As you can see by the recent absence of content, after my journey down Tough Guy Memory Lane, my brain has been drier than unduttered toast when it comes to new ideas for articles.
Once more, Day Kinger Van Pittsburgh Hockey now helped me to get rid of the Schneid with his article, “5 worst transactions from the Sidney Crosby era.” It reminded me of an article that I had posted on PP on October 29, 2020 about the grandfather of all clunkers … the fateful Derick Brassard trade.
Without further preamble, here it goes.
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February 23, 2018. Although not necessarily a day that will live in shame under black-gold faithfulness, it might have to be. Because of my unofficial settlement, it is the day that the penguins of the penguins died.
General Manager on that eventful day Jim Rutherford Grab the “copper ring” (meaning of words). Hoping to strengthen his team for a shot at a third consecutive cup, he has treated defender Ian Cole and goalkeeper prospect Filip Gustavsson to Ottawa for Center Derick Brassard. Our first round Pick in the Entry Draft 2018 also went north of the border with our third round Pick in 2019.
As part of the deal, Slugger Ryan Reaves was sent to Vegas, together with our pick in the fourth round in 2018 in exchange for a bag of pucks disguised as Tobias Lindberg And an agreement that called the Golden Knights to eat 40 percent of the $ 5 million cap -hit from Brassard.
Intended to fill the gap on the third line created by the outdoor season -Defect of the center Nick BoninoThe movement was praised as a masterpiece. One that would increase our chances to draw a magical a three-poll.
Instead, it marked the beginning of the end for our two -time defensive champions.
But first step with me in the Wabac machine if you want. After our second consecutive Cup victory in 2017, the pens stopped a pass from important artists, including veterans Bonino, Matt Cullen” Ron Hainsey And Chris Kunitz. Jr “bribed” vegas to take a franchise icon Marc-Andre Fleury Off our hands in the expansion point for a second round pick. Smiling like a Cheshire Cat, then Vegas GM George McPhee revealed that he was planning to always choose “flower”.
Indeed, after two mainly brilliant seasons of Wheeling and Trade, Rutherford seemed to sleep asleep at the switch. Apart from the acquisition of Reaves, the Capo dei Capi of NHL heavyweights, most of his movements were uninspired to say the least (Matt Hunwick” Antti Niemi). We opened the campaign with Journeyman Greg McKEGG If ours third line center.
Needless to say, the pens were sliding out of the Startpoort. After an uninspired 4-1 defeat by Detroit on New Year’s Eve, our record was an ugly 19-18-3.
Then someone turned an invisible switch. Starting with a 5-1 routing of the flyers on January 2, the Penguins went on a tear that fits back-to-back champions. In the next six weeks they went a scorching 16-4-1. During the brand strength, they surpassed the opposition by no less than 84-52. Total domination.
Rutherford had not been inactive either. Acquisitions in the season Riley sheahan And Jamie Oleksiak performed well … the first in the third line center and the last during the third defense couple with Cole. If to make a warning beacon sound, Sheahan scored two goals in the game immediately prior to the Brassard trade.
Saved from Coach Mike Sullivan’s Doghouse On January 25, a revival of Cole had registered a goal and to deal with a sparkling Plus-12 in 11 games in 11 games. Oleksiak was almost as effective in that period (plus-8). It is no coincidence that the pens won nine of those games.
Then Rutherford rolled the dice on Brassard. Although logic was healthy … JR wanted to improve his depth in the middle while creating a strong third line … It was a clear case of repairing what was not broken. Balance and chemistry disturbed, the pens immediately lost three of the four and never really recovered.
Brassard played in the lower body due to an injury and pulled scissors on the player who had previously tortured the pens in his career while earning the nickname ‘Big Game Brass’. Nor did he show a lot of chemistry with new linemates Carl Hagelin And Phil Kessel.
There were also a costs … one that would come back to chase us. Prior to the trade, the pens owned exactly the right mix of skill and muscles. Although sparingly played by Sullivan, Reaves had embraced his police jobs with passion and zeal, not to mention a touch of humor, while he tried to free up the few opponents who tried.
Cole had also been an underrated gear in the success of the team. Initially, Sullivan tried to replace him with Hunwick … with disastrous results … before he turned to depth -defender Chad Ruhwedel.
Oleksiak’s game also suffered. He was a min-5 in the four games he was linked to Hunwick. Sans Reaves, Jamie was forced to take on the role of an enforcer.
The flashpoint took place in Game Three of the second round series with Washington. After having split the first two games, the blood rivals were 2-2 halfway through the second period. Then capitals Marauder Tom Wilson Destroyed Black Gold Rookie Zach Aston Reese For the couch of the caps in a violent, quick collision. It was as if you saw a train wreck unfolding before your eyes.
The pens were clearly rattled. Encouraged by the hit, the capitals won the game and grabbed control of the series.
Although we will never know for sure, I claim that the pens would have responded differently with Reaves on the couch. I believe that his presence would have had a fixed effect on our boys, just like a tough older brother who walks the corridors with you on the first day of school. Cole would also have come in handy against a physical Washington Forecheck.
Would the pens won the series with Reaves and Cole in the Line -Up? It is impossible to say. Of course going to the last two years in a row, undoubtedly took a toll. Maybe we wouldn’t have gas anymore. But I think we would have made a better chance.
What concerns Brassard? He stopped a lonely assist about the six-game set with the caps while he saw his ice age decrease. Towards the end of the series, he centered the fourth rule.
The Brassard era came to an end, not with a bang but with a whimmer, the next February when he and Sheahan were treated for Florida Nick Bjugstad And Jared McCann. His black-gold career was particularly non-inspiring … 12 goals and 23 points in 54 games in the regular season, to go with a min-5. In honesty towards Brassard, the pens were 31-16-7 with him in the line-up and 8-8-1 in competitions he sat.
Perhaps the expectations were set too high. However, Brassard never had somewhere near the expected impact. Nor did he embrace the third line role he was acquired to fulfill.
Even worse, his arrival conceived our rather dramatic blurring of the competition to pretender.
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