are going to be led by Barzal, Lee, Bailey, Nelson, Cizikas, Eberle, Pulock, Mayfield, Pelech, Beuvillier, then I don't think it's unreasonable to tip the cap to Snow for at least not leaving us in a pile of **** after he was fired. Yea, he was certainly a flawed GM whose biggest failures were not getting us a good coach (but, again, not easy to get a good coach when you can't pay any money) and not getting value for Tavares, but the team we're watching on the ice is largely the core he left behind.

That core talks or talked about how Lamoriello and Trotz have changed the culture around the team. Snow doesn't get credit because someone else figured out how to squeeze every drop of talent out of the players he couldn't.

 

[gadiamon72]

Wasn't last year's team almost entirely Snow players? Lou did bring in Trotz, but Snow never had the option to pay the type of money they paid for Barry and could only afford the dregs that we were stuck with.

If the Isles are going to be led by Barzal, Lee, Bailey, Nelson, Cizikas, Eberle, Pulock, Mayfield, Pelech, Beuvillier, then I don't think it's unreasonable to tip the cap to Snow for at least not leaving us in a pile of **** after he was fired. Yea, he was certainly a flawed GM whose biggest failures were not getting us a good coach (but, again, not easy to get a good coach when you can't pay any money) and not getting value for Tavares, but the team we're watching on the ice is largely the core he left behind.

Snow had his moments, but he missed on just as many players. I can't help but wonder if a GM like Lou would have seen the flaws in Reinhart, Dal Colle, and Ho-sang to pass them by and draft someone else. Snow was also fortunate to have the Edmonton GM in his back pocket. I'll give credit where credit is due, but I still believe Lou is a massive upgrade.

 

[Metnut]

(to PK) So you're saying the Snow players did a lot better once new ownership let Lou bring in one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL? Not going to argue with you on that. Lou going all-in on Trotz and bringing him in with his first move was a homerun. No way around that.

I still wonder who Lou would've hired if he was limited to the $700K the Isles were paying Weight or Cap? Who would've Snow hired if he had $5M+ to spend on a coach? We'll never know the answer to that.

Snow was absolutely flawed and it was time for him to be let go, but he deserves a little credit for leaving enough behind that bringing in a top paid coach was enough to turn the team around right away. Many fired GMs leave the new GM with a multiyear mess to rebuild, that wasn't the case here.

 

[PK Cronin]

(to PK) So you're saying the Snow players did a lot better once new ownership let Lou bring in one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL? Not going to argue with you on that. Lou going all-in on Trotz and bringing him in with his first move was a homerun. No way around that.

Snow wouldn't have gotten Trotz even if he was allowed to spend because he wasn't respected around the league.

I still wonder who Lou would've hired if he was limited to the $700K the Isles were paying Weight or Cap? Who would've Snow hired if he had $5M+ to spend on a coach? We'll never know the answer to that.

We know he wasn't a part of the old boys club in the NHL and likely wouldn't have been able to get anybody. He was allowed to spend money once we got new owners and he was unable to do anything with that. I suspect that if Lamoriello were to take the job with that type of limitation (he wouldn't have), he would probably have coach the team himself for a period of time.

Snow was absolutely flawed and it was time for him to be let go, but he deserves a little credit for leaving enough behind that bringing in a top paid coach was enough to turn the team around right away. Many fired GMs leave the new GM with a multiyear mess to rebuild, that wasn't the case here.

It's subjective. How do we know that other fired GM's leave a multiyear mess because the new GM isn't as good as Lamoriello is? Of course there's some luck involved when the Stanley Cup winning coach becomes available right away, but it's Lamoriello's pedigree and the way he wants to win and approaches building a team lines up pretty well with Trotz' own philosophy.

 

[Strummergas]

(to PK)

I still wonder who Lou would've hired if he was limited to the $700K the Isles were paying Weight or Cap?

No one, because Lou would not have come here with Wang era limitations on salaries.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

(to PK) So you're saying the Snow players did a lot better once new ownership let Lou bring in one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL? Not going to argue with you on that. Lou going all-in on Trotz and bringing him in with his first move was a homerun. No way around that.

I still wonder who Lou would've hired if he was limited to the $700K the Isles were paying Weight or Cap? Who would've Snow hired if he had $5M+ to spend on a coach? We'll never know the answer to that.

Snow was absolutely flawed and it was time for him to be let go, but he deserves a little credit for leaving enough behind that bringing in a top paid coach was enough to turn the team around right away. Many fired GMs leave the new GM with a multiyear mess to rebuild, that wasn't the case here.

If you still don't believe that Lou brought stability and accountability to a franchise that lacked those attributes for ~30 years, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[MJF]

Snow players? You mean the same players that allowed the most goals in the league under Weight?



That core talks or talked about how Lamoriello and Trotz have changed the culture around the team. Snow doesn't get credit because someone else figured out how to squeeze every drop of talent out of the players he couldn't.

This. On both counts.

 

[MJF]

(to PK) So you're saying the Snow players did a lot better once new ownership let Lou bring in one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL? Not going to argue with you on that. Lou going all-in on Trotz and bringing him in with his first move was a homerun. No way around that.

I still wonder who Lou would've hired if he was limited to the $700K the Isles were paying Weight or Cap? Who would've Snow hired if he had $5M+ to spend on a coach? We'll never know the answer to that.

Snow was absolutely flawed and it was time for him to be let go, but he deserves a little credit for leaving enough behind that bringing in a top paid coach was enough to turn the team around right away. Many fired GMs leave the new GM with a multiyear mess to rebuild, that wasn't the case here.

Lou has the gravitas of a HOF career when he calls. Garth Snow could have gone to Trotz’s house with a blank check and Trotz still wouldn’t open the door for him.

 

[steveat]

Brassard Update:

so we know where we are with the complainers.

1. He's played a whopping 8 games with us
2. In those 8 games, he averages 13 min 45 sec of ice time (TOI)
3. In that amount of ice-time, he has 59 Face-off wins
4. His FO percentage is 52.7%

To put this in perspective. Sidney Crosby leads the league with 126 faceoff wins. The next highest is Ryan O'Reilly with 108 - Barkov has 86. Those guys take top 3 faceoffs and these guys are ALL averaging OVER 19 min per game.

There are NO third liners that even come close to Brassard's numbers in the FO circle. The way I look at it is that Brassard is a better version of Zenon Knopka, minus the fighting part