Pens Fan said:
This is from a pens fan but since you have not got a response i will give you my opinion. I dont think that he will ever crack the Pens lineup. They do not give chances to younger players. They would rather give Boileau, Melichar, Roszival, Bergevin, and even McKenna and other Bums a shot before playing guys like Lupaschuk, Koci, Buckley or any of the WBS players. He is pretty far down the prospect list behind Welch, Whitney, Nemec and others so unless he gets dealt he wont make it IMO. Besides that i like his size and thought he has played ok when i seen him. But at 27 (i think) his time might be well over and will only be a AHL career player.
Melichar and Rozsival are both young. Koci is also 22. Your point is lost.
Koci seems to have turned his game around 180 degrees over the summer. That said, he's still not a hugely talented guy. He's going to have to prove that, over several years in the AHL, he can still play a physically punishing game as well as being able to keep things simple, mopping up his own end and dropping the gloves on a regular basis.
If he can do that, I don't see why he can't be a Cairns or Therien type of guy. A solid #6 defenseman that, regardless of depth, will always have a spot on the roster.
I think he's a long-term project and a ways away from competing for a regular spot in the NHL, and his chances won't be getting any easier as guys like Bissonnette, Whitney, Welch, Schneider, etc. start filtering into the system. Take this with a grain of salt, as I've only seen him in camp and preseason.