News Article: Despres/Ebbett to WBS, Bennett to ECHL, Pouliot to WHL, Letang/Vokoun to IR
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ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
I think it's hilarious that Despres is sent down due to a bad camp IF that is the reason. The double standard on this team is just awful. Z, Sill, Vitale, etc. all out perform Adams/Glass. Do they get waived because of it? Nope. If you don't think that type of stuff is noticed in a locker room, you are crazy.
It will never be said, but guys look around and notice it.
It will never be said, but guys look around and notice it.
IcedCapp
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- Aug 7, 2009
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thanks. Maybe since you said it others will take note. Despres' camp was no worse than 15 or so people with guaranteed spots.
billybudd
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- Feb 1, 2012
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That's pretty much the only problem I have with Despres being sent down. If being outperformed by 7 D in training camp is reason enough for a guy to lose a roster spot, that's fine, but if you're gonna go down that road...go down that road.
My guess is he'll be up after Maata (deservedly) gets his 9, unless Maata plays so well they can't send him back.
I don't want Glass around either but Despres is a kid with a two-way deal that doesn't have to clear waivers. Pretty big difference between that and veterans on one-way deals. D'Agostini didn't have the greatest camp either and he's still around for now.
MonsterSurge
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shureshot66
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- Aug 2, 2005
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I hear what you're saying, but do you think they'd even consider demoting him if he had to pass through waivers? I'm sure everyone in that locker room understands the salary cap crunch that exists this season, and that's the main reason Despres isn't with the big club right now.
If we want to say Despres hasn't done enough to force management's hand to move Niskanen, that's fair. But I think all the Trib-fueled hand-wringing about Despres has kind of warped the perception of the situation.
BrunoPuntzJones
Biscuit Scorer
froods
I blame Paul Martin and Jack Johnson
I know this board loves young players, but saying Despres is better than Nisky is nonsense. Money vs performance is an argument, but straight up, Niskanen is a better player right now. Period.
mpp9
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- Dec 5, 2010
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Management was going to keep Nisky around if the cap allowed. Despres needed to outplay Bortuzzo, and he didn't. And seeing as how Engelland is a better fit as a #7, Despres gets sent down b/c he can pass through waivers.
Bonus is that we get to see Maatta play some games with Letang out. Don't really see much to ***** about.
froods
I blame Paul Martin and Jack Johnson
Agreed. Having Despres in the press box makes no sense. Also, yea vets do get treated differently than young players. You know what you are getting with Craig Adams. He proves himself year in and year out when he takes pucks to the face on the PK. Young guys don't have that luxury. Every practice-exhibition-game they need to play at 1000%. If not, you develop players with **** work ethics.
As for Glass, it is more than meets the eye. He absolutely needs to be better, but some of the stuff I read is just short sighted. What's better? Blowing up a couple of guys every night or making contact with guys on every shift? You can shake off a big hit. When somebody hits you 3-4 times you lose your legs. The hitter is also in better position after the hit. It is like a block in basketball. It is way more sexy to send it to the 3rd row but a lot more effective to redirect the shot to a teammate. Also, he was a very effective player for Winnipeg and Vancouver, so the people that say he is useless are not paying attention. I have a short rope on him, but I think he could contribute.
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MrBurghundy
I may be older but I'm never forgetting #47 & #41
IcedCapp
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- Aug 7, 2009
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What do you base this on? I don't think Niskanen does anything better than Despres, and when Letang is healthy, Niskanen will be a 3rd-pairing guy on the left side: a situation he has NEVER shown he can perform well in.
Mordax
You make it hard
froods
I blame Paul Martin and Jack Johnson
There would not be a single GM/Scout that would agree with you. Niskanen is a well rounded solid 4-5 defenseman. Despres is an inconsistent kid. Do I see things from Despres that Niskanen could never dream of doing? Absolutely, but he also makes mistakes that Niskanen would never ever make.
Freeptop
Registered User
It has to do with how LTIR rules work. They work a little differently if you have a player on LTIR to start the season. By having the Cap Hits for all of the players minus Vokoun get as close to the Cap as possible, they get more extra cap space granted for Vokoun being on LTIR. Basically, they are allowed to go over by the amount that Vokoun takes them over. So if the cap for everyone minus Vokoun adds up to to $1 million less than the Cap, then putting Vokoun on LTIR only allows them to go $1 million over the Cap ($2 million minus the $1 million in existing cap space). If they have no cap space left, then they get a full $2 million in extra space by putting Vokoun on LTIR.
With 25 roster spots to work with (23 plus two on IR), they did math tetris to determine which cap hits to have on the roster without having to send anyone additional through waivers. That translated to keeping Conner on the roster, calling up Ruopp, but sending down Bennett. Keeping Maatta and sending down Despres appear to be hockey decisions rather than cap decisions, but that does affect the math tetris.
Once the season actually starts (tonight), the rules for LTIR change. So they had do this math tetris for the 5pm roster deadline last night in order to get the extra space set the way it is. (See CBA section 50.10(d) for the full legalese).
Now that the period for setting the LTIR extra cap space has passed, they will do further roster moves to get to their actual starting night roster. Considering Conner and Ruopp aren't even practicing with the team today, but Kobasew is, and factor in that they wanted to keep Bennett close by sending him to Wheeling, but sent Despres to WB/S, and you can pretty much connect the dots to figure out what the next moves will be.
UnrealMachine
Registered User
It goes both ways. Despres' attitude hasn't been very good, but the coaches dicked him around last year. He should have been playing more often last season over Deryk Engelland, but Bylsma loves his try-hard guys and hates young guys with pedigree.
Maatta likely won't be with the Penguins all year, and at some point they'll have to trade Niskanen. Despite Despres' bad camp, there's absolutely no reason to play Engelland over him.
Shady Machine
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- Aug 6, 2010
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So young players have to work their ***** off, but Craig Adams doesn't anymore? Yeah that makes for a real competitive and healthy environment. Also Glass sucks at hockey. He's not good at hitting either.
gordie
5x
If this franchise had a real NHL Head Coach there is no way unless through injuries that the Minor League Talent of Derek Engelland would gain a roster spot. Its like nobody here watched the hi-tempo playoffs where Engelland's lack of speed & talent was exposed once again and destroyed any pretense of him being an NHL player. Nobody can say that about Despres lacking the physical attributes like Engelland does. So? Why is it again that Engelland is here and Despres isn't? 
froods
I blame Paul Martin and Jack Johnson
Can anybody explain to me how Noel also put Glass on his 3rd line if he is so awful?
froods
I blame Paul Martin and Jack Johnson
Do you really question Craig Adams work ethic?
That is the way sports is when it comes to vets and young players. Like it or lump it.
Til the End of Time
Registered User
if despres is just down temporarily for cap reasons thats fine.
but if hes down for a significant period of time, while matt niskanen and his cap hit are still on this team earning ice time, then this is a perfect example of whats wrong with this organization.
niskanen has the heart and the upside of a potato. guy is a loser and wilts when the going gets tough.
despres is a young guy with upside. he NEEDS to play. didnt they learn anything from throwing him in the playoffs? the guy needs to get experience now. play the young guys damnit.
as i said, all will be well if this is just a brief salary cap thing.
but if hes down for a significant period of time, while matt niskanen and his cap hit are still on this team earning ice time, then this is a perfect example of whats wrong with this organization.
niskanen has the heart and the upside of a potato. guy is a loser and wilts when the going gets tough.
despres is a young guy with upside. he NEEDS to play. didnt they learn anything from throwing him in the playoffs? the guy needs to get experience now. play the young guys damnit.
as i said, all will be well if this is just a brief salary cap thing.
Darth Vitale
Dark Matter
Bluntly... no one knows. But if he's not, we'll give him his 2 or 3 games and his play will make it clear he's not ready. And he'll be sent to London and Despres called up. If he plays an excellent game every time out, you consider letting him stay / burning that first year of the contract, if it makes us a better team. Simple as that.
I don't expect at 19 he'll stick, but stranger things have happened. Remember for a long time before the draft HE was the guy people expected might go in the Top 10, not Pouliot. So he does have very good pedigree / upside. I think he's surprised some people with his play. With Morrow, that was more of a motivational thing, and he didn't stick for even 1 game after the pre-season. And turns out he needed that motivation and still needs it.
I don't disagree about the double-standard, but as far as Despres being sent down I think it's as simple as, it made our cap situation easier, and by him not playing that well in camp it made the decision to send him (and not someone else) down, easier. If Elmer impresses the hell out of everyone at camp and in pre-season, he's not in WBS right now. Simple as that.
Elmer controls his own destiny IMO. He's next in line with guys like Orpik and Niskanen likely entering their last seasons, so the quality of his play and consistency of play controls everything IMO.
Your Boy Troy
Registered User
If this franchise had a real NHL Head Coach there is no way unless through injuries that the Minor League Talent of Derek Engelland would gain a roster spot. Its like nobody here watched the hi-tempo playoffs where Engelland's lack of speed & talent was exposed once again and destroyed any pretense of him being an NHL player. Nobody can say that about Despres lacking the physical attributes like Engelland does. So? Why is it again that Engelland is here and Despres isn't?
I understand that some people dislike Deryk Engelland because he is not as talented as some of the other prospects, but he is not an AHL-caliber defenseman. He was one of the only players that showed up during the Boston series. Do you know how many teams would love to have a bottom-pairing defenseman like Deryk Engelland? People criticize Deryk Engelland like he is a liability on the ice, which he isn't. It is rare to see a player with his fighting ability be able to play ten-to-fourteen minutes a game.
I am not stating that Deryk Engelland should play games over a defensemen like Robert Bortuzzo or Simon Despres. However, I have no problem with him playing as a depth-defenseman. He can be useful in games against tougher opponents.
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