Brett Ponich
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Birthday:
1991-02-22 |
Position:
D |
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Eligible for draft:
2009 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2009 |
Height:
6-7 |
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Acquired:
2nd round (48th overall), 2009 |
Weight:
225 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- C
History
2008-09: Brett Ponich had one goal and 17 assists in 72 games for Portland.
2009-10: But the once-awkward Portland Winterhawk defenseman has come into his own this year and is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Portland is one of the big stories in the WHL and while much of their success is due to some talented 17-year-olds, Ponich’s contribution cannot be overlooked. Nicknamed “Tree”, he had a -39 two seasons ago when Portland was one of the league doormats.
2010-11: Ponich was having a memorable season in his fourth year with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks before suffering a season-ending knee injury in mid-January. In 45 games with Portland, which would go on to finish first in the US Division and reach the WHL playoff finals, Ponich was a career-best +23 plus/minus with 12 assists and 60 PMs.
2011-12: Ponich skated in 61 games for the Blues AHL affiliate Peoria in his first pro season. As he did in junior hockey, Ponich provided physical, stay-at-home, defense-first play for the Rivermen. He finished with an even plus/minus with 5 assists and 47 penalty minutes. Peoria missed the AHL playoffs after finishing fourth in the Midwest Division.
Talent Analysis
Ponich has size, is not a great skater, and does not provide much offensive upside, but he can brawl and flat-out drop opposing skaters to the ground with little effort.
St. Louis is hoping that Ponich will be able to improve his game enough and possibly become a late-bloomer for them. His size is comparable to Matt Walker, which is a good thing, but his skating is also comparable, which is not. His left-handed shot is solid, but it does not have enough accuracy to be NHL worthy. He displays solid patience for a young player, and Kekalainen said this was one of the main reasons the Blues drafted him so high.
"He's an extremely hard-working kid," Kekalainen said. "He's got a lot of desire to get better, and he's working at it very hard. We think he's got great patience with the puck for a guy who's very long."
Future
Ponich will play his second year at the AHL level but could see time in the ECHL with all the extra players due to the NHL lockout. The big, physical defenseman needs to show consistency and improvement to stay in the Rivermen's line-up this season.
