Confirmed with Link: Eric Brewer for a '15 3rd

[Sojourn]

Do we even know if Stralman had any interest in Anaheim? At all? People are always quick to criticize a GM for not being able to sign a player, but more often than not it is completely out of their hands.

 

[Sojourn]

I thought that Brewer looked good last night. He's on the slow side, but he seemed better at moving the puck than Allen was - just like Paul said, who watched him.

Seconded. It was just one game, and half of the game was garbage all-around, but I was pretty satisfied with what I saw.

I think it's unfair to the guy to jump on him just because Murray moved Allen to bring in Bourque, and then immediately needed to add another defenseman of that type. That isn't Brewer's fault.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Legit top pairing d-men don't move very often. Murray can't force another team to give one to him, no matter how much he may want one.

he had a chance to get boychuk, who maybe not top pair, is an excellent top 4 dman, looking what the isles gave up, anaheim could have, and should have paid the price

 

[Sojourn]

he had a chance to get boychuk, who maybe not top pair, is an excellent top 4 dman, looking what the isles gave up, anaheim could have, and should have paid the price

See my previous post. It applies to this situation too. Just because one team got a player for a certain price does not mean another team would be able to.

 

[Teemu Salami]

Do we even know if Stralman had any interest in Anaheim? At all? People are always quick to criticize a GM for not being able to sign a player, but more often than not it is completely out of their hands.

He was recruited by Callahan. I doubt it.

 

[Sojourn]

He was recruited by Callahan. I doubt it.

Which makes it kind of ridiculous to chastise Murray for it.

 

[Vipers31]

He wasn't even used in a "shutdown role" so much as a sheltered 'oh you're activated let's try to play you the least of everyone' role.

To me, you're not exactly "sheltering" a defenseman if you're giving him (relatively) more defensive zone starts than anyone else. If you want to shelter a guy, you put him where it's less likely to hurt you, being the offensive zone. There's no argument that he wasn't used much and was expendable for them, but the term sheltering seems misplaced.

 

[Vipers31]

he had a chance to get boychuk, who maybe not top pair, is an excellent top 4 dman, looking what the isles gave up, anaheim could have, and should have paid the price

I'm not sure we even could have paid that price. It's two 2nds. Given where the Ducks are expected to finish, those two 2nds might well have been considered more valuable than the Ducks' 1st even. To beat that offer, it might have taken a 1st and a 2nd from us, which is easily more than I'd be willing to pay for a guy like Boychuk, especially when he's a season away from free agency.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Do we even know if Stralman had any interest in Anaheim? At all? People are always quick to criticize a GM for not being able to sign a player, but more often than not it is completely out of their hands.

People also need to realize for Stralman to make similar money in Anaheim, as compared to Florida, they would have to pay him close to 15% more.

 

[TheJoeMan]

I would have rather signed a Jeff Schultz type like the Kings did last year. The pick we gave up might as well be a late 2nd.

It's just a draft pick. We have another third not to mention our first and second. Is losing right now less important than a draft pick? I think it's fresh that you suggest we should have signed another d-man when we had too many going into this season. Brewer was the best option Murray had. Who could he have sogned right now? A third rounder is a small price to pay to have a veteran d-man spot thr bleedin with all of these injuries.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Also this (LeBrun repeating what he reported mid-Oct):

"The Ducks have been looking to add on defense for quite a while now, all the way back to when they were after Johnny Boychuk (who was traded by the Boston Bruins to the New York Islanders before the season) but felt the price was too high. They had talked to a number of teams ever since looking at different options on defense."

 

[Ducks DVM]

The size of the circles being each player's ZS%. He wasn't even used in a "shutdown role" so much as a sheltered 'oh you're activated let's try to play you the least of everyone' role.

Also, this chart illustrates how infuriating it is that Murray didn't make a commitment to a guy like Stralman which is exactly what we need right now.

Interesting, the conclusion I'd draw from that is that Hedman is the sheltered one. Most offensive zone starts by far, against the competition with the worst Corsi by far, with the teammates who drive the Corsi the most. Brewer, on the other hand, has the most defensive zone starts by %, which (as Vipers said) is a pretty poor strategy for sheltering a defenseman - you want your weakest defensemen as far away from your own net as possible.

I'm always uncertain on these charts (because I never use any site that generates them) if the Corsi numbers used are the overall or only in games between this team and their opponents only against this team. Very different information gleaned with that change - how those players play league wide vs how those players played against your team. Based on 7/8 of the players on it having Corsi competition >50% and 6/8 having Corsi teammate >50% it's pretty much impossible that it's just play between the teams involved I'd assume.

It seems bizarre that only one defenseman on the entire team played against players with a negative Corsi though.

Edit - I'm assuming that large circle = offensive zone start and small circle = defensive zone start. It's impossible to tell as there's no legend.

 

[Paul4587]

The size of the circles being each player's ZS%. He wasn't even used in a "shutdown role" so much as a sheltered 'oh you're activated let's try to play you the least of everyone' role.

Also, this chart illustrates how infuriating it is that Murray didn't make a commitment to a guy like Stralman which is exactly what we need right now.

Congratulations you posted a link to another chart that doesn't really prove whatever ambiguous point you're trying to make.

 

[OCSportsfan]

That's true but it's hard for me to argue my point when I don't know what the Ducks internal budget is. I just have my doubts they'll get close to the cap. And this move puts us closer to whatever the budget is. And there are still question marks at 3C, top 4 D, and scoring winger (maybe). If he's still planning on addressing some of those areas, fine but if this hinders any of that then it's just a pathetic move.

I don't think we should be worried about the internal budget. Unless the Ducks were going to be trading for a top 4 Dman with just prospects and picks, and absorb the whole cap hit, it should not be a problem. Also picking up Brewer is a short term fix that is going to cost around 2 million this year. They still have plenty of room to make a trade they need to, chances are salary will be going back as well just like the Kesler trade.

The Ducks can still make a trade at the Deadline, and send Brewer back as part of the trade. I believe this was a 6 week solution until Beauch gets back.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I don't think we should be worried about the internal budget. Unless the Ducks were going to be trading for a top 4 Dman with just prospects and picks, and absorb the whole cap hit, it should not be a problem. Also picking up Brewer is a short term fix that is going to cost around 2 million this year. They still have plenty of room to make a trade they need to, chances are salary will be going back as well just like the Kesler trade.

The Ducks can still make a trade at the Deadline, and send Brewer back as part of the trade. I believe this was a 6 week solution until Beauch gets back.

That's far from a given. But going into the playoffs I'd keep Brewer even if he were the 8th D. At that point you don't get rid of guys like him. Now Borque, that's another story. I'd gladly give him up at any point in time. But the Habs already found out, there are no takers for that bad contract other than us.

 

[Sean Garrity]

That's far from a given. But going into the playoffs I'd keep Brewer even if he were the 8th D. At that point you don't get rid of guys like him. Now Borque, that's another story. I'd gladly give him up at any point in time. But the Habs already found out, there are no takers for that bad contract other than us.

I agree. I'm completely fine having Fistric and Brewer in the press box come post season. We've seen how quickly injuries(and illness) can effect a team. Not at all upset with the trade.

 

[andyolly]

Also this (LeBrun repeating what he reported mid-Oct):

"The Ducks have been looking to add on defense for quite a while now, all the way back to when they were after Johnny Boychuk (who was traded by the Boston Bruins to the New York Islanders before the season) but felt the price was too high. They had talked to a number of teams ever since looking at different options on defense."

I like to think it's a positive that LeBrun said he doesn't believe Murray is done "tinkering" with the lineup trying to improve us as a contender.

 

[Duck Off]

Brewer was okay in his debut.

Like I said in the Allen thread though, that was just completely idiotic timing by Murray, and this is the result of it. I think Brewer is better then Allen, but it's not by much. I would definitely rather have that pick back and Allen then Bourque (wtf Murray) and Brewer.

I wish Murray would just give up more for a better player though. We don't know for sure if Boston would have made that trade to us instead of the Islanders, but I strongly believe they would have. Yes, the picks would have been later, but I think they take that in order to get him out of the conference. I would have been with Murray adding some incentive to the two 2nd rounders.

 

[AngelDuck]

Brewer was okay in his debut.

Like I said in the Allen thread though, that was just completely idiotic timing by Murray, and this is the result of it. I think Brewer is better then Allen, but it's not by much. I would definitely rather have that pick back and Allen then Bourque (wtf Murray) and Brewer.

I wish Murray would just give up more for a better player though. We don't know for sure if Boston would have made that trade to us instead of the Islanders, but I strongly believe they would have. Yes, the picks would have been later, but I think they take that in order to get him out of the conference. I would have been with Murray adding some incentive to the two 2nd rounders.

Exactly. It's becoming very frustrating at this point.

 

[caliamad]

I like to think it's a positive that LeBrun said he doesn't believe Murray is done "tinkering" with the lineup trying to improve us as a contender.

I hope it is not just tinkering which to me is he is looking at a rental not getting a top4d solution.

 

[NEWFowler]

Purely a desperation move. We are already loaded with prospects, and we're trying to win now. We can't afford to ice another AHL rookie on our blueline. We also can't afford to lose games, especially in this division.

I'm not crazy about this move, but it had to be done.

 

[Getzmonster]

Murray's recent moves have left him with no room to tinker. He has to move out a roster player(s) to add anyone else. It's either fill one hole by creating another, or suckering someone into taking back a guy with negative value along with prospect(s).

A blockbuster trade would be the other answer, multiple pieces changing hands. But this is Murray, I don't see it happening (not sure I would want him to anyhow), it's a huge risk.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

 

[Sean Garrity]

He's a lot better on the puck then I expected. Made a lot of simple little plays to by himself time before dishing the puck to the puck mover(Vatanen) just as he should. He seems to understand his limitations. BTW, welcome to the club, so go play 21+ minutes tonight and look comfortable doing it!

 

[IDuck]

thought it was a good showing tonight for brewer...maybe its the fact that we have so many young inexperienced d, but he looks very sound in his own end and made good reads/jumps up ice