Damien Brunner to the Devils

[yave1964]

On a PTO contract, Damien Brunner has signed with the Devils.

The kid has offensive skill when the puck is on his stick he knows what to do with it, HOWEVER:

I truly cannot ever remember watching anyone in my 40 years as a hockey fan (I am 48) so lost WITHOUT the puck. He never mastered executing a line change, was always out of position defensively and transition game just blew his mind. Can he shoot the puck like an NHLer? You bet. No other part of his game is NHL caliber.

See Leino, Ville

[WingNut722]

He'll be an improvement to the Devils given the loss of Kovy and Clarkson over the summer.  At this point, they just looking for warm bodies.  That's where Brunner comes in.  He can score, sure.  And the details of his defensive game can be improved once he's in uniform.  

[jammer2]

@yave1964  "I truly cannot ever remember watching anyone in my 40 years as a hockey fan (I am 48) so lost WITHOUT the puck. He never mastered executing a line change, was always out of position defensively and transition game just blew his mind."

 

 It's odd that Lou signed him then. A kid who might be able to score but is a defensive liability is probably the furthest thing I can imagine Lou liking. Plus, you have one of the worlds best coachs in Babcock, if he could not at least start to fix the problem, I'm thinking he's stubborn. Definite project here....and one I'm shocked Lou took on.

[yave1964]

@yave1964  "I truly cannot ever remember watching anyone in my 40 years as a hockey fan (I am 48) so lost WITHOUT the puck. He never mastered executing a line change, was always out of position defensively and transition game just blew his mind."

 

 It's odd that Lou signed him then. A kid who might be able to score but is a defensive liability is probably the furthest thing I can imagine Lou liking. Plus, you have one of the worlds best coachs in Babcock, if he could not at least start to fix the problem, I'm thinking he's stubborn. Definite project here....and one I'm shocked Lou took on.

well I was not surprised when he became an UFA and his agent hard lined it demand 4 million a year for three years minimum that he did not get it. I think he is capable of a decent offensive season but wow is he lost without the puck. he actually blew us a game in Calgary with a poorly thought out line change that gave the Flames a 2 on 0 rather than play the puck. I had huge expectations and even bitched that he was ineligible for the Calder. But less than a month in it became obvious he was clueless in the North American game.