Much of the attention in Leaf-land at the moment is focused on the negative, mainly the fact that many in the fan-base have a pessimistic view toward the Leafs end to the season, with question marks surrounding a possible playoff berth, a playoff berth that seemed like a certainty a week ago.
Instead of continually dwelling on the negative regarding the blue and white, I’ll focus on a potential bright spot for the Maple Leafs future, that being Erie Otters right-wing Connor Brown.
When Brian Burke and company used a sixth round draft pick on the Otters Connor Brown in 2012, many snickered at the decision of the Leafs GM. Brown was a young man who was just coming off a 2011-12 season in which his +/- rating -72! Yes you read that right, -72. Yet in the two seasons after being drafted by Toronto, it appears as if Burke and his staff are having the last laugh.
A huge factor in the original -72 was just how historically bad the 2011-12 Erie Otters were as a team, and the fact is that up and down the lineup there were plenty of ugly minuses on the rebuilding club.
In 2012-13, Brown continued to develop chemistry with linemate Dane Fox, and the two were joined by a this kid you may have heard of, Connor McDavid. Brown’s numbers drastically improved, improving on a 53 point rookie season with 69 points in 2012-13, and cutting that +/- rating down from -72 to -11.
The 2013-14 season could not have been any better for both the Otters and Brown. Erie, under the guidance of longtime owner/GM Sherry Bassin, have grown into a powerhouse in the OHL, with players such as Fox, McDavid, centres Andre Burakovsky, Cameron Gaunce, and Dylan Strome, defenceman Adam Pelech, and goalie Oscar Dansk. But is the emergence of Brown as one of the leagues top players that really stands out. Brown turned in a 45 goal, 83 assist, 128 point season to lead the OHL in scoring, and also had an outstanding +44 rating, which has to make both Bassin and Leafs management smile.
Fortunately, I was able to talk with Mr. Bassin, and discuss Brown’s game beyond the statistics.
When I asked Bassin if Brown’s -72 rating in 2011-12 was reflective of poor on-ice performance, Bassin said no, and that Brown was stuck in a bad situation. “He was a rookie who happened to be playing against all the other teams top lines,” stated Bassin. Not to mention the fact that the Otters were a team still in a re-building phase.
It is obvious to see that Brown’s game improved over the last three seasons simply by looking at his numbers, and I asked Bassin in what other ways has he grown as a player.
“His skating has gotten better, he moves the puck better than he did three years ago, and he’s evolved into an all-around athlete. Possibly the best part of his game though is that he is the ultimate competitor, and never gives up on the play,” remarked Bassin. I also stated that Brown’s puck possession game is so good, especially for a smaller player, and Bassin replied with, “Yes that’s right, and it helps that he continues to get bigger. He is like his brother in the fact that it has taken a little bit more time to develop physically.”
There is a question that needs to be answered though. As much as Brown has improved individually, how much of his improvement can be attributed to his surroundings, and having the chance to play with McDavid, Fox, Burakovsky, etc.?
“It certainly helps,” said Bassin, “but Connor has the ability to adapt to whomever he is playing with. He has played on a line with McDavid and Fox, but also worked well this year with Burakovsky and Gaunce, so he has that uncanny ability to adapt to his surroundings and produce.”
This seems to be true, especially as Brown did not seem phased by not having McDavid in the lineup for 12 games, and continued on with his torrid scoring pace. Though speaking from an observational standpoint, when playing at the Maple Leafs rookie tournament last September, Brown had to adapt to third line minutes, and for the most part, did not stand out in any major way. Will this happen again once he leaves the Otters, or will he continue to be the adaptable player Bassin described him as?
Also, when I asked Bassin about what Brown needed to do to continue to develop into an AHL/NHL level talent, he replied that Brown needs to continue working on his strength and getting bigger.
There are a few questions marks surrounding Brown, but for the time being, both the Otters and Maple Leafs must be impressed by this young man’s progress over the last three seasons, and will be hoping that he continues to blossom into a star player.
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