Interesting to read on lubers lounge that Bruce and the players have noticed how certain posters on e-brandon unfairly targeted Brodie earlier this season. Where are all the posters who were calling him down now? He's a plus 23, and playing well. Surely giving some credit when its warranted is due?
http://luberslounge.blogspot.com/
One of Brandon Wheat Kings most criticized players is quietly enjoying a productive season.
Brodie Melnychuk is currently sixth in the Western Hockey League with a +23 rating and has certainly turned things up a notch in December, notching one goal and three points while also registering a +14 rating in nine games.
“We got on that little streak as a team and I think any time the team gains confidence, it helps you as a player,” says Melnychuk, who is +37 in 168 career games with Brandon, “Just started rolling, got a few pluses here and there and just tried to keep my game a little simpler and playing a little physical.”
Melnychuk was originally a third round pick of Brandon in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft, 50th overall and has become a favourite whipping boy for many Wheat Kings’ fans and the subject of much negative debate on the social networking site www.ebrandon.ca.
However, the Balgonie, Saskatchewan product says he’s tried to put that criticism out of his mind.
“I read that site the first year I was on the team and that stuff hurts you as a 16-year old, I’m not going to lie to you. It’s not something you want to hear people saying about you as a player,” says Melnychuk, who says he got help getting through it from former Whet Kings’ captain Keith Aulie, “(Aulie) said he went through the same thing when he was starting out. It’s one of those things that when you’re a defensive defenceman, maybe fans don’t always see what you’re doing right and only the things you’re doing wrong.”
Overall this season, the 6-foot-4, 196-pound Melnychuk has four goals and 12 points and is one of only two players to appear in all 39 games this season.
He’s looked the most comfortable over the past few weeks and has formed a decent second pairing with 19-year old Darren Bestland.
“I think any time you get to play with a guy for an extended period of time, you start knowing where each other are. (Darren) and I are pretty good at going back for pucks, beating the fore check and you’ll probably see us a few times per game get a nice reverse and break the puck out pretty clean,” says Melnychuk, who attended the San Jose Sharks’ rookie camp in September on a free agent tryout, “Stuff like that just gives you a little extra confidence and it’s fun playing with (Bestland) as well.”