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 League害羞草研究所檚 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, Brassard害羞草研究所檚 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 didn害羞草研究所檛 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 he害羞草研究所檚 posted 38 points.

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

So what changed?

害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e in a slump you害羞草研究所檝e got to work your way out of it, and that害羞草研究所檚 what I did, staying after practice to work on shooting pucks and doing drills,害羞草研究所� Brassard said. 害羞草研究所淥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.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲e couldn害羞草研究所檛 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 wasn害羞草研究所檛 happening for him,害羞草研究所� Nemisz said. 害羞草研究所淎t times he was pressing too much for it, and once he got that first goal he settled in.害羞草研究所�

Many prospect prognosticators will tell you that if a player doesn害羞草研究所檛 produce X amount of points per game in junior, he害羞草研究所檚 unlikely to become a contributor at higher levels. Like all players, Brassard claims to not worry about goals and assists, but he害羞草研究所檚 glad that he害羞草研究所檚 been able to click at a point-per-game rate for the last two thirds of the season.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know if I feel any pressure to meet those expectations,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut if it害羞草研究所檚 something that the scouts are looking at to determine whether you害羞草研究所檒l produce at the next level, then I害羞草研究所檓 really happy with the way my year has gone.害羞草研究所�

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 don害羞草研究所檛 keep advanced stats like Corsi and Fenwick. They don害羞草研究所檛 track controlled zone exits, so plus-minus is the number he checks out after a game to gauge his effectiveness.

害羞草研究所淚 know plus-minus, a lot of people say it doesn害羞草研究所檛 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,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚n my pre-draft meetings with teams I told them that I was aware of it and I would be working on it,害羞草研究所� the teenager noted. 害羞草研究所淚 spent last summer training for this season with a focus on skating and I think I害羞草研究所檝e improved it.

害羞草研究所淥bviously it害羞草研究所檚 not perfect, but it害羞草研究所檚 a lot better than it was in the past.害羞草研究所�

Nemisz said Brassard害羞草研究所檚 skating can still use a little work, but it害羞草研究所檚 not a liability.

害羞草研究所淏y no means is he a poor skater,害羞草研究所� Nemisz said. 害羞草研究所淏ut like anyone trying to go to the professional level where it害羞草研究所檚 a really fast game, he害羞草研究所檚 got to work on his agility.害羞草研究所�

On the flipside, talent evaluators were impressed with Brassard害羞草研究所檚 two-way game and his ability to create offence.

害羞草研究所淚 really take pride in the amount of shots on goal I have. I think I害羞草研究所檓 third in the league among defencemen (he害羞草研究所檚 fourth),害羞草研究所� Brassard said. 害羞草研究所淥ne thing I can contribute back there is getting the puck on net from the point. They害羞草研究所檙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, that害羞草研究所檚 something that teams noticed about me.

害羞草研究所淎nd I think my commitment to defence and my ability to play against the other team害羞草研究所檚 top players is something else that stood out.害羞草研究所�

Nemisz concured.

害羞草研究所淗e has been an excellent puck mover, making plays from the back end,害羞草研究所� Nemisz noted. 害羞草研究所淗e has a really, really good shot from the blueline too. There害羞草研究所檚 a dangerous wrister that always seems to get through. He害羞草研究所檚 got a real good hockey IQ. He害羞草研究所檚 got a really good pulse for the game and he害羞草研究所檚 a guy we lean on to provide offence.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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

If Brassard害羞草研究所檚 not going to be the quickest guy on the ice, he feels he can compensate in other ways.

害羞草研究所淧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,害羞草研究所� Brassard explained. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been told to continue to work on those things and I think I害羞草研究所檝e been doing that pretty well this year.害羞草研究所�

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 doesn害羞草研究所檛 often drop the mitts.

害羞草研究所淚 definitely wouldn害羞草研究所檛 classify myself as a fighter, but I would classify myself as a hard guy to play against,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 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 I害羞草研究所檝e crossed the line a little bit.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 always involved physically and he害羞草研究所檚 right on that edge,害羞草研究所� Nemisz added. 害羞草研究所淵ou notice him every single game. He害羞草研究所檚 never sleep-walking out there. He害羞草研究所檚 an impact player for us every night.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 a left-handed guy who害羞草研究所檚 kind of more of a defensive shutdown guy,害羞草研究所� Brassard said. 害羞草研究所淚 think we really pair well together where I can join the rush and know that he害羞草研究所檒l be back. I害羞草研究所檓 really hoping he害羞草研究所檒l hear his name called on draft day because I really think he害羞草研究所檚 one of the most underrated guys in this draft.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 flying under the radar, but he害羞草研究所檚 a really good guy to play with.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 all learning at this point. I害羞草研究所檓 taking everything my coaches and the Canucks tell me and trying to work on it, trying to make them happy so maybe I害羞草研究所檒l be lucky enough to earn a contract in the next year or two,害羞草研究所� Brassard said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 be happy coming back to Oshawa because I think we害羞草研究所檙e heading in the right direction and I think we害羞草研究所檒l be really good next year, but if I am lucky enough to earn a contract, I害羞草研究所檇 love to start my pro career in Utica and hopefully take off from there.害羞草研究所�

Nemisz, who played 15 big-league games with the Calgary Flames and logged 241 AHL games with the Abbotsford Heat and Charlotte Checkers, said Brassard害羞草研究所檚 offensive game provides a good foundation, and if he can build up his defensive game he can become a solid pro.

害羞草研究所淟ike any young player it害羞草研究所檚 just defending,害羞草研究所� Nemisz said. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 done a really good job of it and he害羞草研究所檚 playing against the other teams害羞草研究所� best lines at our level, but the next level is a whole different animal.

害羞草研究所淔or him to be successful at the next level he害羞草研究所檚 got to be more of a two-way guy, and his defending害羞草研究所檚 got to come along a little bit.害羞草研究所�

Email: eric.welsh@theprogress.com

Twitter: @ProgressSports