All hockey fans should know by now which teams everyone has pegged as winners and losers of the off-season. The question I would like take a look at is which players are the real winners and losers of this offseason.
Winners today, losers tomorrow.
I should start off by saying a winner is not necessarily a player that is going to score 50 goals and win a Stanley Cup, but rather a winner is a player the went to a much better situation for them individually. This is a perfect transition into my first winner:
Gilbert Brule
If you just said “He is not a winner! He will not score 50 goals!” you need to read the paragraph above that you obviously skipped.
Yes, Brule was a high first round draft pick who may never live up to expectations. However, his small size and fast tempo are well suited for Edmonton.
Brule gets the added benefit of starting over with a new team, and this could do wonders for his confidence—which was shattered by his premature entrance into the NHL.
Additionally, Brule projects to be on a second or third line in Edmonton. That is much better than where he would have been in Columbus—pulling occasional fourth-line duty.
Brule is not a big time winner, but I would call him my budget winner.
Ron Hainsey
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