RD Kris Letang (2005, 62nd overall, Pittsburgh)

[end]

I think there's been 3 defensemen in the last 5 years who've been any good before age 21... Phaneuf, Jackman and Vlasic. Whitney was 22 before he cracked the roster. Lidstrom was drafted 3rd round, 53rd overall, and he was 21 when he cracked the Wings, I wonder if people said bust at age 20? And that was back in the day when 'solid defense' was about the same as 'able to skate backwards'.

 

[Evilo]

After about 15 minutes of sorting through uh, at least 300+ posts... here are a few of the many treasures.


http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=10311090&postcount=3

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=9695057&postcount=63

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=9695888&postcount=65

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=9696366&postcount=66

Now, I admit that doctordark has a strange obsession with the guy... but man.

Oh, and this nice gem from the draft discussion that's probably the crown jewel.

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=9647884&postcount=51

All I know that I've learned is, deal Whitney now because he is a chump and Letang can take over right away, and that Letang is going to be the next Coffey.


That's not to even consider counting the number of people who said that Letang was a serious Calder cup contender.


Look, I think he is a fine prospect. But I don't think he is the world beater some have acted like he is.

May I introduce you to Maxime Ouellet, your life love :
Posted by YOU :

Ouellet is going to be the backup whenever the season starts.


Maybe taking 30 starts from Olie.


If he does well, I could see Kolzig being dealt at the deadline and Ouellet being the main guy from there out.

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=2180377&postcount=5

Goalie with the highest upside: I think Max II might have close to what Ouellet has but will have a harder time reaching it, though Ouellet is my safe pick.

Two (2) prospects that you think are underrated by the HF community in general? Semin (up untill lately, extremely underrated), and Ouellet. (Honorable Mention to Mr. Fehr)

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=2135673&postcount=13

See, everyone can play this game. It's just a matter of having too much time.
Now, I'm only presenting YOUR claims, but what if I was talking about say the entire Caps fan community because of say... Borro.
How would you feel it would be? Ridiculous.

Well, that's exactly how we feel towards you and some of the posters on this thread.

 

[Evilo]

Those are classics.

Man somebody has to reign those guys in!

Scratch that - posts like that are what I love most about the Pens board.

Come on, you're right, let's get other classics rollin' :

Let's rewind to last summer :

Recchi, Leclair and Gonchar will just be older, not better. Pens added some 3rd and 4th liners that should help (I think) but the defense still stinks. Eaton is a decent player - skates well but plays like a skinny, soft guy.

I see the Pens improved but missing the playoffs again.

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=6479572&postcount=57

To GKJ who said the Pens might make the playoffs in the non-distant future, the poster ironically asked him :

And the Flyers will be golfing, right?

Well, yeah...

Let's carry on with last summer's predictions :

1. Flyers (can't possibly have as many injuries and much improved forwards)

2. Devils (Brodeur could get the River Rats into the post season)

3. Rangers (Lundqvist will keep them close)

out of the playoffs:

4. Penguins (one or two more players makes this team suck a little bit less)

5. Islanders (yuck)

Don't yo love those classics? Oh and BTW, everyone will have guessed that these quotes are all yours...

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Uhh yeah, nice oxymoron. What the hell is an 'easy' dark horse?

This horse will let you ride it all day and all night. No questions asked. She's known to be a bit "easy".

 

[Chimaera]

Wow, I said that about Max I? That certainly was way off. I do think at the time he was coming off a pretty good season in the AHL, and could've made the jump from there, but things don't always work out like they seem. The second thread was a Caps board thread, when the lump total of Caps significant goalie prospects were Max I, Max II, Ratislav Stana and maybe one or two others. So, obviously, Max I would be the logical choice. Either way, Not the first time I've been wrong. Not afraid to admit I was probably wrong here as well.

I'll admit most of what I said was exaggeration, but I still recall reading a few comments about how great Letang would be from the start from more than a few people. I don't particularly want to spend a lot of time hunting them down, as it really isn't that big of a deal, and this thread is pretty much degrading into a pile on for my own exaggerations (as it could've of rightfully not been that big of a deal) and I've already looked enough like a jackass in this thread.

Oh, and Borro's still alive? i thought he was waived along with Rico Fata

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Is it so hard to admit that Penguins fans distinct love for Letang may have rubbed some people the wrong way?

Your post wouldn't have anything to do with the Letang vs. Yandle debate that was going on a while back?

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Of course not because Letang is obviously sooooooooo much better! It was almost an insult to compare him to Yandle.

Perhaps more to do with Letang going #14 in a recent fan's poll. Seems like the HF editors ranking was closer to the mark putting him #38.

 

[Pens75]

Pittsburgh has a defense?

East Goals Against...

New Jersey 201
NY Rangers 216
Ottawa 221
NY Islanders 240
Buffalo 245
Pittsburgh 246
Carolina 253
Montreal 256
Florida 257
Tampa Bay 261
Toronto 269
Washington 286
Boston 289
Philadelphia 303

East Shots Against:

Tampa Bay 2234
NY Rangers 2329
Toronto 2330
New Jersey 2332
Carolina 2336
Florida 2402
Ottawa 2479
Pittsburgh 2530
Buffalo 2542
Atlanta 2582
NY Islanders 2672
Philadelphia 2673
Montreal 2685
Washington2734
Boston 2748

 

[Evilo]

Of course not because Letang is obviously sooooooooo much better! It was almost an insult to compare him to Yandle.

Perhaps more to do with Letang going #14 in a recent fan's poll. Seems like the HF editors ranking was closer to the mark putting him #38.

How so?
Did every player ranked over spot #38 make their team, were that good in the WJC and in their respective junior league?

Well no. They simply were drafted higher.

Your comment just shows how weak that thread is. Just because a player doesn't make his team after his first camp, he's not worth being ranked #14.

Well I'm willing to bet in 5 years, taking the same players into account, Letang will look pretty well at spot #14.

 

[Evilo]

East Goals Against...

New Jersey 201
NY Rangers 216
Ottawa 221
NY Islanders 240
Buffalo 245
Pittsburgh 246
Carolina 253
Montreal 256
Florida 257
Tampa Bay 261
Toronto 269
Washington 286
Boston 289
Philadelphia 303

East Shots Against:

Tampa Bay 2234
NY Rangers 2329
Toronto 2330
New Jersey 2332
Carolina 2336
Florida 2402
Ottawa 2479
Pittsburgh 2530
Buffalo 2542
Atlanta 2582
NY Islanders 2672
Philadelphia 2673
Montreal 2685
Washington2734
Boston 2748

ZING!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Levizk]

The thread title is a bit misleading. When I originally saw this I thought Letang had actually been cut, which was making me wonder if he killed Mario's dog or something. Should probably consider changing it to something like "Penguins reassign Letang" or "Letang to the AHL".

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The thread title is a bit misleading. When I originally saw this I thought Letang had actually been cut, which was making me wonder if he killed Mario's dog or something. Should probably consider changing it to something like "Penguins reassign Letang" or "Letang to the AHL".

The title is correct.

 

[vcx*]

When is this a bad thing that a young talented player is sent down to the AHL to learn? Letang could use some seasoning in the AHL, hey even Whitney needed some AHL duty before he was ready and Letang has more of an aggressive game to him which i'd rather see developed at the AHL level.

I don't think this lessens his value or hinders his development, this is probably the best thing for Letang, it was what i was hoping (can't speak for all the pens fans though) as a pens fan. I saw Letang as a midway call up this season when he basically shows he belongs in the NHL when he tears up the AHL. There is absolutely no need to rush Letang, we have Gonchar & Whitney manning the offensive roles on defense and together they contributed 100+pts to the Penguins offense.

 

[x-bob]

The thread title is a bit misleading. When I originally saw this I thought Letang had actually been cut, which was making me wonder if he killed Mario's dog or something. Should probably consider changing it to something like "Penguins reassign Letang" or "Letang to the AHL".

HAHAHAHA this is classic!!

 

[Levizk]

The title is correct.

"Defensemen Kris Letang and Mike Weaver, along with forwards Jonathan Filewich, Jeff Taffe, and Ryan Stone have been assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The AHL club is set to open the regular season on Wednesday."

http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=338811&page=NewsPage&service=page

Adam Hall because he wasn't under contract could've been cut, because cutting implies you're no longer property of the team. Letang because he's still under contract and still Penguins property wasn't cut.

 

[vcx*]

To be fair, they were final roster cuts, but were assigned to the AHL. So take it for what it's worth in terms of the thread title.

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

To be fair, they were final roster cuts, but were assigned to the AHL. So take it for what it's worth in terms of the thread title.

Yep, you can read in many places, that they were part of the "final cuts".

 

[PSUhockey34]

"Defensemen Kris Letang and Mike Weaver, along with forwards Jonathan Filewich, Jeff Taffe, and Ryan Stone have been assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The AHL club is set to open the regular season on Wednesday."

http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=338811&page=NewsPage&service=page

Adam Hall because he wasn't under contract could've been cut, because cutting implies you're no longer property of the team. Letang because he's still under contract and still Penguins property wasn't cut.

swings both ways:

Top prospect Kris Letang will begin the season in the AHL after being among the last cuts in Pittsburgh.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9931/wilkesbarrescranton_penguins200708_preview/

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Of course not because Letang is obviously sooooooooo much better! It was almost an insult to compare him to Yandle.

Perhaps more to do with Letang going #14 in a recent fan's poll. Seems like the HF editors ranking was closer to the mark putting him #38.

It isn't just HF fanboy hype. Letang was #10 (or so) in THN's Future Watch's latest edition, and in McKeen's top 20, if memory serves.

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

It isn't just HF fanboy hype. Letang was #10 (or so) in THN's Future Watch's latest edition, and in McKeen's top 20, if memory serves.

No use, DD. Rankings of players, according to many around here, must obviously be chosen by current level of play and not by their potential.


WAKE UP people. These rankings have and always will be majority-based on what the player will become, not what they are now. Letang being sent to the minors has no effect on what he will become, if anything it's positive in that it means more refining before being thrust into the big's.