Pre-Game Talk: Detroit at Pittsburgh; Practice Wasn't Canceled Edition

[cheesedanish87]

https://twitter.com/JoshYohe_Trib/status/453880888712241155

Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."

 

[SeventyOne]

https://twitter.com/JoshYohe_Trib/status/453880888712241155

Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."

Letang calling it a season is my guess.

 

[SeventyOne]

On my phone but McKenzie tweeted Letang is back tonight.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Letang coming back

You gotta give Madden credit for Letang, hes been right on with Letang.

https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/453881842358181889

"@JoshYohe_Trib: Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."" Expected he will announce Kris Letang will return to lineup tonight.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Somewhere, Despres weeps.

 

[RH710]

I haven't been this excited for Letang in forever. I have to remind myself of his many stupid penalties come playoffs. However, the biggest thing to root for here is his health and career. Awesome news.

 

[penguins2946*]

I haven't been this excited for Letang in forever. I have to remind myself of his many stupid penalties come playoffs. However, the biggest thing to root for here is his health and career. Awesome news.

This is exactly where I'm at. I'm so excited to finally see him again, it's been too long. The Pens cup chances just became a lot better

 

[cheesedanish87]

In the playoffs i bet we see

Martin Orpik
Letang Maatta
Nisky Scuderi

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Not a surprise, because I read last night Letang said he feels "100% of myself" on and off the ice. I swear I heard on the radio he was still dizzy after practice just recently, though.

And ya Madden has been calling this for weeks... Last three games.

 

[Waffle Fries]

In the playoffs i bet we see

Martin Orpik
Letang Maatta
Nisky Scuderi

Where everyone was practicing yesterday is where they'll be when playoffs start, with the injured players filling in certain spots. Maatta was with Nisky, Scuderi was with Bort. Scuderi will almost definitely be Letang's partner. I'm not sure what would suggest otherwise.

 

[penguins2946*]

In the playoffs i bet we see

Martin Orpik
Letang Maatta
Nisky Scuderi

This is what I'm shooting for as well. Nisky-Scuderi gives us a really solid bottom pair, and Maatta has grown enough to show he can be a top-4 D. However, I'm expecting Letang and Scuderi to be together, which I'm not too enthused with.

 

[Waffle Fries]

This is what I'm shooting for as well. Nisky-Scuderi gives us a really solid bottom pair, and Maatta has grown enough to show he can be a top-4 D.

Maatta's play of late is not of a top 4 D. They aren't going to have a 19 year old who has recently been healthy scratched as the partner of our defensemen who is returning from a stroke.

 

[Penguins23]

I'm very happy. Not just for the Pens but for Letang himself, as a person. Great news.

 

[cheesedanish87]

Where everyone was practicing yesterday is where they'll be when playoffs start, with the injured players filling in certain spots. Maatta was with Nisky, Scuderi was with Bort. Scuderi will almost definitely be Letang's partner. I'm not sure what would suggest otherwise.

I don't think where they were practicing yesterday has anything to do with the playoff d pairings, Letang wasn't even in the top 6 yesterday.

 

[penguins2946*]

Maatta's play of late is not of a top 4 D. They aren't going to have a 19 year old who has recently been healthy scratched as the partner of our defensemen who is returning from a stroke.

It's either going to be Maatta, who has struggled only recently, or Scuderi, who has struggled basically since he came back from his injury. I'd be much more comfortable with Maatta-Letang than Scuderi-Letang.

 

[Shrimper]

Fantastic to hear.

 

[Waffle Fries]

I don't think where they were practicing yesterday has anything to do with the playoff d pairings, Letang wasn't even in the top 6 yesterday.

Look at the lines. Everyone was in their normal spots with certain placeholders filling in. Bort was holding Letang's spot. Don't you think that if the plan was to play Niskanen with Scuderi in the playoffs they would have been practicing together?

It's either going to be Maatta, who has struggled only recently, or Scuderi, who has struggled basically since he came back from his injury. I'd be much more comfortable with Maatta-Letang than Scuderi-Letang.

You might, but I highly, highly doubt the organization does. They love the Maatta-Nisky pairing, brought in Scuderi for the sole purpose of playing with Letang, and that's way too much pressure on a young kid who has been struggling. He's never even played a playoff game.

 

[ColdStare]

In the playoffs i bet we see

Martin Orpik
Letang Maatta
Nisky Scuderi

Doubtful, it will probably be:

Martin Orpik
Letang Scuderi
Nisky Maatta

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I'm very happy. Not just for the Pens but for Letang himself, as a person. Great news.

This. As a Pens fan, I'm happy to see him in the lineup, but I'm EVEN MORE happy for him that he can resume his career. WELCOME BACK TANGER!

 

[wgknestrick]

Maatta's play of late is not of a top 4 D. They aren't going to have a 19 year old who has recently been healthy scratched as the partner of our defensemen who is returning from a stroke.

Wouldn't the fact that it makes no logical sense, make it very likely to happen?

 

[cheesedanish87]

Look at the lines. Everyone was in their normal spots with certain placeholders filling in. Bort was holding Letang's spot. Don't you think that if the plan was to play Niskanen with Scuderi in the playoffs they would have been practicing together?

The lines have been changed almost every game, especially the bottom 6, i'm still not convinced Sid will play with BB in the playoffs.

I might be wrong here, but doesn't Maatta usually get more ice time then Scuderi? I feel like Maatta has passed up Scuderi on DB depth chart.

Hopefully somebody from the media asks DB today who he plans on playing Letang with in the playoffs.

 

[khaoskennedy]

The lines have been changed almost every game, especially the bottom 6, i'm still not convinced Sid will play with BB in the playoffs.

I might be wrong here, but doesn't Maatta usually get more ice time then Scuderi? I feel like Maatta has passed up Scuderi on DB depth chart.

Hopefully somebody from the media asks DB today who he plans on playing Letang with in the playoffs.

ya I'm pretty sure that recently Scuderi has been last in TOI for Dmen(someone correct me if I'm wrong lol). personally I'd rather he play with Nisky but maybe DB just hasnt been giving him hard minutes so he's more rested, who knows with DB

Edit: i guess last game Scuds had more ice time than Despres/Engo so nevermind lol

 

[Waffle Fries]

The lines have been changed almost every game, especially the bottom 6, i'm still not convinced Sid will play with BB in the playoffs.

I might be wrong here, but doesn't Maatta usually get more ice time then Scuderi? I feel like Maatta has passed up Scuderi on DB depth chart.

Hopefully somebody from the media asks DB today who he plans on playing Letang with in the playoffs.

I don't check the ice time that frequently, maybe IcedCapp can comment on this.

But there is absolutely nothing to suggest that Maatta will play with Letang. There is nothing to suggest Niskanen will play with Scuderi.

Playing Maatta with Letang right now sounds like a really, really bad idea anyways. The kid has not been playing good hockey lately and he has never played a playoff game where things will just get harder for him. The last thing he needs is the added pressure of being Letang's partner. Scuderi hasn't been playing well either, but at least he's had the experience and won't feel as pressured.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don't check the ice time that frequently, maybe IcedCapp can comment on this.

But there is absolutely nothing to suggest that Maatta will play with Letang. There is nothing to suggest Niskanen will play with Scuderi.

Playing a Maatta with Letang right now sounds like a really, really bad idea anyways. The kid has not been playing good hockey lately and he has never played a playoff game where things will just get harder for him. The last thing he needs is the added pressure of being Letang's partner. Scuderi hasn't been playing well either, but at least he's had the experience and won't feel as pressured.

A bad idea, coming from this organization? No, really?

Kidding aside, you're right it's going to be Scuderi-Letang behind Orpik-Martin, with Maatta-Niskanen on the third pairing.

In other words, the season was a dress rehearsal. This is how they saw things in September, and nothing has changed according to them. Bortuzzo hasn't played his way into a regular spot, according to them. Despres hasn't played his way into a regular spot, according to them. If you came into the regular season after camp as No. 7, well gosh darn it that's where you will be.

 

[Vujtek]

https://twitter.com/JoshYohe_Trib/status/453880888712241155

Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."

Any live streams available for this?