Fansided

San Jose Sharks Should Claim Brandon Gormley

By Sam Kelly |
Sep 29, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Jiri Hudler (24) tries to get position on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brandon Gormley (46) during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Flames won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Jiri Hudler (24) tries to get position on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brandon Gormley (46) during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Flames won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

One of the many issues that has plagued the San Jose Sharks this season is the inconsistent play of the club’s third defense pairing. Brenden Dillon has put forth a strong effort to anchor that pairing, but he hasn’t had much help. Dylan DeMelo, Matt Tennyson and Mirco Mueller have been rotating in and out of the second spot next to Dillon all season, and none of them have stuck. Frankly, all three should probably be playing full-time in the AHL.

The Colorado Avalanche created a potential solution to this problem by waiving defenseman Brandon Gormley on Thursday.

Gormley, 23, was selected 13th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. He was dealt to Colorado this offseason in exchange for defenseman Stefan Elliott.

A standout during his junior career with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, Gormley was pegged as a top talent in his draft class and was a consensus top-10 pick. He slid a few spots to the Coyotes and returned to Moncton, where he posted 48 points in 47 games from the back end.

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Gormley came close to cracking Arizona’s roster out of camp in 2012 but was assigned to the team’s minor-league affiliate in Portland. In his first year as a pro, Gormley tallied 29 points in 68 games while logging heavy minutes in a top-four role. He managed 36 points in 54 games the following season and appeared in five games with the Coyotes.

Last season, Gormley earned a larger role with Arizona, appearing in 27 games and posting four points.

His performance has been a mixed bag in Colorado this year. Gormley has played in 26 of the team’s 41 games, managing just one assist and 11 shots on goal over that stretch. The offensive production he enjoyed in juniors and the AHL has yet to translate to success at the NHL level.

With that said, Gormley is a strong skater with solid defensive positioning and clear upside. Defensemen generally take longer to develop, and at 23 years old, he has plenty of time to round out his game.

What he needs is ice time. Gormley has been a two-way force on the blue line at every level of hockey he’s played throughout his young career, and he has never been given consistent minutes with a solid defense partner in the NHL.

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The Sharks could offer him that opportunity. Instead of constantly rotating between three players who are all, at this point in time, minor-league caliber players, San Jose could immediately insert Gormley in the sixth defenseman slot. He’d be an upgrade over DeMelo, he’s younger and has more upside than Tennyson, and he’s more NHL-ready than Mueller. Gormley also has a track record of success and a draft pedigree that’s always tantalizing when it comes to young players on the cusp of breaking through.

San Jose would be wise to put in a claim and take a chance.

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