Well, it turns out that the Brouwer signing may have been due to a known health problem of forward Jamie McGinn, who recently had back surgery and is going to be out for the foreseeable future.
https://www.nhl.com/panthers/news/wi...th/c-300129282
Quote:
At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, McGinn served as a strong net presence for the Panthers and did a lot of important work in the dirty areas. In fact, of his 13 goals, five came off rebounds. In looking at the depth chart, there appears to be two big-bodied forwards ready to fill that void -- second-year pro Maxim Mamin (6-foot-2, 201 pounds) and veteran Troy Brouwer (6-3, 215 pounds).
Before signing a one-year deal with the Panthers on Aug. 27, Brouwer, the lone Stanley Cup winner on Florida's roster after tasting victory with Chicago in 2010, said he was informed of McGinn's diagnosis and the opening it presented. With 763 regular-season NHL games under his belt, the 33-year-old believes his playstyle is very similar to what the team lost in McGinn.
"We've played similar styles," said Brouwer, who posted 22 points in 76 games with Calgary last season. "For me, to be able to fit into that role, hopefully, and help out where I can. I'm a guy that likes to be in the corners, be in front of the net, go get the pucks, give them to my teammates and let them do their thing."
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This, along with the contract he signed, says to me that Brouwer is probably considered a borderline NHLer around the league, and his ability to stay in the league depends on the health of guys higher on the depth chart.
Honestly, I hope he brings something useful this year, but I'm just so burned out on hoping for Brouwer to do something good that I don't think I have it in me to tolerate him anymore.