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WBS Penguins 2017-18 Season Thread: Pens out in first round, black aces are up

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WayneSid9987

WayneSid9987

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Nov 24, 2009
30,053
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Season starting roster(per AHL site):

F's:

Dea
Josephs
Sprong
ZAR
McGrath
DiPauli
Quinney
Wilson
Burton
Blueger
Sestito
Thomas
TK
Smith
Haggerty
Tiffels
Johnson
Simon

D:

Taylor
Trotman
Pedan
Prow
Czuczman
Spinozzi - PTO
Corrado
Tinordi
Zink
Bengtsson
Summers

G's:

Jarry
DeSmith

Injuries:

Oct.6th:
Tinordi - week to week
Colin Smith - week to week
Taylor - week to week (head injury)
Josephs - skating but considered long term

Oct.9th:
Trotman - day to day

Upcoming Games(2nd team = Home):

b2ace0cab72dbd0d04633c869bb065b0.png


Click to read more...
 
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T1K

Registered User
Jul 23, 2013
7,366
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Pittsburgh
I don't follow WBS, are those jerseys new? Pretty sick.

Sprong probably gets 1st run if we need a forward, right?
 
Dipsy Doodle

Dipsy Doodle

Rent A Barn
May 28, 2006
76,553
21,097
Sidney the Kidney said:
Unfortunately, that's arguably the Pens' deepest position. Sprong might have actually made the team right out of camp if he was a natural LW.
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Very possible, though we have the wing depth on both sides to slow-play him until he forces our hand. He had a good pre-season, but I don't think he pushed anyone out of a job.
 
Mr Jiggyfly

Mr Jiggyfly

Registered User
Jan 29, 2004
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Sidney the Kidney said:
Unfortunately, that's arguably the Pens' deepest position. Sprong might have actually made the team right out of camp if he was a natural LW.
Click to expand...

Wasn't Kuhn their third line RW to start the season?

There is a good joke in there somewhere I know you can find for me...
 

gorvenator

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
30
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Mr Jiggyfly said:
Wasn't Kuhn their third line RW to start the season?

There is a good joke in there somewhere I know you can find for me...
Click to expand...

I live in Charlottetown and have seen Sprong a fair bit over the last couple years and the AHL seems like the right place for him right now. His offensive game is obviously there, but he would drive Sullivan crazy. When he doesn't have the puck he's invisible and often detrimental to his team. Good thing is it's all fixable through good coaching.

His goals and assists are pretty though.
 
Mr Jiggyfly

Mr Jiggyfly

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Jan 29, 2004
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gorvenator said:
I live in Charlottetown and have seen Sprong a fair bit over the last couple years and the AHL seems like the right place for him right now. His offensive game is obviously there, but he would drive Sullivan crazy. When he doesn't have the puck he's invisible and often detrimental to his team. Good thing is it's all fixable through good coaching.

His goals and assists are pretty though.
Click to expand...

His game away from the puck is significantly better than when he made the NHL a couple years back, and at the time I argued he wasn't NHL ready because of those issues. Of course, Sprong barely bothered playing hard away from the puck back then, so basically he started to actually care about trying when he didn't have the puck.

As I mentioned before the old thread closed, I honestly don't think Sprong's defense and puck mgmt is going to get significantly better in the A. He will learn a few things, but he is who he is at this point IMHO.

As an example, a guy like Sheary always had weak defense and bad puck mgmt skills in the A. Now after spending 80+ games down there, he's still a total spazz with the puck and his defensive game is very much a liability and never truly improved.
 
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Andy99

Registered User
Jun 26, 2017
50,608
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Mr Jiggyfly said:
His game away from the puck is significantly better than when he made the NHL a couple years back, and at the time I argued he wasn't NHL ready because of those issues. Of course, Sprong barely bothered playing hard away from the puck back then, so basically he started to actually care about trying when he didn't have the puck.

As I mentioned before the old thread closed, I honestly don't think Sprong's defense and puck mgmt is going to get significantly better in the A. He will learn a few things, but he is who he is at this point IMHO.

As an example, a guy like Sheary always had weak defense and bad puck mgmt skills in the A. Now after spending 80+ games down there, he's still a total spazz with the puck and his defensive game is very much a liability and never truly improved.
Click to expand...


I agree. This is why I get irritated with Sprong not playing in the NHL . He's got a way better shot than sheary and his play away from the puck is not significantly worse than Sheary or Phil. Yet Sheary plays. It's like Sprong's got to meet a different standard. I think he could provide an offensive boost to the third line and I wish Sully was open to playing him there
 

gorvenator

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
30
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Andy99 said:
I agree. This is why I get irritated with Sprong not playing in the NHL . He's got a way better shot than sheary and his play away from the puck is not significantly worse than Sheary or Phil. Yet Sheary plays. It's like Sprong's got to meet a different standard. I think he could provide an offensive boost to the third line and I wish Sully was open to playing him there
Click to expand...

oops double post
 
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gorvenator

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
30
10
Just curious, have you guys seen a lot of Sprong's games? Its just that you speak confidently about his game development. Especially his away from the puck game, which is hard to see on video. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you've scouted him strongly.

I hope he proves his worth in the AHL, more scoring is never a bad thing. Especially with teams scoring a will these days. On a side note, he has a strong chance of being the best player to ever come from the Islanders/Rocket organization. Sadly it's not saying much.
 
Mr Jiggyfly

Mr Jiggyfly

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Jan 29, 2004
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gorvenator said:
Just curious, have you guys seen a lot of Sprong's games? Its just that you speak confidently about his game development. Especially his away from the puck game, which is hard to see on video. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you've scouted him strongly.

I hope he proves his worth in the AHL, more scoring is never a bad thing. Especially with teams scoring a will these days. On a side note, he has a strong chance of being the best player to ever come from the Islanders/Rocket organization. Sadly it's not saying much.
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He was pretty bad away from the puck during his first year, so there was no way to go but up. Right now, it's passable enough to play in the NHL.

He will, (hopefully) stay in the league because he's a dynamic goal scorer, not because he's some Selke type, two way fwd.

I just don't see that side of his game evolving much further than it is right now down in the A, which is again, passable. It generally takes several years of guys like Sprong playing in the NHL before you notice any real difference in their two way game.

Often, you won't ever see that part of their game evolve much... i.e. Kessel, AO, Neal, Kane...
 

chethejet

Registered User
Feb 4, 2012
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He will be a goal scorer and will be the next Kessel for the Pens. I have mentioned Kessel will be here this year and next year, but I see him gone after that. His cap hit can be used far better on other players. No one in the system comes close to his offense.
 
WayneSid9987

WayneSid9987

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Nov 24, 2009
30,053
5,676
An update before the 3in3 this week-end:

Trotman skates
Defenseman Zach Trotman skated during Wednesday’s practice, which included full 3-on-3 drills, and Donatelli said there is a chance the 27-year-old plays this weekend.
“I haven’t checked with the trainers, but obviously he did pretty well out (on the ice),” Donatelli said. “Maybe he doesn’t play all three. Hopefully, he can get in one or two, but he looked promising.”
Additionally, the team is preparing as if fellow defenseman Chris Summers will not be back this weekend. The 29-year-old veteran was called up to Pittsburgh on Tuesday while Ian Cole recovers from a mouth injury.
Should one or neither of the two be available, Donatelli reiterated that Ethan Prow, Kevin Spinozzi and Dylan Zink could all see playing time.
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http://m.citizensvoice.com/sports/penguins-set-for-3-game-stretch-1.2254292
 

WheresRamziAbid

Registered User
Oct 31, 2013
7,217
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Mr Jiggyfly said:
He was pretty bad away from the puck during his first year, so there was no way to go but up. Right now, it's passable enough to play in the NHL.

He will, (hopefully) stay in the league because he's a dynamic goal scorer, not because he's some Selke type, two way fwd.

I just don't see that side of his game evolving much further than it is right now down in the A, which is again, passable. It generally takes several years of guys like Sprong playing in the NHL before you notice any real difference in their two way game.

Often, you won't ever see that part of their game evolve much... i.e. Kessel, AO, Neal, Kane...
Click to expand...

Cant say I watch minor leagues of any kind, would it benefit him to essentially learn the Pens system thru playing in WBS for a month or two. If there is one developmental thing this org does that unimpeachable is having guys prepared to jump right in when the time comes.
 
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