Player Discussion Erik Brännström - D - Left is Right edition

[Micklebot]

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[Sweatred]

Left is best. He can rotate on the PP to the right side as needed.

 

[slamigo]

I would encourage the team to keep him on the left side. Maybe on PP they can move him around so he has better offensive upside, but for his own safety, he's better off playing on the left. He isn't big enough to handle a lot of the hits some forecheckers are able to dish out. If he's playing on the right side, retrieving the puck from the right corner after a dump-in is dangerous. His back is almost always sort of facing the incoming player. On the left side, it's much easier for a left hand shot to open up and see the ice. Otherwise I get it, shooting left and playing on the right side opens up offensive opportunities. (In beer league, I always liked playing right wing even though I shoot left)
But I think I would keep him on the left side if it was my choice.

 

[Micklebot]

I would encourage the team to keep him on the left side. Maybe on PP they can move him around so he has better offensive upside, but for his own safety, he's better off playing on the left. He isn't big enough to handle a lot of the hits some forecheckers are able to dish out. If he's playing on the right side, retrieving the puck from the right corner after a dump-in is dangerous. His back is almost always sort of facing the incoming player. On the left side, it's much easier for a left hand shot to open up and see the ice. Otherwise I get it, shooting left and playing on the right side opens up offensive opportunities. (In beer league, I always liked playing right wing even though I shoot left)
But I think I would keep him on the left side if it was my choice.

Playing the off side allows for an easier route to bringing the puck behind the net or passing over to the weakside d-partner if you're immediately under pressure off a dump in. If the forcheck is a two man stack, it seems like playing your off side would be advantageous.

I think the problems comes with a spread forcheck when you've already retrieved and are facing the F1, then you're on your forehand to chip it off the glass, but at a disadvantage to get it over to your partner who himself is under pressure.

I think coaches dislike playing dmen on their off side because it changes the odds for what the right play is. Suddenly the traditionally safe play is done on the back hand and the some of the trickier plays become forehand plays making them easier. It's hard for the coach to implement a system where everybody is expected to instinctively know what the other guy is likely to do when one guys has the rules reversed.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

He looked like a completely different player offensively (in a good way) when he was put on the right side.

 

[bert]

He looked like a completely different player offensively (in a good way) when he was put on the right side.

Its absolutely shocking to me the organization is forcing a player to play out of position while in crucial development years. Agreed he was a different player playing right. He was flat out bad playing left.

 

[slamigo]

What side is Brannstrom playing in Belleville? It would be interesting to hear from the player which side he likes and why. I just find that he is at his weakest when he is retrieving the puck after a dump in. Maybe he just isn't strong enough yet?

 

[Micklebot]

What side is Brannstrom playing in Belleville? It would be interesting to hear from the player which side he likes and why. I just find that he is at his weakest when he is retrieving the puck after a dump in. Maybe he just isn't strong enough yet?

I guess I should have carried over some of the posts from the prior thread;

Senators believe left is right for prospect Erik Brannstrom - Sportsnet.ca

Here’s the thing. Brannstrom has said that he really prefers playing the right side, even though he shoots left. It’s the side he grew up playing.
"Yeah, I didn’t think it would be that different but I played last year the whole year in Chicago (AHL Wolves) and the pre-season with Vegas on the right side, so I kind of like it better, actually," Brannstrom said in a brief interview on the day of the game against the Predators.

The organization, though, has a different view, you might even say a mixed view, when the scouting department gets involved.
"I think as an organization we’ve had internal debates about whether he’s better on the left side or right side," Dorion said during a radio hit in Ottawa last week following the trade for defenceman Mike Reilly.
"I think the two people that matter the most, the coach and the GM, think he’s better on the left side."

As for which side he's playing, he was playing with Labrie I think, who is another left shot D, but I don't know which one is playing the right side...

 

[Sweatred]

Its absolutely shocking to me the organization is forcing a player to play out of position while in crucial development years. Agreed he was a different player playing right. He was flat out bad playing left.

That is because you are focused on the few (~20%) situations where an off side dman has an advantage and you are dismissive of the (80%) situations where an offside dman has a disadvantage. He is particularly good on his offside which further temps you to dismiss the realities of a 20 year old undersized dman playing his off side and not developing his strong side. Thankfully those controlling his development have it right.

 

[Six Assets]

i love this thread title, well done

 

[MatchesMalone]

Playing the off side allows for an easier route to bringing the puck behind the net or passing over to the weakside d-partner if you're immediately under pressure off a dump in. If the forcheck is a two man stack, it seems like playing your off side would be advantageous.

I think the problems comes with a spread forcheck when you've already retrieved and are facing the F1, then you're on your forehand to chip it off the glass, but at a disadvantage to get it over to your partner who himself is under pressure.

I think coaches dislike playing dmen on their off side because it changes the odds for what the right play is. Suddenly the traditionally safe play is done on the back hand and the some of the trickier plays become forehand plays making them easier. It's hard for the coach to implement a system where everybody is expected to instinctively know what the other guy is likely to do when one guys has the rules reversed.

Good post. This is probably the most concise summation of the debate I've seen.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

if he likes playing on the right play him on the right,.. why did we trade mark stone for a guy whos preferences we so strongly disagree with?

 

[SensFan1010]

Hows he looking in the A... his stats look solid but is he dominating play dwn there

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Hows he looking in the A... his stats look solid but is he dominating play dwn there

i wouldn't say dominating.

 

[Imnotagoodposter]

if he likes playing on the right play him on the right,.. why did we trade mark stone for a guy whos preferences we so strongly disagree with?

Learning to play his ‘proper’ side right now while he’s 20 would be huge

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Learning to play his ‘proper’ side right now while he’s 20 would be huge

Nah man, only now matters.

Who cares if he becomes a better player down the line? If he isn't dominating right now, it invalidates me as a human being who is a fan of the Ottawa Senators.

 

[Micklebot]

Nah man, only now matters.

Who cares if he becomes a better player down the line? If he isn't dominating right now, it invalidates me as a human being who is a fan of the Ottawa Senators.

Are you suggesting that he will be a better player long term if he develops on the Left side now than if he develops on the right side? Would the inverse also be true, and we should develop all our other D to play their off side because even though it will hurt now, they'll be better for it later? Should we play Thomson and JBD on the left despite them being more comfortable in the traditional alignment?

IMO, If long term, Brannstrom will be a left side D, then it's probably best to play him on the left side now. If long term, he's going to be a right side D, then we should probably play him on the right now. The question is where do we envision him playing in 5 years and through the majority of his career, and how did we come to that determination.

Will he be playing on the left side: do we think this because we have an organizational need at that slot, or because we think he will be a better player long term playing on the left side?

Will he play on the right side: do we think that because we believe he will be an overall better player on that side, or is it because we have an organizational need to fill there.

I don't know the answer. I've seen data to suggest Dmen do better when on their "strong" side as opposed to the off side, but how are those numbers controlling for the reality that most players playing their offside have for the most part played more of their careers on their strong side and are only doing it because of an imbalanced lineup as opposed to that's the side the player himself is more comfortable?

 

[Do Make Say Think]

People who know way more about hockey and developing players than me think he'll be better for it.

I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt instead of calling them idiots. That's all I was saying.

 

[senators101]

They should stop worrying about left and right side here. Pair him with wolanin, who is also comfortable on both sides, and let them do what they gotta do.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

The org sees him on the left side..for now, and that can change I am looking forward to get Wolanin back and see where he fits. Still not sure about the "proudest day" but he has lots of time .. I would leave him in Belleville for the rest of the year and test him again next year .. more variables will likely be part of the picture.

 

[JungleBeat]

Learning to play his ‘proper’ side right now while he’s 20 would be huge

He should be playing whatever side he plays best on.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Goal and an assist tonight for Erik

 

[Burrowsaurus]

People who know way more about hockey and developing players than me think he'll be better for it.

I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt instead of calling them idiots. That's all I was saying.

Ugh not this argument again.

remember people didn’t want to argue with the pros playing Ceci 28 minutes a night. “They know what’s good and what’s not”

 

[18Hossa]

 

[TkachukNorris79]