An honest thought about Scuderi

[mikethelegacy]

He has NOT been half bad this year. Him and Despres have an excellent GA%/60 Mins and he has been a key piece on the penalty kill for once. So far, so good this season. I would obviously still move him if I had the chance. We think that's impossible, but to be honest, he may be making a market for himself with his current play.

He's still not worth his salary right now, but he's definitely clawing his way back up there. Thoughts?

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[Dipsy Doodle]

He's been a lot better defensively this year (not being relied on as the main PK defenseman helps too), but I'm surprised his inability to move the puck up-ice hasn't been exploited yet. He has exactly one move when he gets the puck...pass it back to Despres.

If you're a forechecker, how do you not cheat to the pass every time?

 

[Will Hunting]

He has NOT been half bad this year. Him and Despres have an excellent GA%/60 Mins and he has been a key piece on the penalty kill for once. So far, so good this season. I would obviously still move him if I had the chance. We think that's impossible, but to be honest, he may be making a market for himself with his current play.

He's still not worth his salary right now, but he's definitely clawing his way back up there. Thoughts?

Let´s see what happens when Olli is back. Scuds is much better this year, but Bortuzzo & Despres are still better than him. Someone has to be benched and we still need that cap space. Scuderi is serviceable once again, but please, not in Pittsburgh. His play is tolerable but the context (D depth & capspace) is too strong here for him to stay...

Honestly, the ideal scenario so far. There´s a market for defensemen with some significant injuries around the league. Scuds has redeemed himself a bit and his value might not be that negative now. He´s still our 7th best defenseman, though (at best). JR´s turn now.

 

[Klifton]

He has NOT been half bad this year. Him and Despres have an excellent GA%/60 Mins and he has been a key piece on the penalty kill for once. So far, so good this season. I would obviously still move him if I had the chance. We think that's impossible, but to be honest, he may be making a market for himself with his current play.

He's still not worth his salary right now, but he's definitely clawing his way back up there. Thoughts?

I think you are right, he has been one of the biggest surprises so far this season. Plus, given the almost universal need for D throughout the league this year, he is certainly improving his value with every solid game he turns in.

 

[mpp9]

He's been a lot better defensively this year (not being relied on as the main PK defenseman helps too), but I'm surprised his inability to move the puck up-ice hasn't been exploited yet. He has exactly one move when he gets the puck...pass it back to Despres.

If you're a forechecker, how do you not cheat to the pass every time?

Eh. Even when teams game plan around that more, we have much better support from the forwards for him to just make a short chip. It's not like the only options are Despres or the puck in the back of our net.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Eh. Even when teams game plan around that more, we have much better support from the forwards for him to just make a short chip. It's not like the only options are Despres or the puck in the back of our net.

In general, I think that's a big help to all our defensemen. In particular, a guy like Scuderi with limited puck moving ability is going to be better insulated when he's only required to make 5 to 10 foot passes rather than 50 foot passes to streaking forwards who are covered by opposition defenders like under Bylsma's system.

 

[TorontoMapleLeafsFan*]

Scuderi is getting a lot better defensively.

 

[Michael8771*]

Scuderi is getting a lot better defensively.

Or, he's reverting back to his form in LA and in our two cup finals appearances. Either way he's played well enough to not currently be considered a liability. The only issue I have is his salary as a third pairing defensemen.

 

[Will Hunting]

Or, he's reverting back to his form in LA and in our two cup finals appearances. Either way he's played well enough to not currently be considered a liability. The only issue I have is his salary as a third pairing defensemen.

That´s the only current issue. You will see the other one when Olli comes back

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Scuderi is a prideful guy, it looks to me like he has realized he played poorly and worked hard in the off season and training camp to improve where his game was lacking.

 

[Michael8771*]

That´s the only current issue. You will see the other one when Olli comes back

Not if JR does his job and makes a trade.

Scuderi is a prideful guy, it looks to me like he has realized he played poorly and worked hard in the off season and training camp to improve where his game was lacking.

In fairness he had an ankle issue that plagued him the majority of last season.

 

[Fordy]

we can quibble over whether or not scuderi's a bit better at being scuderi than he was last year or not, no matter how well he plays he doesn't fit the system in the slightest and it's apparent every single night

 

[Michael8771*]

we can quibble over whether or not scuderi's a bit better at being scuderi than he was last year or not, no matter how well he plays he doesn't fit the system in the slightest and it's apparent every single night

As a bottom pairing defensemen he's fine. Despres and he have been solid. The issue again is his salary. But if we move Martin it doesn't matter much.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Thought I was going to get flamed for this post. Glad we are mostly on the same page. The salary is definitely an issue, but at least he isn't a liability anymore. He really is very good defending the rush, it's when a team gets setup in our zone that's the issue. He used to lose people in front of the net but it seems that's been remedied which is nice.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Scuderi is playing a whole hell of a lot better this season. That doesn't preclude him from being irrelevant in the long term and short term though given our obvious replacements.

 

[#66]

Happy to see Scuds playing like Scuds.

A defensive defenseman would never thrive under Disco.

 

[Fordy]

As a bottom pairing defensemen he's fine. Despres and he have been solid. The issue again is his salary. But if we move Martin it doesn't matter much.

we have better defensemen than "fine". and he certainly hasn't been "fine". that pairing still gets stuck in their own zone a whole damn lot. and it's almost always his fault

 

[jmelm]

Yes, he's been quite decent, but...


Scuderi, while effective, is not a heavy player. Neither are Martin or Ehrhoff, but those guys bring a particular skill set that is harder to find. If Scuderi's role can be filled by someone who can do it with more size, physicality, offense or some other skill, we would be a better off team. In short, and if we're as good as our weakest links, Scuderi is one of those links that could be improved.


It's kind of the same thing with Downie. Yes, he adds some toughness, grit and scoring ability, but if we could get those same attributes in an even bigger, tougher or more offensively gifted package (i.e. Evander Kane or, more realistically, Chris Stewart if he could have a resurgence with a fresh start here), it would improve our line up and better allow us to compete against the bigger, tougher and more skilled teams in the West. That is how I view our team and how I would improve it, as good or not as guys like Scuderi, Downie or Spaling may be.

 

[orby]

Best case scenario: he'll become tradeable. He's definitely been alright so far this season but at this point there's no way he'll be worth his cap hit to the Pens. Too many high-ceiling prospects knocking at the door.

 

[jmelm]

Best case scenario: he'll become tradeable. He's definitely been alright so far this season but at this point there's no way he'll be worth his cap hit to the Pens. Too many high-ceiling prospects knocking at the door.

Agreed. Harrington can be as effective as Scuderi as soon as immediately if Scuderi was traded.


With that being said, I don't think the Pens trade Scuderi under any circumstance if Paul Martin gets traded. They will want a veteran Dman for depth. If they can move Martin, I bet they keep Scuderi with the view to trade him or, failing that, buy him out in the summer.

 

[systemsgo]

Scuderi has definitely improved recently. Ideally, would still like him traded to make room for the young D and cap space, but I'm no longer *****ing and moaning that he's still on the team.

 

[Michael8771*]

we have better defensemen than "fine". and he certainly hasn't been "fine". that pairing still gets stuck in their own zone a whole damn lot. and it's almost always his fault

We can agree to disagree as I have no issue with his game this season. He is what he is, if you accept that he's been solid. I accept it.

 

[billybudd]

I'll play echo chamber and say Scuds is fine right now. I'll play echo chamber again and say we should try to get rid of him anyway. We've got a similar guy ready right now who makes 1/4 as much and a glaring need up front. In a cap system, cost-efficiency is very important.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It's not like I want Scuderi to suck, because if he sucks then we'll never see him get moved. He's been better this year, but it doesn't change the fact that he's kind of holding off Harrington from being a regular right now and I would much rather see him get some time and have a year under his belt while Martin is still around for him to learn from, because next year, these kids are going to need to take over the blueline.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

It's not that I think scuderi is not an nhl defensemen. It's that he is blocking nhl defensemen from coming up