TJ Brodie is a very underrated defenseman

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I see a lot of people say Brodie is simply a 3-4 Dman and nothing special. Yet Brodie plays extremely tough minutes often, and without Giordano is using babysitting defenseman that aren't even NHL caliber. All while sporting the 9th best zone adjusted 5 on 5 CA60RelTM from 2013-2017 (2013-2014 season counts only, not the lockout).

His CF60RelTM is not very good and his team mates produce more CF60 when he's not on the ice, but still his overall CF%RelTM and especially his CA60 relativism are all excellent. Brodie's 40th out of 180+ defenseman in the league out of every Dman who played at least 2,000 minutes since 2013-2017 in zone adjusted 5 on 5 scoring so it's not like he's not producing either. Brodie generally speaking has the best high danger prevention on his own team and his relative high danger prevention per 60 is among the best in the league on a team that gives up a lot of high danger chances overall.

So why do a lot of people consider him as just some 3-4 D that was entirely carried by Giordano? Brodie made Giordano as good as Giordano made him good.

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[Foppberg]

Very good, not elite.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Very good, not elite.

He's not elite because he's not a top 10 Dman in the league I agree. But very good can still be #1 caliber D. If you consider him a #2 or lower D, find me at least 30 defenseman better than him (And still let me warn you I'm ready to debate anyone even if they bring up 30 random names). But if you think there are 60-90 different defenseman better than him, you wouldn't be considered a sane person to my eyes lol.

 

[chunkylover53]

He's properly rated now...didn't a poll ranking dman last year put him in the top 25?

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

He's properly rated now...didn't a poll ranking dman last year put him in the top 25?

He is definitely a top 25 Dman lol. If people are saying Nashville have 4 #1Dman, Brodie is definitely a top 25 Dman. Can you name 25 better than him that aren't very debatable?

 

[McBaevid]

Underrated how? Most have him appropriately rated as a solid #2 dman

 

[LeafFever]

I've seen non-stop talk of him being underrated for 3 years. So is he still underrated?

 

[DL44]

This again...

The eye test defensively does not match the hand selected stats.

Offensively fine overall.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

This again...

The eye test defensively does not match the hand selected stats.

Offensively fine overall.

Brodie's eye test defense is actually the first thing people who love his defensive play use to judge him defensively. Brodie's ability to suppress shots, the places he makes sure the shots go, eliminating dangerous scoring chances, stick work, positioning, etc. are all excellent. He's fantastic at moving the puck out of the zone as well. The beginning of the season was the only real time he was weak in it, and even then Wideman made it look a lot worse than it really is.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Underrated how? Most have him appropriately rated as a solid #2 dman

What counts as a #2 Dman? If you mean 31-60 overall defenseman in the entire league, Brodie is not even a #2, yet alone simply solid (Basically 45-50 Dman overall). Brodie is a lowend #1 Dman if you consider the top 30 Dman as #1Dman. He's definitely a top 30 and top 25 Dman. Maybe a top 20, but I wouldn't count on that.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I've seen non-stop talk of him being underrated for 3 years. So is he still underrated?

Depends, if people are saying he's a great #2 while saying he's underrated, he's still underrated. If people are saying he's a top 15 Dman, okay you have a point he's no longer being underrated and maybe being overrated.

 

[McBaevid]

What counts as a #2 Dman? If you mean 31-60 overall defenseman in the entire league, Brodie is not even a #2, yet alone simply solid (Basically 45-50 Dman overall). Brodie is a lowend #1 Dman if you consider the top 30 Dman as #1Dman. He's definitely a top 30 and top 25 Dman. Maybe a top 20, but I wouldn't count on that.

I can see the argument for him being a low end #1 but
I don't evaluate defensemen based off the # of teams in the league. Personally, I think that's pretty idiotic. There isn't 31 #1Ds in the league that are actually capable #1Defencemen. There also isn't 31 #1C's.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I can see the argument for him being a low end #1 but
I don't evaluate defensemen based off the # of teams in the league. Personally, I think that's pretty idiotic. There isn't 31 #1Ds in the league that are actually capable #1Defencemen. There also isn't 31 #1C's.

Well that's fair and if you don't base it on that model, thinking he's a #2 D is valid and reasonable. But I've seen those that do the 30-60-90-120-150-180 model for ranking Dman that think he's a 3-4. Seriously those people actually think there are 90 defenseman better than him? Lol....

 

[PsYcNeT]

Brodie is only very good/bordering elite when he gets to play on his natural side, which, looking at Calgary's foreseeable D roster, will be likely never for at least 2-3 more years.

 

[Pick87your71Poison]

Wasn't he ranked like #15 in a ranking of defenseman that was done on here just earlier this year? I don't see how he can be considered underrated if we had him in that spot and definitely not enough to warrant a thread.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Brodie is only very good/bordering elite when he gets to play on his natural side, which, looking at Calgary's foreseeable D roster, will be likely never for at least 2-3 more years.

Nah when Stone an elite #5 (Top 150 D) paired with him, he looked like the Brodie of the past, aka a top 25 Dman. Imagine having an elite RHD with him that fits his style?

 

[Gavy]

Holy ****. I hear about how Brodie is underated as much as i hear that Toews is overrated or that Dion on the leafs is overratrd.

 

[ESH]

Brodie was awful to start the year, and the fact that he was carrying around the corpse of Wideman didn't help. He got better as the year went on though, and showed Flames fans why we were so excited about him after the 15-16 season. I'm sure he'll have a much better season next year, especially playing with a guy like Hamonic. His best asset is his skating, and if Gulutzan lets him use he can be one of the Flames most effective players.

 

[Volica]

Exellent Dman entering his prime.
He made Wideman, Engelland and non-NHL'ers look like bonafide hockey players.

When Stone entered the picture, even though he was more of a bottom pair guy in all reality; he made him look like an excellent top 4 option. Flames are lucky to have some depth now on the blueline. Having that 'big 3' was awesome... except the fact our coaches continuously marched out lesser/AHL talent on the 3rd pair every night to get swallowed up.

 

[FlamerForLife]

He's a great player and person, Flames fans love him.
No need to make these threads, where he's just going to get bashed by other teams fans.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I see a lot of people say Brodie is simply a 3-4 Dman and nothing special.
...
So why do a lot of people consider him as just some 3-4 D that was entirely carried by Giordano?

If people are saying Nashville have 4 #1Dman,

But I've seen those that do the 30-60-90-120-150-180 model for ranking Dman that think he's a 3-4. Seriously those people actually think there are 90 defenseman better than him? Lol....

For someone who evidently spends a lot of time digging through advanced metrics, you're putting way too much stock in random internet opinions.

 

[DJJones]

If anything he's overrated. I regularly see him ranked over Gio which is nonsense.

And Brodie is my favorite player in the league haha.

 

[Skobel24]

He's a very solid #2/3. It'll be interesting to see how he does beside Hamonic this year, instead of having Engelland/Wideman for most of the season.

 

[Fig]

Brodie is only very good/bordering elite when he gets to play on his natural side, which, looking at Calgary's foreseeable D roster, will be likely never for at least 2-3 more years.

He did fine dragging Engelland's around during the playoff run 3 seasons ago. But also props to Eggs for stepping up. I don't think those things affect Brodie as you say it does. I also don't think Brodie is underrated.

New system and his fiance diagnosed with MS likely has to do with his play this season. Hamonic also probably fell this season due to off ice distractions. Oddly, those two guys should be able to support one another through tough times. I think they will be able to forge a fantastic synergy together no other pairings will be able to match. Here is hoping this synergy also translates into performance on ice.

 

[BlueDream]

This guy isn't even close to being underrated.