Early Impressions: Marcus Pettersson

[Gurglesons]

Curious how people are feeling about MP.

Obviously, a advantageous time to make the thread given his game last night, but I see a whole lot I like.

Dumo like was a good way to describe. Also, been impressed with his ability to keep the puck in the zone.

Physicality and some bad turnovers have been my main criticism, he can’t really work the boards like Dumo, but curious if that changes as he ages.

Long term, I can easily see him replacing Maatta or JJ.

Whatcha’ll think so far?

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[EightyOne]

No world beater. Fine enough. Wish there were two more of him so we can ditch the two players you mentioned.

Sold mid/bottom pairing guy so far.

Very useful to this team.

 

[The Old Master]

I think he can fill a need....wish he was a righty though.

 

[mpp9]

He played more ES minutes than Maatta last night.

I'd like to see how he gels with Schultz.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Happy with him. Solid if unspectacular in all areas. Dumo lite. Will grow into a fine #4 to be paired with a Letang/Schultz type, but for this season is a better fit on the 3rd pairing with JJ.

Dumoulin Letang
????? Schultz
Pettersson JJ
Riikola

I've been saying it for a little while now, move Maatta, Oleksiak and Brassard out, bring in a 3/4 D and a LW for Malkin/Kessel and we are looking good again.

 

[wej20]

• Not sure why he's playing the PP but we're not exactly spoiled for choice on the 2nd unit.
• Good stick and gap control.
• Not bad with the puck.
• Panics less than the dmen not named Dumoulin/Letang
• Gets his shot through but it is a muffin shot in the tradition of Dumoulin/Paul Martin.

Hopefully can get stronger which would help along the boards. Upside as a reliable 2nd pairing guy who you pair with a Schultz type as well as PKing.

 

[Jacob]

Meh. I don’t think he’s been as rock solid as some posters suggest.

 

[Clatartar]

He played more ES minutes than Maatta last night.

I'd like to see how he gels with Schultz.

This is what I look forward to, think dumo-letang lite. He's not spectacular or anything but there are no glaring issues that I can see.


I still wish we properly utilized Sprong before making the trade.

 

[Shockmaster]

Happy with him. Solid if unspectacular in all areas. Dumo lite. Will grow into a fine #4 to be paired with a Letang/Schultz type, but for this season is a better fit on the 3rd pairing with JJ.

Dumoulin Letang
????? Schultz
Pettersson JJ
Riikola

I've been saying it for a little while now, move Maatta, Oleksiak and Brassard out, bring in a 3/4 D and a LW for Malkin/Kessel and we are looking good again.

That makes Sheahan the 3rd line center, which isn't ideal. Yes, Brassard has the boo-boo face when he's on the 3rd line, but if he gets shipped out they need a replacement rather than just promoting Sheahan.

 

[Empoleon8771]

He's been really strong for the Penguins so far, I'm really satisfied with getting him back for Sprong. I think he's already a #5 defenseman right now, and Pettersson and Johnson have complemented each other very well on the bottom pair. I don't want to touch that pair for a while, the pair just works well together. I'm really excited to see how he progresses, I think he could become what we wish Maatta would have become (speaking realistically, not the people who compared him to Suter or Lidstrom).

Not sure why he's playing the PP but we're not exactly spoiled for choice on the 2nd unit. Good stick and gap control. Not bad with the puck. Panics less than the dmen not named Dumoulin/Letang. Gets his shot through but it is a muffin shot in the tradition of Dumoulin/Paul Martin. Hopefully can get stronger which would help along the boards. Upside as a reliable 2nd pairing guy who you pair with a Schultz type as well as PKing.

I feel like he's closer to a Maatta type of defenseman than a Dumoulin type of defenseman. He's more of a defensive focused 2-way D than a DFD, if that makes sense. He's a middle ground between a DFD and a 2-way D, just like Riikola is a middle ground between an OFD and a 2-way D.

That makes Sheahan the 3rd line center, which isn't ideal. Yes, Brassard has the boo-boo face when he's on the 3rd line, but if he gets shipped out they need a replacement rather than just promoting Sheahan.

I don't want to sidetrack the thread too much because it is about Pettersson, but I don't buy this with how Sheahan has been playing recently. If anything, he should be the 3C with Brassard still on the roster right now.

 

[Will Hunting]

Once again, it´s a shame how they mishandled Sprong. It was looking hopeless with him and I was afraid he would be traded for crap.. but this return is quite solid under those bad circumstances. MP is nothing flashy, but I would say he is easily our 3rd best dman now. Might be 4th when Schultz returns and plays well, but right now, thanks god for MP. Our blueline is horrible after Letang and Dumo, so having a young reliable dman like MP there definitely helps. I like him. Still need more of those dmen tho. At least one more and we will be fine.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I just have to say that it's crazy that the Penguins suddenly have a pretty bright future on their defense, because of who they've added in the last year. The additions of Riikola, Pettersson and Addison (I should include Oleksiak but it's not a discussion I want to get into), along with the strong play of Phillips and Prow in their system, suddenly makes the defense look a lot more promising in the future. An injury prone Lauzon is no longer arguably the best D prospect

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Solid reliable guy. A good find despite losing Sprong.
Should help for many years our D
I didn't mind the move when it happened and I don't mind it now, even if Sprong is also doing ok in Anaheim
Could have been a much worse return, JR did pretty good here

 

[3074326]

I think he's been pretty solid. Since the trade, he's been our third best defender. Not saying much, but that's something we needed. Time to move someone else.

 

[ncm7772]

I'm perfectly satisfied with his play thus far. Isn't going to be an all-pro, but I think he can play at a high level, and has.

 

[cheesedanish87]

He hasn't been amazing or anything, but hes been pretty solid.

I'm happy with him.

 

[Gurglesons]

I just have to say that it's crazy that the Penguins suddenly have a pretty bright future on their defense, because of who they've added in the last year. The additions of Riikola, Pettersson and Addison (I should include Oleksiak but it's not a discussion I want to get into), along with the strong play of Phillips and Prow in their system, suddenly makes the defense look a lot more promising in the future. An injury prone Lauzon is no longer arguably the best D prospect

Lauzon f***ing sucked anyway.

I would not package Riikola in there. He’s a UFA at the end of the year and depending on his usage may gladly walk.

That being said Pettersson being an NHLer at this point is a huge pick up and Addison is looking really good.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Lauzon ****ing sucked anyway.

I would not package Riikola in there. He’s a UFA at the end of the year and depending on his usage may gladly walk.

That being said Pettersson being an NHLer at this point is a huge pick up and Addison is looking really good.

He's not a UFA. He's a RFA that I imagine gets a short term deal followed by a Kempny type of long deal, if he continues to progress well.

 

[Gurglesons]

He's not a UFA. He's a RFA that I imagine gets a short term deal followed by a Kempny type of long deal, if he continues to progress well.

Oh word. Sick.

 

[Turin]

I just have to say that it's crazy that the Penguins suddenly have a pretty bright future on their defense, because of who they've added in the last year. The additions of Riikola, Pettersson and Addison (I should include Oleksiak but it's not a discussion I want to get into), along with the strong play of Phillips and Prow in their system, suddenly makes the defense look a lot more promising in the future. An injury prone Lauzon is no longer arguably the best D prospect

Oleskiak sucks, isn’t going to get better and isn’t part of any bright future.

 

[Gurglesons]

Oleskiak sucks, isn’t going to get better and isn’t part of any bright future.

Oleksiak reminds me so much of Bort.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Oleskiak sucks, isn’t going to get better and isn’t part of any bright future.

Eh, I just don't know with him. I don't hate Oleksiak as much as everyone else here hates him, he's not bad statistically and I don't hate what I see from him. I'm fine with moving him because he's a really awkward player, he's an OFD who sucks defensively and can't move the puck that well (plus he's soft for someone that big), and he's never going to be a top-4 D. That's a really weird type of player that you need a particular partner for (which I do think the Penguins have in Pettersson).

I don't hate him and I think the Penguins have done marvelously with that trade, since they got him for a 4th round pick and Oleksiak has 25 points in 79 games with the Penguins. I complain about Oleksiak a fair amount, but I really don't see what the people who complain about him a ton see.

 

[Will Hunting]

Oleskiak sucks, isn’t going to get better and isn’t part of any bright future.

I´m maybe fine if Oleksiak would be a no.6, but nothing more. I mean, Letang, Dumo, Schultz, *addition*, Pettersson, Oleksiak is absolutely fine. We have 3 problems on our defense now, in this order: 1.Maatta, 2.JJ, 3.Oleksiak. If only Oleksiak remained... I wish, I wish..

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Why all the hate for Maatta? He's arguably our 2nd most reliable dman after Dumo. And he's always steady as a rock in the playoffs.
Just because he doesn't skate like Letang doens't mean he's bad.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Why all the hate for Maatta? He's arguably our 2nd most reliable dman after Dumo, especially in the playoffs.
Just because he doesn't skate like Letang doens't mean he's bad.

Come on, don't drive me to drinking at 12:30 PM. I was about to go on a bike ride, please do not fuel my alcoholism with such comments