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Dabura

Brunner Equals Clutch/Work on Signing *merged

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It's refreshing to see someone wearing a Winged Wheel who can shoot the puck that way. I still think he needs to play stronger in the corners and contribute more in the cycle. Hiding in these quiet areas is okay in the regular season, especially when he's still somewhat unknown throughout the league, but come playoffs his linemates will need help pressuring down low, and fighting in the corners.

Anyway, there's a couple months still for him to add muscle and learn how to properly use it, and continue to adjust to NA hockey, but if he sits on his laurels and doesn't try to improve these aspects of his game, I promise two things: the Wings won't get far in the postseason, and he won't be long for this league (unless the Maple Leafs want him).

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Did Brett Hull ever do much fighting in the corners though? My memory of him is hanging round in the slot whilst Zetterberg and Datsyuk dug for the puck in the corners. I'm pretty sure Babcock will be working on the defensive aspects of his game though.

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I was going to mention Hull, actually.

Brunner's a sniper-ish goal-scorer; I don't think he should be expected to do a whole ton of work in the rough areas. Certainly not at this time, given his frame and his sheer lack of experience with the crash-bang-muck of the NHL.

He was brought here to do one thing, and he's doing it. Anything more this season (e.g. say he becomes, I dunno, a reliable two-way player) would be a pleasantly surprising bonus.

Edited by Dabura

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Also, can we just settle this once and for all, please: BROO-ner, yes?

I've taken to calling him Barnbrunner.

According to this, it is indeed BrOO-ner

That Damien Brunner *very quietly* admitted that it is indeed BROOner. So Ken Daniels has switched. Und mein Deutsch ist noch gut!

https://twitter.com/georgemalik/status/295025938519973889

Edited by ogreslayer

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Guest Playmaker

I think this board should be renamed the bipolar board. The highs are so high and the lows so low....whew! Fans are ready to ink Brunner to a long term deal after 4 games and 2 goals and want to dump Franzen, though he's had a long history of scoring in the regular season and playoffs...

Yes, Brunner has looked decent the first few games and Franzen has struggled to be the dominant power forward he's capable of being, but sheesh...I'm going to need some Prozac here soon...

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Franzen has three seasons of spectacular playoffs and two years of nothing running. I'm not sure that qualifies as a long history of scoring, at least not consistently.

Agreed. Not that I'm saying sign Brunner long term and dump Mule, but Franzen's playoff performance is getting misrepresented. Three monster years isn't the same as consistent playoff performer. He's had just as many mediocre to bad ones.

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Its actually "Brew-nair" in Swissish.

That does get close, indeed, but ain't an actual fit. If you say "Brunner" everything but the pronunciation of the "u" is actually very close to Swiss german. You have to pronounce it like the "oo" in "Brooner" but as short as the "u" in "Brunner" with more stressing remaining on the "nn". No idea if that helps^^

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Guest Playmaker

Well if he can suck and still lead the team in goal scoring as he did last year, I'll take that nothing all day long...

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I think this board should be renamed the bipolar board. The highs are so high and the lows so low....whew! Fans are ready to ink Brunner to a long term deal after 4 games and 2 goals and want to dump Franzen, though he's had a long history of scoring in the regular season and playoffs...

Point taken, though I'm not sure it's really fair to compare the two. Franzen's been pissing us off for some time now. Brunner's a blast of crisp, clean air-conditioning.

What I'm trying to say is, f*** Brunner.

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Where has anyone compared the two? The guy is signed for only the shortened season and a UFA thereafter. I don't think anyone in their right mind would consider a Franzen deal for the guy, but if he keeps up the good work his price will only get higher and the chance of retaining him lower. This is the type of guy Kenny will give a three year deal to.

Edited by kook_10

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Guest The Axe

That does get close, indeed, but ain't an actual fit. If you say "Brunner" everything but the pronunciation of the "u" is actually very close to Swiss german. You have to pronounce it like the "oo" in "Brooner" but as short as the "u" in "Brunner" with more stressing remaining on the "nn". No idea if that helps^^

Nice!!! How about "24"? We can all say that!

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Guest Crymson

Agreed. Not that I'm saying sign Brunner long term and dump Mule, but Franzen's playoff performance is getting misrepresented. Three monster years isn't the same as consistent playoff performer. He's had just as many mediocre to bad ones.

Last year was Franzen's first bad playoff performance. In 2011, his ankle got busted in game two; in 2006, as a rookie, he had more points than the likes of Lidstrom and Shanahan; in 2007, he scored the series-winning OT goal against the Flames, and generally played an important defensive role while producing modestly on offense. And you'll note that these last two were before he really was given the chance to play as a scorer.

I know you like to represent the guy as the second coming of Alexei Yashin, but that doesn't fit.

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Last year was Franzen's first bad playoff performance. In 2011, his ankle got busted in game two; in 2006, as a rookie, he had more points than the likes of Lidstrom and Shanahan; in 2007, he scored the series-winning OT goal against the Flames, and generally played an important defensive role while producing modestly on offense. And you'll note that these last two were before he really was given the chance to play as a scorer.

I know you like to represent the guy as the second coming of Alexei Yashin, but that doesn't fit.

That's hardly my representation of Mule, but keep taunting me, please.

Honestly most of my criticism of Franzen is for lack of consistent effort, not production. He's definitely a good value for his contract but it's frustrating when you see how he can play to watch him take shifts off.

So let's deal with some stats and not your misrepresentation of my point.

5 GP 1 G 0 A

8 GP 2 G 1 A

12 GP 6 G 12 A

23 GP 12 G 11 A

16 GP 13 G 5 A

18 GP 3 G 4 A

6 GP 1 G 2 A

I'd say 2008-2010 were great playoff years. The last two were disappointments. And the first two were average.

If you read my post and the one I was responding to it was pretty clearly in the context of playoff scoring. You can make all the excuses you want but his resume is a little short of what I would call a consistent playoff performer.

That's not to say he sucks, or he's a playoff no show, or any other exaggeration you'd like to make. It's just too small of a track record for what I would call a proven playoff performer.

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