We continue our series on Anaheim Ducks Season Grades. Today we hand out grades for the Right Wings.
Catch up on our Anaheim Ducks season grades. Go to our main page for links to other position grades.
The Incompletes
Logan Shaw: W/D
Do you remember the rush to drop classes before the two-week or so mark in the term back in college? If you didn’t drop in time, your permanent record had a grade like this W/D awarded to Shaw. It was a nice way of saying you didn’t bother to finish the class. But this W/D wasn’t Shaw’s fault. He performed admirably during his time in Anaheim.
When GM Bob Murray looked at Shaw, he saw a shiny object in the distance. The problem was, he left the 6′ 3″ 202 lb. Shaw for a 5′ 10″ 175 lb. Brown. This trade was never a good idea. Unfortunately, when the playoffs came around, the Ducks were stuck with Brown and his inability to play their system. Logan Shaw was always a better option.
J. T. Brown: D
The Ducks waived Logan Shaw in order to make room for J.T. Brown in January. They claimed him off waivers from Tampa Bay. They should have known Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman knew what he was doing. To add insult to injury, Montreal claimed Shaw off waivers. The result was the Anaheim Ducks traded Shaw’s 14 points for Brown’s seven.
I know scoring isn’t everything, especially for a fourth liner. But Brown never seemed like he figured out how to play in Anaheim. Maybe he should have spent less time on his video games and more time improving his hands.
He reminded Ducks fans of Emerson Etem. He could go hard and fast down his wing. But he had no moves, and he didn’t know what to do with the puck when he got it. Brown was only good for hitting the opposition. But with almost zero threat of scoring, he was a liability for the team.
Luckily, Brown is a free agent on July 1. Bob Murray should immediately turn in his resignation if he re-signs Brown. Possession is too big a part of the game these days to have him on the roster at this level.