In a Vancouver Canucks prospect pool that is light on defenceman, Matt Brassard is giving fans reason to hope.

The 19 year old has turned in a solid season with the Ontario Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Oshawa Generals and has probably earned himself a pro contract. Through 63 regular season games (as of this writing), the six-foot-three and 198 pound right-handed blueliner has collected 15 goals and 46 points.

His goal total is fifth highest among OHL defenceman, and he ranks eighth in points.

Most importantly for a prospect, BrassardB次元官网网址檚 production is up substantially from his draft year when he produced 12 goals and 32 points in 62 games split between Oshawa and the Barrie Colts.

Twenty four games into the 2017-18 season things didnB次元官网网址檛 look so rosy for the native of Barrie, Ontario. Brassard had no goals and eight points, and it looked like his development had flat-lined. The idea that the seventh round pick (188th overall in 2017) would be offered any kind of deal with the Canucks seemed far-fetched.

But his production from Nov. 25 on has been eye-popping.

Brassard scored his first goal that night in a 7-3 win over Barrie and in 39 games heB次元官网网址檚 posted 38 points.

Getting him signed and into the Utica Comets lineup now seems like a no-brainer.

So what changed?

B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e in a slump youB次元官网网址檝e got to work your way out of it, and thatB次元官网网址檚 what I did, staying after practice to work on shooting pucks and doing drills,B次元官网网址� Brassard said. B次元官网网址淥ne of the biggest things I was told by my head coach (Bob Jones), right around that 25 game mark, was to keep focusing on defence and all the other stuff will come.B次元官网网址�

Oshawa assistant coach Greg Nemisz said it was a weird start to the season for Brassard.

B次元官网网址淲e couldnB次元官网网址檛 put a finger on it because he was still playing well, he was still creating plays and getting his volume in terms of shots on net, but it just wasnB次元官网网址檛 happening for him,B次元官网网址� Nemisz said. B次元官网网址淎t times he was pressing too much for it, and once he got that first goal he settled in.B次元官网网址�

Many prospect prognosticators will tell you that if a player doesnB次元官网网址檛 produce X amount of points per game in junior, heB次元官网网址檚 unlikely to become a contributor at higher levels. Like all players, Brassard claims to not worry about goals and assists, but heB次元官网网址檚 glad that heB次元官网网址檚 been able to click at a point-per-game rate for the last two thirds of the season.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if I feel any pressure to meet those expectations,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut if itB次元官网网址檚 something that the scouts are looking at to determine whether youB次元官网网址檒l produce at the next level, then IB次元官网网址檓 really happy with the way my year has gone.B次元官网网址�

The stat Brassard cares most about is one that the hockey analytics crowd would like to stuff into a rocket bound for the moon. Brassard said the Generals donB次元官网网址檛 keep advanced stats like Corsi and Fenwick. They donB次元官网网址檛 track controlled zone exits, so plus-minus is the number he checks out after a game to gauge his effectiveness.

B次元官网网址淚 know plus-minus, a lot of people say it doesnB次元官网网址檛 show the type of player you are because you can be on a team that plays against the best teams or the worst teams and it can vary a lot,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 really have a go-to stat, but if I had to pick one it would be plus-minus. Also things liked blocked shots and hits are huge.B次元官网网址�

Brassard is a healthy plus-16 this season.

In the lead-up to the 2017 National Hockey League entry draft, Brassard said he was questioned most often about his skating.

B次元官网网址淚n my pre-draft meetings with teams I told them that I was aware of it and I would be working on it,B次元官网网址� the teenager noted. B次元官网网址淚 spent last summer training for this season with a focus on skating and I think IB次元官网网址檝e improved it.

B次元官网网址淥bviously itB次元官网网址檚 not perfect, but itB次元官网网址檚 a lot better than it was in the past.B次元官网网址�

Nemisz said BrassardB次元官网网址檚 skating can still use a little work, but itB次元官网网址檚 not a liability.

B次元官网网址淏y no means is he a poor skater,B次元官网网址� Nemisz said. B次元官网网址淏ut like anyone trying to go to the professional level where itB次元官网网址檚 a really fast game, heB次元官网网址檚 got to work on his agility.B次元官网网址�

On the flipside, talent evaluators were impressed with BrassardB次元官网网址檚 two-way game and his ability to create offence.

B次元官网网址淚 really take pride in the amount of shots on goal I have. I think IB次元官网网址檓 third in the league among defencemen (heB次元官网网址檚 fourth),B次元官网网址� Brassard said. B次元官网网址淥ne thing I can contribute back there is getting the puck on net from the point. TheyB次元官网网址檙e not always going to be high-quality shots from a defenceman, but getting the puck down there for the forwards to do their work, thatB次元官网网址檚 something that teams noticed about me.

B次元官网网址淎nd I think my commitment to defence and my ability to play against the other teamB次元官网网址檚 top players is something else that stood out.B次元官网网址�

Nemisz concured.

B次元官网网址淗e has been an excellent puck mover, making plays from the back end,B次元官网网址� Nemisz noted. B次元官网网址淗e has a really, really good shot from the blueline too. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a dangerous wrister that always seems to get through. HeB次元官网网址檚 got a real good hockey IQ. HeB次元官网网址檚 got a really good pulse for the game and heB次元官网网址檚 a guy we lean on to provide offence.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 done a good job balancing that because when we really need him to push for offence, he can create, but he can also lock it down and play a real structured game.B次元官网网址�

Skating is a must-have skill for a modern defenceman as the game gets faster and faster.

If BrassardB次元官网网址檚 not going to be the quickest guy on the ice, he feels he can compensate in other ways.

B次元官网网址淧ositioning, gap control, always being up with the play, always being hard on forwards and hard in the D zone with physical play, I think those are the biggest things a defenceman nowadays needs to succeed,B次元官网网址� Brassard explained. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been told to continue to work on those things and I think IB次元官网网址檝e been doing that pretty well this year.B次元官网网址�

Brassard has collected 60 penalty minutes in 64 games, two minutes at a time with no fighting majors. In 2014-15, playing for the midget AAA Barrie Colts, he rolled up 172 minutes in 50 games, but Brassard said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 often drop the mitts.

B次元官网网址淚 definitely wouldnB次元官网网址檛 classify myself as a fighter, but I would classify myself as a hard guy to play against,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 play against top lines night in and night out and I try to get under their skin. Sometimes the ref will take both guys, or just me if IB次元官网网址檝e crossed the line a little bit.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 always involved physically and heB次元官网网址檚 right on that edge,B次元官网网址� Nemisz added. B次元官网网址淵ou notice him every single game. HeB次元官网网址檚 never sleep-walking out there. HeB次元官网网址檚 an impact player for us every night.B次元官网网址�

When I talked to him, Brassard said he had recently been playing on the Oshawa D with William Ennis, a draft-eligible 2000-born defenceman.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a left-handed guy whoB次元官网网址檚 kind of more of a defensive shutdown guy,B次元官网网址� Brassard said. B次元官网网址淚 think we really pair well together where I can join the rush and know that heB次元官网网址檒l be back. IB次元官网网址檓 really hoping heB次元官网网址檒l hear his name called on draft day because I really think heB次元官网网址檚 one of the most underrated guys in this draft.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 flying under the radar, but heB次元官网网址檚 a really good guy to play with.B次元官网网址�

I mentioned off the top that Brassard now looks like a good candidate to play in Utica next year.

The transition to pro is a tough one for juniors, a leap that separates prospects from suspects.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 all learning at this point. IB次元官网网址檓 taking everything my coaches and the Canucks tell me and trying to work on it, trying to make them happy so maybe IB次元官网网址檒l be lucky enough to earn a contract in the next year or two,B次元官网网址� Brassard said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 be happy coming back to Oshawa because I think weB次元官网网址檙e heading in the right direction and I think weB次元官网网址檒l be really good next year, but if I am lucky enough to earn a contract, IB次元官网网址檇 love to start my pro career in Utica and hopefully take off from there.B次元官网网址�

Nemisz, who played 15 big-league games with the Calgary Flames and logged 241 AHL games with the Abbotsford Heat and Charlotte Checkers, said BrassardB次元官网网址檚 offensive game provides a good foundation, and if he can build up his defensive game he can become a solid pro.

B次元官网网址淟ike any young player itB次元官网网址檚 just defending,B次元官网网址� Nemisz said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 done a really good job of it and heB次元官网网址檚 playing against the other teamsB次元官网网址� best lines at our level, but the next level is a whole different animal.

B次元官网网址淔or him to be successful at the next level heB次元官网网址檚 got to be more of a two-way guy, and his defendingB次元官网网址檚 got to come along a little bit.B次元官网网址�

Email: eric.welsh@theprogress.com

Twitter: @ProgressSports