TJ Brennan: What's his deal?

[Quares27]

He can't play D. Simple. A team like the Leafs who struggled defensively had no use for an an offensive d-man who can't play D, especially when we already had Phaneuf, Gardiner, Rielly and Franson on the PP.

 

[sommervr]

For those saying he was brutal defensively - did anyone actually watch him play for the Marlies last season?

I watched quite a few Marlies games last season, and while there were serious questions about his defensive game, he improved significantly over the course of the year and was no longer a liability.

He didn't get his chance because Nonis and Carlyle. Simple as. He will go elsewhere (Islanders), and turn that small deal into a bigger one by playing relatively decently in the NHL this season, and Carlyle and Nonis will once again look like fools for making a mistake judging talent.

I'm not saying he's anything special; but he's a serviceable NHL Dman who should have had at least a small look in last season - especially when Gleason, Franson, and Phaneuf forgot how to play in the NHL.

He did get better and he did deserve a look. Even if we did call him up Randy wouldn't have played him and we would have lost him to waivers.

Honestly though only Percy and Granberg (and liles) really showed NHL level defensive zone play. All the other D had way too many brainfarts and blown coverages.

I would say that at the end of the season Brennan was as good as any of the lower tier. Holzer improved as well.

 

[Tak7]

He did get better and he did deserve a look. Even if we did call him up Randy wouldn't have played him and we would have lost him to waivers.

Honestly though only Percy and Granberg (and liles) really showed NHL level defensive zone play. All the other D had way too many brainfarts and blown coverages.

I would say that at the end of the season Brennan was as good as any of the lower tier. Holzer improved as well.

Yep.

I think it feeds more to the point about the overall problem with this team right now - it has no direction.

You can lump Brennan in with guys like Ashton and Holland - players that probably should have had a better look last year, but didn't, because the pressure is on this team to win now rather than to develop and think long term. Instead, players like Gleason and Franson struggled for the entire year and Jay McClement played over 17 minutes a night for a quarter of the regular season.

Ultimately it comes down to asset management, and they haven't managed their assets very well - TJ Brennan is another great example of that.

 

[Lauro]

It would have taken 5 games at most until he woulf have been the new scapegoat here.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

For those asking, TJ Brennan wasn't re-signed because his defensive game is sub-par and his points are reflective of a Marlies team that build their PP around him. His stats are deceiving without knowing how he was used in the AHL.

That said, the top scoring dman in the AHL. Voted top dman in AHL. Top plus man on the Marlies....would have been nice to sign him for $600,000.00.

 

[TLeafsFan]

For those asking, TJ Brennan wasn't re-signed because his defensive game is sub-par and his points are reflective of a Marlies team that build their PP around him. His stats are deceiving without knowing how he was used in the AHL.

That said, the top scoring dman in the AHL. Voted top dman in AHL. Top plus man on the Marlies....would have been nice to sign him for $600,000.00.

Yep. Pretty sad that he won the AHL's version of the Norris and we couldn't commit to $600k contract.

My guess is that it was because Phaneuf failed to get moved so no openings on the roster, given that it is still currently teeming with offensive D men.