Line Combos: Pens 2023 Training Camp Thread: Dr. StrangeDubas or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Game

[Zirakzigil]

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Schedule:

Friday, October 6
10:30 AM – Morning Skate (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
7:00 PM – GAME AT BUFFALO

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[pistolpete11]

As the self appointed VP of the Z Fan Club, I think I have to resign and hand the position over to @AuroraBorealis. I am still a believer, but I do not have the fervor that AB has displayed over the last several pages to fight for this cause. I feel the Club will be in much stronger hands than my own.

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm really curious what the thought process is to waive ALL of the 13F's, though. Are they planning on claiming someone else just to add even more organizational depth? Are they going to keep shuttling all of these guys back and forth until they reach their 30 day / 9 NHL game limits until there are injuries and they need these guys?

If nobody gets claimed, it's no harm no foul, but it just seems strange to me to risk it.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

As the self appointed VP of the Z Fan Club, I think I have to resign and hand the position over to @AuroraBorealis. I am still a believer, but I do not have the fervor that AB has displayed over the last several pages to fight for this cause. I feel the Club will be in much stronger hands than my own.

Pete, you're the VP. Vice-President.
There's been a President all along.
In fact the lack of support on the last few pages from my top man can be described as nothing less than "concerning", heading into the season.

 

[pistolpete11]

Pete, you're the VP. Vice-President.
There's been a President all along.
In fact the lack of support on the last few pages from my top man can be described as nothing less than "concerning", heading into the season.

I thought @Radim Zohorna was the President?

....unless........that actually is Radim himself?!?!? You can't be President of your own fan club. I'm pretty sure there's laws against that.



Anyway, as long as he doesn't get claimed, it sounds like Z is going to be the 13F, so I think the battle was won.

 

[Shrimper]

Season starting already tomorrow. Crazy how time flies

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

Guentzel's gonna play it seems. They would be prioritizing Letang at PP practice if Jake is out vs Chicago imo.

Z is on waivers. Even if he clears waivers and Jake stays out, what's he gonna get? 1 game before Jake is back and he's demoted?
I'm talking about Z being a regular and playing like 70 games. That's what should be happening at this point. Actually, that should have already been happening like 2 years ago. Our worst winger regulars weren't better then and still aren't today.

What is it that teams are seeing that keeps getting him waived? As he's has already gone through 2 other teams, only to come back to us, there has to be something we fans are not seeing.

I'm genuinely curious.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I thought @Radim Zohorna was the President?

....unless........that actually is Radim himself?!?!? You can't be President of your own fan club. I'm pretty sure there's laws against that.

f***. You're right. Top 10 plot twist. I been deluding from the start.

Nevertheless, your presence will be expected at 5:00pm EST, when waiver news starts to come in, determining Z's fate.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

What is it that teams are seeing that keeps getting him waived? As he's has already gone through 2 other teams, only to come back to us, there has to be something we fans are not seeing.

I'm genuinely curious.

He isn't consistent. He handles the puck at times like it's a grenade. If he wasn't 6'7 with his skillset he likely would have been gone a while ago.

You can blame Sully all you want but this is coming from the GMs and while GMs will make mistakes ehhmm Hextall, it obvious there are issues in his game that continues to be issues. I've watched him plenty of times handle pucks like it's a hot potatoe.

Many here just like to complain. If you are on edge because Zohorna is on his 4th team in 3 years and back on waivers ya got bigger issues

 

[AuroraBorealis]

What is it that teams are seeing that keeps getting him waived? As he's has already gone through 2 other teams, only to come back to us, there has to be something we fans are not seeing.

I'm genuinely curious.

Well for the Pens it was cuz Sully prefers PKing grinders. And Euros have always gotten less rope than North Americans with him. Think back to Kahun, Riikola, etc...
In Calgary Z actually struggled a bit, so that one's clear.
In Toronto he was only filling in during a brief opening due to an injury. Then the guy came back. Might have been Knies. Don't recall.

 

[Andy99]

I was listening to Madden’s podcast this am discussing the Pens upcoming season…I heard him pronounce (when discussing Geno being on the half wall of the PP and Sid down below) that the Pens goal in life apparently is to make Geno happy and “god forbid he should know a moment of unpleasantness “ or something like that, and then I promptly turned it off lol….good to know things never change…

 

[Andy99]

 

[orby]

My biggest takeaway from this preseason is that Drew O'Connor finally looks like he should be an everyday NHL player. If he can be a legitimate scoring threat in the bottom 6, and maybe even look good enough to get a cup of coffee in the top 6 at some point, that's a big X factor for the Pens.

 

[Gurglesons]

My biggest takeaway from this preseason is that Drew O'Connor finally looks like he should be an everyday NHL player. If he can be a legitimate scoring threat in the bottom 6, and maybe even look good enough to get a cup of coffee in the top 6 at some point, that's a big X factor for the Pens.

If DOC can hit 30 points and Harkins can be in the 25 pt realm team is looking good.

 

[Ulf5]

I take this as they put a claim in for a player(s). Or am i reading too much into it?

 

[deakka]

I take this as they put a claim in for a player(s). Or am i reading too much into it?

That, or they wait and see who, if any, of our guys get claimed

 

[Josey Wales]

Kyle Dubas talks

 

[MrBrightside]

Rust back on the top line at practice today. Why can't we have nice things.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Dubas said Pickering is back from injury and got a couple practices in with the NHL guys. He should be good to go in juniors soon

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I mean, it's really not that difficult to understand.

Harkins has more speed, physicality and offensive potential (25 goals in 44 AHL games alone last year compared to Zohorna's 27 in 102 total AHL games). Nieto had more goals last year in the NHL than Zohorna has points in his NHL career, all while being a speedy pest who can PK.

Acciari hits everything that moves, might be the Pens' best faceoff guy when all is said and done, and is good for 12-14 goals a season when healthy. All while eating defensive minutes.

Zohorna is 27 and unproven. He had a nice camp. But training camp isn't everything. There are countless cases in sports of training camp or exhibition heroes who fall flat when the games get real. You have to keep things in perspective.

Nieto and Acciari are proven veterans who fill needs on this team. Harkins is more promising and more of an appropriate fit in the bottom six.

You can argue that Zohorna should play over Carter, but most teams in the NHL are going to give a guy with Carter's pedigree at least an opportunity to start the season and let him play his way out of the lineup.

Zohorna had a nice camp. He's a useful piece. But he's not some unicorn. He's a big man with some skill and smarts who plays soft and slow.

Didn't you just say in another post "Past performance" doesn't dictate future results"?

 

[Ugene Magic]

This coach's process makes no sense. Harkins comes in late in camp and has one strong game and one average one, and moves ahead of guys that had 3 strong games and have a previous strong stint with the actual organization.

Also, last I checked Z had a much better camp than Nieto, Acciari and Carter too?

Idk wtf more they want from the guy. They even said his conditioning was good this camp, which was the final (shit) excuse they had last time.

f*** off?

Zohorna was getting #1 line minutes. Same as O'Connor. What do you really expect them to do?

He doesn't have the track record to be this upset.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

My biggest takeaway from this preseason is that Drew O'Connor finally looks like he should be an everyday NHL player. If he can be a legitimate scoring threat in the bottom 6, and maybe even look good enough to get a cup of coffee in the top 6 at some point, that's a big X factor for the Pens.

My hope is Doc can continue his upward trajectory and can be a guy we can bump up into the top 6 as needed. I think he can make that next step. It would be great because we need more players like him

 

[The Old Master]

I take this as they put a claim in for a player(s). Or am i reading too much into it?

they are telling you that they would like to. but with the cap they can't unless they make a trade or strange thigs happen.

 

[Andy99]

I’m going to reserve judgment on DOC’s potential until I see him do it in the RS for about 20 games

 

[Ugene Magic]

I’m going to reserve judgment on DOC’s potential until I see him do it in the RS for about 20 games

Yes. Doc really made a step in the pre-season, but he has to keep doing that in the lesser role. Keep forcing their hands.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I’m going to reserve judgment on DOC’s potential until I see him do it in the RS for about 20 games

Yeah, I'm hoping DOC makes me eat crow this season. I'm skeptical, but I don't really remember him having anything close to the kind of jump or finishing ability he's shown in the pre-season.

Like you said, he has to show it against real competition in games that matter, but even as a bonafide DOC denier, dude's looked promising. It'd be huge for this team to have a young guy step up and contribute to a legitimate degree and not just "okay he's not AHL fodder but he's also nothing beyond a 4th liner" stuff.