As we get into the midst of the summer season, the Kings look to be one of the more quiet teams out there. With only a few signings, no buyouts, and no real significant trades impacting the squad thus far, this seems like the perfect time to jump into play evaluations. I know Jon Rosen over at LA Kings Insider also does player evals over the summer so I'll try and give this a unique twist that separates it from others.
What better place to start than with Kings captain Dustin Brown?
Dustin Brown #23
Age: 29
Contact Status: $5.875M AAV through 2021-22
Stats
Hits: 246
Corsi relative: 1.7% (Reg) -3.3% (Post)
His Season
Brown had a somewhat underwhelming season statistically. It was, in fact, his lowest ever point total. That includes last year's 48 game schedule where he had 29 points. It also includes his first true rookie season (or what I consider first) in 2005-06 when he had 28 points. So as you can see 27 points is very very low.
Over the last 3 years, taking into account the lockout and how his point totals would have looked, Brown normally averages around 55 points and 25 some odd goals. So the 29-year old Brown was definitely off-pace this year. His hit totals, which is a huge part to his game, were also down. This season he had 246, while in 2011-12 he had 293 and the year prior to that an even 300.
So what were the positive signs? Well, his shooting percentage on the year was far below what he normally works at. Brown throws a lot of spaghetti at the wall, normally more of it sticks. He was down at 7.7% on the season for his shooting percentage. He has floated around 11-12% over the last three seasons and he is a 10.1% shooter in his career. Call it what you will. Was it a down year? Are these signs of things to come? For now we'll say it was a down year. Also lending to some of his point woes was his diminished use on the powerplay. With the additions of Carter, Gaborik, Pearson and Toffoli, Brown saw almost a 40% decline in his powerplay time compared to the last full season in 2011-12. Not helping the cause was the fact that he had a woefully low 3.7% shooting percentage on the powerplay. This is terrible in comparison to the last two years in which a 33% and 22% powerplay shooting percentages respectively.
Brown is what he is though. He's a pesky forward who can be hard to play against, which is a staple of Kings hockey. His leadership qualities can't be quantified to a degree. However, when the team battles back in the post-season from numerous deficits and difficult situations the praise has to be laid on the leadership group to a certain degree. He also had a decently productive playoffs where he had 14 points in 26 games and only coming up slightly in the negatives in possession stats. While he was pretty well shut down in the Anaheim series, Brown was integral in the late stages of both the Chicago series and San Jose Series, and also had two goals in the finals against the Rangers.
Moving Forward
Considering the quality of players Brown plays with, the amount of powerplay time he logs, and the offensive zone chances he gets, next year has to be a better statistical year for No 23. While he showed up in the playoffs, at the price tag he receives you would hope that Brown steps into a role that is larger than a third line forward. Currently, that's what he is on pace to do though. With only 27 points to his name this season Brown faces the task of trying to get into the Top-6 next year ahead of the likes of Carter, Gaborik, Toffoli, and Pearson. That's a tough ask for the King captain. At 50-60 points a season of fairly responsible and hard-hitting hockey, I don't think too much belly aching can be made about the price tag. However, if he continues his 2013-14 regular season woes into the 2014-15 season there is going to be some unhappy campers. Heck, there already are.
I see it more as worry then actual anger though.
He was a bit unlucky this year and that definitely affected things. Next year he has to prove it was just bad luck and get back to being a decent offensive producer on a team that now has more offensive weapons. Will he be phased out of his role a little bit? Will the price tag become a bit hefty with all the RFA's coming up? We shall see.
Outside of the
Luongo runnings,
Hertl destroyings, overtime winners, and
one of greatest cup photos of all time , Brown had an average season.
He had a below average regular season, probably D worthy in my opinion. However, he had a solid playoffs which probably warranted a B rating.
Somehow poetic that the man who wears the C earned a C this season in my eyes.
Final Grade: C
Agree? Disagree? Vote yourself! Get in before the trolls! Dustin Brown is the dirtiest player in the NHL right?
Next time out we will evaluate Mr. Jeff Carter.
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