About Mike Brown...

...was he really that good of a signing by the Ducks GM Bob Murray? We all probably thought so after the Ducks acquired him last season, in exchange for Nathan McIver. Brown had good 1/3 of a regular season, and even more better playoff performance. And whenever you check Red Wings player like this, you become an instant favorite of the Ducks fans.

So now, Brown has seen regular time, not on the ice, but in the press box. So obviously something went wrong there. Could it be the fact that he's been hitting less and less? Or because he doesn't provide the energy which the Ducks saw last season? Or should insistigate fights more? Probably only the Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle, can answer those questions.

In my opinion, Brown started the season quite well, being the same type of player he was last season. Penalty kill, hitting, being an solid energy line player, and fighting. Those are the bread and butter of Mike Brown's play. Then he started show those qualities less, and from result of that, he became regular healthy scratch in the Ducks line-up.

I honestly don't quite get this decision from Carlyle. Certainly Brown has been better this season, than a long-time Ducks enforcer, George Parros. No offence to George, who is great person off the ice, but Brown pretty much does everything better than Parros. I don't know, maybe there's more to that than i know. I just think that the 4th line Ducks had earlier this season (Artyukhin - Carter/Nokelainen - Brown) played some really good, solid hockey. They provided pretty much everything, that a good 4th line in today's NHL should bring to the table.

But answering to my own question, i still think that re-signing Brown was a good move from Bob Murray. And maybe Brown being a healthy scratch for quite some time now, is only going to motivate him doing a better job on his role, when he inevitably get's his chance again with this Ducks hockey team. And obviously we all hope that the solid play, which we have seen this season from Ducks rookies (Beleskey, Sexton, Bodie) will only continue, but if it doesn't, i think Brown is good player to have on your back-up guy.

#13 Mike Brown (5' 11", 201 Pounds, June 24th 1985, Age: 24, Cap Hit: 537,50$ Expiring: 2011)

55GP 6G 1A 7P 3+/- 61PIM 60Shots 8:37 TOI/G