[Signing] Flames and Brzustewicz agree to terms on ELC

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

To be honest, we need all three of Poirier, Morin and Brzustewicz to turn into NHL defensemen.

That's not realistic. And I think if all 3 did you would have a hard time working them all in the line-up. Nice problem to have, but unlikely to happen. 2 of the 3 is a win.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Bingo Jr.

Different scenario, if he stays here he'd still be an effective player. He's essentially given up on competing and has focused on being a family man. I remember hearing his cardio is brutal now because he doesn't take his training seriously. His GAF meter was out the window as soon as he ended up in CBJ instead of NJ/PHI.

Based on what?

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Playing the numbers game is wise. Have multiple prospects of a similar skill set that you know you need on your NHL team coming down the lines in succession.

Much better than only having one or two bullets for a need and potentially hanging your hopes on a single guy.

24 picks in the next three drafts should help. Hopefully a number of them are centers.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Based on what?

I am also 100% of the opinion that Gaudreau would be a completely different player and still a difference maker if he remained in Calgary. Or at the very least, he'd still be a couple levels up from the level he's shown in Columbus.

I wrote this is a reddit thread a few months ago so I'll just copy and paste, but he's now in a completely different situation/environment in Columbus in which his focus has been easily shifted off hockey.

Left Calgary (he really didn't want to) because he chose the family life over the hockey life and started focusing even moreso on family this past summer (for good reasons). Was extra disappointed when the Flyers didn't even attempt to clear room so chose his wife's preferred destination (for career reasons). Plus he doesn't have a hard coach, which both him and his father have agreed in the past is the only way to get the best outta Johnny (hence why he's one of the few NHL stars to have ever played under Sutter that enjoyed it).

I think in a year or 2, if Columbus is in a better position competitive-wise, Johnny's focus will be able to re-shift towards hockey (i.e. training + better mental approach). But right now, there's too many distractions/reasons on-ice and too many important things happening off-ice that it wouldn't make sense for him to shift his attention back to hockey when he's just entered a new main focus in life (family) with his career taking a backseat.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

I am also 100% of the opinion that Gaudreau would be a completely different player and still a difference maker if he remained in Calgary. Or at the very least, he'd still be a couple levels up from the level he's shown in Columbus.

I wrote this is a reddit thread a few months ago so I'll just copy and paste, but he's now in a completely different situation/environment in Columbus in which his focus has been easily shifted off hockey.

Left Calgary (he really didn't want to) because he chose the family life over the hockey life and started focusing even moreso on family this past summer (for good reasons). Was extra disappointed when the Flyers didn't even attempt to clear room so chose his wife's preferred destination (for career reasons). Plus he doesn't have a hard coach, which both him and his father have agreed in the past is the only way to get the best outta Johnny (hence why he's one of the few NHL stars to have ever played under Sutter that enjoyed it).

I think in a year or 2, if Columbus is in a better position competitive-wise, Johnny's focus will be able to re-shift towards hockey (i.e. training + better mental approach). But right now, there's too many distractions/reasons on-ice and too many important things happening off-ice that it wouldn't make sense for him to shift his attention back to hockey when he's just entered a new main focus in life (family) with his career taking a backseat.

You're points may be valid, but it puts him in a even worse light and glad he didn't sign here.

He is getting paid a lot of money to play a game, and if his focus and attention is on something else and hockey isn't a priority he should give that lifetime retirement contract back.

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

You're points may be valid, but it puts him in a even worse light and glad he didn't sign here.

He is getting paid a lot of money to play a game, and if his focus and attention is on something else and hockey isn't a priority he should give that lifetime retirement contract back.

I'd still rather have Johnny than the empty husk of what was once Jonathan Huberdeau.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That's not realistic. And I think if all 3 did you would have a hard time working them all in the line-up. Nice problem to have, but unlikely to happen. 2 of the 3 is a win.

Come on Jiri, we have three NHL defensemen right now (Weegar, Andersson, and Kylington). By time these three kids get their feet under them at least one of the NHL defenders will have moved on. Post 2025-26 we have one defenseman signed (Weegar). That means six positions up for grabs. Maybe Kylington resigns long term? Okhotiuk and Pachal might hang around, but I'm not expecting that to be the case. I'm not saying what is likely, I'm saying what the team needs. They need young defenders to turn into solid NHL defensemen. What's likely is Poirier makes the team next year and earns his stripes. Brzustewicz goes to the AHL next year and we see what we have there. Morin the following year. We'll have a better idea in two years, but the reality is we NEED these guys to turn into players. Not likely to happen, but we need it to happen.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

I'd still rather have Johnny than the empty husk of what was once Jonathan Huberdeau.

Husk of Hubs in 2024: 28gp, 25pts
John in 2024: 27gp, 20pts

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Come on Jiri, we have three NHL defensemen right now (Weegar, Andersson, and Kylington). By time these three kids get their feet under them at least one of the NHL defenders will have moved on. Post 2025-26 we have one defenseman signed (Weegar). That means six positions up for grabs. Maybe Kylington resigns long term? Okhotiuk and Pachal might hang around, but I'm not expecting that to be the case. I'm not saying what is likely, I'm saying what the team needs. They need young defenders to turn into solid NHL defensemen. What's likely is Poirier makes the team next year and earns his stripes. Brzustewicz goes to the AHL next year and we see what we have there. Morin the following year. We'll have a better idea in two years, but the reality is we NEED these guys to turn into players. Not likely to happen, but we need it to happen.

They're too similar.

Even if all three turned out you'd like have to move one of them.

Just keep adding to the prospect depth and get the other types of defenseman hopefully building things out.

Solovyov, Grushnikov, Kuznetsov on the defensive are all still in the mix. Boltmann in College potentially.

[SuperMatt18]

I'm not sure I'd be worried about moving one of them - you need puck movers and don't really think they are too similar.

Poirier: LH, 6'1" 196 - maybe more 1 dimensional
Morin: LH, 6'0" 180 - Feels like he's a bit more of a well rounded guy
Brzustewicz: RH, 6'0" 188 - Great puck mover, but also don't think he's bad defensively

The bigger likelihood is that all 3 won't hit anyways.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Yeah, I would argue that you can only afford to have 2 purely defensive d-men in the lineup these days and be a championship team. Usually, the top 4 of the best teams all can move the puck well with passing or skating with the puck. At most, you can have one more pure defensive guy in the top 4, but that's about it if you want to win it all. It's too hard to score with just the forwards these days in the playoffs.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Backstop

Did Sandman post a write up on Brzustewicz anywhere? Did a quick forum search but didn't turn up anything, I could have missed it though.

same. I'm not familiar with how to get posts from users with certain keywords here. It just gave me a list of threads he's posted in with no way to go directly to their posts. If Sandman is around would appreciate his insight on this player and what he thinks of his upside and comparables.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

They're certainly not carbon copies of one another.

But they all have offensive upside to their games.

For Poirier, if he can't cut it defensively in the NHL, you wonder if he could transition to a forward role.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Sandman was raving when the trade was made (about Brz).

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Backstop

Did Sandman post a write up on Brzustewicz anywhere? Did a quick forum search but didn't turn up anything, I could have missed it though.

Originally Posted by saillias

same. I'm not familiar with how to get posts from users with certain keywords here. It just gave me a list of threads he's posted in with no way to go directly to their posts. If Sandman is around would appreciate his insight on this player and what he thinks of his upside and comparables.

Yup!

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpo...&postcount=439

Hunter Brzustewicz is one of the older players available in the draft, with a November 2004 birthday, but that shouldn't throw shade over his 57 points in 68 games for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, which is 28 points ahead of his nearest teammate. Like Akey, he is tagged with the label "modern-day defenseman", but is also often called "reliable", and a "two-way defenseman". Also like Akey, he may live to outclass his draft position. Another six-footer, he's said to be much stronger than his size, but he tends to use his superb skating and positioning to kill rushes, and break up the forecheck, but will use physicality when needed, and will fight hard in the dirty areas. Calm under pressure, but plays with pace and maturity, and of course- he will lead the transition. He needs some work on his gap control, according to some pundits, and his shot needs work- but some of those pundits say he might be one of the most NHL-ready defensemen in the draft.

How’d I find it you ask?:

Spoiler!

1. Search - Advanced Search (top right)
2. In “Search by keyword” type “Brzustewicz”; and in “Search by User” type “Sandman”
3. Hit enter
4. It will show you any threads where Sandman has made a post that includes Brzustewicz (there were 5).
5. I clicked on the 2023 draft thread
6. Within a thread, you can “Search This Thread”, so I searched Brzustewicz.
7. Profit.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Do we really regret Johnny not being here? He's performing very slightly better than Huberdeau.

Gaudresu has 45 points in 65 games, the next higher forward has 32...thirty two points. That's three more than Connor Zary. Johnny is doing it all himself, zero help. He won't get 100 points again, he won't get a point per game probably but I wouldn't be that upset if we had him instead of alot of players.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

Come on Jiri, we have three NHL defensemen right now (Weegar, Andersson, and Kylington). By time these three kids get their feet under them at least one of the NHL defenders will have moved on. Post 2025-26 we have one defenseman signed (Weegar). That means six positions up for grabs. Maybe Kylington resigns long term? Okhotiuk and Pachal might hang around, but I'm not expecting that to be the case. I'm not saying what is likely, I'm saying what the team needs. They need young defenders to turn into solid NHL defensemen. What's likely is Poirier makes the team next year and earns his stripes. Brzustewicz goes to the AHL next year and we see what we have there. Morin the following year. We'll have a better idea in two years, but the reality is we NEED these guys to turn into players. Not likely to happen, but we need it to happen.

You are setting yourself up for disappointment by outlining a scenario that is highly unlikely to play out. Are these the only dmen this organization will have in the pipeline? Why is it all on them.
I also don't think it's realistic to have a blueline with 3 guys with similar strengths and weaknesses. Most teams have 1 or 2 guys like this.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I'm not sure I'd be worried about moving one of them - you need puck movers and don't really think they are too similar.

Poirier: LH, 6'1" 196 - maybe more 1 dimensional
Morin: LH, 6'0" 180 - Feels like he's a bit more of a well rounded guy
Brzustewicz: RH, 6'0" 188 - Great puck mover, but also don't think he's bad defensively

The bigger likelihood is that all 3 won't hit anyways.

I see Poirier turning into a Brodie type of defender (2-4 guy). Morin I expect to be more like a Gary Suter type (2-4 guy). Brzustewicz I expect to be a MA Bergeron type player (5-7 guy). I think all three can peacefully coexist in the lineup, they just need the right partner.

[Roof-Daddy]

Glad they got him signed.

Now sign Kylington

[Bandwagon Surfer]

Originally Posted by Bingo

You can't have GMs negotiating with a fear of hurting someone's feelings.

Be respectful.
Use your leverage (they will when it's their turn).
Get them signed.

I don't think it should be fear, but a good negotiator absolutely needs to consider the feelings of the people involved and future negotiations.

Every negotiation takes place between humans, and humans are highly irrational and emotional animals. Trying to treat people like robots is just plain bad negotiation tatics because it makes you blind to the majority of people's decision making process.

It is also bad negotiating to fail to consider the big picture. We like to think of things as discreet events, but the reality is everything is connected. How people will behave in future negotiations is part of the leverage they apply to the current ones. It is though that this is why our emotion spite was evolved, it lets us leverage the future to ensure fair dealings in the present.