Brutlag Makes Switch Look Smart
The following article featuring Rensselaer forward Bryan Brutlag appeared in the October 15 issue of the Times Union.
By Matt Graves
Special to the Times Union
TROY -- It's a rare occasion in hockey when a player changes positions midway through his collegiate career, but Bryan Brutlag has done all he can to make the switch from defenseman to forward look like a seamless transition for RPI coach Seth Appert.
It's not that the 5-foot-10 senior wasn't a talented blueliner when he was scouted (an all-state performer in Minnesota), it's just that Appert believed Brutlag's fire, physicality and unselfishness would make him an ideal defensive forward.
It wasn't until midway into last season that Appert began penciling in Brutlag's name at the top of the line chart instead of the bottom. He still managed to finish as the team's fifth-leading scorer (7-11-18), but mostly Brutlag added a spark to special teams and RPI's checking line.
Complete article can be accessed via the Times Union Web site by clicking here.
