[Signing] Flames sign Brouwer (4 yrs, $4.5mil AAV, NTC)

[icecube]

Brouwer is better than Glencross ever was.

[btimbit]

Yeah, I don't know what a good comparison would be, but it sure isn't Glencross.

Maybe like, a tougher, more skilled, more defensively responsible Joel Ward?

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I loved Glencross when he was here, and Brouwer seems to fit in the same mold.

I sure hope not.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Yeah, I don't know what a good comparison would be, but it sure isn't Glencross.

Maybe like, a tougher, more skilled, more defensively responsible Joel Ward?

If by more you mean equal to or less, then yes. Joel Ward is a great player.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

If by more you mean equal to or less, then yes. Joel Ward is a great player.

He is, for sure. Brouwer is more consistent though and better on in his own end of the ice

[REDVAN]

I'm only saying Glencross comparison due to age and contract... but that is the only part that scares me about this deal.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Yesterday, I freaking hated this signing. But now that I've slept on it, I've grown to not mind it.

I loved Glencross when he was here, and Brouwer seems to fit in the same mold. I am excited to see him play in October.

They're not even close to the same mold. God love Glencross, but he thought he was a better player then he was. He had an inconsistent work ethic, when he played hard he was great, when he didn't he was invisible. Broewer has a very high work ethic and a far more physical game then Curtis ever did.

Hitchcock raves about the guy.

[HarryH93]

Originally Posted by MarkGio

What a brutal signing. Brouwer is a career 30pt player. He signed for 1.5 million less than Backes, Eriksson, Lucic, and Okoposo. I would much rather pump another 1.5 million into an actual top 6 winger.

And then to give a NTC too? Trevy had such a good track record until this. The stupid obsession to be "truculent" and "heavy" is ridiculous.

You would rather get one of those guys for 1.5 million more AND 2-3 years extra? Really? Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

[activeStick]

The term is good because he was a UFA. You don't get sweetheart deals on July 1st unless you're signing journeymen guys like Parenteau, Stempniak, etc.

The AAV is also fair with his consistent production over the last number of years, along with his fit in the Calgary lineup that needed a guy that actually plays a strong 200 foot game who also brings physicality. And again, he's a UFA who has the history to justify the 4.5 number which some are arguing is 500k too much but if you're signing a free agent and only paying 500k more than you'd like, you're locking that down.

The one thing I do wonder is how he'll perform on the top line if that's where they try him out. It's not as easy as putting anyone with guys who think the game at the level that Johnny and Monahan do and getting production. I think I read here that he struggled with OV and Backstrom in WSH which may indicate he struggles with high IQ guys which means he may end up on the 2nd line instead which is still okay for his contract.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

If by more you mean equal to or less, then yes. Joel Ward is a great player.

Brouwer consistently outproduces Ward. Consistently.

And he brings similar intangibles.

And he is 5 years younger.

Ward is a great player and a great comparison. And Brouwer is easily the preferred player at this point. And it isn't close.

[Anduril]

Looking at forwards who had a cap hit between 4M-5M, three players scored 30 or more, seven scored more than 20, another five ish scored at a 20 goal pace, the last roughly fifteen players were below 20. Without nitpicking too much about RFA/UFA deals, Brouwer's lines right in the middle of it.

[Calgary4LIfe]

What I like about acquiring Brouwer is how it helps to set the lines.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
X - Bennett - Chiasson
Bouma - Stajan - X

Every line now has talent and a player that is good along the boards. Ferland needs to work on his net-front presence, but I have seen him improving that during last season.

This was a major weakness with the Flames' lineup last year. I would have loved to have kept Colborne as well and had him back with the Backlund-Frolik line, but it hasn't really hurt the team so much with his departure either. Every line should at least be a bit better on the cycle and along the boards, which will only help possession.

You still have guys like Pribyl, Jankowski and Hathaway that can all help with that and skill as well, since they are all fairly large and skilled, or in Hathaway's case, a huge PITA to play against.

I also noticed that the Flames did not stand up much for each other. I personally think that Hartley was set on being the NHL's most disciplined team (and they were the season before, and must have been fairly high last season as well). I think both Treliving and Burke would have probably liked to see a bit more 'dirt' in the game. I bet that Bollig won't seem so useless (people complained about him not doing his job), but I especially think you will see a much more aggressive Ferland out there this upcoming season. I saw a bunch of games where it really seemed like Ferland wanted to go after someone, but seemed like he was being reigned-in.

Brouwer - Ferland - Chiasson - Bouma - Hathaway - Bollig - Engelland - the guys returning I bet will seem like stronger contributors than they were last year (and you have to figure that although Bouma's career year was a huge aberration, he will at least rebound a bit), and Brouwer with Chiasson will only add to it.

Flames are a heck of a lot more 'rounded' of a team. I think they can still score really well off the rush and make high-skilled plays and one-touch passes, and I think now they can at least interrupt cycles, if not have a decent cycling ability, and should have guys screening goalies, banging in garbage goals and generally mucking it up in the opposition's crease. That is going to help quite a bit.

[driveway]

Being disciplined was a HUGE part of how we made the playoffs two years ago. The difference between our pp and pk times was probably the third biggest contributor to that run behind shooting percentage and D-scoring.

If we can keep our low penalty numbers but push our Corsi up to 50% I'd take that 100 times out of 100 over having "dirt" in our game.

[bob-loblaw]

Has anyone heard if there were any other teams that pursued him?

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

Has anyone heard if there were any other teams that pursued him?

From the conversation with Fan960 right after the press conference, he mentioned at least 3 or 4 choices he narrowed it down to.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by driveway

Being disciplined was a HUGE part of how we made the playoffs two years ago. The difference between our pp and pk times was probably the third biggest contributor to that run behind shooting percentage and D-scoring.

If we can keep our low penalty numbers but push our Corsi up to 50% I'd take that 100 times out of 100 over having "dirt" in our game.

I think you might have misinterpreted what I said - and I probably didn't come across all that clearly.

I am not saying they should become an undisciplined team - much less a 'dirty' team. They just need to stick up for one another. Johnny gets slashed across the wrists? Ferland/Chiasson/Brouwer/Bollig/Engelland goes and sticks up for Johnny. Facewash him, challenge him - at least confront him. If he does it again - or another player does that - you instigate the fight and take the penalty, and play chippy the rest of the night discipline be damned - as long as you don't cross that cheap and dirty line.

The more Flames don't do this, the more often other teams take note and follow suit. Look at the Oilers the last few years. Start playing chippy and nail their stars, and they fold.

If there isn't any dirty stuff happening against any Flame during the game, then I would want them to continue playing their disciplined game. Definitely not advocating that they abandon being a well-disciplined team, but they need to stick up for one another a heck of a lot more, and I think that is exactly where Treliving and Burke want them to go as well. Not a bunch of Lucics running around, but a team that will stick up for itself without hesitation.

[driveway]

Eh, I think that whole idea of taking an instigator to stand up for your teammate is an emotional fan-reaction thing.

I mean no one should let themselves or their teammates get 'Sedined' but if we started taking penalties for every slash Johnny takes, we'd spend the whole game in the box.

Yes, we need some grit and toughness, but I'd still take low penalty numbers in the long run. I just think over 82 games it leads to more wins.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by driveway

Eh, I think that whole idea of taking an instigator to stand up for your teammate is an emotional fan-reaction thing.

I mean no one should let themselves or their teammates get 'Sedined' but if we started taking penalties for every slash Johnny takes, we'd spend the whole game in the box.

Yes, we need some grit and toughness, but I'd still take low penalty numbers in the long run. I just think over 82 games it leads to more wins.

Have you been part of any sports team? If you have, you wouldn't be saying that.

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

What I like about acquiring Brouwer is how it helps to set the lines.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Brouwer
Ferland - Backlund - Frolik
X - Bennett - Chiasson
Bouma - Stajan - X

Every line now has talent and a player that is good along the boards. Ferland needs to work on his net-front presence, but I have seen him improving that during last season.

This was a major weakness with the Flames' lineup last year. I would have loved to have kept Colborne as well and had him back with the Backlund-Frolik line, but it hasn't really hurt the team so much with his departure either. Every line should at least be a bit better on the cycle and along the boards, which will only help possession.

You still have guys like Pribyl, Jankowski and Hathaway that can all help with that and skill as well, since they are all fairly large and skilled, or in Hathaway's case, a huge PITA to play against.

I also noticed that the Flames did not stand up much for each other. I personally think that Hartley was set on being the NHL's most disciplined team (and they were the season before, and must have been fairly high last season as well). I think both Treliving and Burke would have probably liked to see a bit more 'dirt' in the game. I bet that Bollig won't seem so useless (people complained about him not doing his job), but I especially think you will see a much more aggressive Ferland out there this upcoming season. I saw a bunch of games where it really seemed like Ferland wanted to go after someone, but seemed like he was being reigned-in.

Brouwer - Ferland - Chiasson - Bouma - Hathaway - Bollig - Engelland - the guys returning I bet will seem like stronger contributors than they were last year (and you have to figure that although Bouma's career year was a huge aberration, he will at least rebound a bit), and Brouwer with Chiasson will only add to it.

Flames are a heck of a lot more 'rounded' of a team. I think they can still score really well off the rush and make high-skilled plays and one-touch passes, and I think now they can at least interrupt cycles, if not have a decent cycling ability, and should have guys screening goalies, banging in garbage goals and generally mucking it up in the opposition's crease. That is going to help quite a bit.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Ferland - Bennett - Shinkaruk
Bouma - Stajan - Chiasson
Hathaway- Bollig

Thats more realistic. Brouwer is no 1st line player

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Ferland - Bennett - Shinkaruk
Bouma - Stajan - Chiasson
Hathaway- Bollig

Thats more realistic. Brouwer is no 1st line player

No it isn't. You have lines where there are two RWs, lines that have two LWs, and no balance. The third line is small and will be easy to play against. I still don't know what your 4th line is supposed to accomplish? But most glaring is your first line. Tkachuk is a LW. He's also 18 years old with zero NHL games under his belt. He isn't even a NHL player at this point, let alone a first line player. You complain that Brouwer is not a 1st line player, but follow up with a player in that position that hasn't played a professional shift. Makes no sense.