Confirmed with Link: Hunter Brzustewicz, 3 year deal $950k AAV

[Ace Rimmer]

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[Lunatik]

Nice! Welcome to the C of Red Bruiser

 

[super6646]

Next Adam Fox/Jack Kennedy

 

[joescores]

Very excited about it!

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Thrilled to have him. Hate the Fox comparisons simply because it feels like setting up expectations for failure.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

What is the pronunciation on his name again? Just coming back to what his nickname should be because noone wants to type his full name out, lol
Personally I feel "Bruiser" would be a fit if he was physically imposing, but he's not.
Brewski only works if that is actually how his name sounds...

 

[Master Bill]

What is the pronunciation on his name again? Just coming back to what his nickname should be because noone wants to type his full name out, lol
Personally I feel "Bruiser" would be a fit if he was physically imposing, but he's not.
Brewski only works if that is actually how his name sounds...

Brew-steh-vich

 

[Bert Mckrakken]

Well there goes the naysayers saying he wouldn't sign here.

Stoked hes officially in the pipeline now!

 

[Fig]

What is the pronunciation on his name again? Just coming back to what his nickname should be because noone wants to type his full name out, lol
Personally I feel "Bruiser" would be a fit if he was physically imposing, but he's not.
Brewski only works if that is actually how his name sounds...

If he sucks, it can be Bru~tal?
If he's amazing, it can be Hnnng~ter?

 

[super6646]

Thrilled to have him. Hate the Fox comparisons simply because it feels like setting up expectations for failure.

Okay I said Jack Kennedy too. I don't want to set the bar too high after all.

 

[Mitts]

This is great news, extremely happy to have him on board !

 

[Khrox]

Hate the Fox comparisons

He already beat my Fox expectations by signing here

 

[Lunatik]

Thrilled to have him. Hate the Fox comparisons simply because it feels like setting up expectations for failure.

I'd ignore all comparisons and just stick to what they say about his game.

From a Hockey news article:

“He understands the game, sees the ice and delivers pucks to the right people at the right time,” said one scout.
“If he was bigger and more rounded, he’d have been a first-round pick,” the scout said. “If you ask him to play to his strengths, you’ll be happy.”

Pre-Draft from Hockey Writers:

“Brzustewicz is the exact type of player a contending team will rush to the podium to draft in the back end of the first round in the 2023 draft. He is a smooth-skating, intelligent right-shot defenseman who is calm under pressure and should be able to play an NHL role sooner than most other defensemen in the class. While he lacks high-end puck skills, a threatening shot, and aggressive transition defensive habits – such as a tight gap – he does a lot of things very well and simplifies the game, which makes him a valuable diffuser of play under forechecking pressure.” – Sebastian High, Dobber Prospects
“Passes it like a pro, with pace and accuracy. Can run a PP1 in junior, but will that skill project to the next level?” – Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet
“He’s the perfect blend of skill and strength. He’s got a relatively small frame but makes up for it in muscle. One of the more impressive aspects of his game is his ability to use his upper body strength to shake off his opponent, freeing up lanes to break out the puck.” – Ben Jordan, Smaht Scouting

LWOS:

Brzustewicz is an above average straight line skater. Skating forwards or backwards, he doesn’t fall behind the play, but he can get beaten by faster players off the rush or in races. However, his four-way mobility is excellent, all thanks to his incredible edges. He can walk the blue line better than most, and can change speeds and stop on pucks easily. That mostly makes up for his lack of a high end speed.
On top of his edges, his stride mechanics are smooth and mostly sound. That will make NHL skating coaches very happy and willing to work with him. That should go to show that his top end speed will be fixed. That does not mean he will be an elite skater by any means, but he’ll improve enough where he isn’t losing those races anymore, or getting beat off the rush.

Brzustewicz’s biggest strength (arguably) is his transitional game. He moves the puck exceptionally well as a defender. He’s not afraid to stretch the ice out and be effective in doing so. The Rangers and his linemates also recognize his abilities, as he is almost always the player facilitating the rush up ice with his passes.
As for his abilities to defend the rush, he is mostly solid. The biggest problem is his skating speed, causing his edges to be a little too easy to gain the zone, to avoid getting beaten wide. However, if he can gap up well, his ability to use his stick to angle opposing forwards wide and away from the middle is exceptional.

Brzustewicz is not the best in his own end, but he also isn’t a liability. Again, as mentioned before, his active stick allows him to discourage players from attacking the middle. However, when a team possesses the puck for a bit in his end, his positioning can become spotty.
But again, Brzustewicz is a solid defensive player for the most part. His transitional abilities and how well he moves the puck up ice and away from his own end makes him even better. Again, his active stick proves to be effective time and time again, keeping plays mostly away from the scoring areas. He just needs to refine his positioning, and he could be a solid two-way presence.

My NHL Draft (I assume the dates are from is draft year):

Scott Wheeler - The Athletic - June 5th: "Brzustewicz is a mobile and strong kid who has worked hard to fill out his frame (the lost season helped with that), defends the rush effectively and is now getting to show that he has always had more offense to his game than his production at the program (where players like Seamus Casey and Lane Hutson were awarded greater opportunities offensively) showed last season."
Chris Peters - Flo Hockey - June 1st: "With 57 points in 68 games, he was able to show more offense than he did as a U18 and made some mature decisions with the puck. His footwork is a big part of his overall game and projection as he can still afford to be better defensively."
Corey Pronman - The Athletic - May 30th: "Brzustewicz is a dangerous player with the puck on his stick. He has great offensive sense and patience with the puck. Brzustewicz makes a lot of difficult plays through seams."
Jason Bukala - Sportsnet - May 5th: "Leans two-way 'D' and has the ability to escape from pressure in his zone and lead the rush offensivel. Active on the offensive blue line extending plays. Competes. Has some bump to his game and was used in all situations at the OHL level."

 

[Mobiandi]

 

[Lunatik]

Love that Bruiser has a personality, that is great stuff.