Recalled/Assigned: Penguins Recall Kuhnhackl, Rust and send down Wilson, Sheary

[Freeptop]

If only based on how the Pens' website is talking about him, I'd have to guess that Kuhnhackl was called up to play. Rust may have been called up to be an extra forward in case of injury since they'll be on the road for the next week.

Porter and Rust are two guys who you know where they're at in terms of development, plus they're pretty much interchangeable. So you can scratch one of them each game without any worries.

Sheary and Wilson, however, should be playing, and since they've currently been struggling at the NHL level, send them down to play, while calling up someone else to get some energy in the lineup for a couple of games.

By the accounts of Bombulie from last year and Seth Lasko this year, Kuhnhackl has really re-invented his game to make better use of his size. He used to try to be skill player and failed at it. Now he's working on being a physical, muck-in-the-corners and go-to-the-net kind of guy, and has been having success as a result - he's been playing on a line with Rowney and Simon down there.

The NHL Pens have a need for more players who are willing to work in the corners and plant themselves in front of the net, so Kuhnhackl's a logical choice for a call-up right now. Hopefully he studies Hornqvist while he's up.

As for Kuhnhackl vs Sundqvist - Kunhackl's matched Sundqvist's point total in 10 fewer games. And has two more goals. It's also worth noting that Kuhnhackl's a left wing, while Sundqvist isn't.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Plotnikov is already ruined. Confidence is huge and when you **** around with a player like he's been ****ed around with, it'll take a lot for him to be effective. Being scratched, playing 7 minutes, not really being rewarded in any way...it sucks. Sort of like Niederreiter when he was with the Isles. I'm not saying you have to coddle him and call him a delicate flower but wow when you play him like he doesn't belong there its natural that he'll start to play like it.

Rewarded for.....what exactly? If he wants the staff to like him maybe try working on not having 0 shots every other game.

 

[Beauner]

Rewarded for.....what exactly? If he wants the staff to like him maybe try working on not having 0 shots every other game.

He's played well in a number of games, and I recall only once where it resulted in him being put with Malkin for a shift. When the team was REALLY struggling to score, that's the time to reward bottom 6 guys who are playing well. Maybe get their spark to rub off on the stars. Doesn't have to be for an entire game either. Just a few shifts here or there. It seemed like no matter how many hits he had, how many turnovers he created, how many scoring chances his line had, he was always guaranteed <10 minutes of ice time, if he even played at all.

 

[MtlPenFan]

Plotnikov stinks. It's Eric Tangradi all over again in that people just desperately want him to be good, so they're blaming everyone BUT him for the fact that he doesn't look like an NHL player.

 

[djt153]

plotnikov has done more than tangradi ever did. his physical play is certainly nhl caliber and its a shame he got defanged by the refs in that fashion when trying to learn the league. wish he would score more, but he is totally a useful bottom 6er

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

plotnikov has done more than tangradi ever did. his physical play is certainly nhl caliber and its a shame he got defanged by the refs in that fashion when trying to learn the league. wish he would score more, but he is totally a useful bottom 6er

If you can't score a goal you're not useful sorry. His skillset is nothing special at all in this league so combine that with providing virtually nothing offensively and you have a dispensable player.

Also I don't recall Plotnikov ever having trouble with the refs. He simply hasn't made enough of an impact in any game for that. Maybe there's one call early in the year I'm forgetting or something, but that can't be the argument that's being made here.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

If you don't recall him having trouble with the refs you simply haven't watched enough games, specifically early in the season. The fact someone says he "stinks"...well....moving forward in a conversation is pointless.

I'll give you the fact he hasn't scored. That's a bit of an issue but he's done nothing else poorly as far as I'm concerned

 

[WayneSid9987]

Plots was getting pretty close to scoring with a solid Plots-Cullen-Fehr line.

Then Beau goes down.

Then MS is hired with his love of Porter.

And Plots is in and out of the lineup.

Funny thing is, for me, Plots > Porter in a PK'ing role imo.
MS just refuses to use him.

 

[Penguinator]

If only based on how the Pens' website is talking about him, I'd have to guess that Kuhnhackl was called up to play. Rust may have been called up to be an extra forward in case of injury since they'll be on the road for the next week.

Porter and Rust are two guys who you know where they're at in terms of development, plus they're pretty much interchangeable. So you can scratch one of them each game without any worries.

Sheary and Wilson, however, should be playing, and since they've currently been struggling at the NHL level, send them down to play, while calling up someone else to get some energy in the lineup for a couple of games.

By the accounts of Bombulie from last year and Seth Lasko this year, Kuhnhackl has really re-invented his game to make better use of his size. He used to try to be skill player and failed at it. Now he's working on being a physical, muck-in-the-corners and go-to-the-net kind of guy, and has been having success as a result - he's been playing on a line with Rowney and Simon down there.

The NHL Pens have a need for more players who are willing to work in the corners and plant themselves in front of the net, so Kuhnhackl's a logical choice for a call-up right now. Hopefully he studies Hornqvist while he's up.

As for Kuhnhackl vs Sundqvist - Kunhackl's matched Sundqvist's point total in 10 fewer games. And has two more goals. It's also worth noting that Kuhnhackl's a left wing, while Sundqvist isn't.

It's really a cycle rookie roster experiment, we'll eventually see Simon & Sundqvist. I like Kunhnackl's turn (good potential fit like you said), hope he sticks around more than Rust.

 

[Uemoda]

I really hope Kuhnhackl can catch lightning in a bottle. I was so pumped when we drafted him, and I always hoped he could pull it together. One of my favorite X-factors we have in the system and I'm really pulling for him.

 

[Munchkin10]

I really hope Kuhnhackl can catch lightning in a bottle. I was so pumped when we drafted him, and I always hoped he could pull it together. One of my favorite X-factors we have in the system and I'm really pulling for him.

I've been watching him develop for the last 7 years, as a team Germany fan I really hopes he develops into a NHL caliber forward, and luckily for me this game is going to be broadcasted on NHL network.

 

[pensfansince88]

Porter is Adams. We always have to have a guy who sucks but job is never in jeopardy.

 

[Asuna]

Porter stays up because he is 'good' on the PK.

I thought the Penguins were past players like that, but I guess not.

 

[Darth Vitale]

This organization and its repeating patterns of behavior. Every year it seems like there's some underdog AHLer that we have to bring up for a while because of injury or because some other grinder didn't pan out. And invariably we get our hopes up, and sometimes they're even good the first few games. But then it fizzles. And then the guy will end up on another team half the time, and proceeds to be a better player than he was here. Kuhn might be the next "disappointment" that ends up being useful somewhere else. Don't be shocked.

This organization is clearly not very good at developing NHL players or coaching NHL players. We are however among the best at developing AHL players and coaching them to be successful in the AHL environment. Gotta love it. Hard to avoid the idea now that the 2009 Cup did not mean we were doing things right at both levels. But the organization was sure that it was and redoubled its philosophy of drafting and development the years that followed. And I don't think we're going to like the end result.

The organization needs help.

 

[eXile59]

plotnikov has done more than tangradi ever did. his physical play is certainly nhl caliber and its a shame he got defanged by the refs in that fashion when trying to learn the league. wish he would score more, but he is totally a useful bottom 6er

He looks very similar to Tangradi at this point. He won't be in the league next year. It's not the refs or coaches fault.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Plotnikov stinks. It's Eric Tangradi all over again in that people just desperately want him to be good, so they're blaming everyone BUT him for the fact that he doesn't look like an NHL player.

Plotnikov is 6'2", strong in possession, and our best hitter on the forecheck. And on a team with very few physical or 6'0"+ forwards, that is a valuable combination.

This organization needs to start making it a priority to find out what it has in its young players instead of riding AHL journeymen every single time. That's the only way we're going to avoid more Farnham situations.

 

[radapex]

He looks very similar to Tangradi at this point. He won't be in the league next year. It's not the refs or coaches fault.

He looks nothing like Tangradi, honestly. He's a better skater, he's got a better shot, and he's a much much better possession player.

Plotnikov is 6'2", strong in possession, and our best hitter on the forecheck. And on a team with very few physical or 6'0"+ forwards, that is a valuable combination.

This organization needs to start making it a priority to find out what it has in its young players instead of riding AHL journeymen every single time. That's the only way we're going to avoid more Farnham situations.

Despite not finding the back of the net, Plotnikov's shown a lot of good things in his game. Yet he's still fighting for playing time with guys like Porter, and is being scratched fairly regularly.