Hunter Brzustewicz | D

[Johngould21]

10 hours ago, Barn Burner said:

He'll be fine. They have great coaches in Abby. 

 

It will be a great experience for him. 

Including the twins to mentor them.

[Gurn]

12 hours ago, Gurn said:

^ so 6 goals 29 assists for 35 points in 20 games?

https://www.quanthockey.com/ohl/en/seasons/ohl-players-stats.html#:~:text=OHL scoring leaders in the 2023-2024 season. , 18 27 more rows

Link is now updated and yes-35 points in 20 games- as a D man

Name	Age	Pos	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG	G/GP	A/GP	P/GP
1		Carson Rehkopf	18	F	20	22	15	37	16	16	7	0	4	1.100	0.750	1.850
2		Hunter Brzustewicz	19	D	20	6	29	35	8	14	1	0	0	0.300	1.450	1.750

[Attila Umbrus]

6 hours ago, filthy animal said:

 

As much as I'd like to see the 4 guys you mentioned in the big club, i'd love to see them all play for Abby and just be absolutely dominant and bring a championship there. Lets not rush them and do it the right way

I totally agree, I think you misunderstood my post. At the end I say it’s gonna be exciting to see then all on the farm next year (if it all works out that way) The only place I want to rush then to is the farm so we can start moulding them sooner.

 

cheers

[northern lights]

Wonder who would get picked 1st in a re-draft.  Willander or Brzustewicz.

[Smashian Kassian]

15 minutes ago, northern lights said:

Wonder who would get picked 1st in a re-draft.  Willander or Brzustewicz.

 

Definitely Willander imo

 

He's game & physical skill is more suited to a reliable minute munching Dman. 

 

Brzustewicz's standout skills are his vision & poise with the puck. Don't think he skates or defends aswell as Willy tho. 

[JamesB]

5 hours ago, northern lights said:

Wonder who would get picked 1st in a re-draft.  Willander or Brzustewicz.

 

4 hours ago, Smashian Kassian said:

 

Definitely Willander imo

 

He's game & physical skill is more suited to a reliable minute munching Dman. 

 

Brzustewicz's standout skills are his vision & poise with the puck. Don't think he skates or defends aswell as Willy tho. 

Yes, Willander goes first and it is not close. I love what Brzustewicz is doing this year but there is a question over whether his game can transition to the NHL and whether he can defend effectively at that level. He is definitely over-achieving his draft position but it would not be a surprise at all if the tops out at something like the Wolanin level.

 

Willander, on the other hand, has elite skating and elite defensive ability. He looks about as close as you get to being a lock to be at least a solid NHL player.

Edited November 19, 2023 by JamesB

[VegasCanuck]

1 hour ago, northern lights said:

Wonder who would get picked 1st in a re-draft.  Willander or Brzustewicz.

Willander is a solid overall skillset. Excited about Brzustewicz, but at the moment, if I was coaching a team and leading by a goal with 1 minute left, I probably have Willander out there to close it out.

[AatuD2]

I'm wondering how good Hunter would look on an inferior team?  

 

Kitchener Rangers are a powerhouse, rolling over everyone this year. 

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, AatuD2 said:

I'm wondering how good Hunter would look on an inferior team?  

 

Kitchener Rangers are a powerhouse, rolling over everyone this year. 

 

That's always the risk in the CHL. That's why I don't get excited until CHL prospects are able to play in the AHL. So many "sure things" that aren't.

[112]

21 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

That's always the risk in the CHL. That's why I don't get excited until CHL prospects are able to play in the AHL. So many "sure things" that aren't.

 

Yup, and also Brust is older than a lot of the players in the league given that it's his D+1 season. Some of the discussion I've seen in this thread suggests he's actually young but he's been much closer to 19 than 18 for this whole season. Months matter at the CHL level.

 

With that said, it's great to see a prospect excelling in his league. The words "high IQ/great vision" get tossed around a lot to the point where they lose some of their meaning, but Brust is a genuinely intelligent player/person from what I can tell.

 

All in all there are a lot of things to be excited about with Brust but there are also reasons to temper expectations. I agree that waiting until he's in the AHL before really starting to get hyped is a good approach to him and these types of prospects. I'm still disappointed about Rathbone; I followed the guy for years and thought he'd make it.

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, 112 said:

 

Yup, and also Brust is older than a lot of the players in the league given that it's his D+1 season. Some of the discussion I've seen in this thread suggests he's actually young but he's been much closer to 19 than 18 for this whole season. Months matter at the CHL level.

 

With that said, it's great to see a prospect excelling in his league. The words "high IQ/great vision" get tossed around a lot to the point where they lose some of their meaning, but Brust is a genuinely intelligent player/person from what I can tell.

 

All in all there are a lot of things to be excited about with Brust but there are also reasons to temper expectations. I agree that waiting until he's in the AHL before really starting to get hyped is a good approach to him and these types of prospects. I'm still disappointed about Rathbone; I followed the guy for years and thought he'd make it.

 

Its why Juolevi looked good, stacked London team. 

[Future Considerations]

Kind of get a Giordano Shattenkirk vibe from Brzustewicz. Like he's gonna be an NHLer for years...  Maybe cuz he'll be 6ft 200 pounds. 

 

I'm a Canucks fan, what can I say, don't want to trade prospects until 100% positive they are a bust.  

[VegasCanuck]

11 minutes ago, Future Considerations said:

Kind of get a Giordano Shattenkirk vibe from Brzustewicz. Like he's gonna be an NHLer for years...  Maybe cuz he'll be 6ft 200 pounds. 

 

I'm a Canucks fan, what can I say, don't want to trade prospects until 100% positive they are a bust.  

He's an awesome prospect and, if we're patient with him and let him really develop a full game, he's going to look really good in a few years playing the right side defense for us!

[higgyfan]

1 hour ago, Bob Long said:

 

Its why Juolevi looked good, stacked London team. 

 

Juolevi on a stacked team didn't come close to Brzu's draft #s or draft +1 numbers (so far).

[Bob Long]

Just now, higgyfan said:

 

Juolevi on a stacked team didn't come close to Brzu's draft #s or draft +1 numbers (so far).

 

Not sure hunter looks as good defensively yet? 

[higgyfan]

2 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Not sure hunter looks as good defensively yet? 

 

I posted an article a while back in this thread.  Hunter was an offensive dman in his mid-teens and

then had a bad injury (I think it was shoulder).  He had to spend a year rehabbing and just couldn't get his

offensive game back, so he worked on his defence and that was his MO.  It seems that his offensive game

has come back and he now considered a capable dman at both ends.  Read the article if you can find it.

Very interesting indeed. 

 

He is a late November b-day, but he is only 2 months older than Willander. 

I was looking at the 2023 draft; especially OHL players and Hunter measure up well. I think in a

redraft he is an early 2nd to middle 1st.

 

It's early days yet and I agree with you that a year in Abby will show us what he really can do.

[Bob Long]

7 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

 

I posted an article a while back in this thread.  Hunter was an offensive dman in his mid-teens and

then had a bad injury (I think it was shoulder).  He had to spend a year rehabbing and just couldn't get his

offensive game back, so he worked on his defence and that was his MO.  It seems that his offensive game

has come back and he now considered a capable dman at both ends.  Read the article if you can find it.

Very interesting indeed. 

 

He is a late November b-day, but he is only 2 months older than Willander. 

I was looking at the 2023 draft; especially OHL players and Hunter measure up well. I think in a

redraft he is an early 2nd to middle 1st.

 

It's early days yet and I agree with you that a year in Abby will show us what he really can do.

 

Thanks. Hopefully Allvin can get him signed and we get to find out next season.

[higgyfan]

8 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Thanks. Hopefully Allvin can get him signed and we get to find out next season.

 

For sure, Bob.  I don't see any point in him spending another year in Jr.  This kid could very well end up

being the 'hit it out of the ballpark' kind of draft pick.  Oh yeah, apparently he has ++ leadership and

character as well

 

[Neerlynormal]

17 hours ago, AatuD2 said:

I'm wondering how good Hunter would look on an inferior team?  

 

Kitchener Rangers are a powerhouse, rolling over everyone this year. 

Same here. But I wonder what kitchener would look like without Hunter?

[AatuD2]

3 hours ago, Neerlynormal said:

Same here. But I wonder what kitchener would look like without Hunter?

 

One way to find out... 

 

[Guntrix]

I’m not sure the Hunter - Willander question is that cut and dry. Willander needs a LOT of work imo. 

[flat land fish]

On 11/19/2023 at 8:39 AM, Neerlynormal said:

Same here. But I wonder what kitchener would look like without Hunter?

The good news is we know he plays well with talented players.

[VegasCanuck]

4 hours ago, Guntrix said:

I’m not sure the Hunter - Willander question is that cut and dry. Willander needs a LOT of work imo. 

Willander still needs some work, but his whole defensive game is ahead of Brzustewicz, which is to be expected. 

 

Both are awesome prospects, what Brzustewicz is doing in the OHL is phenomenal, our scouts deserve a LOT of credit for identifying him and snagging him in the 3rd round, especially considering he's another RD. The kid performs at an exceptional level offensively and at 18 years old, 6', 190 lbs is really decent size. If he can maintain his mobility as he packs on muscle, he should round out in the 200 - 208 lbs range which will make him the strength necessary to survive in the NHL. My guess is, the only reason Canucks haven't signed him yet is that if he continues to a 110 - 115 point season as a D+1 player, it puts him into the same type of range on entry level deal and bonuses that higher first round picks expect to sign.

 

Willander if a completely different type of defenseman, he's playing against stiffer, more mature competition in College and is flourishing. He's not a guy that is going to put up the numbers of Brzustewicz, but he's the guy that projects as someone that coaches will want out there to close out a close game when leading by 1 goal. For a 1st year guy who has already moved up from 3rd pairing, to 2nd pairing and could easily wind up on first pairing by the end of the season, this kid looks awesome! He's at 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 11 games, again, against more mature competition.

 

Both of these guys are exceptional prospects, fans just need to remember that they are completely different types of players and will be deployed completely differently in the NHL.

 

I would expect both of them to sign in spring or early summer with the Canucks and if I'm right, Brzustewicz will be eligible to join Abbotsford next year where they will work on his full 200 ft game and hopefully turn him into another offensive threat on our blueline. As long as their development continues, expect our Right side in a few years to be an incredibly strong:

 

Hronek

Willander

Brzustewicz

 

[kettlevalley]

Will be interesting to watch hunter develop.  I mean we had/have Rathbone, Rafferty, Wolanin.  All three more than a point per game in the ahl.  None of the three much at the NHL level.  Can hunter surpass that?  But watching Hunter in junior, probably at the world juniors.  Probably deep in the playoffs with Kitchener and then probably another junior season with maybe even better numbers.  Then the AHL.  He is gonna be fun to watch for at least a couple years. 

Edited November 21, 2023 by kettlevalley
Correction

[Alflives]

45 minutes ago, kettlevalley said:

Will be interesting to watch hunter develop.  I mean we had/have Rathbone, Rafferty, Wolanin.  All three more than a point per game in the ahl.  None of the three much at the NHL level.  Can hunter surpass that?  But watching Hunter in junior, probably at the world juniors.  Probably deep in the playoffs with Kitchener and then probably another junior season with maybe even better numbers.  Then the AHL.  He is gonna be fun to watch for at least a couple years. 

Those other 3 were much older and fully physically and mentally developed when they were having success in the A. HB will be 19 if he’s in the A next season.