Fabian Brunnstrom Headed to Salary Arbitration
by Brad Gardner on Jul 5, 2010 11:08 PM CDT
in News
20 comments
Fabian Brunnstrom, he of 2 goals and 9 assists in the 2009-2010 season, has filed for salary arbitration, evidently unhappy with the qualifying offer made to him by the Dallas Stars. Check out the DMN for the full list of players filing for arbitration league wide.
If my understanding of salary arbitration is correct, both team and player will propose a number and then a neutral third party will weigh the evidence and decide on something likely in between. The Stars can choose to accept it, or not, and then Bunny becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to listen to juicy offers from around the league. (TSN says there's still 297 UFA's unsigned, btw...)
It's unclear how Brunnstrom fits into the Stars plans going forward, if at all. It's still unclear how he fit into last years plan. He played 44 games in a rather undefined role, amassing only 11 points and a -3 on the year. That followed a rookie season that saw him score 17 goals in 55 appearances, a strong number for a rookie. Brunnstrom is said by many to be a "skill guy" who needs "top six" minutes to develop his potential. On a team like Dallas, already stacked with left handed wingers, he likely won't get it.
Last September, coach Crawford gave Brunnstrom an opportunity in camp to earn premium minutes, but when opening night came he played on a line with Krys Barch. He played all 14 games in October, then sporadically after that, including a shoulder injury in November. Some wonder if he could benefit greatly from a change in scenery, a la Ville Leino.
Players are ordinarily required to be in the league 4 years before they're arbitration eligible, but signing his first NHL contract after the age of 20 alters the rule for Fabian. The Stars, with the addition of a James Neal extension hopefully in the works, would have 13 forwards under contract next season without Brunnstrom.
0 recs |
20 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Thank God the Leafs dodged that bullet.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Insert drop of Doyle King's Maniacal Laugh
Followed by, “I’m sorry, that’s funny!!!”
Fabian may have just surpassed Martellus Bennett for dumbest DFW athlete. Which is really saying something.
I take it that Bunny’s hearing will be filled with awkward tears and sniffles.
Here's to all us girls who love hockey...and the men who play it.
by Brad_Richards_Rocks on Jul 6, 2010 8:35 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
His salary was probably one of the reasons why they had to pay Barch more.
“Look at Fail Swede over there. He makes more than I do and he totally sucks!”
by Sugaa on Jul 6, 2010 8:49 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
It is obvious he is doing this to get the chance in another team not a higher salary.
The Stars current system is not for Brunnstrom and it seems Crawford hated him from day one. For anyone who has followed Stars this year knows that Brunnstrom has not been played in a position where he can produce the numbers expected from him. Before Crawford, Brunnstrom had the same statistics(0,53p/game) as Neal had last year (0,48p/game) and like Benn had this year (0,5p/game) so obviously there has to be more to it than Brunnstrom suddenly being a bad player.
If there is not a change within Dallas coaching this year he really could do a lot better with another team.
To be fair...
Crawford didn’t hate him from day one. Like I said in the post, Crawford gave him a good chance. Everyone at camp saw. Brunnstrom was playing with RIbeiro and Morrow in camp. Then Crawford would put Benn there instead. The difference was astounding. Fabian just couldn’t keep up.
It's always a numbers game...
Whether you are comparing +/- or goals, assist or even PIM; you have to prove you can be effective. I liked Fabian and thought we had a steal on our hands as he was courted by several teams and chose Dallas. With that said, his numbers have not added up this year. He had a legit shot at a top line spot until Halloween, bad costume perhaps? Came to the games dressed as a top Euro talent but was only a clever disguise? I don’t know but he was pretty much shelved at that point and that is why we are talking about arbitration. If a 3rd party looks at the two years together, he is still making more than he is worth in today’s dollars. $1.5-2MM is a lot for a dozen or so points/year production. I think the arbitration will make him hungry to prove he is worth it here or he looks at the tea leaves and is afraid to be in a cash strapped organization and wants his payday and long-term contract now. I don’t blame him, he turned down Montreal, Wings, and others to come to what was then a Western Conference finalist. Good luck attracting that interest now!
LOL
Don’t let the door hit your @$$ on the way out, Mr. Brunnstrom…
I think the Stars just want him for trade fodder.
He does have skill, and that gives him potential. But kind of like Modano, he really doesn’t have a chance to crack the skill lines here. We just have too many good left handed forwards and when he got his chance last year Benn beat him out. I guess it is possible he will get a last chance at training camp/ early season this year, but I think the Stars real interest is getting him at a good contract to include in a trade to bring some return on their investment in him.
But at least this will provide a diversion to worrying about what the Stars are doing (nothing) to fix the real team problem on the blue line. It’s just too bad we can’t get transcripts on the arbitration hearing … I would love to hear what Joe has to say about Fabian.
Agreed, blue line, youth movement?
not much you can do when the owner asks you to sign folks with pocket change. blue line should have been the focus in last years draft and 1st round this year but I am not sad about picking up Campbell either! I think the goal should be to find someone who can afford Ribs or offer a like contract blue line swap. We have tons of Cs and LWs, but we need a RW and top of the list is a quality Dman. There just aren’t many options for the Stars this year and until a sale is complete we will be low balling the cap number. Joe will not win fans, but you have to admit his is making an attempt at rebuild and supplement where you can.
It took my 20 minutes to stop laughing
another 5 to check snopes to make sure this was for real before I could respond to this one. Seriously Bunny wabit – arbitration tricks are for kids and for forwards who score more than 2 goals per season.
I still can’t stop laughing.
Proud fan of the #1 college hockey team in the nation - Miami University Redhawks - The Brotherhood. RIP Brendan Burke.
audio from Joe's office
So I just downloaded the audio from that bug I have in Joe Nieuwendyk’s office. Here is the transcript.
Joe: “G Robs, seriously man, I’ve had a rough go of things lately. First, I have to tell Turco to clean out his locker and then gave him the number for my Realtor from when I got traded in 2002. Then I have to tell my good friend, Mike Modano, you know that American kid, he’s married to the chick on DWTS, that we’re turning the page, moving on without him. Then I don’t make the HHoF. I work for a deadbeat boss. I have to check my online banking account every week to make sure my paycheck hasn’t bounced. The fans hate me. Mandy Modano hates me – although Tina’s glad about that. I don’t think I’ll ever smile or laugh again.”
Knocking on Joe’s office door.
Joe: “um yeah I gotta go Gary. I told Frankie P to knock when the lynch mob was out in the parking lot for me. bye.”
Frank Provenzano: “Joe I have some news for you.”
Joe: “It’s OK Frank. I brought my Troy Aikman disguise in for just this occasion.”
Frank: “Oh, we sent the lynch mob over to Hicksey’s office. You’re safe for now. I just wanted to let you know that Fabian Brunnstrom has filed for arbitration.”
Joe: after 10 minutes of laughter, “Frank, you’re awesome. How’d you know I needed a good laugh today. Good man – I’d give you a raise but well you know it all went to Barchie who’s now honor bound to protect me from the mob.”
Frank: “Joe, I’m being serious.”
Joe: “Aw man, yer killin me smalls.” More laughter
and still more laughter then a brief pause
Joe: “Seriously?”
and still more laughter
Well I am still reviewing the rest of the tape but I think it’s about 60 minutes of laughter from Joe and Frankie P.
Proud fan of the #1 college hockey team in the nation - Miami University Redhawks - The Brotherhood. RIP Brendan Burke.
FOX called
They want to green light this script for a pilot episode.
But even if it’s brilliant, they’ll cancel it quicker than you can say Futurama. (Or Firefly… or any of the other botched decisions FOX has made…)
by Brad Gardner on Jul 6, 2010 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Defending Big D
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Montreal's Price talks new 2-year contract, expectations post-Halak
- Donald Fehr aware of Kovalchuk drama, mum on everything else
- Puck Headlines: Savard's agent rants on Bettman; Halak in Montreal
- Boudreau, Crawford placed on the coaching hot seat
- NHL 2010-11 Season Preview: Wrestling with Atlanta Thrashers
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
