BRASSARD TRADED

[bradshaw2ben]

I would love to see McCann, Blueger, and Zar on the 4th line. That could be a very dangerous 4th line!

I don't want to see ZAR anywhere near this lineup again unless we have some severe injuries.
He's a borderline NHLer

If he's a borderline NHLer, what is McCann. Worse offensively, worse defensively... and that's even giving him credit for last year.

I think ZAR would be totally lost trying to carry a line or a team, but he seems like an ideal role player. Guy managed to finish when given the puck and he works hard defensively.

I have a hard time seeing McCann or Pearson playing ahead of ZAR if healthy. Is there something Pearson does outlier well? He seems a Brassard-like poor fit in Pgh, and he hasn't played well this season.

[Donnie Brasco]

I would love to see McCann, Blueger, and Zar on the 4th line. That could be a very dangerous 4th line!

I don't want to see ZAR anywhere near this lineup again unless we have some severe injuries.
He's a borderline NHLer

If he's a borderline NHLer, what is McCann. Worse offensively, worse defensively... and that's even giving him credit for last year.

I think ZAR would be totally lost trying to carry a line or a team, but he seems like an ideal role player. Guy managed to finish when given the puck and he works hard defensively.

I have a hard time seeing McCann or Pearson playing ahead of ZAR if healthy. Is there something Pearson does outlier well? He seems a Brassard-like poor fit in Pgh, and he hasn't played well this season.

Pearson is on pace for 18 goals, seems to work fine with Malkin and is an established NHLer
ZAR was gifted top ice time while a better prospect in TB was rotting in WBS. ZAR kills offensive opportunities when given the puck and is frequently injured and can barely skate at the NHL level.

I don't have an opinion on McCann because I haven't seen enough of him. Scouting reports say he was a highly touted prospect with wheels and energy.

[bradshaw2ben]

Pearson is on pace for 18 goals, seems to work fine with Malkin and is an established NHLer
ZAR was gifted top ice time while a better prospect in TB was rotting in WBS. ZAR kills offensive opportunities when given the puck and is frequently injured and can barely skate at the NHL level.

I don't have an opinion on McCann because I haven't seen enough of him. Scouting reports say he was a highly touted prospect with wheels and energy.

OK. I hear you. Just haven't seen much from Pearson on the defensive side that appeals to me.

Setting aside line combos, how do you rank the bottom part of the Pens forwards?

meaning Pearson, ZAR, McCann, Cullen, Bleuger, Wilson

To my eye, Bleuger is the best of that bunch. Cullen serves an important role, I'll call him second-best. I'd have it ZAR, Wilson, Pearson, McCann for the rest. I look at them all as role-players who could fit in certain jobs, and I judged them based on that, not their overall game. So far, Bleuger looks like he could do any job fairly well. Very impressed with his play so far. The others are all role-specific.

[Donnie Brasco]

Pearson is on pace for 18 goals, seems to work fine with Malkin and is an established NHLer
ZAR was gifted top ice time while a better prospect in TB was rotting in WBS. ZAR kills offensive opportunities when given the puck and is frequently injured and can barely skate at the NHL level.

I don't have an opinion on McCann because I haven't seen enough of him. Scouting reports say he was a highly touted prospect with wheels and energy.

OK. I hear you. Just haven't seen much from Pearson on the defensive side that appeals to me.

Setting aside line combos, how do you rank the bottom part of the Pens forwards?

meaning Pearson, ZAR, McCann, Cullen, Bleuger, Wilson

To my eye, Bleuger is the best of that bunch. Cullen serves an important role, I'll call him second-best. I'd have it ZAR, Wilson, Pearson, McCann for the rest. I look at them all as role-players who could fit in certain jobs, and I judged them based on that, not their overall game. So far, Bleuger looks like he could do any job fairly well. Very impressed with his play so far. The others are all role-specific.

Pearson/Cullen
McCann
TB
Wilson/ZAR

I look at tenure and how long these guys have been doing what they've been doing at a consistent level. Pearson and Cullen are established guys. McCann less so, but he's been on an NHL team for a good period of time consistently.

I think TB is going to be a fan favorite pretty soon- dude just exudes energy and displays smarts. He probably slots in like a Simon...a guy who can move up and down the lineup and not look too out of place

ZAR and Wilson are borderline AHL guys...every team employs those 12th/13th F's

[bradshaw2ben]

Wilson has two good skills: he plays hard on the puck and he puts the puck on net, which does create opportunities.
Pearson has some size and he's a shooter, but I'm not seeing good defensive habits yet.
McCann has wheels, a good role player in the Hagelin style but let's wait and see.
Cullen's a good faceoff guy and responsible/smart defensively, even if not the quickest.
TB seems like a great all-around prospect. As you said, let's see over time, but he's Simon-like.
ZAR to me is always around the puck. Is that hustle to make up for his lack of skating? He seems to have decent hands as a finisher.

Feel free to disagree, because you know the game better than I do.

After listing those skillsets/roles, maybe Kessel-Bjugstad-McCann more closely resembles the old HBK line?

Still comes down to:
1. Who pairs with Geno the best? and
2. Where can you put Hornqvist without messing things up?

those are two tough questions