News Article: Can Goc, Stempniak solve Penguins’ depth problem?

[Shockmaster]

Stempniak's early returns show hope for being Duper's replacement.
This frees Bennett up to bolster the 3rd line with Sutter and Gibbons
4th line?...mix and match with Goc at center....but I just don't see Pyatt dressing in the playoffs.

Leave Engo at defense...we will need the depth depending on the futures of Letang and Martin

Gibbons should have no place on this roster when the playoffs start. People really need to stop overrating him. He's an AHL midget.

 

[Shady Machine]

Solve? No, but it's a major improvement. When BB returns our third line should actually be fairly decent, and Stempniak has made a huge improvement on Sid's line so far. Goc will make either the 3rd or 4th line much, much better. The problem is that injuries will likely strike and once that happens we're right back to the same situation we were in previously with guys in the top 9 who are barely qualified to get regular shifts on the fourth line.

This was unfortunately quite prophetic.

 

[The Doof Warrior]

It depends what you mean by "solve". Are they making our depth better than it was? Absolutely. Are they gonna be world beaters that stick around and solidify our depth for the long term? I doubt it.

 

[steveg]

He's an AHL midget.

Someone (was it you) elsewhere referred to him as a Hobbit

 

[Shockmaster]

Someone (was it you) elsewhere referred to him as a Hobbit

I called him "Brian Gibbons of the Shire" in a previous post. I'm pretty sure quite a few other posters made Hobbit references as well.

 

[steveg]

I called him "Brian Gibbons of the Shire" in a previous post. I'm pretty sure quite a few other posters made Hobbit references as well.

Outstanding! The humor on this board is enough to make it worth reading, even without the hockey insight...

 

[billybudd]

Gibbons should have no place on this roster when the playoffs start. People really need to stop overrating him. He's an AHL midget.

Word.

People penciling him in for the third or fourth just confuses the Hell out of me. Which isn't to say I wouldn't take him over Adams, but then, I'd take nearly everybody in the system over Adams at this point.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Solid article I thought. Will it put us over the top in the playoffs? Not if Fleury and Bylsma play their usual parts. If OTOH they learned something from last year and handle stuff differently in crunch time, it may well put us past the Bruins. Our depth is still not great but it's at least average now, which combined with our top-end talent, might be enough if we hit a hot streak in the playoffs.

 

[alcanalz]

Solid article I thought. Will it put us over the top in the playoffs? Not if Fleury and Bylsma play their usual parts. If OTOH they learned something from last year and handle stuff differently in crunch time, it may well put us past the Bruins. Our depth is still not great but it's at least average now, which combined with our top-end talent, might be enough if we hit a hot streak in the playoffs.

Well said.

Our forwards are looking much more respectable, regardless of the lines. Even if we made no moves, and we went in to the playoffs with our previously bad bottom-six... sometimes all it takes is a couple bounces, a couple solid goals, and that's all that matters.

There's a reason that anything can happen a short series, or the playoffs in general. Even bad players can put a goal or two in. There's always a solid deal of luck for every team that wins a cup. Now, I wouldn't count on Adams scoring a hat trick any time soon, but it wouldn't be the strangest thing ever if he either played well at ES, or potted a goal or two.

Just trying to light a beacon of hope for those who want it.

 

[Malkin4Top6Wingerz]

This was unfortunately quite prophetic.

It really is incredible how the only players on this team that ever get injured are our most vital players. Craig Adams, Tanner Glass, Brooks Orpik? They could have all been on that Malaysian flight that disappeared and still managed to find their way into the lineup the next day.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

It really is incredible how the only players on this team that ever get injured are our most vital players. Craig Adams, Tanner Glass, Brooks Orpik? They could have all been on that Malaysian flight that disappeared and still managed to find their way into the lineup the next day.

Glass and Orpik did get injured this season, it's a sign of the apocalypse. The good players have just gotten it worse. Kobasew got injured.

Adams may actually be indestructible.