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trella · 06-11-2019, 10:16 AM

Noah Brusky
United States of America
Ht: 6’1”
Wt: 192 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: D
Drafted: 8 Overall (Round 1)
@BrewskyBoy

Every SHL team is searching for that next big shut down defenseman a la Bojo Biscuit or Barney Stinson. While nobody knows if Noah Brusky may ever have a Hall of Fame career like the aforementioned defenesemen, he certainly has the potential and skill to a least be a high end shut down man on any team. Not the biggest guy (but no slouch either), standing at 6’1”, Brusky really put himself on the map when he was named to Team USA’s Under 18 team for this year’s tournament. While the States did not win the tournament, Brusky showed just how durable he was logging a ton of minutes throughout the tournament.

Usually it takes more defensive minded defensemen a little longer to develop a good skating game but that is one of Brusky’s biggest attributes. As it stands right now, he’s physical, and is built very sturdily. Brusky is at a pretty good weight for a shutdown guy, but to truly be a defensive and physical monster on the back end, Brusky might still need to bulk up on some muscle and get bigger.

The United States-native thought it was best to take the college route as they have produced some of the SHL’s best defensive products such as Alexis Metzler and Otis B. Driftwood. In my viewings of him, he does all the right things that anyone would want in a defensive defenseman. He lays down absolutely monstrous hits, uses his long reach to get his stick in there and disrupt offensive plays, blocks shots all nights, and closes down passing lanes. While he is mobile, he mainly relies on his defensive positioning and instincts to be effective out there on the ice, and he will continue to use these strengths to his advantage this season with the St. Louis Scarecrows.

Offensively, his numbers aren’t off the charts, but that is to be expected. In college hockey, he had a pretty decent season with 1 goal and 15 assists in 34 games. In the SMJHL Showcase, he notched a goal and 7 assists in 20 games as well. He’s had a nice season, but his offensive game will be an afterthought at the SHL level. As his game develops, Brusky might find himself racking up some assists as during the season he has shown great vision with the puck and the ability to find his teammates. He’s not a risky player and makes intelligent plays to move the puck up ice. His outlet passes are good, but not the best of the best as we would see from a true puck moving defenseman. At the end of the day, Brusky will be one of the better shutdown defensemen in the SMJHL this season and perhaps the SHL if he develops well with the Scarecrows.