The latest report card for PWHL Minnesota started with the forwards, and this report card will continue that as we look at Brooke Bryant and her performance throughout the season. She wasn’t on the top line and didn’t get much ice time, but she kept grinding to make an impact. The players who work hard behind the scenes, like Bryant, are just as important as the ones in the spotlight, like Taylor Heise.
While she played in nearly every game during the regular season, she didn’t play in every postseason game. In this article, we’ll examine her regular-season performance and her efforts during the playoffs to determine an overall grade. We’ll start with her nonstop grinding and move on from there.
Bryant’s Relentless Play
Despite not getting to play many minutes per game, Bryant worked hard to give it her all every chance she had on the ice. She’s a player who consistently works hard and uses her physicality as well. She had moments of success, but not enough to get her more ice time. Bryant didn’t produce much offense, but she scored one goal throughout the season for one point.
She played 22 of 24 regular season games and had nine shots on goal. She could’ve beefed up her offensive production a bit, but it was hard to get things going when she averaged under 10 minutes of ice time per game. However, when she got the chance to use it, she showed she has a strong, quick snapshot that can beat goaltenders when she uses it.
While she gave it her all, she did struggle with turnovers, which were usually caused by an opposing forward blocking her breakout or getting the puck stripped right off her stick. So, she does need to work on that going forward. Looking at these factors, for the regular season, she got a B-.
That may seem low for someone who played on the Walter Cup Championship-winning team, but she really struggled to contribute. She had quite a few turnovers and had issues carrying the puck and trying to take it from opponents. If she’d produced more goals, she would’ve had a higher grade, but it also wasn’t lower because she did try. When she had a chance, she took it, but again, she has room to improve.
Bryant’s Quiet Postseason
While her regular season was quiet, her postseason was even quieter. She dressed for six out of ten games but only played in three and couldn’t find a way to contribute any offense. This was mainly due to her playing less than seven minutes in two of those games and under two minutes in the third.
In those three games, she recorded just one shot on goal and two hits. Those were the only areas in which she could produce any numbers at all; otherwise, everything else was zeroes. In the minimal minutes she played, she did use her physicality to muscle her way to the puck, which worked for a short time. However, like during the regular season, her turnovers were still a problem and something she needed to fix.
After considering the minimal amount of time she played in the postseason, her grade is the same as her regular season grade, a B-. It may seem low, but she really didn’t contribute much in terms of offense and defense. She tried, but she also continued to struggle with turnovers, which led to her lower grade.
Bryant’s Overall Grade
After reviewing her regular season and postseason performance, where she earned a B-, her overall grade is also a B-. She didn’t play many minutes but still had more turnovers than usual. She struggled to hold onto the puck, which she’ll have to figure out going forward. However, she found a way to score a goal and produced some shots on goal that helped her team.
Related: PWHL Minnesota Report Cards 2023-24: Sophie Jaques
She only signed a one-year deal with PWHL Minnesota, so it’s likely she’s on her way out. Hopefully, she can find another team where she can improve her game and play consistently night in and night out.
