Defenceman T.J. Brodie, once a late-round pick, signs five-year extension to stay as part of Flames’ top pairing
For more than a season, T.J. Brodie – playing alongside Mark Giordano – has been part of the top shutdown defence pair for the Calgary Flames. And gradually, they are evolving into one of the best twosomes in the game.
On Monday, the Flames acknowledged as much, signing Brodie to a five-year, $23.25-million (all figures U.S.) contract extension that begins next year. Brodie will earn an average of $4.65-million a season on the contract.
It's a pricey extension for Calgary, slightly above what two of Brodie's nearest comparables – Minnesota's Jonas Brodin ($4.166-million a season over six years) and Los Angeles's Jake Muzzin ($4-million a season over five years) – received when they signed similar contract extensions earlier in the fall.
Getting one of the few prospects developed by the Flames under contract was a priority for general manager Brad Treliving, who noted that the price for skilled, puck-handling defencemen is sure to rise in the years to come. Brodie is tied for the team scoring lead with Mason Raymond at seven points apiece, he is tops in average ice time per game (25:09), just ahead of Giordano, and the Flames are off to an unexpectedly good start.
"T.J. is playing a lot of minutes and a lot of hard minutes against the other teams' top players," explained Treliving. "He and Gio together form an excellent duo. It's not just what he's doing defending, either. In a lot of cases, early on in the season, he's been driving our offence, too.
"These types of players are so critical to have success in today's game. That's why we're excited to get this done. This is a good day for us."
On Sunday, the Flames completed their longest road trip of the season with a 4-2 record. They open a five-game homestand Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, hoping to keep that early momentum going.
Quiet and soft-spoken, Brodie said he signed now rather than test the market as a restricted free agent this summer because "it seemed like a good deal. The longer you wait, there's always risk – whether it's injuries or having a cold slump. To get it out of the way now, it just gives me a chance to relax and not think about it."
As for the chance to play beside Giordano, he noted: "Playing with a guy like him, he makes you look good and he's easy to play with. It's been a pleasure playing with him, and hopefully it continues that way."
Brodie was the 114th player chosen in the 2008 entry draft, and like Giordano, who signed with Calgary originally as an undrafted free agent, he has come a long way in a short period of time.
"Looking back, three or four years ago, I definitely didn't expect this to happen," said Brodie. "But at the same time, it's not the end, and I've got to keep improving and keep getting better."
Treliving praised Brodie for his competitiveness, which he says is not always noticeable in a player with his quiet temperament. The GM predicted there is still an upside to his game.
"What stands out is his skating ability and his ability to jump into the rush," said Treliving. "He's a much better defender than I thought. There are subtleties in his game. He plays the off side. That's a difficult thing to do – to play the right side [as a left-handed shooting defenceman] – and he plays it with a lot of ease. I said early on, I hoped that this was a quiet secret; only we knew how good T.J. was. But his side was paying attention too."
While the Flames are still in the early stages of a rebuilding program, Brodie said he could see the team's upward trajectory, "and everyone in the room feels the same way. Last year and this year, we're in every game and compete and have that never-say-die attitude, no matter what the score is. It's something that's rare to find – and exciting at the same time."