Prospect Info: Is Adam Brooks that good?

[seventieslord]

I don't think it was a near 50% drop, he was dressed but didn't actually get ice time in 4-5 games

...it's 4-5 games now? just a day ago it was 2-3.

 

[tooncesmeow]

I think a big point of the draft of 2016 was that the Leafs were trying to target market inefficiencies. Adam Brooks development was listed as similar to that of a 2nd round pick in his draft year by some study that popped up during the draft. The Leafs saw a hole they could exploit and Brooks is still producing, he'll be going into the AHL this year and that's not really a bad thing for him. There's going to be a lot of talent to be bounced off him.

I don't have any expectations for the kid but I'm really interested as a general hockey fan (along with being a Leafs fan) to see how guys like Khroshkov and Brooks turn out. There's no reason to doubt him yet though, he's definitely graduated to the AHL.

 

[seventieslord]

I think a big point of the draft of 2016 was that the Leafs were trying to target market inefficiencies. Adam Brooks development was listed as similar to that of a 2nd round pick in his draft year by some study that popped up during the draft. The Leafs saw a hole they could exploit and Brooks is still producing, he'll be going into the AHL this year and that's not really a bad thing for him. There's going to be a lot of talent to be bounced off him.

I don't have any expectations for the kid but I'm really interested as a general hockey fan (along with being a Leafs fan) to see how guys like Khroshkov and Brooks turn out. There's no reason to doubt him yet though, he's definitely graduated to the AHL.

Absolutely. I think the market inefficiences thing will prove to be a wise strategy. It may be Brooks, it may be a couple of other players, but we'll make good on something from that draft.

That whole thing I posted about what happens to 4th round drafted forwards wouldn't really apply if Brooks was truly a 2nd round caliber prospect.

 

[Randy Randerson]

...it's 4-5 games now? just a day ago it was 2-3.

it was 3 as of Apr 21: https://www.pressreader.com/canada/regina-leader-post/20170421/281968902567506

then dressed and missed May 14: http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/t...championship-seattle-thunderbirds-regina-pats

as best I can gather: Regina had 23 gp, Brooks played 17 of which he didn't actually skate for 4, missed 6. 5 of 17 were before he got hurt, 6 was a partial game due to the injury, he was scratched for 5 of his last 6 games and was dressed but did not play for the last one.

that leaves 13 games actually played (which is really 12 and a bit, because he left the game that he got hurt in the first period) , with 18pts = ~1.4ppg. Of his 13 games actual games played, 7 of them came in between the injury and sitting 6 games to end his junior career - if that doesn't scream asterisk to you, you're living in a glass-half-empty world

 

[seventieslord]

it was 3 as of Apr 21: https://www.pressreader.com/canada/regina-leader-post/20170421/281968902567506

then dressed and missed May 14: http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/t...championship-seattle-thunderbirds-regina-pats

as best I can gather: Regina had 23 gp, Brooks played 17 of which he didn't actually skate for 4, missed 6. 5 of 17 were before he got hurt, 6 was a partial game due to the injury, he was scratched for 5 of his last 6 games and was dressed but did not play for the last one.

that leaves 13 games actually played (which is really 12 and a bit, because he left the game that he got hurt in the first period) , with 18pts = ~1.4ppg. Of his 13 games actual games played, 7 of them came in between the injury and sitting 6 games to end his junior career - if that doesn't scream asterisk to you, you're living in a glass-half-empty world

No, I agree. Thank you for all the supporting information. I'd have liked to see better than 1.4, but it's not outside the normal range either.

 

[Randy Randerson]

No, I agree. Thank you for all the supporting information. I'd have liked to see better than 1.4, but it's not outside the normal range either.

before he got hurt he was at 1.8ppg, seems like there's a really good case that the injury hurt his production too.

He was going to be one of the top players in the WHL in the playoffs, but the concern for him should really be about his transition to pro. To me this season comes as an affirmation that he's a real prospect, now it's just about the next hurdle

Stylistically, I like the way he projects to our lineup - all the scouting on him, and fan opinion from people who watch the Pats, is that he doesn't stand out but then ends up with 2-4 pt nights all the time in games where he wasn't noticed. His best offensive talents (imo) are his abilities to get into dangerous spots unnoticed and make quick decisions to get the puck either on net or to a team mate who's in scoring position. We have lots of guys on the NHL roster who will be possession drivers and love to have the puck on their stick, we could use some guys to supplement them who are dangerous offensively without lots of possession time

 

[seventieslord]

before he got hurt he was at 1.8ppg, seems like there's a really good case that the injury hurt his production too.

He was going to be one of the top players in the WHL in the playoffs, but the concern for him should really be about his transition to pro. To me this season comes as an affirmation that he's a real prospect, now it's just about the next hurdle

Stylistically, I like the way he projects to our lineup - all the scouting on him, and fan opinion from people who watch the Pats, is that he doesn't stand out but then ends up with 2-4 pt nights all the time in games where he wasn't noticed. His best offensive talents (imo) are his abilities to get into dangerous spots unnoticed and make quick decisions to get the puck either on net or to a team mate who's in scoring position. We have lots of guys on the NHL roster who will be possession drivers and love to have the puck on their stick, we could use some guys to supplement them who are dangerous offensively without lots of possession time

I'd like to see how his intangibles translate to the pro game as well. A lot of what we've heard of him has been that he doesn't have to make it as a scorer, he could play in the bottom 6. Sometimes a guy looks great defensively or competitively, but it's just a case of being so much more skilled than the competition (which Brooks was this season) so those things come fairly easy at that level. Just like his offense won't be the same level in the AHL, it's likely his defense, faceoffs, corner work, etc, won't be, so the degree to which those parts suffer from increased competition will be key for him - that is, if he doesn't prove to have top-6 upside, which he very well may.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Connor Brown.

This is who he sounds like to me, but a C.

....of which we only have 4 in the organization, after the Leafs.

 

[diceman934]

While his offensive output is impressive, a big strike against him is that he was sent back to the WHL as a 20 year old for his 5th CHL season.

After putting up 120 points and leading the WHL in scoring in 2015-16 before the Leafs drafted him, you would think that since he was already 20 years old (& completed his mandatory 4 years of CHL service), Leafs would have turned him pro and Brooks played for the Marlies and not back in Regina.

What would a player that already lead the league is scoring have left from junior hockey to prove, and what was the reason Leafs management sent him back?

The future potential of a player that plays 5 years in CHL is questionable, and usually reserved for only undrafted players that really have no place else to go.

All that said, lets hope Brooks is a late bloomer and Leafs get some value from this draft pick, as there is little risk involved and only potential reward here from using a mid round pick on a small, but high scoring junior player.

Two things here: I) he wanted to go back 2) contract limits

It was a win win situation playing for a pro coach in a large role... Leafs made the right decision.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I'd like to see how his intangibles translate to the pro game as well. A lot of what we've heard of him has been that he doesn't have to make it as a scorer, he could play in the bottom 6. Sometimes a guy looks great defensively or competitively, but it's just a case of being so much more skilled than the competition (which Brooks was this season) so those things come fairly easy at that level. Just like his offense won't be the same level in the AHL, it's likely his defense, faceoffs, corner work, etc, won't be, so the degree to which those parts suffer from increased competition will be key for him - that is, if he doesn't prove to have top-6 upside, which he very well may.

I think alot of the scouting on his tools would suggest he's not a guy who would have produced at the rates that he did for the last 2 years in the dub as well, but again I think that has a lot to do with how little time he spends with the puck on his stick rather than his actual abilities.

personally I don't see beyond "second line" upside, but I think we'll see a continuing trend towards "top 9" rather than "top 6" where the third line wingers on good teams are what we think of as second line talent - so a stockpile of that kind of talent that's inexpensive will be very important I think

Interested to see what his AHL debut looks like assuming that's where he ends up, lot of room for centers on the Marlies right now so he might bypass the Kapanen treatment a little bit and play up the lineup right away rather than in a pure checking role

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Brooks and Brown are comparable in so many ways that it is uncanny. Basically we have another Connor Brown finding his way. He had two solid years where he was given full opportunity and completely crushed it. Make no mistake about it, Brooks was the Pats most valuable player.

The doubt some have is par for the course. Marner was doubted by the Majority last year this time. Brooks will be a go to player for the Marlies within a couple months of being there next year.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Brooks and Brown are comparable in so many ways that it is uncanny. Basically we have another Connor Brown finding his way. He had two solid years where he was given full opportunity and completely crushed it. Make no mistake about it, Brooks was the Pats most valuable player.

The doubt some have is par for the course. Marner was doubted by the Majority last year this time. Brooks will be a go to player for the Marlies within a couple months of being there next year.

I wouldn't be surprised if Brooks is not offered an ELC and is signed to an AHL deal. Brooks is not on or near Marner level.

 

[Iapyi]

I'd like to see how his intangibles translate to the pro game as well. A lot of what we've heard of him has been that he doesn't have to make it as a scorer, he could play in the bottom 6. Sometimes a guy looks great defensively or competitively, but it's just a case of being so much more skilled than the competition (which Brooks was this season) so those things come fairly easy at that level. Just like his offense won't be the same level in the AHL, it's likely his defense, faceoffs, corner work, etc, won't be, so the degree to which those parts suffer from increased competition will be key for him - that is, if he doesn't prove to have top-6 upside, which he very well may.

so like i initially said it's about more then stats and numbers. there were valid reasons his PPG in the playoffs was below his regular season numnbers and as we can now see it was not really close to the half that you originally said.

 

[Canada4Gold]

He reminds me of Connor Brown.

Big scorer who spent a lot of time in Junior and always has people discrediting his production. (Overage, plays with McDavid, etc.)

The team will take their time with him like they did with Brown. He'll marinate in the AHL for 2+ seasons and if he's ready he'll be an NHLer.

Brown didn't play his overage year. Way too many fans of other teams make this mistake.

He played a lot of that time without McDavid too. Fox was his center for a majority of the year IIRC

 

[Canada4Gold]

Brown is a fairly decent comparable I think though. Didn't have that great production in his draft year which lead to Brown being a 6th rounder and Brooks not drafted in his first 2 go around. Amazing draft +2 year but Brooks was still only a 4th rounder(probably should have been higher though). Brown's draft+3 he was about 0.8 ppg in the AHL though. I doubt Brooks would have done that this year in the AHL so I'd say he's a level below Brown but who knows. I guess we'll see next year if he can get anywhere near PPG.

 

[bonjovi0308]

Brooks sounds like the type of player that Babcock likes. I think he could become top 9 for the Leafs in the future, maybe replacing Kadri when he matures in a few years, or more likely playing on wing similar to Connor Brown's role, who plays some solid defense and chip in some offense. I think Brooks will have direct competition against Gauthier and particularly Bracco for spots on the big club.

 

[Mr Hockey]

I have a feeling I am one of the few that have seen him play in here

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