Swedish defenseman Jonas Brodin has become an interesting topic of conversation lately, with him appearing 10th overall on Bob McKenzie's 2011 NHL draft list released Monday. Additionally, Pierre McGuire and Craig Button did a live mock draft for TSN and McGuire had Brodin going to Boston at ninth overall.
That's a bit of a surprise, but when it comes to the draft, you never want to emphatically state something will not happen.
Brodin is as cerebral a player on defense as there is for this draft. He has good wheels and thinks the game better than just about anyone at the position. He's a top puck-mover and is mature for his age, having played on the SEL championship squad as a 17-18-year-old this past season.
He's rail-thin and stands in stark contrast to his close friend and teammate Oscar Klefbom in terms of where his physical development is. If Klefbom is the flashy, wild young colt then Brodin is more of the chess master who skates well and makes complex plays look simple.
He's clearly not as much at ease with his English skills and in front of a camera as Klefbom is, but make no mistake- Brodin is a heck of a player. B2011DW isn't as high on him as others are, but that's due more to the fact that the B's already have a similar kind of prospect in their system in one Yury Alexandrov. Brodin could end up being much better than the disappointing former second-rounder in '06 has been for Boston to date, but the two are highly similar in terms of their playing styles and physical frame/build.
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Thank you! All this drinking the kool aid with Brodin is ridiculous. He's a slight european (aka soft) that isn't a dynamic scorer or playmaker. The fact that McKenzie and Button are so high on him is a big head scratcher. Top 10 in first round? Pass.
ReplyDeleteDon't see it either. I havn't seen that much potential upside with him this season to believe he'll end up top 10.
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