Ragamuffin Gunner
Lost in the Flood
the argument of anyone saying that is just as invalid as yours. fair? The only answer right now is we don't know yet.
fine
the argument of anyone saying that is just as invalid as yours. fair? The only answer right now is we don't know yet.
That's a little optimistic. Pens play a fairly complex defensive "system," if you can even call it that. I'd rather he get some time to learn it and get used to the speed of pro-level forecheckers before he steps into the NHL, and I'm betting the Pens brass feels the same way.
I'm almost positive that Pouliot will be a full time NHLer on the bottom pair with Scuderi next year. Pens love how he has developed, and he nearly made the team this year. He'll make it, especially if Maatta-Letang stays together (so Scuderi gets pushed down)
There's a lot of depth and experience he'd have to leapfrog.
It's not totally outside the realm of possibility, but "almost positive" is setting yourself up for disappointment. Maatta was very much the exception, not the rule, and Pouliot doesn't play the same type of mistake-free game Maatta did to get him into DB's good graces.
Never mind that I don't see any way DB ices two 20 year old defensemen.
Pouliot is so bizarre defensively. He just stands around like he's not worried about anything. Offensively he's awesome, but on D, he's ... something... not motivated? Or he's too much like Letang, he tries to do everything with his stick instead of his body. He's just a weird dude
Pouliot is so bizarre defensively. He just stands around like he's not worried about anything. Offensively he's awesome, but on D, he's ... something... not motivated? Or he's too much like Letang, he tries to do everything with his stick instead of his body. He's just a weird dude
I think that's a pretty fair assessment. He does ''pick his spots'' but his defensive game as a whole has improved over the last year. The good news is his offense hasn't suffered in the process.My take is he's too worried about arbitrary positioning rather than just picking someone up and sticking to them. it's like someone showed him the Xs and Os of defense and he took it too literally. He needs to be a little more fluid and have a more active stick. Basically more like Harrington & Maatta.
He also plays a lot and may have developed the habit of half-assing it in his own zone to concerve energy. Despres and Morrow were kinda like that at times too IMO.
I'm almost positive that Pouliot will be a full time NHLer on the bottom pair with Scuderi next year. Pens love how he has developed, and he nearly made the team this year. He'll make it, especially if Maatta-Letang stays together (so Scuderi gets pushed down)
I think he's more like Niskanen where he has strength issues and loses coverage around the net. I want to blame the mish, mash WJC teams but we've seen that in his game before the WJC.Pouliot is so bizarre defensively. He just stands around like he's not worried about anything. Offensively he's awesome, but on D, he's ... something... not motivated? Or he's too much like Letang, he tries to do everything with his stick instead of his body. He's just a weird dude
Currently not in a position to watch the game but how is Pouliot doing so far?
I think the team Canada brass severely overestimated the offense that their top 6 was capable of bringing. Probably should've left a few grinders off and brought along more skill. I think they assumed they'd be playing with the lead a lot more than they have been.
It couldn't hurt. Its the same system. Just don't yo yo him up and down.A year in the AHL refining his defensive game would definitely be beneficial to him long term.