Salary Cap: Salary Cap 2015: Olli Maatta to start season in AHL due to severe case of Gullibility

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According to JB Perron is practicing on Geno's left with Kessel. Also BB on the ice

That could be really good, actually. It allows Perron to get back to basics and play a straight ahead, hardworking game without having to worry about getting on the scoreboard.

I like it. Hopefully he does just that, and gets back to basics.

 

[hooverdam]

Dumo-Scuderi. Maybe Lovejoy instead of Cole or Dumo.

And Kunitz and DUpuis are likely still our top 6 LWs. And we still have a bad coach.

I agree so much. I don't get people looking at this roster and saying any one trade could fix the idiotic coaching decisions. And that extends to lineup decisions (Scuderi playing, Lovejoy's usage, the way they're spread out so the majority of our defense is hindered by them and the kids are chained to anchors), line compositions, relying on players like 14/9 to play over their heads to keep their spots and not rewarding young players, ****** player evaluation in general, and the system.

We can't even be 100% certain that the system sucks because we haven't seen the best lineup properly utilized within it yet. It probably sucks, I'm not disputing that entirely, but how can we evaluate fully when we know it fails partly because of the players deployed on defense?

Drew Doughty might do well in this system. He also might get paired up with Scuderi again and want to throw himself off a bridge. The only trade I think should be considered is a left winger shakeup, but even then I don't want it to happen until we've seen our best lineup iced and have an idea of what it can do when all the players are in the right spots.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Trust me, I'm super high on Maatta. I just think it's a little crazy to call him a prodigy. Yes, he was dynamite to start off as a rookie. He also cooled off considerably down the stretch, regardless of whether or not his shoulder was injured. He's also had two major shoulder surgeries already, bouts with illness, and had has his fair share of looking lost and overwhelmed at times.

I still think he's a damn good defenseman when healthy and in sync, but he's got a lot of development to go through still. People were lauding him as the next coming of Lidstrom before he dropped off in his rookie year. The guy is still a raw defensive prospect; a damn good one, but a prospect nonetheless.

I think it's a bit hasty to say he eliminates our need for a long-term option #2/3 defenseman. It'd only make this team infinitely strong if we brought that guy in.

It's a relative term. Kid anchored an Olympic blueline as a teenager and looked well beyond his years in the NHL. That fits the definition. "Raw" is about the last word I'd use to describe Maatta.

He's not Lidstrom, and people using that as a comparison are setting themselves up for disappointment. But when he's been healthy, he's never looked like anything other than a #2, so I don't see the need to talk about spending our non-existent disposable assets on trying to acquire that guy when we have one in the fold, if we can bring ourselves to wait a few games while he finds his bearings after a year off.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

That could be really good, actually. It allows Perron to get back to basics and play a straight ahead, hardworking game without having to worry about getting on the scoreboard.

I like it. Hopefully he does just that, and gets back to basics.

I think we're tinkering with the wrong line.

 

[Asuna]

I think we're tinkering with the wrong line.

Yeah, I thought Plotnikov had a pretty good game last night.

Makes sense to change that.

 

[plaidchuck]

Yes of course no one wants dupuis in the top six. But kunitz in the bottom six is indeed a victory right now.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

That could be really good, actually. It allows Perron to get back to basics and play a straight ahead, hardworking game without having to worry about getting on the scoreboard.

I like it. Hopefully he does just that, and gets back to basics.

I like it too, but it means we are stuck with 9-87-72 which is not a good offensive line. Sid needs a top 6 gun slinger. Give him Sprong

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Yes of course no one wants dupuis in the top six. But kunitz in the bottom six is indeed a victory right now.

That lasted one whole period of the actual game, haha.

The way he got mobbed after his first goal in half a season, I'll be surprised if it ever lasts a whole game.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Yeah, I thought Plotnikov had a pretty good game last night.

Makes sense to change that.

Johnston logic at its finest. Young player does well, gets demoted.

 

[plaidchuck]

That lasted one whole period of the actual game, haha.

The way he got mobbed after his first goal in half a season, I'll be surprised if it ever lasts a whole game.

True, being likeable by fans and teammates trumps all with this team. That's why most of this discussion is pointless. And ownership will never hire a coach that goes against that culture.

That's why I'm hoping for ownership to change by the summer.

 

[Asuna]

Johnston logic at its finest. Young player does well, gets demoted.

That's Penguins logic. I swear they hate youth and skill.

 

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It's a relative term. Kid anchored an Olympic blueline as a teenager and looked well beyond his years in the NHL. That fits the definition. "Raw" is about the last word I'd use to describe Maatta.

He's not Lidstrom, and people using that as a comparison are setting themselves up for disappointment. But when he's been healthy, he's never looked like anything other than a #2, so I don't see the need to talk about spending our non-existent disposable assets on trying to acquire that guy when we have one in the fold, if we can bring ourselves to wait a few games while he finds his bearings after a year off.

I still consider Maatta a raw prospect. Maybe not raw in the sense that he's wholly outclassed at the NHL level and in way over his head, but he's got a lot to work on. His skating could use work, and he's nowhere near as comfortable with the puck as he was in his rookie season.

I would love for him to top out as a #2 and form a Maatta-Letang pairing for the foreseeable future. The fact remains, we still need a #3 guy to play with Dumoulin on the 2nd pairing, or a #2 guy to play with Letang so we can move Maatta down with Dumo.

Honestly, we're in the position now where we should've been last season. Strong foundation moving forward, but some changes still need to be made before we reach the point of being a legitimate Cup contender.

I mean Hell, we don't even look like a playoff team right now. Not even close.

I think we're tinkering with the wrong line.

Agreed, but it's important that we get Perron going again. Perron-Hornqvist with Sid, Bennett-Kessel or Sprong-Kessel with Geno.

I like it too, but it means we are stuck with 9-87-72 which is not a good offensive line. Sid needs a top 6 gun slinger. Give him Sprong

Agreed. Or move Hornqvist to LW and put Bennett on Sid's RW.

That lasted one whole period of the actual game, haha.

The way he got mobbed after his first goal in half a season, I'll be surprised if it ever lasts a whole game.

Yep. A real "victory" would be Kunitz in the press box, Dupuis on the 4th line, and guys like Bennett and Sprong getting top-6 time.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I would love for him to top out as a #2 and form a Maatta-Letang pairing for the foreseeable future. The fact remains, we still need a #3 guy to play with Dumoulin on the 2nd pairing, or a #2 guy to play with Letang so we can move Maatta down with Dumo.

Stop calling this a fact. Dumoulin looks like he can handle being a #3. And Cole looks like he can be a #4 imo.

 

[mpp9]

Perron's a placeholder for Fehr.

 

[DegenX]

Dumo-Scuderi. Maybe Lovejoy instead of Cole or Dumo.

And Kunitz and DUpuis are likely still our top 6 LWs. And we still have a bad coach.

Doughty has a $7M cap hit. At least two of Scuderi, Lovejoy, Kunitz and Duper would be gone. Most likely Scuderi and Kunitz. And, since we're waving magic wands ... maybe if HCMJ isn't running a system to shelter our crappy defense, the team will look like it did last season before all the injuries.

 

[Saints11]

Our junior coach will ignore our youth because he thinks the Pens older vets are safe. That is why he benches his youth in the third period, like the few shifts Plots and Sprung got last night. He will make outrageous moves with vets, but not with more talented youth. So even if common sense dictates a certain move, it won't be made. So we best get use to seeing the younger guys on the third or fourth lines. With the mentality, I would not be surprised that Sprong is sent back, even though he has shown enough to be here. I wonder what ever happened to that supposed "mandate" the Pens junior coach received prior to the Ottawa game? Unless, MJ is just giving his superiors a big "F. U."!!!!!!!

 

[robopigeon]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

Perron Sid Horns
Fehr Geno Kessel
Kunitz Bonino BB/Sprong
Dupuis Cullen BB/Sprong

I could live with this under a different coaching regime and a competent system

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

When he said Billy was at it again he was talking about BillyBud. They were arguing about Bennett I think

 

[plaidchuck]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

Well it's obvious perron or bennet are out.of here come time for a trade. Don't exactly need to be an insider to realize that.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Doughty has a $7M cap hit. At least two of Scuderi, Lovejoy, Kunitz and Duper would be gone. Most likely Scuderi and Kunitz. And, since we're waving magic wands ... maybe if HCMJ isn't running a system to shelter our crappy defense, the team will look like it did last season before all the injuries.

Well if we're including the cap, we're including assets going their way. So Malkin is gone.

 

[DegenX]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

I'm hesitant to speak for someone else, so I'll just say that Capp is ... taking a break.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

He stopped posting here because Jiggy was calling him a Crosby fanboy. Also, who cares if he's not posting here? I'm certainly not losing any sleep that he left.

Perron's a placeholder for Fehr.

Exactly. Perron is going to get traded really damn soon, it's only a matter of time.

 

[hooverdam]

I'm worried that IcedCapp hasn't posted for awhile now. He took a hiatus for 2 or so weeks after he knew Despres was traded, and one of the last things he posted this time was that Billy G was at it again....

He left the board after he got into an argument. His info is gone now, basically.

 

[plaidchuck]

Balls deep in starcraft again?