Recalled/Assigned: The Pens have recalled defenseman Derrick Pouliot from from the WBS

[MrBurghundy]

Definitely not, but he doesn't need to be all that good to replace Ian Cole. If he takes our transition game up a notch and scores a goal every once in awhile, he only needs to be questionable defensively to be a better player than Cole.

Cole's already questionable at everything.

If he's as bad as he was in his own zone during training camp, even Cole would be a better option. We'll have to see how he does tonight and moving forward.

 

[Artie Party]

when Letang is healthy, they should redo the entire defense and go with

Maatta - Letang
Dumo - Daley
*Pouliot - Lovejoy
Cole

But they won't, because they are stupid.



*assuming Pouliot doesn't look like poop

This makes the most sense for both the present and future. Assuming Pouliot doesn't completely bust, he plays next season on the 3rd pairing RD with Cole if he isn't traded and 2nd PP then in 2017 he plays on Dumo's right side after Daley's contract is up. Regardless, Lovejoy gets traded this season or just let him walk.

 

[joeyjake5]

when Letang is healthy, they should redo the entire defense and go with

Maatta - Letang
Dumo - Daley
*Pouliot - Lovejoy
Cole

But they won't, because they are stupid.



*assuming Pouliot doesn't look like poop

I agree and really they should have no other choices but as you have said THEY ARE STUPID.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Daley has looked pretty good and seems able to play RD, which he will with Maatta until Letang comes back. We've also seen Pouliot play well with Lovejoy in the past. What do you think of running this when healthy:

Maatta - Letang
Dumoulin - Daley
Pouliot - Lovejoy
Cole

Each line has a nice mix of offensive potential and defensive responsability. The 3rd pair is lacking some physicality, but if any pair is lacking in something it ought to be the 3rd. Cole can play either side and can be rotated into the lineup as necessary. I'd rather not force Pouliot to play his off side though, and I think Maatta and Domoulin are locked into their spots on the 1st and 2nd pair.

 

[plaidchuck]

Welp, time for him to put up or shut up.

 

[MrWilson*]

Finally. Hope the guy realizes this is his shot and plays that way.

 

[Empoleon8771]

JR has said multiple times that the next time they recall Pouliot will be the last, so let's see how true to their word they are. Pouliot needs to be playing, he can't be sitting in the press box as the 7th D.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Or was that talk all a smoke screen for the fact that he had bonuses that might affect the cap if he was here longer than a half season? I mean I figure it doesn't matter much. He obviously needed work still. At the same time it's a pretty big coincidence.

 

[SEALBound]

JR has said multiple times that the next time they recall Pouliot will be the last, so let's see how true to their word they are. Pouliot needs to be playing, he can't be sitting in the press box as the 7th D.

Agreed. At the same time, he needs to out perform Cole.

Letang, Maatta, Dumoulin, Daley, and Lovejoy are the 5 I believe they will go with. Cole has been very mediocre this year. THAT is who Pouliot has to beat. I don't see them sitting anyone else really. Then they have to stomach sitting $2.1mil. Now of course with Tanger out (again) this is much simpler you can run a Cole-Pouliot pairing and protect them as much as possible. When Letang comes back...that is when you run into issues.

Hopefully, Pouliot makes Cole expendable and we can find a taker. A 2nd at the TDL would be ideal.

 

[MrBurghundy]

JR has said multiple times that the next time they recall Pouliot will be the last, so let's see how true to their word they are. Pouliot needs to be playing, he can't be sitting in the press box as the 7th D.

Well, yeah. But like I said, if he plays like ass defensively, you can't keep him up. He's only up now because of injury anyway and not based on merit. If we are healthy he's still in WBS.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

JR has said multiple times that the next time they recall Pouliot will be the last, so let's see how true to their word they are. Pouliot needs to be playing, he can't be sitting in the press box as the 7th D.

Well the last guy who declined to follow JR's wishes in playing a player got canned. JR does not ask often, but when he does if you are the coach you probably should listen. In fact JR is not one to play around with anything that he says. He has the worst poker face in the world.

 

[DegenX]

Only mention I've seen about Letang is this from Yohe



Warosofsky was being evaluated last night. Someone asked Yohe about him and this was the response

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Lovejoy will be gone one way or the other so I think Cole is here to stay honestly.

 

[SEALBound]

Well the last guy who declined to follow JR's wishes in playing a player got canned. JR does not ask often, but when he does if you are the coach you probably should listen. In fact JR is not one to play around with anything that he says. He has the worst poker face in the world.

Indeed. More importantly we need to start really assessing what we have in Pouliot and begin determining if he is in the short and/or long term plans. If he's not in the short term plans, we need to shop for a top 4 dman. In free agency there are many fine options. We have Cole and Daley under contract for a couple more years too.

You sign Gogo to a 5x5 and you got:

Maatta-Letang
Dumo-Gogo
Cole-Daley

Now with injuries Pouliot will be a nice fill in...but we need more than him being a #7 dman filling in. Waro and Andersen can do that. We have that. We need to determine if Pouliot can force a roster spot that allows us to move one of the above if we sign a Top 4 dman. If he can hold his spot this year, he replaces Lovejoy.

I'm excited to see how he does. I hope he understands the importance of this. I can only assume his WBS coaches and Recchi and Guerin or whoever have sat him down and explained the situation and what he needs to be doing.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I highly doubt the comments by JR regarding Pouliot were about a scenario like this one where he's only up because of injury.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Good for the kid, I hope he sticks for good.

Has had a solid year so far in WBS

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Despite all of my reservations with this kid... I'm really, really, really hoping he takes the opportunity and runs with it. To say we need good, young, cheap contributors at all positions is probably understating things pretty drastically.

 

[Jacob]

If he plays, I hope he gets #1 PP unit duties. As good as Daley has been, he's not a natural QB out there.

 

[thecore]

Indeed. More importantly we need to start really assessing what we have in Pouliot and begin determining if he is in the short and/or long term plans. If he's not in the short term plans, we need to shop for a top 4 dman. In free agency there are many fine options. We have Cole and Daley under contract for a couple more years too.

You sign Gogo to a 5x5 and you got:

Maatta-Letang
Dumo-Gogo
Cole-Daley

Now with injuries Pouliot will be a nice fill in...but we need more than him being a #7 dman filling in. Waro and Andersen can do that. We have that. We need to determine if Pouliot can force a roster spot that allows us to move one of the above if we sign a Top 4 dman. If he can hold his spot this year, he replaces Lovejoy.

I'm excited to see how he does. I hope he understands the importance of this. I can only assume his WBS coaches and Recchi and Guerin or whoever have sat him down and explained the situation and what he needs to be doing.

Is GoGo really going to get 5X5? I can't see Dallas not keeping him, but I'm not sure I want him for that kind of coin, either.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Don't **** it up, Derrick.

 

[Koempel]

If he plays, I hope he gets #1 PP unit duties. As good as Daley has been, he's not a natural QB out there.

Since it is his forté, getting some points on the PP might give him the confidence needed. I really hope his defensive play is at least adequate, his play at the beginning of the season has me quite worried. How has his play been in WBS (defensively)?

 

[pistolpete11]

Is GoGo really going to get 5X5? I can't see Dallas not keeping him, but I'm not sure I want him for that kind of coin, either.

I'd be a little scared of the 5 years, but I'd give him $5M per in a heartbeat. He's a 40-ish point defenseman who eats up 23 minutes a night and his possession stats are great.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Is GoGo really going to get 5X5? I can't see Dallas not keeping him, but I'm not sure I want him for that kind of coin, either.

Goligoski has evolved into a Martin-like defenseman since we've traded him. Not only is he very good offensively, but he's also solid defensively. I'd like him back at $5 million per, but I'd be concerned with the term there. I don't like giving guys in their 30s long term deals.

 

[Doogle]

I think JR wanted him build more of a foundation in the minors for half a season, especially because A. He had such a bad preseason and B. The drinking incident probably caused them to question his maturity, so keeping him down half a season let's him know they won't tolerate crap for the sake of talent.

So between those two things, hopefully Pouliot has realized what this opportunity means and takes it completely seriously. If he can be ok defensively and excel offensively, he'll be a very strong asset going forward. In my opinion, he's still the most likely prospect to be traded at this point. Obviously Letang is probably out tonight and Warsofsky definitely, but even still I wouldn't be surprised to hear that half the reason that tonight specifically they wanted to showcase him to St. Louis for a possible Shattenkirk trade.

Although to make a Shattenkirk trade work cap wise, we would have to part with Kunitz or Bonino in addition to Pouliot. I would suspect STL would want Kunitz more due to their desire to specifically target physical players, but Pit would be more willing to part with Bones. I think STL is so wrapped up in targeting players of their desired skill set, that they are more willing to forego a little trade value if it means more size/physicality.

 

[billybudd]

Welp, time for him to put up or shut up.

Dude, seriously? If he hasn't locked down a third pair job by 24, I'll be concerned. If he has to go back down now, it means nothing to me.