Vancouver Canucks Coach Rick Tocchet Doesn't Hold Back On Why He Keeps Scratching Defenseman Erik Brannstrom
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Photo credit: Canucks Daily
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet open up to the media on why he has healthy scratched young defenseman Erik Brannstrom for two games in a row.
The Vancouver Canucks have been fairly thin on defense all season long, and their issues have been exacerbated with the injury to Filip Hronek.
This is the reason why it came as a surprise to many that head coach https://www.canucksdaily.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/vancouver-canucks-make-questionable-last-minute-decision-to-demote-defenseman-erik-brannstrom, especially with his ability to move the puck effectively.
Vancouver Canucks Coach Rock Tocchet Explains Why Is Healthy Scratching Defenseman Erik Brannstrom
With Derek Forbort returning, and the Canucks deciding to call-up Mark Freidman from the Abbotsford Canucks, it was believed that they would be rotating them two. But, when Brannstrom's name was left of the lineup sheet, it was pretty surprising.
Rick Tocchet disclosed that the way the Canucks are set up, he plans on rotating the defenseman, and that no one on the blue line (expect for Quinn Hughes) is a guaranteed to play every game.
«We're built [in a way that] we can rotate D. I'm not sure we have guys that are consistently going to play every day. I think it's okay to have a rotation.
After commenting, he didn't hold back his comments on how he feels about Erik Brannstrom, saying that he is not playing his best hockey defensively, and that he wants to give recent call-up Mark Friedman a chance.
«I think his defensive stuff has slipped a little bit. But I think he's really been conscientious of it, and he's had a couple good practices. He'll get back in. I just think that, for me tonight, I like the righty [with] lefty and I think Frieds [Mark Friedman] can add a little bit of bite down low.»
It just seems surprising that Erik Brannstrom was the choice to be left out, Noah Juulsen, although has played better recently, it the obvious choice to be rotated out.
The Canucks have struggled with moving though the neutral zone and entering the opponents end, and even though the numbers may not show his talents and other than Quinn Highes, Brannstrom has been the most effective puck mover.
But, by the look of the comments made after the game by Tocchet, Brannstrom may be sitting for a 3rd consecutive game.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 13 | 250 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Coach Rick Tocchet Doesn't Hold Back On Why He Keeps Scratching Defenseman Erik Brannstrom Do you agree with Rick Tocchet on healthy scratching Erik Brannstrom? | ||
| Yes | 124 | 49.6 % |
| No | 126 | 50.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
