RD Hunter Brzustewicz - Kitchener Rangers, WHL (2023, 75th, VAN; traded to CAL)

[Rowlet]

Good for Canucks if they truly did sell high, especially if the rumour is true that he didn't want to sign in Vancouver. They managed to get a 1st round pick's value out of a 3rd round pick 6 months later.

It's also worth noting that Calgary had supposedly been high on him for a while, they even traded into the 3rd while he was still on the board only for the Canucks to take him a few picks earlier.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I hate when a fans of a selling team immediately start trashing a player to defend their decision.

If you weren't saying it before the trade, don't say it immediately after the trade.

 

[M2Beezy]

Ive been thinking that Bryz is trash and I think it was a good decision by Canuck management to trade him when they did

I thought a lot about this before the trade and am now quite convinced of my pre-trade thoughts on the prospect

 

[HighLifeMan]

He is really struggling and overmatched defensively lately. Very turnover prone recently aswell.
Kitchener’s schedule has had a string of 12 games against a lot of the top offensive teams and Bruz has been exposed over that stretch.

Canucks seem to have unloaded him at an opportune time.

Ahh yes.. the dreaded 7 game cold streak that determines a players worth.

This board is ridiculous.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ive been thinking that Bryz is trash and I think it was a good decision by Canuck management to trade him when they did

I thought a lot about this before the trade and am now quite convinced of my pre-trade thoughts on the prospect

Proof that you were saying this before the trade?

 

[Rowlet]

I hate when a fans of a selling team immediately start trashing a player to defend their decision.

If you weren't saying it before the trade, don't say it immediately after the trade.

Being skeptical about potential =/= trashing.

Additionally, there are a lot of Canuck fans here, it's very likely that the ones who were high on him before, simply aren't commenting now. The ones who are visibly skeptical were likely skeptical before the trade too.

I liked Brz and didn't want to trade him, but that doesn't mean I can't see the flaws in his game currently.

 

[MS]

I hate when a fans of a selling team immediately start trashing a player to defend their decision.

If you weren't saying it before the trade, don't say it immediately after the trade.

Just for the record, here are my comments from 6 weeks before the trade :

RD Hunter Brzustewicz - Kitchener Rangers, WHL (2023, 75th, VAN; traded to CAL)

Understood that they have a strong forward group, but it is rare that a top 3 pick doesn't even make the prelim roster. Not a lock for top 3. Probably not even a lock for top 5. It’s the weakest D they’ve had in a long time. Probably 2020? I don't think the unit is all that bad.

forums.hfboards.com

I'd put Brz in about the same category as Jordan Dumais. Good use of a 3rd round pick, love the production, right idea to invest in skill, has seen his stock rise somewhat in a re-draft BUT there are some huge question marks/warts here and I'm going to wait-and-see how he handles the transition to the AHL before I'm getting on any sort of hype train here.

Some of the hype from fellow Canuck fans based on stat-watching is getting carried away '1st round in a re-draft!' and that sort of thing.

It's a hard road to be a small, slow skill defender in the NHL. Rasmus Sandin looks like he'll stick as a useful 4-5 guy and that might be Brz' upside but there aren't many guys like this, and for every Sandin there are a fair few Adam Clendenings.

There were obviously a few fanboys going overboard with the production but most credible Canuck posters here I think were relatively in line with this.

Right now there's just a lot of WTFing from Canuck fans who have been following this player about the 'next Adam Fox' stuff coming from Flames fans and media.

 

[Holden Caufield]

Ahh yes.. the dreaded 7 game cold streak that determines a players worth.

This board is ridiculous.

I didn’t even realize he wasn’t scoring recently.
Just watching him struggle defensively, routinely turn the puck over, and make bad decisions in his own end is more what I was referencing. He is costing Kitchener games.

But you’re right, I’m sure the assist train will get back on track eventually. He can put the puck on a tee and knows how to work it around on a power play.

 

[UrbanImpact]

He is really struggling and overmatched defensively lately. Very turnover prone recently aswell.
Kitchener’s schedule has had a string of 12 games against a lot of the top offensive teams and Bruz has been exposed over that stretch.

Canucks seem to have unloaded him at an opportune time.

Thanks for the input, im still trying to follow Hunter here and there since he was traded but havent done so as much. I've only noticed the drop in his stats and even playing time a bit.

I didn’t even realize he wasn’t scoring recently.
Just watching him struggle defensively, routinely turn the puck over, and make bad decisions in his own end is more what I was referencing. He is costing Kitchener games.

But you’re right, I’m sure the assist train will get back on track eventually. He can put the puck on a tee and knows how to work it around on a power play.

Youre going to get accused of being a Canuck fan

 

[UrbanImpact]

Ahh yes.. the dreaded 7 game cold streak that determines a players worth.

This board is ridiculous.

Poster said 12 games tho

 

[Jives]

His dad did pass away at a very young age right before the bad streak he is on. He had a very solid game last night. I’m giving him a pass over the past couple of weeks. I was shocked he didn’t take a little personal time off with what happened.

 

[nucksflailtogether]

His dad did pass away at a very young age right before the bad streak he is on. He had a very solid game last night. I’m giving him a pass over the past couple of weeks. I was shocked he didn’t take a little personal time off with what happened.

Jeez..RIP. We never know what’s going on behind the scenes.

 

[UrbanImpact]

yep i mentioned it earlier that i hope everything was okay because he missed a game on jan 27th for personal reason.

Explains the drop of performance.

All the best to Hunter

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

yep i mentioned it earlier that i hope everything was okay because he missed a game on jan 27th for personal reason.

Explains the drop of performance.

All the best to Hunter

I don't mean to sound like a dick but losing a family member doesn't mean your going to have a drop in play, for me it was the exact opposite and there are many examples of athletes using that as inspiration. The figure skater from the 2010 Canadian national team is a good one.

In a case like Brock where hockey is actively keeping you away of an ongoing terminal illness I get it.

 

[Jives]

I don't mean to sound like a dick but losing a family member doesn't mean your going to have a drop in play, for me it was the exact opposite and there are many examples of athletes using that as inspiration. The figure skater from the 2010 Canadian national team is a good one.

In a case like Brock where hockey is actively keeping you away of an ongoing terminal illness I get it.

Everyone handles shit differently. You do sound like a bit of a dick. But you probably know that when you start off….i don’t mean to sound like a dick….

 

[VanJack]

I don't think anyone is 'trashing' Hunter Brzustewicz and what he's accomplished this year in the OHL.

It's just that when the Canucks traded for Lindholm, they were trading from a position of strength in terms of young blueliners.

They've already signed the other Elias Pettersson (the young Swedish d-man); Kiril Kudryavtsev and Sawyer Mynio. And they have high hopes for Tom Wilander, their first round pick from year ago playing at Boston University.

I hope Brzustewicz has a long and successful career in Calgary. But from a Canucks standpoint, one of the benefits of a solid draft and stockpiling prospect depth, is that you get an opportunity to improve your club today by trading a kid like Brzustewicz.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

I don't mean to sound like a dick but losing a family member doesn't mean your going to have a drop in play, for me it was the exact opposite and there are many examples of athletes using that as inspiration. The figure skater from the 2010 Canadian national team is a good one.

In a case like Brock where hockey is actively keeping you away of an ongoing terminal illness I get it.

Yikes.

 

[Habsrule]

I live in Kitchener and to add to his dad passing away in January, he also had a grandpa pass away around Christmas time.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I live in Kitchener and to add to his dad passing away in January, he also had a grandpa pass away around Christmas time.

thats horrible

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Ahh yes.. the dreaded 7 game cold streak that determines a players worth.

This board is ridiculous.

Only half the board.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

7 games 0+0
and now 8 points in 4 (3+5)

---

77 points (11 goals) in 54 games. He is back on 100 (almost) point season.
- but continue with current pace, in 2 games, he IS back.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

he is back for the 100 point hunt.
- gets another 2 assists.

although, not that long time ago he was pushing for 100 assists.. (now 90),
but getting just 2 assists in 8 games hurt that a lot

 

[nuxnux1]

Honestly not that high on him, not sure if his skill will translate to the nhl

See I wasn’t crazy about him before the trade!!!

 

[LeafChief]

So Canucks traded him and he's bad now, right?

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

He reminds me of Rasmus Andersson in the OHL. Clearly an NHL brain but has to hit the gym and add a step and a little snarl.