Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun wrote over the weekend that Arizona Coyotes prospect Brandon Gormley isn’t happy that he’s playing with Portland of the AHL, and they are trying to trade him.
The 22-year old Gormley was drafted by the Coyotes 13th overall in the first round of the 2010 draft. After four seasons in the QMJHL, and one World Junior Championship, Gormley has spent the past two seasons in the AHL. Gormley was able to get into five NHL games last year, going pointless with two penalty minutes and a was a plus four.
It’s hard to see the Coyotes giving him away and there should be plenty of teams interested. Gormley is entering the final season of his entry-level contract, a $840,000 cap hit.
Below are some scouting reports and notes on Gormley heading into the season.
Corey Pronman of ESPN ranked Gormley as the 16th best prospect on his top 100 list, up from his previous 19th ranking.
There are some concerns about the fact that Gormley hasn’t graduated to the NHL yet, and he may be tailing off as a prospect. I think that’s a reasonable issue to bring up, but for me, the lack of graduation is more about Arizona’s depth chart as opposed to the player — he scored 36 points in 54 games for the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate this past season. Praise for Gormley’s hockey IQ is echoed by anyone who has seen him play. He’s a quality two-way defenseman who has continued to improve on the physical components of the game. However, I will echo the common concern that this upcoming season has to be the one in which Gormley secures a full-time NHL gig.
HockeysFuture has Gormley ranked as their 35th prospect on their top 50 list heading into this season. He ranked 10th when just looking at defensmen.
With a stacked blue line in Arizona, Gormley has been the shining example of patience in the minors. Year after year the dynamic defenseman has become better and better as he awaited his spot to open up. Now going on his third year of professional hockey, the two-way defenseman is at a point where the NHL seems a sure thing. He has proven that the offensive ability is there in the minors as well as the defensive game. Despite a minus-22 rating last season in the AHL, Gormley is as tough as they come in the defensive end. With a heavy shot, a good presence on the puck, and an intelligent game, he should eventually fit into the Coyotes’ top four. He is capable of eating huge minutes, playing in every situation, and he looks ready for his rookie NHL season.
Dobber Prospects ranked Gormley as the Coyotes second best prospect behind Max Domi. Gormley’s last two ‘observations’ from Keith Duggan:
October 2014- With one of the Coyotes final cuts, Brandon Gormley was assigned to Portland of the AHL. General Manager Don Maloney and head coach Dave Tippett both agreed that Gormley did not have the best camp; putting to much pressure on himself. Several defensemen on one-way contracts in Arizona didn’t help matters either, as Gormley is still on his entry-level contract and doesn’t have to clear waivers to be sent down. Look for him to get off to an quick start in Portland.
May 2014- Gormley remained with the Coyotes throughout the last part of the season in the teams unsuccessful push for the playoff’s, appearing in five scoreless games. He had an excellent offensive season with Portland of the AHL with 36 points in 54 games, good for fourth in scoring on the team. His minus -22 was concerning but some of that was a reflection of the teams play since the Pirates finished last place in the AHL and Gormley played a lot of minutes. It would be extremely surprising to not see Gormley patrolling the blueline for the Coyotes in 2014-15.
Forcaster’s Scouting Report on Gormley:
Assets: Plays a mature game from behind the blueline. He’s a solid puck-mover with good mobility and sound defensive instincts. Can also provide offense.
Flaws: Will need to get physically stronger and add more toughness to his game in order to maximize his vast National Hockey League potential.
Career Potential: Talented, stabilizing defenseman with good upside.
