Can Troy Brouwer be salvaged?

[BigFlameDog]

Yes. Don't think it's right to completely write off a guy after one bad season where he did have a broken hand. I believe he will return to what he was.

(This is not an endorsement of his salary, overpaid by a good 25% IMO but that is free agency)

[FlamesAddiction]

All the bellyaching about Brouwer reminds me of all the Sarich haters after his first season in Calgary.

Brouwer will be be fine.

[Demetric]

swap for Demers, pretty please

[StrykerSteve]

The guy had an underwhelming year, it happens to the best. This is a silly question.

[Erick Estrada]

A lot of UFA signings perform better in year two as they are settled in and more acclimated to their teammates and coaches. I think Brouwer will have a better season (nowhere to go but up really) but I'm not overly optimistic that he hits say 20 goals or 35 points. Treliving seems like such a smart guy so I just don't understand what he was thinking when he signed Brouwer to this deal. Surely he could have seen the same warning signs fans could? Maybe it was maybe a reactionary signing to the Oilers getting Lucic as I just don't understand how after a month or more of setting up for free agency he did all his homework and looked at Brouwer as efficient use of $16 million in salary cap space. Does the guy really value intangibles that much over on ice ability? If so that's kind of worrisome.

[Tinordi]

I keep coming back to the question of how good can you be in the room when you're statistically one of the worst players on the team but being paid to be one of the best.

Tough line to walk.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I keep coming back to the question of how good can you be in the room when you're statistically one of the worst players on the team but being paid to be one of the best.

Tough line to walk.

That's a question for Treliving. None of us has an answer for that.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

All the bellyaching about Brouwer reminds me of all the Sarich haters after his first season in Calgary.

Brouwer will be be fine.

Sarich always put forth the effort. True warrior

[Sylvanfan]

If Brouwer was to have an off year next year, it would be interesting to see what the Flames do. Come next Summer, Backlund is the only real significant guy that they need to find a way to add money for. Stajan and Bouma both expire, so the cap space is likely there to carry Brouwer for a third season. But after year 3, if it's no better than the back half of this year, I think a cap dump deal, or buyout could very well be in play. Buyouts suck, but if you can limit buyouts to one year deals, than I do think they're more manageable.

I don't think there are anymore 20 goal/40 point seasons to be had. But even 15-35 could suffice for a couple more years. But if it's 8 goal and 18 point seasons and 1 minutes ice time a night....replacement level guy brings that for 1 million or less.

[united]

Depends what defines salvage.

When the Brouwer signing happened, most expected a 35-point player who offers little in the way of forechecking or defensive play, but who can up the physicality of a game and defend his teammates.

Instead we got a 25-point player who didn't even try forechecking or fulfilling his defensive responsibilities, shied away from any confrontation, and even worse, didn't even defend the team's star player getting hacked 20 times in one game.

Either way it was a terrible signing the moment it happened - he was almost unanimously declared the bust of free agency before free agency even happened due to all the warning signs. Unfortunately the Flames were the team that took the bait. At this point 30 points on the third line with little apparent effort is about all we can hope for - anything more is a benefit but I'm not getting my hopes up.

[Textcritic]

Before Brouwer hurt his hand he had 8 goals and 17 points in 35 games. That is right on track with where he was expected to be after signing his big contract. Before last season Brouwer had turned in seven straight years of +30 points and +15 goals with three +20-goal seasons and 3 +40-point seasons.

I think it is foolish to think that if reasonably healthy he will not improve over last year by quite a bit. It is utterly unbelievable to imagine that he will be any worse.

[GioforPM]

I agree with Textcritic. I also think the hand injury affected his aggressiveness in scrums, etc.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Agreed. If there's anybody who can pick Brouwer's game up its Backs and Frolik. Frolik can play both wings so we could flip him to LW so Brouwer can play RW.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Tkachuk
Bennett-Jankowski-Ferland
Frolik-Backlund-Brouwer (shut down line)
Bouma-Lazar/Stajan-Chiasson/Hathaway

That'd be my lineup if Jankowski shows enough to make the team.

Man we don't even have enough room for Versteeg if Jankowski makes the team. Not sure how people think we can fit another winger in, I have trouble fitting in all the forwards we already have.

Not bad, but I have a huge problem with Bouma in the starting lineup.

He is the worst Flames forward by some margin compared to everyone but Hathaway.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Karl

Not bad, but I have a huge problem with Bouma in the starting lineup.

He is the worst Flames forward by some margin compared to everyone but Hathaway.

Totally agree. I don't see a situation for next year where Bouma isn't traded/buried.

In order to optimize Brouwer's effectiveness, I think this is the lineup we should hope for:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Versteeg - Bennett - Ferland
Lazar - Stajan - Chiasson/Jankowski/Hathaway

PP1:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Versteeg - Hamilton

PP2:

Tkachuk - Backlund - Ferland
Giordano - Stone

[GranteedEV]

Brouwer has now gone 395:01 without scoring a goal in a game.

For some comparision, over that same period, Sam Bennett, whom half this board would trade in a heartbeat at 21YO, has scored seven goals over 498:09 over the same stretch of games. Yet which guy is currently on our top power play unit?

The guy who had a wide open net today on his off wing and failed to hit the net.

[Karl]

Have serious doubts about that. I'm losing faith in Brouwer with almost every game that goes by.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by granteedev

brouwer has now gone 35 games (including playoffs) without scoring a goal.

Over that same period, sam bennett, whom half this board would trade in a heartbeat at 21yo, has scored seven goals. Yet which guy is currently on our top power play unit?

The guy who had a wide open net today on his off wing and failed to hit the net.

fyp

[Karl]

In fact, this is how I feel about Brouwer.

From the PGT.

Originally Posted by Karl

The more I see Brouwer play, the more I'm wondering whether he is also done.

All 4th line regular guys either done or flat out not remotely good enough at all. Just generally unserviceable and unplayable, that entire 4th line corpse.

How disheartening.

Yeah, that entire 4th line including Brouwer. It's all no good.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The good news is he’s making a decision to buy him out in the summer a no brainer

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Before Brouwer hurt his hand he had 8 goals and 17 points in 35 games. That is right on track with where he was expected to be after signing his big contract. Before last season Brouwer had turned in seven straight years of +30 points and +15 goals with three +20-goal seasons and 3 +40-point seasons.

I think it is foolish to think that if reasonably healthy he will not improve over last year by quite a bit. It is utterly unbelievable to imagine that he will be any worse.