When the free-agent doors swung open in July, the team all over Minnesota Wild centre Kyle Brodziak was the opponent he had just played six angry playoff games against — the St. Louis Blues. As the one-time Edmonton Oilers forward said, probably my “most hated team” after playing the Blues 30 times during the last six years with the Wild.
When the free-agent doors swung open in July, the team all over Minnesota Wild centre Kyle Brodziak was the opponent he had just played six angry playoff games against — the St. Louis Blues.
As the one-time Edmonton Oilers forward said, probably my “most hated team” after playing the Blues 30 times during the last six years with the Wild.
But the Blues wanted a new fourth-line centre after Marcel Goc and Olli Jokinen didn’t get the job done and Brodziak was a 10-year NHL veteran squeezed out of a job by salary-cap problems and Erik Haula in Minnesota.
Brodziak, whose previous deal was for three years and $8.5 million, wasn’t about to get picky. He quickly said yes on the second day of free agency to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Now with centre Jori Lehtera’s ankle surgery and Patrik Berglund’s shoulder surgery that will keep him out of the lineup until January, Brodziak may have become more valuable to the Blues.
“There was a lot of tire-kicking on with a bunch of teams, but no real solid offers … the usual, ‘We might be interested, but we don’t know our situation yet,’ ” said Brodziak, 31, who has played 621 NHL games.
Brodziak, who was participating in Perry Pearn’s 3 vs. 3 hockey camp at the Knights of Columbus Twin Arenas this week, saw the handwriting on the wall with the Wild. His offence had dropped off the past three years since he scored 22 goals and 44 points in 2011-12. Plus, Haula is younger and faster.
“At the end of the year, I had conversations with the GM (Chuck Fletcher) and he said they were really tight with the cap and they probably weren’t going to offer me anything,” Brodziak said. “But it was a good run there.
What will it be like playing for a bitter Central Division rival that Minnesota knocked off in Round 1 this past April.
“We came into the playoffs really hot,” said Brodziak. “They were in our face in the games, but we didn’t want any part of that. After the whistle, we’d turn away and go. Maybe that got to them a bit.
The Blues, who lost in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row after another terrific regular season, had to make changes. They dealt forward T.J. Oshie to the Washington Capitals for six-foot-three, 213-pound forward Troy Brouwer, a goalie prospect and a third-round draft pick next year.
The Blues aren’t expecting Brodziak to do anything he didn’t do in Minnesota.
“He plays big. He played third-line centre there when they had injuries and third-line wing. He can move up and down the lineup,” said St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock.
That sounds fine to the six-foot-two, 210-pound Brodziak.
“They told me that I’d probably play the first two periods on a line with (Ryan) Reaves and (Steve) Ott and be the responsible guy so they can be set free (to disturb and bang),” he said. “I know Hitch uses his fourth line a lot.