Brodie wasn't as active in the rush last year, and a lot of people blamed Gulutzan. I think there were two other factors that were bigger: lack of familiarity with the system and with playing the left side, and; lack of trust in his defensive partners.
I know some won't agree with me on the second point, but as a defenseman, I always adjusted the way I played, based on who my partner was and the style they played. If I played with a guy that always rushed and pinched, I played back more. If I played with a guy that sucked defensively, I played more conservatively. You have to.
I think with Hamonic, and with it being year two on the left side with Gulutzan, that we will see the re-emergence of Brodie this year.
|