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Matt Brassard | D


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1 minute ago, Vanuckles said:

Thanks for the updates @SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME! it's good to hear about our prospects. I personally don't have huge expectations on Brassard being an impact player in the NHL but he certainly seems like he's garnering some momentum. I personally don't watch too many junior games, aside from the Halifax mooseheads (local team), so I have to just rely on highlight packages to follow our prospects.

Yeah, don’t get me wrong. I’m not predicting he’s going to be an impact player at the next level. Just that he has pro upside (which he had when he was drafted) and now seems to be showing a little extra flash on the offensive side.

 

If I were to take a stab at projecting a future for him (and I’d be much happier doing this in a year when I could be more sure about it), I’d say maybe somewhere in the range between AHL lifer and NHL second pairing. With a median projection around a 6/7 or depth NHL D. Not a game breaker by any means. But that would be a hell of a result for a 7th round pick.

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Finally, a gif of the goal (OT winner) from last night:

 

 

I just love the poise there. Noel frees up the puck and sends it into open ice in front. Brassard hustles down to the slot. But he doesn’t just shoot (like many young Ds would’ve). Passes over to Studnicka for the give and go.

 

Matt’s just all calm, cool, and collected. He’s like “hold my beer a sec, I’m gonna step around this fool, and then just get me the puck.”

 

Goalie bites hard and overcommits to Studnicka. And Brassard just steps up, takes the return pass, and wires it top shelf. 

 

It’s like he had that goal mapped out in his mind from the moment of his first touch of the puck and he wasn’t gonna be denied. Even if the goalie wasn’t diving around in desperation mode, that one looked labeled.

 

Great goal and just one example of the stuff this kid’s been doing lately.

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

Yeah, don’t get me wrong. I’m not predicting he’s going to be an impact player at the next level. Just that he has pro upside (which he had when he was drafted) and now seems to be showing a little extra flash on the offensive side.

 

If I were to take a stab at projecting a future for him (and I’d be much happier doing this in a year when I could be more sure about it), I’d say maybe somewhere in the range between AHL lifer and NHL second pairing. With a median projection around a 6/7 or depth NHL D. Not a game breaker by any means. But that would be a hell of a result for a 7th round pick.

Yep that's fair enough. If a 7th round pick turns into a good bottom pairing Dman, I'll definitely take that as a win :canucks:

 

All the more proof that JB is a wizard in the draft.

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

Brassard hustles down to the slot. But he doesn’t just shoot (like many young Ds would’ve). Passes over to Studnicka for the give and go.

 

Some work to be done if he wants to be a Canuck d-man.  Edler will be an excellent mentor on how to bury the head and blast away.

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Better start to the tonight’s game. Gens rush out to a 5-0 lead after one period. Brassard with one assist so far.

 

EDIT: now has 2 assists 

 

Finishes with 2 assists (one 5v5 primary and one PP secondary) and +2.

 

Now has 35 points (12G 23A) in 50 games.

 

Tied for 10th in the OHL in defensemen scoring (and tied for 6th in Dman goals).

Edited by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME
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He's basically matched himself up with guys like Sean Day, Nikita Zadorov and Andre Pedan in terms of production. If he can keep his point production streak up for the rest of the year, he will essentially be in the same spot CBC's new favourite Toronto prospect Travis Dermott was 2 years ago. 

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13 minutes ago, Derp... said:

He's basically matched himself up with guys like Sean Day, Nikita Zadorov and Andre Pedan in terms of production. If he can keep his point production streak up for the rest of the year, he will essentially be in the same spot CBC's new favourite Toronto prospect Travis Dermott was 2 years ago. 

Yeah, he suddenly starts moves into a much more select group when we’re talking about defensemen posting 50+ points seasons in the OHL.

 

Especially one who isn’t an undersized, purely offensive minded guy but is more of a two-way defenseman with size and no major red flags to his overall game. Skates well, good first pass, moves the puck, can play physical, strong shot and good overall tools, and pretty good defensively (although like any junior D he could still clean up aspects of his defensive zone play).

 

I was going to be pretty psyched if he broke 40 points this year (and that’s looking like a given now).

 

Potentially breaking 50 points jumps him up into a whole different tier in terms of his comparables and projections.

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^^ He’s really building a nice highlight reel this season. Hopefully somebody puts all the clips together for a vid.

 

Seems like every one of his goals lately is showcasing much higher level offensive skills than he’s generally been credited with. 

 

This last one, that’s Brassard in the clip rushing the puck and starting the play. It’s 4v4 and he carries from his own zone to centre ice and then passes off to his teammates just as they’re entering the offensive zone with speed. Then the defenders converge on the other Gens players and just leave Brassard unguarded (big mistake). So he goes straight to the slot, gets the pass, and shows off a nice quick release for the goal.

 

Just another real nice goal, especially coming from a defenseman. And it seems like all the goals he’s had lately have been flashy ones that showcase high level offensive skill and some great scorer’s instincts.

 

It’s another one of those “what would most Ds do in that situation” kind of goals. Most Ds aren’t taking the same line Brassard takes to get to that shooting position. They aren’t heading for the high danger scoring areas. They’re likely staying high. But Matt reads the situation really well there and makes the most of the all time and space gifted to him. 

 

It’s part of the reason I’m so excited for this kid. He’s not just catching breaks and flukes. He’s scoring some real quality goals, and seems to be showing of an ever expanding arsenal with each one.

Edited by SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME
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He definitely looks a level above from the Olson/Candella/Stewart/Neill grouping that never really intrigued me.

 

Heard around that his shot generation and shot totals were the reasons they took a flyer on him. Looking like an astute draft pick thus far.

 

Should get a contract.

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26 minutes ago, R.Dahlin26 said:

He definitely looks a level above from the Olson/Candella/Stewart/Neill grouping that never really intrigued me.

 

Heard around that his shot generation and shot totals were the reasons they took a flyer on him. Looking like an astute draft pick thus far.

 

Should get a contract.

Yeah, definitely a volume shooter. And he also had a strong finish last season. 

 

Nothing like this year though. He’s been one of the top offensive producing Ds over the past couple dozen games, and the last dozen or so, he’s just turned it up even more in terms of the quality of the goals he’s scoring.

 

I honestly keep having to reevaluate Brassard because he keeps showing off offensive weapons that I previously didn’t believe he had in his arsenal.

 

EDIT: probably shouldn’t undersell Candella by grouping him with Olson, Neill, and Stewart. Cole might not have Brassard’s offensive flash, but he has a strong overall game and is an excellent skater. He might also prove worthy of a contract.

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