Will Damien Brunner be the next Dan Cleary or will he be the next Fabian Brunnstrom?
The Detroit Red Wings have been filling gaps on its roster with reclamation projects since the salary cap was first implemented. Making the playoffs two decades running makes it tough to secure high draft picks, and the highest the Wings selected during the last CBA was 19th in 2005.
I'm not saying a guy taken at 19 can't do damage, just that he has less of a likelihood to be a game-breaker type that you see in the first few picks.
So, management has pulled talented guys off of what appeared to be the NHL's scrap pile and turned them into NHL regulars.
He was thought to have busted out before finally finding his work ethic in Detroit. Todd Bertuzzi still skates like he is carrying the baggage of what happened with Vancouver, but he's been an excellent player for the Red Wings.
Patrick Eaves, when healthy, is an outstanding forechecking forward. Mikael Samuelsson was a bit of a journeyman before helping Detroit to back-to-back Stanley Cup appearances.
You find talent wherever you can, which is why Brunner, lon ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Franklin Steele
Detroit Red Wings: Why It’s Boom or Bust for Damien Brunner
January 19th, 2013 by Franklin Steele Leave a reply »
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