Player Discussion Erik Brännström - D - Left is Right edition

[Ice-Tray]

Kids these days don’t get punished, they get introduced to learning opportunities, and are shepherded through areas of growth.

Bran will be fine.

 

[Ouroboros]

Reilly is dominant by any and all metrics. Brannstrom should be so lucky to develop into that kind of player.

 

[bert]

Reilly is dominant by any and all metrics. Brannstrom should be so lucky to develop into that kind of player.

This is clearly sarcasm I imagine?

 

[GCK]

And wolanin. Would seem like a fine time to get him in? (Since we are developing reilly who is scratch proof)

Writing is on the wall for Wolanin. He may be done here. He should ask for a conditioning stint in Belleville.

 

[bert]

Writing is on the wall for Wolanin. He may be done here. He should ask for a conditioning stint in Belleville.

He had so much opportunity!

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Writing is on the wall for Wolanin. He may be done here. He should ask for a conditioning stint in Belleville.

With the state of the franchise there should be zero writing on the wall.

is reilly being played to encourage a trade? What then? Is smith going to throw Wolanin out there every game after that out of necessity? I doubt it

 

[GCK]

He had so much opportunity!

Not arguing but it looks like he is on the outs. He really needs to be better if he gets another shot, he just keeps making the same mistakes.

 

[GCK]

With the state of the franchise there should be zero writing on the wall.

is reilly being played to encourage a trade? What then? Is smith going to throw Wolanin out there every game after that out of necessity? I doubt it

As bad as Reilly has been, and he’s been bad, he can have some good sequences. It’s a sad state of affairs that he is our 2nd best LD.

 

[Emrasie]

As bad as Reilly has been, and he’s been bad, he can have some good sequences. It’s a sad state of affairs that he is our 2nd best LD.

Was he better with Gudb than EB?
Maybe Zub helps a lot.

 

[bert]

As bad as Reilly has been, and he’s been bad, he can have some good sequences. It’s a sad state of affairs that he is our 2nd best LD.

Well I mean he really isnt. The only times he has played at an NHL level was with Zub. Brannstrom or Wolanin never got that opportunity.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

As bad as Reilly has been, and he’s been bad, he can have some good sequences. It’s a sad state of affairs that he is our 2nd best LD.

I actually don’t hate reilly. Last year I sang his praises basically every game he played. But i recognize there’s no potential there. Especially on this team. These big reps he’s getting are sort of silly. Why. What’s the value added? Is the value added what we get in a Trade? Maybe? But I doubt DJ will OK trading reilly if it means he will have to play Wolanin or brannstrom in that spot?
Heck he may just give those minutes to coburn

 

[GCK]

Well I mean he really isnt. The only times he has played at an NHL level was with Zub. Brannstrom or Wolanin never got that opportunity.

Wolanin can’t defend a lick and Brannstromm isn’t there yet. Brannstromm will pass Reilly soon but that’s a low bar. Hopefully Brannstromm is firmly entrenched ahead of Reilly by the TDL.

 

[bert]

Wolanin can’t defend a lick and Brannstromm isn’t there yet. Brannstromm will pass Reilly soon but that’s a low bar. Hopefully Brannstromm is firmly entrenched ahead of Reilly by the TDL.

Reilly is just as bad look at the last two games where he leaves his man to screen his own goalie. Never seen such a terrible defender in sens history since the expansion era.

 

[GCK]

I actually don’t hate reilly. Last year I sang his praises basically every game he played. But i recognize there’s no potential there. Especially on this team. These big reps he’s getting are sort of silly. Why. What’s the value added? Is the value added what we get in a Trade? Maybe? But I doubt DJ will OK trading reilly if it means he will have to play Wolanin or brannstrom in that spot?
Heck he may just give those minutes to coburn

Reilly definitely has no future here but DJ is bringing Brannstromm along slowly. I trust in DJ’s method of growing our 21 year old D man.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Reilly definitely has no future here but DJ is bringing Brannstromm along slowly. I trust in DJ’s method of growing our 21 year old D man.

There’s Wolanin as wel.

 

[GCK]

Reilly is just as bad look at the last two games where he leaves his man to screen his own goalie. Never seen such a terrible defender in sens history since the expansion era.

Wolanin is somehow worse. Honestly, I’m not defending Reilly it’s more an indictment of the others.

 

[GCK]

There’s Wolanin as wel.

It doesn’t look good for Wolanin’s future here. He has been making the same mistakes over and over. I wish he would succeed but it’s not looking good.

 

[jbeck5]

The way i look at it is " you can't teach an old dog new tricks" with the vets. But with Brannstrom, you absolutely can get bad tendencies out of his game at this age. He will be back tomorrow, no biggie

I get what you're saying but gudbranson is still only 29. Countless examples of players transforming their game to be more effective in their late 20s. So to give up a coaching technique for that reason seems like a bad idea.

That's about the age Yzerman became much better defensively.
That's about the age Chara went from a bottom pair defenseman to a top pair defenseman.
That's about the age Sheldon souray went from a primarily defensive defenseman to an offensive one too.
Thats about the age Stevens went from a primarily offensive defenseman to a defensive one.

Clearly you wouldn't scratch those players as they were way ahead of gudbranson, but did their coaches assume they couldn't be coached or change their game up?

 

[Burrowsaurus]

It doesn’t look good for Wolanin’s future here. He has been making the same mistakes over and over. I wish he would succeed but it’s not looking good.

I don’t think he’s significantly worse than reilly or coburn on their bad nights.

like all their bad games are shit. And it’s moooostly bad games

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

I get what you're saying but gudbranson is still only 29. Countless examples of players transforming their game to be more effective in their late 20s. So to give up a coaching technique for that reason seems like a bad idea.

That's about the age Yzerman became much better defensively.
That's about the age Chara went from a bottom pair defenseman to a top pair defenseman.
That's about the age Sheldon souray went from a primarily defensive defenseman to an offensive one too.
Thats about the age Stevens went from a primarily offensive defenseman to a defensive one.

Clearly you wouldn't scratch those players as they were way ahead of gudbranson, but did their coaches assume they couldn't be coached or change their game up?

Won't comment on the other points, but Chara was clearly on the Sens second pairing (with Phillips) from the age of about 25.

 

[cudi]

I get what you're saying but gudbranson is still only 29. Countless examples of players transforming their game to be more effective in their late 20s. So to give up a coaching technique for that reason seems like a bad idea.

That's about the age Yzerman became much better defensively.
That's about the age Chara went from a bottom pair defenseman to a top pair defenseman.
That's about the age Sheldon souray went from a primarily defensive defenseman to an offensive one too.
Thats about the age Stevens went from a primarily offensive defenseman to a defensive one.

Clearly you wouldn't scratch those players as they were way ahead of gudbranson, but did their coaches assume they couldn't be coached or change their game up?

All those players had at the very least decent puck skills (just talkin the Dmen). Gudbranson and the puck are enemies. They do not get along.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Wolanin can’t defend a lick and Brannstromm isn’t there yet. Brannstromm will pass Reilly soon but that’s a low bar. Hopefully Brannstromm is firmly entrenched ahead of Reilly by the TDL.

Based on the games I've seen, I don't think Wolanin's biggest problem is his "defending" ... it's his decision making with the puck on his stick. I've seen several times when he has time and is looking for a pass out of his own end and panics fairly quickly....and he usually then ices it.

I really think that missing the extended period of time followed by maybe a bit of a rough start this year, has caused him to lose his confidence with the puck.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

We have a top pair D in Chabot and a bunch of bottom pair D and a couple #7s for a D corps.

 

[bert]

Wolanin is somehow worse. Honestly, I’m not defending Reilly it’s more an indictment of the others.

I just dont agree. While both have been really bad, one player has been given the chance to work through his mistakes and play with a bunch of different partners. The other has not.

 

[jbeck5]

Won't comment on the other points, but Chara was clearly on the Sens second pairing (with Phillips) from the age of about 25.

My thinking was we got him at 24. Started third pair. 2nd year he was 2nd pairing. Third year he was first pair. I guess 26 is more mid 20s than late 30s... You can scratch him.

The others remain, plus many others I haven't mentioned who transformed after like 500 NHL games or as they approach 30.

To just give up on coaching techniques because they are what they are doesn't seem like a good approach.

Van Allen was a defensive liability until like 27-28 then became a very strong defensive forward because he realized he had to change his game to be effective at this level.

Marchand was a 50-60 point player until like 27-28 and now he's a 90 point player because he kept developing his skills.

Carkner was a middling AHL defenseman until 28 then played almost 250 NHL games.

All these players are different, but they can change for the better or worse, and sometimes being scratched can do them good.