Zbynek Michalek

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Hyperbole much? I know it's the common calling card of HFBoards, but you should probably re-read my post if you think I'm "grabbing my torch" towards Michalek.

I didn't say he's awful and that he belongs on waivers, I said that he's been a disappointment so far this season. Whether you want to admit it or not, some of his gaffes on the ice has resulted in us losing hockey games. I'm just calling a spade a spade. I expect him to rebound definitely as he recovers from the injury and learns the system better, but the early returns have been average at best.

I'd quote you if I was talking directly about you. Calm down, sporto.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

He has been fine. Massive overreaction.

 

[Jacob]

He has been fine. Massive overreaction.

Yeah, I agree. I'm not worried about him all. He's looked OK all year, and significantly better when he got paired with Martin a few weeks back. That should have been a no-brainer from the start, though, and I consider it a huge gaffe by the coaching staff for not going with that pairing from the start.

I thought the Lightning game was one of his better games, where he had a specific assignment against St. Louis all night. Steigy actually brought that up during the broadcast, that Michalek is probably at his best when given a specific shut-down task. I agree. I guess against the Rangers he didn't have one, since Orpik was against Gaborik and really, there was nobody significant for Michalek to shadow.

He should be our #1 shut down guy, though, not Orpik. In my opinion.

 

[#66]

I like ZM but I think he gets a little over rated and is also a little over paid. To be honest I like Scuds better for the same money. Z's outlet pass isn't that good and for all of his skating woes at the start of his career, Scuds was is the more mobile player right now.

I do think that he'll prove his worth more towards playoff time though.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I concur. He's been A-ok.

Sure, him falling last night in OT sucked ass, but more than likely..he caught a rut in the ice. As let's face it, the quality of CEC ice so far hasn't exactly been prestine.

I was gonna suggest that in last night's GDT, but we all were pretty upset.

 

[Captain Hook]

We have a lot of new guys playing together on defense and a few of them in a new system. It takes time.

I also have a hard time worrying about the defense since there's so much talent there. I'd worry more about the areas, like wingers, where the team lacks talent and won't be able to fix it unless they make a great trade.

The problems I see with the defense right now is correctable. Last I checked, this D still led the league in points and they're also allowing the fewest shots per/game of any defense in the whole league. The problem has been the occasional blunders/hiccups have negated a lot of the good they've done, but I think those things are correctable. When this D puts it all together, it could be great.

 

[Tender Rip]

To be honest I like Scuds better for the same money.

No you wouldn't . I mean seriously... just no.

Z's outlet pass isn't that good and for all of his skating woes at the start of his career, Scuds was is the more mobile player right now.

If you think Z is less mobile than Scuderi, or that Scuderi is even close.... then this is probably all pointless.
As for Z's outlet pass.... did you see how Mark Letestu came to be one on one with Lundqvist? Because that is what Z can do, and you'd never, ever see it from guys like Scuderi, Gill or even Orpik.

Anyway, Michalek hasn't had a sparkling start for us. Unspectacular before injury and couple of bad games when coming back - and then that miss against the Rangers. For 4 million... he has to be more consistently strong.

But I still think we'll come to love having him as the season progresses. The Martin St.Louis example is a good one, you could mention how little Gaborik did against that pairing as well, and I am sure Ovechkin will have Michalek on his tail for substantial parts of our Caps showdowns.

 

[DeSero]

We have a lot of new guys playing together on defense and a few of them in a new system. It takes time.

This. Michalek was Phoenix's #1 target to resign this off-season. There's a reason for that, they wanted him to build around because he's entering his prime. It's a new team, and a new system. Look back at Gonchar in his first year. No need to panic, especially when this thread was created after a game where he lost his footing giving the NYR one of the only odd man breaks they had all game.

But then again, maybe this is just the tip of the iceberg and Z actually doesn't know how to skate. Ray Shero is forever remembered as being the GM who had the worst FA signing in the history of sports. But it gets worse. Before this title can be bestowed on Ray, Crosby and Malkin decide team up off the ice. They both pull an unheard of move in modern pro sports and retire after the allstar break.

But seriously...

 

[Lario Melieux*]

If this falling stuff becomes a recurring problem I say we can his ass

 

[3074326]

Goalsgalinksi has been far worse on his bad nights; start there.

Do you mean Goalsagainstski?

Michalek was very solid before his injury. Hasn't played up to that level since. He'll get back there.

 

[Tender Rip]

Do you mean Goalsagainstski?

Tremendous alias..... or not.

Goals against for Pens defenders so far this season:

Martin 20 (4 while PK'ing, 19 games)
Letang 19 (3 while PK'ing, 19 games)
Gogo 16 (4 while PK'ing 19 games)
Orpik 11 (2 while PK'ing, 13 games)
Michalek 11 (1 while PK'ing, 10 games)
Engelland 11 (1 while PK'ing, 17 games)
Lovejoy 10 (3 while PK'ing, 12 games)

If you consider EN goals and SH goals against, Gogo's ES numbers will be even more impressive compared to the other defenders.
So, should Gogo be Goalsagainstski if virtually all the other defenders are on for more considering the minutes they've played?

Michalek was very solid before his injury. Hasn't played up to that level since. He'll get back there.

He was on the ice for virtually every goal that was scored on us before he was injured. Fact. He was great in pre-season though, but so was Comrie... so that doesn't really matter.

Again, Michalek has been very good in the last couple of games.... except when he slipped against the Rangers. He'll be fine, but it just seems really weird to me that people want to pretend that our new signings are doing well while often throwing Gogo under the bus.
Facts simply don't support doing so, and even when talking about Gogo being soft/undersized, we're still talking about a player making a bigger effort to play physical than our new guys.
Indicator - beyond goals against stats and plus/minus - hits.
Gogo: 18, Martin: 8, Michalek: 7.

The trouble with Gogo is one thing and one thing only. Hesitation/decision making on the PP. Otherwise he is delivering great value for his contract both offensively and defensively. What makes matters worse on the PP is that we don't have anyone else and simply have to give him the time to become better at it - unless he is replaced by someone from outside.

Not saying Gogo is a great player. Just a good one more than living up to his contract and with room to build on that.

 

[CurseOfKavorka]

He's been awful, the Comrie of the blueline. If not for his contract he would be a healthy scratch playing like he is.

 

[mgd525]

He's been awful, the Comrie of the blueline. If not for his contract he would be a healthy scratch playing like he is.

thanks for the great insight....

 

[mgd525]

I like ZM but I think he gets a little over rated and is also a little over paid. To be honest I like Scuds better for the same money. Z's outlet pass isn't that good and for all of his skating woes at the start of his career, Scuds was is the more mobile player right now.

I do think that he'll prove his worth more towards playoff time though.

There is not one single thing Scuderi does better then Z...not one.

 

[#66]

He's been awful, the Comrie of the blueline. If not for his contract he would be a healthy scratch playing like he is.

Thats going a little far. Camrie is just garbage. Z's like Kunitz. He's solid but in the end a glorified role player.

Sounds like a put down but its really not.

 

[#66]

There is not one single thing Scuderi does better then Z...not one.

Maybe the old Scuds but I think Scuds has a better hip check, is a better backwards skater and is better around the net.

 

[Hophog]

I think we've covered just about everyone who sucks and should be fired or waived w/ the exception of the Pittsburgh Ice Crew. I think we might want to start a thread about how bad the ice is at the new arena and see about how we can go about getting a better crew involved before our season spirals down the drain

 

[Hophog]

I'm holding out hope that Michalek is playing somewhat softer then he generally would due to the injury he suffered. I'm withholding too much judgement for now b/c I think his injury may be limiting some of the best qualities of what he brings to table. I could be wrong though.

 

[schmidtlesauce]

Maybe the old Scuds but I think Scuds has a better hip check, is a better backwards skater and is better around the net.

agree with the hip check comment. i disagree about the skating tho. besides the fall, z is faster, stronger and has a much better first pass than the scuds patented "backhand off the glass" clearing pass

 

[Malkin4Top6Wingerz]

TenderRip, you should realize that goals against over a puny sample size is an indication of nothing, yet I've seen you cite it numerous times. Not to mention that Goligoski gets easier minutes than anybody not named Lovejoy / Engelland and has a higher percentage of offensive zone starts than all of our defenseman.

With that said, I agree that Goligoski has been very good outside of the powerplay (where he has been dreadful).

 

[HandshakeLine]

Goligoski's sort of looking like the reverse Whitney right now-- a puck moving defenseman who's not good on the PP. That's kind of problematic because of Despres primarily, who looked pretty decent in camp and preseason.

I don't think Goligoski's going to get moved this year, but Despres entering the AHL next year could really mark the end of Goligoski's tenure here unless he carves out a niche where we need his help the most.

Also, let's not forget how Scuderi didn't really get his physical game into gear until his last season here-- or, roughly the same age Michalek's at now. It's really not outside the range of possibility that Zbynek could improve in that area, just like Scuderi.

 

[gopens66]

1) as mentioned, he's just back from an injury that none of us know exactly how much is lingering or affecting him.

2) he's coming out of a team situation last season that was all about team defense, and into a team that USED to be all about team defense, but hasn't resembled it at all since the cup was raised.
Disco's defensive zone coverage will make any miscue or delayed decision into a huge mistake.

3) We still haven't seen a reasonably healthy version of what this team could be. When everyone, especially Crosby and Malkin, get back to balls-to-the-walls, pedal-to-the-metal, nobody-takes-a-shift-off hockey, then we'll judge Big Z on what he's bringing to the team.

 

[#66]

Goligoski's sort of looking like the reverse Whitney right now-- a puck moving defenseman who's not good on the PP. That's kind of problematic because of Despres primarily, who looked pretty decent in camp and preseason.

I don't think Goligoski's going to get moved this year, but Despres entering the AHL next year could really mark the end of Goligoski's tenure here unless he carves out a niche where we need his help the most.

Also, let's not forget how Scuderi didn't really get his physical game into gear until his last season here-- or, roughly the same age Michalek's at now. It's really not outside the range of possibility that Zbynek could improve in that area, just like Scuderi.

Thats the thing. The last years Scuds was with the Pens, that was his only year here as a finished product. I still like him and he looks really good in LA.


If Despres can make the team next year, he and Goli could make for a nice bottom pairing. Despres being the more defensive defenseman even though he's the rookie.

 

[JimsDoors]

ooops....wrong thread

 

[Tender Rip]

TenderRip, you should realize that goals against over a puny sample size is an indication of nothing, yet I've seen you cite it numerous times. Not to mention that Goligoski gets easier minutes than anybody not named Lovejoy / Engelland and has a higher percentage of offensive zone starts than all of our defenseman.

Fair point, and I know, but it is only to give a bit of balance to the many comments in this thread and others feeding off the end to last regular season where the Gogo/McKee pairing fell apart.
The same picture - being on the ice for few goals against - was there in the playoffs, and Goligoski simply plays too minutes to be in the same column as normal third pairing players where obviously their strength of competition is significantly lower.

With that said, I agree that Goligoski has been very good outside of the powerplay (where he has been dreadful).

Yeah. Ultimately, unless Gogo becomes significantly better at running the PP he doesn't have much of a future with the Pens with Despres coming up. The plus side and why I am positive about the chances of that happening, is that we're talking about really small things to change him from 'failure' to 'solid'. Take the shot when it is there and make sure your passes for Malkin are in the wheel house rather than the skates. How the latter has been a problem... I really don't understand.