Yohe: Penguins "intend" to sign Plotnikov

[Shrimper]

 

[clefty]

You dodging the question leads me to believe you haven't seen him play.

There's nothing about being right or wrong. I'm not suggesting Plotnikov is a sure-fire NHLer. I'm not taking that bet. There's a chance he contributes, and there's a chance he doesn't. He could be another Lehtera, Brunner, Komarov, or Pesonen.

Dude, it's cassius.

 

[eXile59]

Cassius and goardie hate everyone. They don't ever offer any answers, just blindly hate.

If Plotnikov sucks and what do we lose? If Bennett busts what do we lose? It's better than overpaying on some long term, marginal UFA.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If Plotnikov really can play a Kulemin-esque role for Geno, as some have suggested, that'd be a fantastic start to the summer. Chemistry's a funny thing (as we saw with Geno/Hornqvist), but it sounds promising, anyway.

 

[Coach Travis]

The best take I can say to see where Plotnikov is: look back at the Gold Medal IIHF game 2015. He played with Tikhonov and Ovechkin and was a PKer. Good with stick checking but will force it to Ovechkin a good bit. Skating sticks out on big ice; Similar to Winnik skating. Alot like Fedotenko.

Thanks for posting. After watching all of his shifts I think I have a pretty good feel for what Plotnikov brings. It's admittedly a small sample size but they are playing against a team with about a $170M cap hit but in a 6-1 loss he managed to not be on the ice for any goals against.

Positives:

• Physicality - He's a bull. Very physical. Even overpowering. Definitely some nastiness in his game.
• Balls to the Walls - Definitely not lazy. Caught him backchecking hard, forechecks hard and finishing checks.
• Goalie terrorizer - Nose for the net, goes there 110% of the time, hard to move and good hands around the net. He'll benefit from the NHL's more lax crease rules.
• Creative offensively - Saw some creativity with the puck with guys streaking towards the net. Protected the puck and drove it to the net creating a scoring chance.

Not as Positives:

• Skating - Top speed is average, acceleration and agility are below average. But he should benefit from the smaller NHL rink.
• 10 Foot Game - Even though he's physical he's not great at anticipating the play or getting to loose pucks first nor is he all that effective at checking players off the puck but I try to keep in mind that he was up against the best Team Canada ever sent to the WC in this game
• Puck Protecting - There was a couple times where he looked great but when breaking out he'd often get a pass while flat footed and more often then not the puck ended up in a 50/50 battle. This may have been a more systematic problem though. When he had his feet moving and received a pass things went okay.
• Carrying the Puck - Not the guy you want carrying the puck through the neutral zone if you can help it. You'd want him to maybe dish it off to a fast centreman and then go to the net. In this game they had him with Tikhonov for the most part and while they weren't terrible together it was pretty obvious to me anyway that he needed a Centre who'd support him better by looping back and cheat to the strong-side to pick up a quick outlet pass... But again, he was under duress from a very good team.

Unsure:

• Shot - We never really got to see him (or anyone on Russia) shoot
• Ability against equal competition - Again this is probably the best team he's ever played against and the first thing that's going to look bad is your puck poise.

VERDICT: Some have compared him to Fedotenko, I'd say a more apt comparison is a less skilled Ryan Malone and I think that works better with Malkin than Crosby (not that anyone was considering that he should play with Sid) but Geno likes to gallop around the perimeter and then weave in through a seam and he needs that guy who lives in front of the net to create more space for him and keep defenders honest and guessing to whether a shot or a pass is coming from #71.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I hope this move is seen as a bottom 6 move for the time being. Still aim for 2 top 6 wings. If camp comes around and he earns a spot in the top 6, that's just a bonus.

 

[Zero Pucks]

I hope this move is seen as a bottom 6 move for the time being. Still aim for 2 top 6 wings. If camp comes around and he earns a spot in the top 6, that's just a bonus.

I wouldn't mind him on the third line either, with some top 6 spot duty perhaps. I think he'll bring a lot of what we lack though some grit, physicality and intensity. He looks like a beast in front of the net and will fight for positioning to get the dirty goals. I was thinking he's more of a third line version of Hornqvist.

 

[Penguinator]

I was thinking he's more of a third line version of Hornqvist.

My thoughts too, less skilled, hits harder but both work well along the boards & love to crash the net.

Anyway... That's just a 1rst impression so folks, take it for what it's worth, i mean, i only saw one video & read Travis' post.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

For any CBA-heads out there, I thought that you needed to be 24 or under to sign an ELC, so are we just signing him to a standard NHL contract with no compensation limits? By the CBA, I don't believe he would be considered a UFA until he's 27, so would we control him for two years then regardless of the term of his contract?

I just assumed he'd be on an ELC, but I think he's too old.

 

[clefty]

For any CBA-heads out there, I thought that you needed to be 24 or under to sign an ELC, so are we just signing him to a standard NHL contract with no compensation limits? By the CBA, I don't believe he would be considered a UFA until he's 27, so would we control him for two years then regardless of the term of his contract?

I just assumed he'd be on an ELC, but I think he's too old.

It's different for Europeans, 27 and under is their age threshold.

Niclas Andersen's deal is a one-year entry level, for example.

 

[M0NTY26]

I feel like Oshie would be a better compliment to Sid than he would be to Malkin. Oshie has never really played the off wing while Hornqvist bounced back and forth while on nashville. If you want to keep he and Sid together try him on left with Oshie on right and give Perron to Geno with Plotnikov?

Also I'm a bit leary about just throwing Plots into the top six, would prefer that he start as a third liner and steal the job from someone else, even if it is a middle six free agent signing like a frolik. I mean we have the cap space. I think a Plot-Tik-Duper third line would be killer and the money spent on Fehr could go to someone with more of an offensive upside.

Horn - Sid - Oshie
Perron -Geno - Frolik
Plots - Tik - Duper
Sundqvist - Spaling (wilson, comeau, rust ect)

then if Plots is better than advertised
Plots Geon Perron (feels like the Fedo Geno Sykora line of old)
Duper Tik Frolik

Too Bad that Glencross has really lost a step, I always thought he would look great as a penguin.

Oshie doesn't have the wheels to keep up with Sid. Oshie and Geno would be a great fit though.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Can people stop putting Hornqvist on his off wing?It's so annoying.

 

[JackFr]

Can people stop putting Hornqvist on his off wing?It's so annoying.

Agreed, one of the reasons Hornqvist and Sid clicked was specifically his handedness. Don't mess with the one part of our offence that works.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I'm in the camp that thinks Plotnikov is the "right guy, signed for the wrong reasons" if this does come off. He had real trouble skating at the world championships, and his shot was possibly the least accurate on the team. Definitely not a scoring line forward. He has the potential to be a bruising bottom 6er signed for cheap, though. Sadly, I think JR is pencilling him in for the top 6 before he's even set foot on North American ice.

 

[Coach Travis]

I'm in the camp that thinks Plotnikov is the "right guy, signed for the wrong reasons" if this does come off. He had real trouble skating at the world championships, and his shot was possibly the least accurate on the team. Definitely not a scoring line forward. He has the potential to be a bruising bottom 6er signed for cheap, though. Sadly, I think JR is pencilling him in for the top 6 before he's even set foot on North American ice.

Huh? So you're saying that GMJR made a good signing in spite of himself? I guess it's better than the wrong guy signed for the right reasons?

 

[Darth Vitale]

I agree. I think he's a bit of a mix of Fedotenko, Komarov and Kulemin.

Yeah this is a pretty accurate description, but I think he has a much better shot than any of those 3.

If those statements turn out to be accurate, I got no problem with it at all. We could use a Komarov or Kulemin.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Huh? So you're saying that GMJR made a good signing in spite of himself? I guess it's better than the wrong guy signed for the right reasons?

From all the "Malkin needs a Russian" talk in the media, along with other small cues, I think JR might see this as a "one top 6er down, one to go" kind of deal. In which case, such a (normally useful) signing may end up being detrimental to the team.

It's just a nagging suspicion, JR may surprise me and net us 2 top 6ers between now and training camp, who knows.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Here's Bombulie's Plotnikov scouting report via Stephen Dixon for anyone who missed it:

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/8623633-74/plotnikov-goals-penguins

“He's a big guy, a big, strong winger, a power forward,†Dixon said. “I think he's built for the game in North America. I think it's a great find for the Penguins. I think he's a guy that's going to come in and no one's going to know that much about him and he's going to be really good.â€

One way Plotnikov is built for the North American game: He's no stranger to physical play. He has three fighting majors during the past three seasons, which makes him a rare breed in the KHL.

“He's a tough kid,†Dixon said. “He's a laid-back guy off the ice, but when he plays, he's intense. He doesn't mind dropping the gloves. You'll see when he gets over there. He doesn't play the old stereotypical Russian game. He goes to the net hard.â€

According to scouting reports, Plotnikov also has a good shot and keen offensive instincts. He is not known to be a good skater.

“I've never seen him on the small ice, but I think that might suit his game a little better,†Dixon said. “Sometimes with guys that big, you might say, ‘Oh, he doesn't look too fast,' but all of a sudden, he's going around guys. He's a lot faster than he looks.â€

 

[66-30-33]

Can't hurt to have a free player and anyone who actually hates this will just be hating it for a chance to hate it. Maybe he works out great in the NHL, maybe he doesn't. You'll never know unless he gets a chance to prove it.

 

[chethejet]

He may not be the solution but at least it allows for competition and he brings size and physical play that the Pens are in need of.

 

[The Old Master]

it's not like we have four or five guys on the farm ready to com up.

 

[WVP]

He may not be the solution but at least it allows for competition and he brings size and physical play that the Pens are in need of.

Yes, sounds like he could be a solid 3rd liner with potential to have chemistry with Malkin. That's basically what we wanted to sign Kulemin for, so very little to complain about here.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

it's not like we have four or five guys on the farm ready to com up.

Yeah, it's really too bad that signing Plotnikov might push Jayson ****ing Megna down the depth chart.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Low risk, at worse he should be a very efficient bottom six forward, can't complain. Good addition.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Good move.

These are the type of outside the box moves that we need to chase to recoup the assets we've blown.