Jump to content

Brunner to leave for NLA. Devils terminate contract


Marshall

Recommended Posts

disappointing damien didnt end up working out for us but i think it really says something that no one else in the league wants him or his contract either so this is obviously the best way to go about it for us.. i felt he did bring some good speed though that the team needs he just didnt bring enough production

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Without the awesome name. Fvking Merlin, that's awesome.

 

He's a great guy too...extremely down to earth and humble.  Got to talk to him once.  He clearly regretted the way his NHL career went (after something of a breakout year in 1980-81 playing with Lanny McDonald, it went downhill quickly...he started getting scratched the following season, and then got traded just five games into the Devils' first season to Hartford...he played so poorly for the Whalers that he was not only cut after the season ended, but no one was willing to give him a shot, even though he was only 24).  He said a lot of his problems were of his own doing.  I know he butted heads with Don Cherry as well...Cherry basically thought Merlin had absolutely no toughness or edge to him.     

 

Merlin did have a very nice career in the Swiss leagues after his NHL career ended (he enjoyed seven successful seasons in the Swiss and Swiss-2 leagues), so who knows, maybe Brunner has a second hockey career like that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sucks it didn't work out. But he couldn't score, couldn't defend and wasn't physical. It didn't work out with Deboer or really with Babcock (he got off to a fast start in DET and then fizzled if memory serves). A lot of players have played well under both of those coaches. Wish him the best back home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What style of play should PDB have with this roster of old and slow players? Nobody was complaining about the coaches style of play in 2012 when we fore checked the sh!t out of teams and had some skill on our forward lines.

The problems not the style of play, it's the players on the roster.

 

I did actually. I really dig that we made it far and all but god was it ever boring to watch. Was so damn predictable it was painful.

 

I remember watching the whole series with my buddy who's a Flyers fan and I'd litterally call out loud the plays that players would do as soon they'd get the puck. It was beyond systematic. A player would get the puck at a certain spot and situation and i'd call what he'd do with it and sure enough it was exactly what i'd say. My friend was actually mind blown about it.

 

There was absolutely no cross passes through the inside, they'd go around the boards 100% of the time. And would get rid of the puck and set for board battles every single play. Kovy well... if he was coming in the zone on the right side... he'd beat the dman with speed. go around the net, he wouldnt even look in front for a pass... he'd go around and pass straight to the point guy. If he was coming from the left side... he'd skate up to the hash marks and stop there and wait for a trailing guy for a square pass. All. The. Time. 

 

We wore down teams that way and all yeah but it was certainly not fun hockey to watch

 

Once Jagr came i saw some changes  though, players would hold on to the puck and look for plays instead of getting rid of the puck right away. Big chances and we see guys make cross ice passes way more too. 

Edited by SterioDesign
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still see in the comments section on TG's blog as well as on many other parts of the internet/social media that Pete and Lou pretty much messed this up and that we lost a proven 25 goal scorer.

 

Good lord.

 

Well, he did prove he could score 25 goals.  He just needed 121 games to do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hate to say it, but I told you so.

I recall many on here saying we should sign Brunner after his solid 12-13 season. I didn't understand it. My main arguments were that he only played half a season with two HOFers on his line and therefore was an unknown quantity.

I totally thought we should have gone after Mason Raymond if we wanted speed and a scoring touch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hate to say it, but I told you so.

I recall many on here saying we should sign Brunner after his solid 12-13 season. I didn't understand it. My main arguments were that he only played half a season with two HOFers on his line and therefore was an unknown quantity.

I totally thought we should have gone after Mason Raymond if we wanted speed and a scoring touch.

 

Liar! Everyone LOVES saying I told you so :P haha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.