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Early Impressions: Marcus Pettersson

WheresRamziAbid

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Oct 31, 2013
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Jaded-Fan said:
Petterson will be a first pairing defenseman and perennial Norris Trophy candidate. I have no clue why the Ducks didn't give him the opportunity on the top pair to develop.

Am I doing this right or do I need a few more vastly premature absolutisms?
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Need to drop Lindstrom in there somewhere.
 
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JTG

JTG

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Sep 30, 2007
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Empoleon8771 said:
I don't know if he's there yet, but he definitely has this kind of potential. I'd keep him and Johnson stapled together for as long as I can, they complement each other super well and it's the first D partner that Johnson has looked legitimately good with.
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I would keep Pettersson with Johnson and put Maatta with Schultz. The Maatta-Schultz pair isn't terrible because Schultz is an elite puck retriever.
 
Empoleon8771

Empoleon8771

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JTG said:
I would keep Pettersson with Johnson and put Maatta with Schultz. The Maatta-Schultz pair isn't terrible because Schultz is an elite puck retriever.
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If Maatta gets back to where he once was, that's the absolute best way to set up your defense. The problem is that your entire 2nd pair is a huge risk, since both Maatta and Schultz have gigantic red flags right now.
 
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CrosbyMalkin

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Aug 7, 2005
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Empoleon8771 said:
If Maatta gets back to where he once was, that's the absolute best way to set up your defense. The problem is that your entire 2nd pair is a huge risk, since both Maatta and Schultz have gigantic red flags right now.
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I don’t see any red flags with them. Maatta is fine physically and his skating is actually better than a few years ago. Go back and watch some of those playoff games during the last Cup run when he was skating with cement boots. Schultz will need some time but his regular season games can be his preseason. He will have plenty of time to be in top form by playoffs and nothing else matters for this veteran team. I think the Maatta-Schultz pairing is a very solid 2nd pairing. I also like the Pettersson-Johnson pairing and our top pairing is one of the best pairings in the game.
 
Jacob

Jacob

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I think one issue we’re going to run into is that our top players are all going to start declining in production so it’d be nice to have some talented players in their early 20s to pick up some of that slack, Sprong was supposed to be one to do it.
 
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Empoleon8771

Empoleon8771

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Yeah, let's not kid anyone, Sprong's upside was a Neal type of complementary triggerman. He doesn't look to be a guy who can individually push offense on a consistent basis. He seems to be a guy who will score goals if you put him with a good playmaker, and will individually create a Sutter type of goal on the rush every now and then.
 
Gurglesons

Gurglesons

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Dec 18, 2009
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last-train-tocool.blogspot.com
Empoleon8771 said:
Yeah, let's not kid anyone, Sprong's upside was a Neal type of complementary triggerman. He doesn't look to be a guy who can individually push offense on a consistent basis. He seems to be a guy who will score goals if you put him with a good playmaker, and will individually create a Sutter type of goal on the rush every now and then.
Click to expand...

I honestly think wings will never drive the play like Sid and Malkin do and asking them to lift the weight is a bad idea.

That being said, I think you could bring in a Horvat type with a high pick and run him on the wing with Malkin like Pavs and Joe.

I also think solidifying the D is more essential to this Pens squad then it was the first ten years.
 

CrosbyMalkin

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Aug 7, 2005
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pixiesfanyo said:
I honestly think wings will never drive the play like Sid and Malkin do and asking them to lift the weight is a bad idea.

That being said, I think you could bring in a Horvat type with a high pick and run him on the wing with Malkin like Pavs and Joe.

I also think solidifying the D is more essential to this Pens squad then it was the first ten years.
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The defense will be fine once Schultz is back. They have actually looked much better since getting Pettersson. We have 2 pairings that are working right now. Dumoulin-Letang are elite level and one of the best pairings in the league. Pettersson-Johnson are also doing a fine job and will make a good 3rd pairing. Maatta-Schultz has been a good 2nd pairing in the past and I would be fine going into the playoffs with that top 6. Oleksiak and Riikola are great depth that in my opinion are top 6 defenseman so having them as 7 and 8 are great depth.

The only thing I would like to see is an upgrade over Brassard. I think he has the talent to play the position but has not worked out well with our team for whatever reason. I think we could win with this team as is but I am sure Rutherford will add something. It will all come down to goaltending. If they are playing like they have recently we can contend with anyone.
 
LOGiK

LOGiK

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Nov 14, 2007
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Jacob said:
I think one issue we’re going to run into is that our top players are all going to start declining in production so it’d be nice to have some talented players in their early 20s to pick up some of that slack, Sprong was supposed to be one to do it.
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Kapanen is well past production than Sprong is. Why not hate that trade, cause it brought Kessel and two cups? Pick to win the fights.
 

Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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Empoleon8771 said:
Yeah, let's not kid anyone, Sprong's upside was a Neal type of complementary triggerman. He doesn't look to be a guy who can individually push offense on a consistent basis. He seems to be a guy who will score goals if you put him with a good playmaker, and will individually create a Sutter type of goal on the rush every now and then.
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I hoped he could push beyond that and be more of a playmaker. He still might. But I think we're talking the guy hitting his absolute ceiling here.

Although, tbh, I think that if we're looking for wingers to make the most of the twilight of the gods, we're better off looking for Guentzels and Simons than Sprongs. Sprong needs his C to go into the corners and I think that'd be true even at his highest potential level. Guentzel and Simon don't. That's gonna make a lot of difference to preserving the health of a 35+ centre.
 
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Jaded-Fan

Jaded-Fan

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Mar 18, 2004
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Jacob said:
I think one issue we’re going to run into is that our top players are all going to start declining in production so it’d be nice to have some talented players in their early 20s to pick up some of that slack, Sprong was supposed to be one to do it.
Click to expand...

To be honest, it would have been nice, but the way to win in the NHL seems to be to crash and burn at the right time and to get a franchise player or two to build around. Sprong never would be that player in the most optimistic scenario.

I fully expect four or five years from now that the Pens do just that.
 
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WayneSid9987

WayneSid9987

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Nov 24, 2009
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MP has done these nifty little plays with the puck in his zone that has surprised me.
Gives me hope he can turn into another Dumo type top 2 pairing anchor.

Haven't gone thru the thread. have we figured out how/where he got the nickname Dragon?
 
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Andy99

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Jun 26, 2017
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Jaded-Fan said:
To be honest, it would have been nice, but the way to win in the NHL seems to be to crash and burn at the right time and to get a franchise player or two to build around. Sprong never would be that player in the most optimistic scenario.

I fully expect four or five years from now that the Pens do just that.
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Four to five years? I think they should be doing that next year because they’re not contenders now....
 

Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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Jaded-Fan said:
To be honest, it would have been nice, but the way to win in the NHL seems to be to crash and burn at the right time and to get a franchise player or two to build around. Sprong never would be that player in the most optimistic scenario.

I fully expect four or five years from now that the Pens do just that.
Click to expand...

While this is true, the quality of the supporting cast is a big part of whether we continue to be contenders for 2 or 4 or even 6 years. A player who'd hit Sprong's ceiling would have been a notable step in the right direction. But then, so could Petterson if he hits his.
 
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Jacob

Jacob

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Feb 27, 2002
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OGBobbyFarnham said:
MP has done these nifty little plays with the puck in his zone that has surprised me.
Gives me hope he can turn into another Dumo type top 2 pairing anchor.

Haven't gone thru the thread. have we figured out how/where he got the nickname Dragon?
Click to expand...
Bad breath
 

Andy99

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Jun 26, 2017
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Peat said:
If our goaltenders can get back to league average, we've won the Cup with worse rosters.
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Goaltending can make up for a lot..in this case, I think more than league average will be needed...what we need is Geno to go god mode again while Sid is playing like this and a trade for a 3C since Brass hasn’t cut it, or a top 6 winger...right now...Horny hasn’t returned to form, Simon is still rusty, Phil and G are mia a lot and no one on L3, and I’ll include Sheahan, Pearson and ZAR with that, are doing much of anything scoring wise...we’re a one line team...not going to go far with that...the D imo is as good as it will be until Shultz comes back (don’t see a trade there) and hopefully he can come back guns ablazing....just don’t see us beating the Caps or TB (or maybe even Tor, CBJ) the ways things stand now
 
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