Brunnstrom adjusts
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page
Stars forward Fabian Brunnstrom admits he still gets lost now and then when driving around the area, but he's adjusting. He’s also adjusting to finding his way around the smaller North American ice surface.
It's a sign that the Stars' decision to send the highly touted Swedish prospect to the Traverse City prospect tournament paid dividends in helping him get a jump start on the team's training camp, which opened Friday at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter in Frisco.
"It helped him a great deal, a great deal," Stars coach Dave Tippett said.
Tippett was a proponent of getting Brunnstrom to play in Traverse City, where the 23-year-old forward played four games and helped the Dallas team win the tournament championship.
"I think the more games we can get him in on this size ice, the more comfortable he feels and the better read we'll get on him and where he's at," said Tippett.
Brunnstrom wasn't happy with his first game, but said he felt it start coming around over the next three games.
"The first game was awful. After that I became more comfortable," Brunnstrom said after his first training camp practice with the Stars Friday afternoon.
Brunnstrom said the adjustment from the larger ice surface is a challenge because the game is faster and requires quicker decisions, but it's a challenge he enjoys because of the game it produces.
"Of course you have less time, but I think it's fun," he said. "I think it makes the game better."
Brunnstrom, signed as a free agent in May, ended up with one goal and three assists in the four tournament games, but from the Stars' perspective it was the improvement in his play from game to game that was most noticeable.
Tippett monitored Brunnstrom's progress via television and by talking to the coaching staff in Traverse City. They got what they expected, which was steady improvement from Brunnstrom as he adjusted to an ice surface that is smaller than the one he played on in Europe.
"I thought he got better as the tournament went on, and that's what the coaches thought of his performance too, which was very expected," said Tippett.
Brunnstrom gave his overall tournament performance a less than stellar review, but added that it helped him in the adjustment process.
"I didn't play that good. I know I can play better," he said. "These were my first games on the small ice. Sometimes in the game I felt pretty good, but it's going to take some time. ... The games were important to me. I feel better. I feel like I am in the game a little bit more."
The Stars are willing to show some patience with Brunnstrom, who was never drafted but has the talent level of a top ten pick, according to some scouts.
Last season several NHL teams pursued Brunnstrom. The Stars eventually won the sweepstakes for the speedy, skilled forward, who finished tied for 18th in the Swedish Elite League with 37 points (nine goals, 28 assists) in 54 games. Those 28 assists tied for seventh in the SEL.
Brunnstrom showed some flashes of his speed and skill in Friday's opening session playing on a line with left wing on a line with Chris Conner and Landon Wilson.
He got a step on defenseman Matt Niskanen and was able to get off a good scoring chance on Stars goalie Marty Turco at one point. Later in the practice he got the puck behind the goal line and quickly tucked into the net before Turco could slide over and cover his far post.
"It was fun," Brunnstrom said of his first day of training camp. "It was pretty good. It was great to be on the ice."
Quotable
"Yeah. And getting lost too."
Stars forward Fabian Brunnstrom, when asked if he's started driving since arriving in Dallas
