Report: Red Wings Will Pursue Brouwer

by Tran Longmoore

05/20/2016 - 09:05

Jim Matheson, of the Edmonton Journal, provided another nugget for Red Wings fans in his recent column. Matheson wrote the Wings will pursue Blues unrestricted free agent Troy Brouwer.

					Scoring					Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	ATOI	HIT	BLK
2006-07	21	CHI	NHL	10	0	0	0	-7	7	9:55
2007-08	22	CHI	NHL	2	0	1	1	1	0	11:56	3	0
2008-09	23	CHI	NHL	69	10	16	26	7	50	15:05	125	19
2009-10	24	CHI	NHL	78	22	18	40	9	66	16:22	189	46
2010-11	25	CHI	NHL	79	17	19	36	-2	38	15:06	262	36
2011-12	26	WSH	NHL	82	18	15	33	-15	61	17:11	247	60
2012-13	27	WSH	NHL	47	19	14	33	-5	28	18:32	108	23
2013-14	28	WSH	NHL	82	25	18	43	-6	92	18:51	210	39
2014-15	29	WSH	NHL	82	21	22	43	11	53	17:31	206	39
2015-16	30	STL	NHL	82	18	21	39	2	62	16:00	200	52
5 yrs		CHI	NHL	238	49	54	103	8	161	15:16	579	101
4 yrs		WSH	NHL	293	83	69	152	-15	234	17:58	771	161
1 yr		STL	NHL	82	18	21	39	2	62	16:00	200	52
Career			NHL	613	150	144	294	-5	457	16:47	1550	314

Brouwer, as you can see, has been a fairly consistent goal scorer since his second full season in Chicago when he hit 22 goals. Since then he's posted no less than 17 goals or 33 points. Playing a smaller role in St. Louis than he did in Washington, he still managed 18 goals and 39 points. On Detroit, those are lofty numbers. At least they were last year.

The other part of Brouwer's game is physical play. He threw 200 hits last year. He's done it 5 straight years, not counting the lockout season. At 6'3, 213 pounds, he'd provide the Wings with much-needed size. And he's a right-handed shot.

But here's the thing. He's going to be 31 when the season starts. Do you know what happens to NHL powerforwards around the age of 31?

How many good years did Brenden Morrow have after the age of 31? What happened to Dan Cleary after 31?

Check out this link. It lists the top 15 powerforwards in the game in 2009.

How many of these guys do you want to paying at age 35 and 36? Because you know Brouwer will be seeking a five-year deal.

With the deal the Red Wings gave Abdelkader just starting to kick in next year, the Red Wings can't afford to bring on another 31 year old powerforward who is about to skate into the wall.

If Holland can sign Brouwer at four years or less at $4.75 million or less, he might be worth it. Holland probably can't swing that deal. And even if he could, it does nothing to answer the real serious deficiencies at center and defense.

Troy Brouwer

Free Agency

Ken Holland

Tran Longmoore

Tran Longmoore is the operator of RedWingsNow. He is editor, publisher and founder of The Saline Post. He is also founder of Michigan Ball Hockey.

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