Esposito to the Penguins...unreal

[JA87-66-99]

WOW!I was hoping for Maxim Mayorov but Angelo Esposito I never even imagined he would drop to the pens. He will be a future star. Wouldn't that be something if we could grab Mayorov,Sweatt,or Goncharov in the 2nd round. I think Mayorov will get taken early in the second.

1980's Oilers Penguins
GRETZKY CROSBY
KURRI MALKIN
MESSIER STAAL
ANDERSON ESPOSITO
FUHR FLEURY
COFFEY LETANG
LOWE WHITNEY

 

[redwingsdude]

There is still hope for offensive hockey.

The Pens are going to be fun to watch in the coming years.

 

[vertung]

Why did Esposito fall?

 

[petrskudra1]

Ah stealing just feels so good

 

[Stephen]

Getting picked by Pittsburgh probably saved Esposito's career. Even if he is lazy or disinterested, he can just ride the coattails of Crosby and Malkin to some great success. The rich just keep getting richer.

 

[WesMantooth]

Shero has to run a clinic for the Pirates and the Steelers...

"How to Succeed on Draft Day"

 

[petrskudra1]

Yeah HF boards is really gonna hate us now

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Yeah HF boards is really gonna hate us now

Some. As I said before, parts of French Canada seemed to have a soft spot for the Pens dating back to Mario because we have had so many star french canadians. This pick will only cement that further if Esposito is that homerun that we are hoping for.

As for being hated? Cool. Much better than being laughed at.

 

[Vagrant]

How is he considered a superstar before he even laces up his skates past the junior level. I can understand being excited about a really good pick, but he was passed on 19 times. This isn't Crosby version 2.0 here. I think the interview process really hurt this kid because he looks like he's scared to death.

 

[Skk82]

Yeah HF boards is really gonna hate us now

Just imagine if one (or both) of the Yanks the Habs took in the first round don't pan out.

Good thing Crosby and Esposito are just warming up to play for their boyhood favorite team.

 

[GKJ]

I'm waiting for the contingent that will come in and say "they can't keep them all" and start inane Staal proposals.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I'm waiting for the contingent that will come in and say "they can't keep them all" and start inane Staal proposals.

I prefer the Malkin proposals.

Actually that point is what makes the Esposito pick, if he does develope, so smart. Obviously it is likely one of the three, Crosby, Malkin or Staal will likely be traded in about five years. If Esposito spends two or three years developing before the jump we have someone who potentially is as skilled to step in as a repalcement.

 

[HockeyCritter]

How sick is this. Pittsburgh wins the lottery. Hell...Esposito wins the lottery. This now gives them a definitely scary top two lines...and a god awful scary powerplay. Good god this is going to be great. Good luck getting tickets to Pens games once the new arena opens.

What are the odds that this kid ever suits up for the Pens? Who does he push out off the second line Staal?? Malkin?? Will one of those two get traded? It seems more likely than not that he is going to be a valuable trading asset down the road.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

What are the odds that this kid ever suits up for the Pens? Who does he push out off the second line Staal?? Malkin?? Will one of those two get traded? It seems more likely than not that he is going to be a valuable trading asset down the road.

You do know that several of our centers can play wing just fine don't you?

I could like with this in a year or two as our top two lines:

FA - Crosby - Malkin
Filewich - Esposito - Staal

Gonchar - Letang
Goligeski - Whiteny

Fleury

 

[Operation Hedera]

What are the odds that this kid ever suits up for the Pens? Who does he push out off the second line Staal?? Malkin?? Will one of those two get traded? It seems more likely than not that he is going to be a valuable trading asset down the road.

I'd say the odds are about 60:1 that Espo suits up for the pens

 

[Transported Upstater]

I'm waiting for the contingent that will come in and say "they can't keep them all" and start inane Staal proposals.

I honestly think Pittsburgh would trade Malkin before trading Staal.

 

[Trottier]

Theres a reason he dropped, he'd rather be a figure skater then hockey player. I'm not even kidding.

I'm in no position to doubt that assessment.

I do know this:

He will not be able to do same on an NHL team that possesses personalities like Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, not to mention Sidney Crosby. And a demanding coach.

Peer pressure. That is why winning atmospheres matter (and why winning breeds more winning).

Esposito will either play hard in all areas of the ice....or he will not play.

A green "phenom" might have been able to float on prior, poor Pens teams. Not a 105 point Cup contender.

 

[Trottier]

HF in a Nutshell

1980's Oilers Penguins
GRETZKY CROSBY
KURRI MALKIN
MESSIER STAAL
ANDERSON ESPOSITO
FUHR FLEURY
COFFEY LETANG
LOWE WHITNEY

Guess you never caught those Oiler teams, eh?

HF, where promise is casually compared to historic levels of accomplishment.

 

[Rockomax]

Awesome. All the haters say "The only way Espo can get points is to play with good players, like Radulov". What do the Pens do now? Ugh, play him with Sid or Malk I guess...

That's why it wouldn't have been such a good pick for Mtl. I'm a Habs fan and I'm just happy that we didn't pick him because we don't have anyone like the pens' young players. I've seen Esposito play several times and he has talent, but he'll have to work on his collective play, he plays too much an individual game, but he doesn't have great hands. But this can be corrected by the pittsburgh organisation easily, because he uses his particular assests he could be good. But again, he's a high risk prospect that I'm just happy the Habs didn't pick, that said, I still wish him a good future with the pens, but if I were you, I wouldn't get too high on him. He's no 1st round steal neither.

 

[hototogisu]

How is he considered a superstar before he even laces up his skates past the junior level. I can understand being excited about a really good pick, but he was passed on 19 times. This isn't Crosby version 2.0 here. I think the interview process really hurt this kid because he looks like he's scared to death.

Exactly. This isn't even comparable to Cherepanov, who really was a steal. There's no transfer agreement necessary to get Esposito to pay for your team - he was passed over 19 times because other teams thought at least 19 other players were better than him, plain and simple. To try and pass this off as some sort of "steal" as of now, five hours after the draft took place, is totally absurd.

But, like I said in the winners/losers topic, it was a pick that makes sense from a Penguins point of view. He has a pretty hefty cushion with Crosby, Malkin and Staal and I don't think getting points will be as much of a problem there as it might've been on another team with a not-so-bright future.

 

[octopi]

Jesus Pens... I mean, i'm cool with you guys getting Fleury, then Crosby, then Malkin, then Staal just to save the franchise, but we got you the arena...this is just ridiculous.

Just mess up. ONCE. k?

If they get Tavares, God hates the rest of us personally.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I'm in no position to doubt that assessment.

I do know this:

He will not be able to do same on an NHL team that possesses personalities like Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, not to mention Sidney Crosby. And a demanding coach.

Peer pressure. That is why winning atmospheres matter (and why winning breeds more winning).

A green "phenom" might have been able to float on prior, poor Pens teams. Not a 105 point Cup contender.

Esposito may or may not turn out, just like every player taken including the top three picks. But this slur is a load of crap. Closest that I can find that speaks of that is from a HF interview where he talks of having a passion for figure skating when very young from age 3-10, and that it helped him with his hockey skills:

Early training

The young phenom played minor hockey in Notre-Dame-de-Grace in Montreal. Esposito did not take the traditional path to being a hockey player. He began skating at the age of 3, but his passion then was for figure skating, not hockey.
"From my early days of skating until the age of 10, I did a lot of figure skating, practicing every morning, participating in many competitions and having success doing it," Esposito recalled to Hockey’s Future after the game played on Oct. 1 in Quebec City.

Esposito began playing hockey at the age of 6, combining both sports. Nobody was laughing at him.

"I was the fastest player on the team so they had to respect me. Undoubtedly, figure skating contributed a lot making me a better hockey player. It helped me to have stronger legs, gain speed and have more balance and agility on the ice."

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/7983

 

[Vagrant]

On the flip side of the coin, you have to consider that Esposito is going to be harder pressed to actually "make" the Penguins than he would have in years past. They're not going to Jordan Staal him up like they would have last year because they're an actual contender now with Stanley Cup aspirations. That means that if Espositio looks as disinterested in future years as he was reported to have looked this year, then he stands to not even play for Pittsburgh for a very long time unless he has a change in his approach. Getting to play with a great squad could be a good motivational tool, but you never know. I think that's why 19 teams passed on him. At this point, you want to draft a player in the first round that you know wants it bad enough to play at the NHL level.

 

[Trottier]

Esposito may or may not turn out, just like every player taken including the top three picks. But this slur is a load of crap.

They said the same thing about Mario when he came out. (Not that I am comparing the two, ever.) Seriously.

Kids, at least many of them, mature.

My comment really had nothing to do with the report on Esposito, more on the positive (winning) environment he was entering. Shero has already made his most important moves of the summer, IMO - locking up the vets, Roberts and Recchi.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

WOW!I was hoping for Maxim Mayorov but Angelo Esposito I never even imagined he would drop to the pens. He will be a future star. Wouldn't that be something if we could grab Mayorov,Sweatt,or Goncharov in the 2nd round. I think Mayorov will get taken early in the second.

1980's Oilers Penguins
GRETZKY CROSBY
KURRI MALKIN
MESSIER STAAL
ANDERSON ESPOSITO
FUHR FLEURY
COFFEY LETANG
LOWE WHITNEY

LMFAO. Staal is the next Messier, Malkin next Kurri? Sorry man not even close. I don't even want to know what you're on comparing Letang to Coffey....