News Article: Malkin Opens up about 18-19 season

[cheesedanish87]

It's nice to hear Geno working hard in the summer, but I feel like Geno's biggest issue is that he's just getting older and losing a step.

I'm also not sure if Geno wanting to get into the top 5 of scoring this year is the right mindset for him coming into camp.

He admitted to cheating up ice last year which caused him to not get back defensively, that's the biggest thing Geno needs to fix coming into this year IMO.

As bad as Geno's year was last year he scored 72 points in 68 games, the production was fine what was lacking was the 200 foot game from Geno.

 

[Gurglesons]

These are Russians who fit the bill, off the top of my head, in an admittedly tiny pool. So...not Don Cherry, merely an observation.

Fit what bill? Plenty of US and Canadian players have done this too and are often traded eventually. See Tyler Seguin, Evander Kane, Josh Ho Sang etc.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

What exactly is the “Sully” profile?

I’ve CC’d @John Titor @Pens x and @Honour Over Glory for further clarification.

For what he doesn't abide?

See the players he's turfed over the years for lesser issues than a relatively high quotient of Russian NHLers seem prone to, for better or worse.

I'm not even sure what you're trying to imply about my supposed agenda here. Sully has outsized issues with forwards who don't pull their weight in their own end and any player who even slightly steps out of line. Is that remotely debatable?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Fit what bill? Plenty of US and Canadian players have done this too and are often traded eventually. See Tyler Seguin, Evander Kane, Josh Ho Sang etc.

See above. High ratio given the tiny pool. And that was just off the top of my head.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Theres a scarcity of Russians. We also seem averse to them. I'm talking about a 9 year sample size here.

There’s like no Russians in the league, and the few of that are here are pretty much all offensive studs. They’re very hard/expensive to get, and unavailable. Let’s go back to 2011-12.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2012-2013 Stats

Nobody on there who was worth anything on the ice was realistic.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2017-2018 Stats

Then under Sullivan post B2Bs.....who do we want or can get from that list? While there’s more Russians—literally maybe 10 of those forwards are worth our time, of which 2 maybe could be acquired.

It’s not a conspiracy theory, there’s just like none of these guys in the league. Plus we just brought in Galchenyuk. There’s no evidence or reason to what you’re saying.

 

[Andy99]

There’s like no Russians in the league, and the few of that are here are pretty much all offensive studs. They’re very hard/expensive to get, and unavailable. Let’s go back to 2011-12.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2012-2013 Stats

Nobody on there who was worth anything on the ice was realistic.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2017-2018 Stats

Then under Sullivan post B2Bs.....who do we want or can get from that list? While there’s more Russians—literally maybe 10 of those forwards are worth our time, of which 2 maybe could be acquired.

It’s not a conspiracy theory, there’s just like none of these guys in the league. Plus we just brought in Galchenyuk.

That’s why you draft them and take a chance...but we don’t do that either...

 

[Andy99]

Yes, the Russian Five. My point is that if any team would be comfortable carrying Russian players, it would be Detroit and yet, they have just as few as anyone else. It lends support to the fact that there's just not that many playing in the NHL.

Personally, I'm rooting for Pavlychev anyway despite it being a long shot. Partially because I'm a PSU hockey fan and partially because I like the idea of a 6'8 two way center with a mean streak and decent skating.

Don’t the Caps have the most Russians including their goaltending prospect who’s likely the backup this year?

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

That’s why you draft them and take a chance...but we don’t do that either...

Untrue. We’re maybe slightly below average. Again this is all based on nothing.

 

[Andy99]

View attachment 253819

Untrue. We’re maybe slightly below average. Again this is all based on nothing.

I don’t know what the time frame is for this chart or the actual numbers...but I think we’ve drafted two Russians who played in North America mainly since JR took over...

 

[Gurglesons]

Don’t the Caps have the most Russians including their goaltending prospect who’s likely the backup this year?

Yes. This has been the Caps strategy. Ours has been cheap college talent.

Which one has resulted in championships?

 

[Gurglesons]

For what he doesn't abide?

See the players he's turfed over the years for lesser issues than a relatively high quotient of Russian NHLers seem prone to, for better or worse.

I'm not even sure what you're trying to imply about my supposed agenda here. Sully has outsized issues with forwards who don't pull their weight in their own end and any player who even slightly steps out of line. Is that remotely debatable?

Sprong and Kessel you mean? You mean exactly my point.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I don’t know what the time frame is for this chart or the actual numbers...but I think we’ve drafted two Russians who played in North America mainly since JR took over...

That was just team history up through 2017 draft.

Russian draft picks in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

You can scroll through different years in this. While there has been an uptick in Russian draftees since 2014, not a lot of these kids get drafted in the first place, and doesn’t really look like we’ve missed out on many.

Edit: Also Sullivan has literally nothing to do with our amateur scouting or drafting. JR a lot less than people think as well.

Edit 2: Just to add, this team has barely had any picks under JR too.

 

[Andy99]

Yes. This has been the Caps strategy. Ours has been cheap college talent.

Which one has resulted in championships?

Both?

 

[wej20]

Do I have to burn my Phil for President Tshirt?

 

[Peat]

We've picked three Russians in the last 15 years since picking Malkin. At a loose guess, there's been about 150 Russians drafted in that period. I think its fair to say we haven't been particularly targeting the area.


Anyway, re scouting in general - the org lists its scouts in the Front Office part of the website, and this is the current list:

Derek Clancey	Director, Professional Scouting
Ryan Bowness	Professional Scout
Craig Patrick	Professional Scout
Patrik Allvin	Director of Amateur Scouting
Colin Alexander	Global Crossover Scout
Al Santilli	Global Crossover Scout
Brian Fitzgerald	Amateur Scout
Luc Gauthier	Amateur Scout
Frank Golden	Amateur Scout
Jay Heinbuck	Amateur Scout
Jamie Huffman	Amateur Scout
Dan McLean	Amateur Scout
Reine Rauhala	Amateur Scout
Casey Torres	Amateur Scout
Warren Young	Amateur Scout
Petri Pakaslahti	European Scout
Tommy Westlund	European Scout
Gilles Meloche	Special Assignment Scout
Kevin Stevens	Special Assignment Scout

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

We do have less scouts than the Maple Leafs, but not by much - they've got 25, I've already forgotten my count for above but I think its 19? Its not really a situation where (imo) we're so far behind we've got to be crafty and sacrifice places - besides, if you google the names, an awful lot of the amateur scouts are kinda in the Toronto/Ontario area, which doesn't feel like looking for hidden value. As such, I think the org could focus more on Russia if they wanted to. I guess they do probably scout it, Allvin has stories about scouting in Russia and its not like we had a specialist Czech scout when we took Simon - and I doubt many orgs have a dedicated Russia guy - but it's not a focus or something we've done well on lately. Maybe that's just how the cookie crumbles.


And re someone else's point, yeah the org should have looked at the problem and seen a problem and that it was bigger than Malkin having a lack of Russians around - but I think it might have helped.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

There’s like no Russians in the league, and the few of that are here are pretty much all offensive studs. They’re very hard/expensive to get, and unavailable. Let’s go back to 2011-12.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2012-2013 Stats

Nobody on there who was worth anything on the ice was realistic.

Russian NHL Players ‑ 2017-2018 Stats

Then under Sullivan post B2Bs.....who do we want or can get from that list? While there’s more Russians—literally maybe 10 of those forwards are worth our time, of which 2 maybe could be acquired.

It’s not a conspiracy theory, there’s just like none of these guys in the league. Plus we just brought in Galchenyuk. There’s no evidence or reason to what you’re saying.

You cited 2 years. I'm saying that we iced 1 Russian regularly over a 9 year sample size, which seems particularly egregious given the lengths some other teams go to in order to make their foreign stars comfortable.

That draft table seems to reflect each teams entire draft history. Craig Patrick's draft record hardly seems relevant.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Sprong and Kessel you mean? You mean exactly my point.

And Cole.

Again, I still have no idea what you're trying to imply about an agenda, or if you're even arguing what I said about Sully's preferences.

 

[Gurglesons]

And Cole.

Again, I still have no idea what you're trying to imply about an agenda, or if you're even arguing what I said about Sully's preferences.

Ian Cole was traded because he was a UFA and Rutherford had no intention on resigning him. Cole himself said him and Sullivan had no issues and using a player that Sullivan and the staff essentially got a payday is certainly odd.

 

[K Fleur]

It's nice to hear Geno working hard in the summer, but I feel like Geno's biggest issue is that he's just getting older and losing a step.

I'm also not sure if Geno wanting to get into the top 5 of scoring this year is the right mindset for him coming into camp.

He admitted to cheating up ice last year which caused him to not get back defensively, that's the biggest thing Geno needs to fix coming into this year IMO.

As bad as Geno's year was last year he scored 72 points in 68 games, the production was fine what was lacking was the 200 foot game from Geno.

A Malkin that has lost a step still has more skill than like 98% of the league.

The most important thing for Malkin this year is for his line to be well supported.

 

[Gurglesons]

We've picked three Russians in the last 15 years since picking Malkin. At a loose guess, there's been about 150 Russians drafted in that period. I think its fair to say we haven't been particularly targeting the area.


Anyway, re scouting in general - the org lists its scouts in the Front Office part of the website, and this is the current list:

Derek Clancey	Director, Professional Scouting
Ryan Bowness	Professional Scout
Craig Patrick	Professional Scout
Patrik Allvin	Director of Amateur Scouting
Colin Alexander	Global Crossover Scout
Al Santilli	Global Crossover Scout
Brian Fitzgerald	Amateur Scout
Luc Gauthier	Amateur Scout
Frank Golden	Amateur Scout
Jay Heinbuck	Amateur Scout
Jamie Huffman	Amateur Scout
Dan McLean	Amateur Scout
Reine Rauhala	Amateur Scout
Casey Torres	Amateur Scout
Warren Young	Amateur Scout
Petri Pakaslahti	European Scout
Tommy Westlund	European Scout
Gilles Meloche	Special Assignment Scout
Kevin Stevens	Special Assignment Scout

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

We do have less scouts than the Maple Leafs, but not by much - they've got 25, I've already forgotten my count for above but I think its 19? Its not really a situation where (imo) we're so far behind we've got to be crafty and sacrifice places - besides, if you google the names, an awful lot of the amateur scouts are kinda in the Toronto/Ontario area, which doesn't feel like looking for hidden value. As such, I think the org could focus more on Russia if they wanted to. I guess they do probably scout it, Allvin has stories about scouting in Russia and its not like we had a specialist Czech scout when we took Simon - and I doubt many orgs have a dedicated Russia guy - but it's not a focus or something we've done well on lately. Maybe that's just how the cookie crumbles.


And re someone else's point, yeah the org should have looked at the problem and seen a problem and that it was bigger than Malkin having a lack of Russians around - but I think it might have helped.

I’m pretty sure it was either the Dubas on 31 Thoughts or Mirtle on the PDO Podcast that said Toronto spends more money on their drafting department than any other team and more than many teams combined.

I don’t have a direct link so you can take it as heresay.

 

[Peat]

I’m pretty sure it was either the Dubas on 31 Thoughts or Mirtle on the PDO Podcast that said Toronto spends more money on their drafting department than any other team and more than many teams combined.

I don’t have a direct link so you can take it as heresay.

I can believe Toronto spend a lot and certainly that they're spending more than us, but I don't think we're spending small in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Ian Cole was traded because he was a UFA and Rutherford had no intention on resigning him. Cole himself said him and Sullivan had no issues and using a player that Sullivan and the staff essentially got a payday is certainly odd.

Just like Geno and Phil, eh?

 

[Gurglesons]

Both?

Championships is plural.

 

[Gurglesons]

I can believe Toronto spend a lot and certainly that they're spending more than us, but I don't think we're spending small in the grand scheme of things.

Really? I guarantee we are. We only have to look to 2015 to see the Pittsburgh budget concerns rear their ugly head. Same reason I think you’ll never see the Pens buy out a contract.

And it likely isn’t bodies. It is likely the fact Toronto can just fly over to Russia and view games in person versus digestion videos. This was definitely the point in the interview that I’m alluding to. Bourne has alluded to this as well and considering his connections to the franchise I expect he knows what he is talking about.

 

[Gurglesons]

Just like Geno and Phil, eh?

Phil has specifically taken digs at our management?

Like I said. If you want to talk Sully is a bozo conspiracy theories Pens X and John Titor still post around here.

This idea that Sullivan wants a team full of players that listen to coaching is not unique and given the respect he has for Malkin and the Tocchet interview where Sullivan basically told Tocchet to cool his jets about Geno lends very little to what you’re selling aside from your hurt he scratched your boy Sprong like every other NHL head coach Sprong has had.