Penguin's offseason 2022 edition

[Pabst]

He's still kind of young, so hopefully he can improve a little in a couple of areas over the next two seasons.

This is my hope as well.

Remember that Bryan Rust was essentially a bottom six grinder until the 2019/2020 season. His breakthrough season came at age 27. Kap just turned 26.

Wasn't Rust on Malkin's line during the back to back cups? Along with Kunitz that line went 8 almost 9 games, half through the conference finals and half of the Stanley cup finals without being on the ice for a goal allowed.
That was a good line. Very good.

Until I see Kap overcome his weak points I'm not going to see a breakout guy. Again, I like the player, talent is there but something is holding him back.

He was during the 2016 playoff run, but he was not in 2017.

Here's Game 1 of the Nashville series:


I should probably retract my earlier statement and say that Rust was more of a defensive forward rather than a bottom-six guy.

Lines were kinda wonky in 2017 as well as 2018 due to injuries and Hornqvist not meshing with anyone.

[fractalsteel]

This is my hope as well.

Remember that Bryan Rust was essentially a bottom six grinder until the 2019/2020 season. His breakthrough season came at age 27. Kap just turned 26.

Wasn't Rust on Malkin's line during the back to back cups? Along with Kunitz that line went 8 almost 9 games, half through the conference finals and half of the Stanley cup finals without being on the ice for a goal allowed.
That was a good line. Very good.

Until I see Kap overcome his weak points I'm not going to see a breakout guy. Again, I like the player, talent is there but something is holding him back.

He was during the 2016 playoff run, but he was not in 2017.

Here's Game 1 of the Nashville series:


I should probably retract my earlier statement and say that Rust was more of a defensive forward rather than a bottom-six guy.

Lines were kinda wonky in 2017 as well as 2018 due to injuries and Hornqvist not meshing with anyone.

Thanks pabst_ now I feel obligated to go back and look at the Pens lines, shitf by shift , game by game for the Predators series.

[Pabst]

Thanks pabst_ now I feel obligated to go back and look at the Pens lines, shitf by shift , game by game for the Predators series.

You're more correct than I am in this conversation. Rust spent more time with Malkin and/or Crosby than I remembered. He also bounced around the lineup a bit.

Rust did not really play on the PP prior to 2019. I think that's why I'm remembering incorrectly.

[fractalsteel]

17 years ago the Pens selected Sidney Crosby on this date.
Wow, time does fly.
A few rounds later they added Kris Letang and already had Malkin in tow along with Fleury.

Happy birthday to Hamlet tomorrow who turns 36.
Ah, to be 36 again.

[fractalsteel]

Sully gets the big extension through 26-27.

[Pabst]

Sully getting extended is a bit surprising.

Oh, btw, I have 2 more months of 36 left

[fractalsteel]

Pensburgh just finished up their evaluation of the Penguins 'best' of 25 under the age of 24. I have to say it feels very underwhelming to me on the surface but with hockey prospects you just never know.
What concerns me is that Joseph was ranked #2. Could be a nice player in the NHL but nothing great.
#6-Poulin-when is he going to make the big club? Had better second half in WBS then the start he got off to
#5-O'Conner- I think he has a chance to be in the regular lineup soon
#4-Poehling- wait and see
#3 Pickering-talent is evident but he is years away
#2-Joseph- another wait and see. Is he the Sully whipping guy?
#1-Smith- another talent but...

So looking at this I see three guys who wouldn't have been on this list last year and all three are in the top 4. What does that say exactly?
Well, it looks like Hex is true to his word in trying to bolster the talent pipeline but damn, nothing inspiring to me here.

[Pabst]

Pensburgh just finished up their evaluation of the Penguins 'best' of 25 under the age of 24. I have to say it feels very underwhelming to me on the surface but with hockey prospects you just never know.
What concerns me is that Joseph was ranked #2. Could be a nice player in the NHL but nothing great.
#6-Poulin-when is he going to make the big club? Had better second half in WBS then the start he got off to
#5-O'Conner- I think he has a chance to be in the regular lineup soon
#4-Poehling- wait and see
#3 Pickering-talent is evident but he is years away
#2-Joseph- another wait and see. Is he the Sully whipping guy?
#1-Smith- another talent but...

So looking at this I see three guys who wouldn't have been on this list last year and all three are in the top 4. What does that say exactly?
Well, it looks like Hex is true to his word in trying to bolster the talent pipeline but damn, nothing inspiring to me here.

It says GMJR wasted a ton of draft capital in an effort to keep the Pens relevant.

We need to pray that they hit some home runs in the 21 and 22 drafts.

[fractalsteel]

Pensburgh just finished up their evaluation of the Penguins 'best' of 25 under the age of 24. I have to say it feels very underwhelming to me on the surface but with hockey prospects you just never know.
What concerns me is that Joseph was ranked #2. Could be a nice player in the NHL but nothing great.
#6-Poulin-when is he going to make the big club? Had better second half in WBS then the start he got off to
#5-O'Conner- I think he has a chance to be in the regular lineup soon
#4-Poehling- wait and see
#3 Pickering-talent is evident but he is years away
#2-Joseph- another wait and see. Is he the Sully whipping guy?
#1-Smith- another talent but...

So looking at this I see three guys who wouldn't have been on this list last year and all three are in the top 4. What does that say exactly?
Well, it looks like Hex is true to his word in trying to bolster the talent pipeline but damn, nothing inspiring to me here.

It says GMJR wasted a ton of draft capital in an effort to keep the Pens relevant.

We need to pray that they hit some home runs in the 21 and 22 drafts.

I'm not sure I would use the term 'wasted' when you have a core that can win the cup. You have to try and get that core in a place where they can win. He hit some but missed badly other times.

Hextal seems like he is trying to play both sides now(if signing Letang and Malkin were his ideas). Along with the Sully extension maybe they are happy to be a playoff team now instead of being in rebuild mode.

[Pabst]

I'm not sure I would use the term 'wasted' when you have a core that can win the cup. You have to try and get that core in a place where they can win. He hit some but missed badly other times.

Hextal seems like he is trying to play both sides now(if signing Letang and Malkin were his ideas). Along with the Sully extension maybe they are happy to be a playoff team now instead of being in rebuild mode.

Fair point, and I'm in total agreement that's what you need to do as your core ages......but some of those moves near the end of his tenure deserve the "wasted" tag.

The good news is that the Pens top 6 is pretty much set for the next 2 years, so there's no room for a top scoring prospect anyway. I'll be over here praying that Puustinen takes the next step

[Pabst]

I'm semi-bored, so I decided to go back and look at who went in the Pens draft spots that GMJR traded away. Some of these.....yikes:

Players acquired for a First Round Pick
2015: David Perron
2016: Phil Kessel
2017: Ryan Reeves (they swapped with St Louis for their 2nd round pick)
2018: Derrick Brassard
2019: N/A
2020: Kasperi Kapanen


Player that went in the Pens original draft spot:
2015: Mathew Barzal
2016: Sam Steel
2017: Klim Kostin
2018: K'Andre Miller
2019: Samuel Poulin
2020: Rodion Amirov


Barzal and Miller sure would have been great pickups. On the flip side, Steel is nothing more than a bottom 6 grinder, and Kostin & Amirov are looking like busts.

[fractalsteel]

The NHL is going with ads on game day jerseys and the Pens were one of the first to do so.

I'm torn.

Then again I rarely go to professional sporting events because the crowds, in a vast majority are more interested in what is on their phones instead of the play on the ice/field, court, etc. Why pay $180 for a seat and spend a good part of the game staring at a screen?
I grew up in TRS stadium in the 70's and spent lots of time in Veterans stadium as well and those days are long gone. It was like a community, a brotherhood.

Anything for a buck but that isn't a new twist.

[Pabst]

Man....I hate the idea of jersey ads. So long as they make it subtle (like the NBA) i'll survive.

in other news, it sounds like Ryan Ellis will miss the entire season, and it sounds like his injury could be a career ender. Apparently he can't even stand for a length of time due to the pain. Genuinely sucks because he is/was a good player.

[fractalsteel]

Carter dinged in a scrimmage-Upper body-waiting on evaluation-all the usual coach speak.

I wonder how Crosbys parents came out of Fiona?

[fractalsteel]

So I tuned in for the game last night against the Wings.
Much like me(streaming Archer and the Enterprise up against the Xindi during the game) the commitment by the Birdies was weak at best.
Detroit came to win and the Pens were just looking at matchups.
Team defense was horrible and Jarry was left out to dry.

I thought Zorro was pretty good and Petry showed a lot of physicality.
It was good to see 87 and 71 out there and both had spring in their skating.

PP was terrible for the most part.

[Ice]

So I tuned in for the game last night against the Wings.
Much like me(streaming Archer and the Enterprise up against the Xindi during the game) the commitment by the Birdies was weak at best.
Detroit came to win and the Pens were just looking at matchups.
Team defense was horrible and Jarry was left out to dry.

I thought Zorro was pretty good and Petry showed a lot of physicality.
It was good to see 87 and 71 out there and both had spring in their skating.

PP was terrible for the most part.

That was easily the best season of Enterprise.

[fractalsteel]

So I tuned in for the game last night against the Wings.
Much like me(streaming Archer and the Enterprise up against the Xindi during the game) the commitment by the Birdies was weak at best.
Detroit came to win and the Pens were just looking at matchups.
Team defense was horrible and Jarry was left out to dry.

I thought Zorro was pretty good and Petry showed a lot of physicality.
It was good to see 87 and 71 out there and both had spring in their skating.

PP was terrible for the most part.

That was easily the best season of Enterprise.

I love all the ST franchises even Voyager. 7 0f 9 yummy.

I think the first time Archer went up against the Romulans(though he didn't know about them-thanks to the Vulcans) was in the second season. Out on the hull trying to diffuse an attached mine. Good episode.

I wish they didn't wait so long to reconstitute Picard. He looks like he should use a walker now.

[Ice]

I have yet to get on Paramount plus, but it's certainly coming. My dad has given pretty rave reviews of their Trek content.

[fractalsteel]

So they expose Zohorna and lose him to waivers. Now it is rumored they are trying to trade PO Joseph. Interesting.

[bradshaw2ben]

So they expose Zohorna and lose him to waivers. Now it is rumored they are trying to trade PO Joseph. Interesting.

Oh shit. I really liked Zohorna as a depth guy.

[fractalsteel]

The team looked good last night. Buffalo wasn't ready to play but they got back into it in the second period before the Pens struck again and again.

New D guys were not bad.
Sid and Jake are going to have great years.

Malkin looks much faster than last year. I think the knee was an issue.

This was the second game I saw Letang struggle but I'm not worried.

The guy I thought was great was Rakel. He might score 35 goals this year.