Pens News/Links

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Clendenning, Farnham (unfortunately) and Sprong made the team, Pouliot to the AHL. Gonchar cut.

Pretty disappointing camp for Pouliot.

Will be interesting to see how the lines and pairs shake up. No matter what happens good players are going to be on the 4th line. So I'd love to see them really roll 4 lines where the 4th gets 10 minutes 5v5 each night.

Also, the potential for a Lovejoy-Scubs 3rd pairing is giving me nightmares.

Defense appears to be worse than last year, hopefully we could score this year or else it's going to be a long season.

 

[thedddd]

Feeling they will win a lot of games with 5 goals scored.
So with Farnham and Sprong the lines are?

Kunitz/Sprong - Crosby - Kessel
Plotnikov - Malkin - Hornqvist
Perron - Bonino - Dupuis
Kunitz/Sprong - Cullen (then Fehr) - Farnham/Bennett

To be honest I would like Sprong to get top 6 minutes for his 9 game tryout (assuming thats all it is).
And honestly if the question marks (Sprong/Plotnikov, Perron (whole season)) work out this might be the most offensive depth they had in a LONG time.

 

[scoutyjones2]

So frustrating...I am in Dallas for a meeting on Thursday with no time to get to the game...grrrrrrrr

 

[thedddd]

Pascal Dupuis out "at least a week"

Hell that didn't take long, not even one game in and it is starting.

 

[element1286]

That's worrisome on Dupuis, unfortunately that means Farnham gets a jersey, unless they plan on bringing someone up since they just waived Erixson.

 

[evolver115]

Gary Agnew must be smoking that good shit:

They are words that make some in the fan base cringe.

These words were uttered by Gary Agnew’s voice on Friday in Raleigh. Agnew’s words possess a special meaning since he’s the man who will orchestrate the Penguins’ blue line this season.

“Rob Scuderi is a good player,” Agnew said. “There’s absolutely a place for him on this team, with the way we’re going to do things.”


Scuderi has become Public Enemy No. 1 for a portion of the fan base, particularly for those who study advanced statistics and who would prefer the Penguins showcase youth and skill on the blue line. The more Derrick Pouliot, the better, this group of fans insists.

Scuderi isn’t skilled, nor is he young.

But he does own two Stanley Cup rings and, according to Agnew, Scuderi’s old school, defensive style is something the Penguins still require. For all of the Penguins’ talk about “puck-moving defensemen,” Agnew said room remains for Scuderi’s simple approach.

Two weeks ago in Detroit, Scuderi told me he expected to be a member of the top-six, explaining that a team can’t boast exclusively offensive defensemen.

Agnew agrees.

“For lack of a better term, we’re looking for the right mix,” Agnew said. “Can you have six guys who play like Kris Letang on your blue line? No. And can you have six guys who play like Rob Scuderi? No. You need that mix, that chemistry. That’s what it’s all about. I like having a Type A guy playing with a Type B guy.

The Penguins have changed up a number of their defensive pairings in recent days, though the smart money remains on Letang and Olli Maatta opening the season as the top pairing.

It’s not certain who will play with Scuderi, but he will be on the ice in Dallas.

“We’re working on so many different things,” Agnew said. “The preseason was kind of a learning experience because so many guys were vying for jobs. Is there a place for Rob Scuderi on our blue line? Certainly there is. No doubt about it. There is a place for him. I mean, look at his penalty killing and his leadership. Those are very important things to a hockey team, and he does those things so well. I happen to think there’s a big place for him on this team.”

Scuderi’s style won’t be prominent with this defensive core.

“It’s going to be a quicker skating group,” Agnew said.

But there is room for the old guard, Agnew said.

Mike Johnston and Jim Rutherford often praise Scuderi’s play in his own territory. They believe he remains valuable.

“Just because we’re going to have a lot of guys who are great skaters doesn’t mean he can’t play with this team,” Agnew said. “We still need to defend. That’s something he still does very well.”

 

[scoutyjones2]

Dam it...

 

[evolver115]

Say what you will about Rutherford, but the draft pick of Sprong could turn out to be one of his greatest achievements as general manager. That tweet says it all. There are only a handful of players left on NHL rosters and all except Sprong and one other are from inside the top 10 picks of the 2015 draft.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Not trying to be that guy, but don't get your hopes up this season folks. Just enjoy the Crosby/Kessel show, that's all I'm looking forward to at this point. Hope I'm wrong, but something seriously unexpected will have to happen, like we get Duncan Keith or something.

 

[evolver115]

Not trying to be that guy, but don't get your hopes up this season folks. Just enjoy the Crosby/Kessel show, that's all I'm looking forward to at this point. Hope I'm wrong, but something seriously unexpected will have to happen, like we get Duncan Keith or something.

Not that I completely disagree, Doobs.. but there are a few things I like about the upcoming season.

1.) The Metro Division

- I think it will be a dogfight, but I don't see a clear best overall. Certainly not one that towers over everyone

- Rags window is closing faster than the Pens, I think. Hank is 33, St. Louis just hung them up, Nash on the wrong side of 30, and they've played 12 post-season series in the past 3 seasons and no silver to show for it. That amount of post-season time spent on the collective team takes a toll.

- NYI quite possibly could be the team to beat in the division. I just wonder about their goal-tending. Halak regressed last year. Still tons of firepower up front with JT and Co. First pair of Leddy and Boychuk is legit

- C-Bus should be very dynamic on offense, but their blue-line is a giant question mark. They don't have the luxury of a Letang, and they are banking on Murray to be their horse on the PP with Wisniewski moving on

- Caps will be in it right to the end, but again.. I wonder about their blue-line. Nisky is average and proved it last post-season, he's also the largest cap hit among their D. Orpik is now 35. I like Carlson, the rest? Meh

- Philthy has a new coach, and they have albatross contracts for Umberger and Vinnie. I like their other forwards but their blue-line is a dumpster fire. They buried McD's contract in the minors (4mil cap hit remains) Streit is the best they've got, but he's 37! But, hey, at least they seem to beat the Pens regularly, so they got that

- Canes are kind of in a weird spot. The Staal brothers are capable centers, and Cam Ward seems to still have some in the tank, but I just don't get excited about this team. They added Wisniewski from C-Bus, so maybe he helps out on their weak blue-line

- NJ is bringing up the rear this season. I like their goalie, but there is just next to nothing on this roster worth getting excited about, and their minor league system is pretty bare

2.) GM Jim Rutherford has done a complete refit of the bottom six. So many new players, and names that I like:
Bonino, Fehr, Cullen, Sundqvist, Sprong, Farnham, Plotnikov

^^That's seven guys right there who I believe will pay dividends as they grow accustomed to skating with one another. There are bound to be growing pains, but I believe that provided health, this should round into a dynamic and varied skill bottom six by January/February on the calendar.

3.) Phil Kessel

- Best goal-scoring winger that's pulled on the black and gold since Hossa. And I can say that without a doubt in my mind. Sid is going to reap the rewards of having a right-handed shooter on his line for essentially the first time in his career. Imagining the possibilities gets me pumped up. Say what you will about his supposed lack of defense, but that isn't why GMJR traded for him. Jimmy got him to put the puck in the net. I think he's going to do that a lot this season.

4.) My division prediction

- Pens (1)
- NYI (2)
- Rags (3)
- Caps (wc)
- CBus (wc)
- PHL
- Car
- NJ

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Not that I completely disagree, Doobs.. but there are a few things I like about the upcoming season.

1.) The Metro Division

- I think it will be a dogfight, but I don't see a clear best overall. Certainly not one that towers over everyone

- Rags window is closing faster than the Pens, I think. Hank is 33, St. Louis just hung them up, Nash on the wrong side of 30, and they've played 12 post-season series in the past 3 seasons and no silver to show for it. That amount of post-season time spent on the collective team takes a toll.

- NYI quite possibly could be the team to beat in the division. I just wonder about their goal-tending. Halak regressed last year. Still tons of firepower up front with JT and Co. First pair of Leddy and Boychuk is legit

- C-Bus should be very dynamic on offense, but their blue-line is a giant question mark. They don't have the luxury of a Letang, and they are banking on Murray to be their horse on the PP with Wisniewski moving on

- Caps will be in it right to the end, but again.. I wonder about their blue-line. Nisky is average and proved it last post-season, he's also the largest cap hit among their D. Orpik is now 35. I like Carlson, the rest? Meh

- Philthy has a new coach, and they have albatross contracts for Umberger and Vinnie. I like their other forwards but their blue-line is a dumpster fire. They buried McD's contract in the minors (5mil cap hit) Streit is the best they've got, but he's 37! But, hey, at least they seem to beat the Pens regularly, so they got that

- NJ is bringing up the rear this season. I like their goalie, but there is just next to nothing on this roster worth getting excited about, and their minor league system is pretty bare

2.) GM Jim Rutherford has done a complete refit of the bottom six. So many new players, and names that I like:
Bonino, Fehr, Cullen, Sundqvist, Sprong, Farnham, Plotnikov

^^That's six guys right there who I believe will pay dividends as they grow accustomed to skating with one another. There are bound to be growing pains, but I believe that provided health, this should round into a dynamic and varied skill bottom six by January/February on the calendar.

3.) Phil Kessel

- Best goal-scoring winger that's pulled on the black and gold since Hossa. And I can say that without a doubt in my mind. Sid is going to reap the rewards of having a right-handed shooter on his line for essentially the first time in his career. Imagining the possibilities gets me pumped up. Say what you will about his supposed lack of defense, but that isn't why GMJR traded for him. Jimmy got him to put the puck in the net. I think he's going to do that a lot this season.

4.) My division prediction

- Pens (1)
- NYI (2)
- Rags (3)
- Caps (wc)
- CBus (wc)
- PHL
- NJ

I could see that but I think there will be a lot of pressure on the offense to carry the team not sure if they'll be up for the task. Hopefully I'm wrong, I like the additions of Kessel & Fehr, but losing Sutter & Martin hurts.

 

[evolver115]

I could see that but I think there will be a lot of pressure on the offense to carry the team not sure if they'll be up for the task. Hopefully I'm wrong, I like the additions of Kessel & Fehr, but losing Sutter & Martin hurts.

I think losing Sutter gets washed out with the add of Eric Fehr. He won't start the season as he's still rehabbing from off-season surgery, but Fehr is a legit 3rd/4th center. He's rugged, likes to hit and has a goal-scoring touch. Plus, Bonino also washes out the loss of Sutter. I think Brandon will be missed the most on the PK. He was very good at that.

Martin is the biggest loss. There is no replacing his steady presence on the back end. They just have to hope that Maatta stays healthy, and guys like Dumoulin and Clendening end up skating quality minutes as the season goes along. Scuderi is done, Lovejoy scares me, as he seemed to regress after the trade, but one guy I'm intrigued by is Ian Cole. He got the shaft in STL, and really, I don't see how, because the guy is very solid defensively. He makes me think of a poor man's Oprik while Brooksie still had his wheels.

 

[thedddd]

Penguins Recall Forward Oskar Sundqvist; Assign Olli Maatta to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Well without having to explain the reasons (for Maatta which is just paperwork until the cap ceiling for LTIR kicks in today) it is good to see Sundqvist up and hopefully that means Farnham will be scratched as much as possible.

 

[thedddd]

^ btw...LOL at some of the comments in the link I posted, that people don't understand how the cap works.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I think losing Sutter gets washed out with the add of Eric Fehr. He won't start the season as he's still rehabbing from off-season surgery, but Fehr is a legit 3rd/4th center. He's rugged, likes to hit and has a goal-scoring touch. Plus, Bonino also washes out the loss of Sutter. I think Brandon will be missed the most on the PK. He was very good at that.

Martin is the biggest loss. There is no replacing his steady presence on the back end. They just have to hope that Maatta stays healthy, and guys like Dumoulin and Clendening end up skating quality minutes as the season goes along. Scuderi is done, Lovejoy scares me, as he seemed to regress after the trade, but one guy I'm intrigued by is Ian Cole. He got the shaft in STL, and really, I don't see how, because the guy is very solid defensively. He makes me think of a poor man's Oprik while Brooksie still had his wheels.

I'm going to really miss Brandon Sutter, he was our most underrated player IMO.

 

[thedddd]

The Inside Scoop: Bennett Practices

Well not surprise how Bennett got hurt, he is the AMC pacer of hockey players.


It looks like Rust will be out for a while.
As for Fehr he might be able to play this coming weekend.

 

[thedddd]

Devils claim Penguins winger Farnham

Good he can be a human punching bag for Hynes and Shero now.

EDIT...I read the comments after I posted this. It is funny that people think losing him is such a big deal. Lets see this team is having trouble scoring goals so lets keep a worthless player on the roster.

 

[element1286]

He does visible things on the ice, even though he isn't effective at anything, people can see him doing things, leads them to believe he is something above useless.

 

[thedddd]

^ great point. Yeah I am glad we wont have to worry about him wasting a roster spot anymore.

People still think goons are needed in the NHL and if they ever get to the point where they really want one they have Tom Sestito in WBS, who unlike Farnham could play in the NHL, if needed.

 

[thedddd]

Penguins notebook: GM says Sprong has done enough to stick in NHL

Well good news, I see no one that can really replace him at WBS.