Brouwer's production in 2015-16 (18 goals, 39 points in his first season with the St. Louis Blues) was in line with what he did the previous six seasons. Beginning in 2009-10, he's had between 17 to 25 goals and 33 to 43 points each season. He's handy on the power play (55 career goals, 34 in the past four seasons).
But his performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was far above his career levels; his eight goals during the Blues' run to the Western Conference Final were one more than he'd scored in all six of his previous trips to the playoffs, and he finished with 13 points, five more than his previous best in one playoff year. He also has been on a Stanley Cup-winning team (the Chicago Blackhawks in 2009-10).
At 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Brouwer is a punishing body checker (200 hits in 2015-16), but he's also capable of playing well without the puck. His size and scoring ability are a combination that teams love. He's the type of forward who makes an excellent complement to skill players, in large part because he's willing to go to the net and knows what to do when he gets there. The right wing, who turns 31 Aug. 17, is durable; he's played all 82 games in each of the past three seasons and missed eight games since the start of 2009-10.
His biggest limitation is a lack of speed, a problem in a game that seems to get faster by the year. Perhaps for that reason, his offense occasionally tails off for lengthy stretches.
Brouwer, who has 150 goals and 294 points in 613 games, isn't suddenly going to turn into a flashy scorer. But his lack of speed and high-end skill is more than offset by his willingness to play the body and go to the front of the net. He can be trusted at each end of the ice and can play in all situations.
