Confirmed with Link: Devils Waive Brunner

[HischierSeDgewOrk]

Man, we can't even give our players away for free.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Brunner cleared lol

 

[Better Call Sal]

Not surprised

 

[NJDevs26]

But everyone assumed he'd be claimed for sure

 

[Devils Trap]

Shocking that a low hockey IQ , soft player who cant put up points didnt get claimed... Oh wait

Lets just talk about how Lou is terrible and didnt trade Brunner instead, when its obvious no one wants him

 

[None Shall Pass]

Bye Felicia!

 

[Wingman77]

“It hasn’t worked," DeBoer said today of Brunner.. "Pretty simple.”

When I asked why it hasn't worked, DeBoer replied, “I’ve got my ideas, but let’s talk about Washington. We’ve moved on. He’s on waivers and we’ll go from there.”

The decision to put Brunner through waivers came after Michael Ryder was a healthy scratch in Pittsburgh and a week after Travis Zajac was dropped from the first line to the third line (before leaving with a lower-body injury).

“We’re 20-plus games in there,” DeBoer said. “You come into training camp with an open mind. You give everybody an opportunity and they either play themselves into spots where you feel they can help you or they don’t and there’s consequences to that and I think we’re at the consequence time. We’ve given lots of opportunity and now we’re there.”

And that’s a message not only for the players directly impacted, but everyone else on the roster as well.

“Sure it is,” DeBoer said. “Those guys aren’t alone on that boat and I think it’s a great message for everybody.”

 

[Emperoreddy]

Of course he cleared. Why the notion we were giving him away for free was bunk.

No one wants him.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

At least it sounds like there's finally some accountability here.

 

[Whaddagoal]

There is some accountability finally, but I don't see why Brunner gets the brunt wrath by PDB in media, some pretty blunt statements there. I can't imagine anyone ever felt this guy was supposed to put up like 60-70 points a year. It's not his fault Lou gave him a freebie contract after very little NHL resume.

I agree that Brunner has been a poor fit generally (round peg, square hole) and generally has poor hockey sense, but PDB horribly has mismanaged a number of players on this team with his nepotism, including Brunner and Jossefson It's not even that Brunner was playing in every game, as PDB bounced him around, scratched in and out of lineup....he's practically done as good as Elias with regards to production in the amount of ice time he has had. Same for Zubrus (although he now fits a much better role back on 3rd/4th line), Zajac, and also Ryder in partciular. THose guys you should expect more out as they are much more established veterans than Brunner could ever be?

We saw only Ryder get benched two games ago, after his play for two seasons has been highly uninspiring.

I'd have to check the stats for total TOI and also production per TOI. Would be good to see the breakdown of who is actually performing for the amount of the time they get.

 

[Devils Trap]

There is some accountability finally, but I don't see why Brunner gets the brunt wrath by PDB in media, some pretty blunt statements there. I can't imagine anyone ever felt this guy was supposed to put up like 60-70 points a year. It's not his fault Lou gave him a freebie contract after very little NHL history.

I agree that Brunner has been a poor fit generally (round peg, square hole) and generally has poor hockey sense, but PDB horribly has mismanaged a number of players on this team with his nepotism, including Brunner and Jossefson It's not even that Brunner was playing in every game, as PDB bounced him around, scratched in and out of lineup....he's practically done as good as Elias with regards to production in the amount of ice time he has had. Same for Zubrus (although he now fits a much better role back on 3rd/4th line), Zajac, and also Ryder in partciular. THose guys you should expect more out as they are much more established veterans than Brunner could ever be?

We saw only Ryder get benched two games ago, after his play for two seasons has been highly uninspiring.

I'd have to check the stats for total TOI and also production per TOI. Would be good to see the breakdown of who is actually performing for the amount of the time they get.

Ryder is 1 point away from being tied for the team lead in points

 

[Whaddagoal]

Yeah, but look at the Devils offense in general. Its pretty brutal, teamwide. I think we should set the bar a bit higher here.

THe fact that the oldtimer legend is still practically leading the team is quite concerning. It's good for Jagr no doubt, but it says a lot about the team. I think JimEIV was the one to say something similar. If he is your best player at forty-whatever, then you have a problem.


Ryder has 14 points in 25 games, can't say that is spectacular, and the guy is supposed to be a sniper, 4 goals in those 14 points.

 

[EnglishDevil]

Ryder is 1 point away from being tied for the team lead in points

He's definitely made more chances for other people this season, but 4 goals in 25 games from someone who is supposed to be a scorer isn't very good.

Points are points though, he has looked slightly better defensively, and if he's setting up others to score that's a plus. I was surprised he got scratched the other game to be honest, he hasn't been that bad really.

If he's able to start scoring a few more goals then i have no qualms with him staying in the lineup.

 

[Czech Trio]

Accountability on this team was lost a long time ago and waiving Brunner put a stamp on it. 75% of this team is protected by "experience". I am in the minority, Brunner should be in this lineup every game. PDB says it hasn't worked out, but when you yo-yo a guy in and out of the lineup (Tedenby) who has flaws (Tedenby) yes but a skill 95% of the team doesn't have and he fails well thats on poor management of players and assets.

At the end of the day Brunner has serious flaws but much needed skill. And now we are faced with more opportunities for a guy like Tootoo to play while Brunner is in Albany. And the limited player of Tootoo is going to be protected when he contributes very little because he has that "experience" and unwritten protection of being deemed a "grinder".

And lets take a look at the current situation. Brunner is in Albany when Zajac, Elias are out, Cammalleri may be injured, Havlat is a question mark, Clowe is out indefinitely, etc.

 

[Zippy316]

Accountability on this team was lost a long time ago and waiving Brunner put a stamp on it. 75% of this team is protected by "experience". I am in the minority, Brunner should be in this lineup every game. PDB says it hasn't worked out, but when you yo-yo a guy in and out of the lineup (Tedenby) who has flaws (Tedenby) yes but a skill 95% of the team doesn't have and he fails well thats on poor management of players and assets.

At the end of the day Brunner has serious flaws but much needed skill. And now we are faced with more opportunities for a guy like Tootoo to play while Brunner is in Albany. And the limited player of Tootoo is going to be protected when he contributes very little because he has that "experience" and unwritten protection of being deemed a "grinder".

And lets take a look at the current situation. Brunner is in Albany when Zajac, Elias are out, Cammalleri may be injured, Havlat is a question mark, Clowe is out indefinitely, etc.

Shouldn't that say something for Brunner?

Shouldn't that be his opportunity to shine? If he's not in the line-up over guys like Sislo and Bernier than how do you expect him to be here when everyone is back? I like Brunner, but he doesn't fit. Whether you want to blame it on the system or him, it doesn't change the fact that he doesn't fit. Sislo and Bernier are more effective in this system, and I doubt Brunner is considered as a long-term option at this point regardless.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Let's change the system and start playing and bringing in better skilled players.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Ryder is 1 point away from being tied for the team lead in points

And he absolutely sucks, so that's quite the indictment of how poorly the offense has been since the 4th or 5th game.

I feel a little bad for Brunner. I don't think his style meshed with the team at all, but he was put in some hilariously garbage roles and expected to perform. It's Rolston all over again. "Go out and play with these **** players on garbage 3rd and 4th lines, playing ~11 minutes of even strength time every game, and then go fix our first-unit powerplay." Not exactly a recipe for success, especially while Zubrus and Ryder **** everything up on lines 1, 2 and 3 for a good chunk of the season.

I'm not upset that he's gone, though I don't know if I would've reassigned him during this rash of injuries. But despite all his shortcomings as a player, he still drove the play in the right direction and scored at a higher per-EV-minute rate than Zajac and Zubrus, among others. He could easily have been a valuable player here, but I don't suspect Deboer would've been ok using a "soft" player on a scoring line. Oh wait...Ryder.

 

[AfroThunder396]

If it wasn't for our defense putting up points, this team would be in so much more trouble than it actually is.

With Cammo out this team is basically the shell of Jaromir Jagr and an AHL squad upfront.

 

[MountainGoat]

Stage 2 : re-entry waivers

 

[TheUnseenHand]

If it wasn't for our defense putting up points, this team would be in so much more trouble than it actually is.

With Cammo out this team is basically the shell of Jaromir Jagr and an AHL squad upfront.

It would be better if that were the case. It's more like the shell of Jagr, the shell or Elias, the shell of Zubrus, the shell or Ryder, the shell of Zidlicky, and lately the shell of Greene. It probably won't be too long before it's also the shell of Gomez. You can see the problem there...

 

[GameSeven]

Stage 2 : re-entry waivers

There are no longer any re-entry waivers.

But if we will deal DB with salary retained, as has been speculated, the results will be similar.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

There are no longer any re-entry waivers.

But if we will deal DB with salary retained, as has been speculated, the results will be similar.

I think that's what's most likely to happen with Brunner. I initially thought it was an issue of being cautious for next season, before I remembered Brunner's an impending UFA. I guess GMs just aren't looking to tie up 2.5m in a guy that MIGHT help, at least not with this many games left before the deadline.

 

[tailfins]

I think that's what's most likely to happen with Brunner. I initially thought it was an issue of being cautious for next season, before I remembered Brunner's an impending UFA. I guess GMs just aren't looking to tie up 2.5m in a guy that MIGHT help, at least not with this many games left before the deadline.

The Devils will have to take someone else's crap back to make a deal. This is what I meant by, "I'm not sure other teams value the Devils vets as highly as we'd like."

Meanwhile, it's incredible that people are blaming Deboer for Brunner's failures. Talk about excuses and lack of accountability. Here's a guy that the entire league just said, "thanks, but no thanks" to re: picking him up for free! If he's been so "mis-managed" you'd think some other team somewhere (Detroit?) would take a chance on him. But, despite every indication, people on this board still want to blame Deboer over the players. When is it the players' responsibility?

If you want to blame Lou for Brunner's poor performance, that's reasonable. His low hockey IQ could have been spotted pre-signing. Still, I think Brunner was a worthwhile gamble. It's what the Devils have been reduced to these days - gambling on long-shot UFAs, long shot prospects (Loktionov) and waiver pick-ups (Carter). It's not a terrible strategy as they wait for their kids to mature - at least Lou's not trading the future away - but it's one that's more likely to end in Lokti and Brunner than it is in Rich Peverly.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

The fact of the matter is that the Devils just waived one of their better possession forwards and best shot-producing (at even strength, where help is needed the most) forwards so they could keep Martin Havlat, who has been one of the worst forwards on the team by basically any measure.

Deboer had a forward at his disposal with speed, hands, and a shot, and didn't know what to do with him. Now we're short like 40 forwards, while Bernier, Tootoo, and Zubrus play less than 10 minutes a night. That's TERRIBLE management. Brunner didn't exactly help his case, and he's probably too much of an east-west player for this team, but Deboer and his inability to put any sort of breakout system together is killing the Devils' ability to make use of skilled, speedy players. There's a reason Brunner looked "lost" on the Devils, and that's because the Devils are lost when it comes to maintaining puck possession in transition and scoring on the rush.

 

[tailfins]

The fact of the matter is that the Devils just waived one of their better possession forwards and best shot-producing (at even strength, where help is needed the most) forwards so they could keep Martin Havlat, who has been one of the worst forwards on the team by basically any measure.

Deboer had a forward at his disposal with speed, hands, and a shot, and didn't know what to do with him. Now we're short like 40 forwards, while Bernier, Tootoo, and Zubrus play less than 10 minutes a night. That's TERRIBLE management.

I'm unclear on why these things are related. In this case, Sislo is playing in Brunner's spot. The team decided addition by subtraction.

I'm not clear on what people want. People ask for accountability - when something happens, it's "not now!", or "why hold that guy accountable?" I understand that accountability should be throughout the organization, but it also needs to start somewhere. There's no reason this is a bad place. Good possession stats or not, as of tomorrow, Brunner will have scored five goals in a calendar year. That's fourth line production.

Personally, I'm happy the team is clearing out the dead wood. It's fine to take a flyer on players like Brunner, but when it's not working, management needs to cut the cord. That creates flexibility for the next move - whether it's a call-up (Sislo, Matteau, etc.), a trade (Morin?) or some other UFA / waiver pick-up.

That said, I'd love Havlat to be the next one on a bus.