Injury Report: Massive, All-Encompassing Injury Thread (Neal, Bennett, Scuderi, Kobasew)

[AquaticBirdman]

My thoughts exactly. In the last few years, the following guys have missed serious time b/c of injury:
Crosby
Malkin
Staal
Neal (I guess only an 8-game stretch)
Letang
Fleury

While these guys were pretty much immune to injury:
Adams
Kennedy
Glass
Engelland
Cooke
etc.

*BLECH*

One must also consider a couple of factors:

1) The bottom 6 and bottom pairing guys typically get half as much ice time (if that even) as the top 6/top pairing guys do, therefore their bodies aren't typically getting banged up quite as much.

2) I'm pretty certain that these grinders and role players play hurt throughout most the season. However because they're considered to be more "expendable" (for lack of a better term) long term then they aren't nursed or mommy'd quite to the same degree as our star players are.

As it stands the only player who I find to be a true freak of nature for us is Dupuis. The guy plays top line minutes and is usually on our top PK unit and he RARELY ever gets hurt!

 

[Waffle Fries]

Bennett and Jussi click well with Geno, while I see no reason to disrupt what we already know the first line are gonna have going together from the getgo.

Bennett and Jussi may click well with Geno individually, but I don't like the idea of them together on a line at all. They're all skilled, but they're also all playmakers who do their best work with the puck. I don't really see them producing much.

Meanwhile I would look for absolutely any excuse to break up KCD.

 

[LetangInTheSO]

One must also consider a couple of factors:

1) The bottom 6 and bottom pairing guys typically get half as much ice time (if that even) as the top 6/top pairing guys do, therefore their bodies aren't typically getting banged up quite as much.

2) I'm pretty certain that these grinders and role players play hurt throughout most the season. However because they're considered to be more "expendable" (for lack of a better term) long term then they aren't nursed or mommy'd quite to the same degree as our star players are.

As it stands the only player who I find to be a true freak of nature for us is Dupuis. The guy plays top line minutes and is usually on our top PK unit and he RARELY ever gets hurt!

Fair points, but I'd contend that we're nonetheless "unlucky" in the distribution of injuries throughout our roster. Why can't Tanner Glass have a season-ending high ankle sprain for once?

 

[Captain Hook]

Team is made of glass.

And the guy named Glass is one of the only ones that always stays healthy.

 

[titaniumexpose]

C'mon guys let's get this out of our systems. If only this guaranteed an injury-free second half...

 

[LetangInTheSO]

The notion that each team gets a finite/predetermined number of injuries and we're "getting ours out of the way" is delusional in an adorable sort of way. It seems so unlike Pens fan to try to look for silver linings period, let alone in instances where there really aren't silver linings. There is no objective way that these injuries are a "good" thing.

 

[KIRK]

Bennett and Jussi may click well with Geno individually, but I don't like the idea of them together on a line at all. They're all skilled, but they're also all playmakers who do their best work with the puck. I don't really see them producing much.

Meanwhile I would look for absolutely any excuse to break up KCD.

Jokinen and Bennett also would, as a tandem, be the best puck retrieval duo with whom Malkin has played since Talbot and Fedotenko.

Logic would dictate that Jokinen-Malkin-Bennett won't do much. But, logic said the same thing about Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot.

Losing Neal would hurt of course. But, don't underestimate the value in having two talented wingers who can get Geno the puck and make things happen on their own.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Jokinen and Bennett also would, as a tandem, be the best puck retrieval duo with whom Malkin has played since Talbot and Fedotenko.

Logic would dictate that Jokinen-Malkin-Bennett won't do much. But, logic said the same thing about Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot.

Losing Neal would hurt of course. But, don't underestimate the value in having two talented wingers who can get Geno the puck and make things happen on their own.

But Talbot didn't need the puck as much as Jokinen and Bennett do. I expect that line to be able to sustain some zone time, but I'd be surprised if anything comes of it.

 

[KIRK]

But Talbot didn't need the puck as much as Jokinen and Bennett do. I expect that line to be able to sustain some zone time, but I'd be surprised if anything comes of it.

Jokinen and Bennett don't 'need' the puck. Fact is, those two, especially Bennett, win board battles. They probably are the teams two best wingers when it comes to making a play on his own (challenging a defender). They both can work the give and go with Geno. Maybe your 'too many cooks' theory is right. I just think a Jokinen-Malkin-Bennett line will surprise because you're talking two guys on his line who do things out there who free Malkin completely to play his game (he hasn't had THAT since the cup run).

EDIT: By the way, if there's any question on Neal, then let him rest. No need to act like it's the playoffs with regular season game one.

 

[Horace]

any update on Neal's injury? Fantasy owners are very concerned/furious about this as we had no chance to prepare. Don't care if he's ok in May, I want him back now!

He had concussion problems at the end of last season. Is that what this mysterious "upper-body" injury is?

Rattled...

 

[rmartin65]

any update on Neal's injury? Fantasy owners are very concerned/furious about this as we had no chance to prepare. Don't care if he's ok in May, I want him back now!

He had concussion problems at the end of last season. Is that what this mysterious "upper-body" injury is?

Rattled...

Word around the city is that he cut himself on a piece of rusty barbed wire at West Point. Gangrene set in, and they are cutting his arm off (not sure if they are cutting above the elbow or below). Drop Neal now before the news spreads.

 

[Nietzsche Zone Play]

absolutely no reason to break up Sid's line and I'm interested to see how Jokinen and Bennett look with Malkin (short-term, obviously).

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

At this point, I'm more surprised when the Pens actually ice a complete lineup. It stopped being laughable about 2 seasons ago. Now it's just another bit of frustration added on to the already existing ones.

And of course, it's one of the star players. Do Glass and Adams wear suits of metal armor during practice or something?

The notion that each team gets a finite/predetermined number of injuries and we're "getting ours out of the way" is delusional in an adorable sort of way. It seems so unlike Pens fan to try to look for silver linings period, let alone in instances where there really aren't silver linings. There is no objective way that these injuries are a "good" thing.

Yeah, I never understood those "better now than in April/May/June" comments. It's basically suggesting that if the Pens get the injuries out of the way in October, they've used up their quota for the year and thus won't suffer any in the playoffs.

How about, for once, being able to play an entire season with the full roster, whether it be an October game or a playoff game? Now that would be nice.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

At this point, I'm more surprised when the Pens actually ice a complete lineup. It stopped being laughable about 2 seasons ago. Now it's just another bit of frustration added on to the already existing ones.

And of course, it's one of the star players. Do Glass and Adams wear suits of metal armor during practice or something?



Yeah, I never understood those "better now than in April/May/June" comments. It's basically suggesting that if the Pens get the injuries out of the way in October, they've used up their quota for the year and thus won't suffer any in the playoffs.

How about, for once, being able to play an entire season with the full roster, whether it be an October game or a playoff game? Now that would be nice.

Yep. Haven't even played Game 1 yet and key cogs are dropping like flies again.

So disheartening.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Is it too late to sacrifice Mark Eaton to the injury gods?

 

[Horace]

Hope we hear what the injury is shortly. I'm expected a prolonged absence.

Just great..

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Word around the city is that he cut himself on a piece of rusty barbed wire at West Point. Gangrene set in, and they are cutting his arm off (not sure if they are cutting above the elbow or below). Drop Neal now before the news spreads.

I think that it was more like this.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Is it too late to sacrifice Mark Eaton to the injury gods?

I think they've had their fill of Mark.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

It's not the dreaded "C" word is it???

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

It's not the dreaded "C" word is it???

That'd be a lower body injury. And I don't think he has one, anyway.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You know this is going to be an amazing season when your best puck moving defenseman is out, your highest scoring winger is out, and your only saving grace between the pipes is out.

And the Pens haven't even played a game yet.

Oh and some potential 3rd liner/4th liner is out as well, but no one really cares because the guy the Pens just signed probably replaced him on the roster anyway.


Settle in folks.


Great news for Olli Maatta though, this might end up being a year where a rookie sticks straight from Juniors.

 

[Al Smith]

That'd be a lower body injury. And I don't think he has one, anyway.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Great news for Olli Maatta though, this might end up being a year where a rookie sticks straight from Juniors.

Yeah. To try my hand at optimism, this might be good for the young guys which would be good overall. Might.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

An anonymous, unreliable source said that he may or may not have had a stroke at the Aviary.

 

[Horace]

still no news?!