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Matt Brassard | D


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2 hours ago, Coconuts said:

He's doing really well for a seventh round pick, damn. Benning and co are looking good on this one.

Definitely. Even if he only has say a 20% chance of becoming a 200+ NHL games player (which is about where the models have him), that’s damn good for a 7th.

 

If he pans out, I could see him becoming a pretty good #5/6 guy with decent size who could capably man the point on a second unit power play.

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5 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Definitely. Even if he only has say a 20% chance of becoming a 200+ NHL games player (which is about where the models have him), that’s damn good for a 7th.

 

If he pans out, I could see him becoming a pretty good #5/6 guy with decent size who could capably man the point on a second unit power play.

I'm not even gonna get into what he could be as I don't follow all that stuff quite as intently, but for where he's drafted he's having a lot of success and you've gotta love those odds on a seventh rounder!

 

Kudos to you for all your informative posts so more casual prospect followers like myself can understand where players are at without getting in way over our heads. :)

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7 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Definitely. Even if he only has say a 20% chance of becoming a 200+ NHL games player (which is about where the models have him), that’s damn good for a 7th.

 

If he pans out, I could see him becoming a pretty good #5/6 guy with decent size who could capably man the point on a second unit power play.

 

20% is a lot higher than I would've guessed. That's great news.

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13 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

No point for Brassard tonight. 3 SOG and a -1 in a 3-2 loss to North Bay. It’s been 23 games since Brassard has gone pointless two games in a row, so odds are he hits the scoresheet again in tomorrow’s game against Sudbury.

Nice consistency from him, his second half has been excellent

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8 hours ago, Guile said:

Nice consistency from him, his second half has been excellent

Yup. And as predicted, he’s already scored tonight. Currently sitting on a goal and +2 with lots of game left to add more. :) 

 

EDIT: not as fancy as some of his other goals, but hey, they all count. ;) 

 

Edited by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME
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Here’s a recent report from an HFBoards poster who goes by the handle “Generalsupdates”:

 

As an Oshawa Generals fan, Brassard is definitely the player he's been the last couple months and not the one he was on paper the at the beginning of the season. He was dealing with an injury he got in Canucks camp and never missed any time with it, but it was clear it was bothering him. I think he's a top 10 2-way D-men in the OHL. Jumps into the play with ease and has a big shot, although his best offensive skill is probably his ability to walk the line and get himself open to get shots through the screens and on net. In the D-zone he's very gritty and loves to battle and go at it with the opposing F's. He's also known as one of the best trash talkers in the OHL, for what it's worth.

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2 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Here’s a recent report from an HFBoards poster who goes by the handle “Generalsupdates”:

 

As an Oshawa Generals fan, Brassard is definitely the player he's been the last couple months and not the one he was on paper the at the beginning of the season. He was dealing with an injury he got in Canucks camp and never missed any time with it, but it was clear it was bothering him. I think he's a top 10 2-way D-men in the OHL. Jumps into the play with ease and has a big shot, although his best offensive skill is probably his ability to walk the line and get himself open to get shots through the screens and on net. In the D-zone he's very gritty and loves to battle and go at it with the opposing F's. He's also known as one of the best trash talkers in the OHL, for what it's worth.

Haha, didn't expect that one, but it's a bonus.  A nice potential complement to Lind up front.  And the loving to go to battle is definitely a common denominator in most Canuck picks, which I think we will really see pay off eventually.  We'll look back incredulous at how we used to have such a relatively soft pushover team.  Patience, the pieces are coming :)

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46 minutes ago, Canucks Curse said:

pretty good numbers offensively, good size and plays on the right- hows his skating and D? looks like he could maybe make utica next year?

His skating is ok. Has a bit of the “heavy feet” problem. Gets around fine but he doesn’t look effortless while skating. Could probably benefit from some technical work. One positive is that he’s one of those players who goes the same speed whether he’s skating with or without the puck. His puckhandling (and hands in general) are underrated (although that’s changing with the goals he’s been scoring). Defensively, he can get turned around and maybe blow a tire when he’s dealing with some of the more shifty elite forwards. Doesn’t always make the right reads and sometimes loses his position. Pretty standard stuff for a developing D, and most of the times I can remember him getting beat happened when apparently he was nursing an injury (according to the report I posted earlier). Anyway, probably fair to say there's room for improvement in his own end. Like that report said though, he’s engaged and battles hard and plays a physical brand of defense, which is obviously a big plus. 

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22 minutes ago, Quantum said:

Seems like a solid 7th round pick. I expect Brassard to be on the Comets next year.

I’m still undecided. I’d like to see him signed at some point but I might prefer to have him do an overage year in the OHL. I’m certainly open to going the Utica route if he looks ready at camp. I’m just thinking that with his recent surge offensively, it might be better for him to have a year where he has a chance to dominate and play huge minutes as a 20yo in junior, just to see what kind of numbers he could put up in the role. He’s a late bloomer and I don’t think he’s quite reached the point where he can’t learn more and improve his game within the junior system. Might pay off better to let him springboard off this second half performance and hopefully take his game to even greater heights next year.

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Definitely staying as an overager he’s having a nice season especially that of a 7th round pick but he’s on a great team and isn’t exactly lighting the OHL up. No need to rush him into a crowded AHL defence and have him struggle for minutes. Rather let him play 20+ minutes a game and hope his production takes another step.

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1 hour ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I’m still undecided. I’d like to see him signed at some point but I might prefer to have him do an overage year in the OHL. I’m certainly open to going the Utica route if he looks ready at camp. I’m just thinking that with his recent surge offensively, it might be better for him to have a year where he has a chance to dominate and play huge minutes as a 20yo in junior, just to see what kind of numbers he could put up in the role. He’s a late bloomer and I don’t think he’s quite reached the point where he can’t learn more and improve his game within the junior system. Might pay off better to let him springboard off this second half performance and hopefully take his game to even greater heights next year.

Has anyone blossomed as a 20 year old CHL overager, and been relevant?

 

It might be good for confidence.  But playing at 20 against guys mostly 17 & 18 still is not a great measuring stick.  Especially because the calling card on Brassard is physical brawn.  I'd vote AHL or even Europe.  Europe sounds a dumb idea for a Canadian kid? But he would skate & handle the puck more.  Its not conventional, but maybe not so far fetched? 

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58 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

Has anyone blossomed as a 20 year old CHL overager, and been relevant?

 

It might be good for confidence.  But playing at 20 against guys mostly 17 & 18 still is not a great measuring stick.  Especially because the calling card on Brassard is physical brawn.  I'd vote AHL or even Europe.  Europe sounds a dumb idea for a Canadian kid? But he would skate & handle the puck more.  Its not conventional, but maybe not so far fetched? 

Well, Chris Tanev was in a league even lower in Ontario as an overage and didn’t do too badly.

 

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1 hour ago, Canuck Surfer said:

Has anyone blossomed as a 20 year old CHL overager, and been relevant?

 

It might be good for confidence.  But playing at 20 against guys mostly 17 & 18 still is not a great measuring stick.  Especially because the calling card on Brassard is physical brawn.  I'd vote AHL or even Europe.  Europe sounds a dumb idea for a Canadian kid? But he would skate & handle the puck more.  Its not conventional, but maybe not so far fetched? 

There’ve been a few CHL overagers who’ve gone on to good careers. Unfortunately, I’m drawing a blank right now and the only name coming to mind, at least when it comes to defensemen, is Dennis Wideman. But I’m sure there are several others who went on to NHL careers after playing a 20yo season in junior.

 

In Brassard’s case though, it’s more that this season really feels like his D+1 instead of his D+2. 2015-16 was actually his first OHL season and he only played 28 games as a 17yo. 2016-17, as an 18yo, he was used sparingly over the first couple dozen games, and then played more over the second half, especially after the trade. This season, at 19, he started out banged up, struggled to produce over the first couple dozen games, and then has been a dependable point per game D since (and scored at a top-5 place among OHL Ds during that stretch).

 

He’s only 14 months older than Evan Bouchard and Brassard has actually played 19 fewer career OHL games (32 fewer counting playoffs). In fact, Brassard’s OHL career, in terms of games played, is probably closer in length to several of the (currently) 17yos in the current draft class than it is to many of the guys from his draft year than are playing CHL in their D+1.

 

If Brassard already had ~200 OHL games under his belt, including a couple full seasons’ worth of prime usage and minutes, I’d agree that there wouldn’t be much left for him in junior. But that’s not really the case here.

 

If Brassard had been born 39 days later, 2017 would have been his first year of draft eligibility. And then he’d be a kid that was having a hell of a second half to his D+1. And I doubt anyone would blink an eye at the idea of him playing out his D+2. We’ll see where he’s at when the camps roll around. Obviously I’m a fan of his game and I’ll be happy if he’s signed and starts pro in 2018-19. But I also have no issue giving him another year and, depending on what happens between now camp, it may end up being the best thing for him.

Edited by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME
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