Confirmed with Link: Penguins Acquire Winger Lee Stempniak for a 3rd Round Pick

[Eli Cash]

Weird, I was working in his hometown of West Seneca, NY today when I heard this. I started a one-man parade.

 

[No Quarter*]

Stempniak looks like a legit first liner when he gets hot. His problem that he is the streakiest player I have seen play for Calgary in quite some time. But if he's not producing, he won't be a liability defensively and his speed/smart make him a constant shorthanded threat.

He sounds alot like Dupuis by the way you're describing him.
I personally never seen him play that much.

 

[Corvidae]

Why did the Penguins trade for Matt D'Agostini?

 

[Darth Vitale]

Bennett will be on the 3rd line when he comes back; bank on it. He may get occasional shifts with Sid or Geno but most of his time will be on line 3. Bylogic.

Stempniak won't increase the first line's product that much but every little bit helps. Certainly better than putting Gibbons or Megna there.

Kunitz - Sid - Stempy
Juice - Geno - Neal
Sutter - Goc - Bennett

Not sure what will happen next year with lines 3 and 4 though. Thinking Goc will be our 4th line C but who knows. Hopefully we cut some deadweight loose this summer and get Kesler somehow.

 

[Shady Machine]

Why did the Penguins trade for Matt D'Agostini?

Stemps is nothing like D'ags but good try.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

He sounds alot like Dupuis by the way you're describing him.
I personally never seen him play that much.

He's nothing like Dupuis. He has skill. He can beat guys 1-1 and dishes the puck well.

The only similarity is they both skate fast.

 

[Xavier Laflamme*]

Bennett will be on the 3rd line when he comes back; bank on it. He may get occasional shifts with Sid or Geno but most of his time will be on line 3. Bylogic.

Stempniak won't increase the first line's product that much but every little bit helps. Certainly better than putting Gibbons or Megna there.

Kunitz - Sid - Stempy
Juice - Geno - Neal
Sutter - Goc - Bennett

Not sure what will happen next year with lines 3 and 4 though. Thinking Goc will be our 4th line C but who knows. Hopefully we cut some deadweight loose this summer and get Kesler somehow.

What I'm hoping for as well. I don't how it's going to shape up though. If Letang comes back fine as well as Dupuis, I don't know how well be able to afford Kesler without trading/cutting salary. I know the caps going up so I guess we'll see. It still frustrates me to no end that we don't have Crosby's long term RW yet. Maybe that's Bennett. Who knows.

 

[Xavier Laflamme*]

Also, I don't know if we'll be able to outbid teams like Philly, Anaheim, Chicago etc...I felt like this deadline was our best chance. Hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Another note I just remembered on Stempniak... Last season I believe, he lead the league in short handed points.

 

[Corvidae]

Stemps is nothing like D'ags but good try.

Sorry, I thought they were both inconsistent right handed right wingers with good shots at almost he same size with a few good seasons but haven't done anything in recent years. I must be thinking off another guy because these two are night and day.

 

[MuffinMerc]

Flames fan in peace.
When he is hot, he is hot. However even when he isn't scoring goals he still seems to do everything right. If he's put on your PK expect more SH chances (he was the reason why Calgary lead the league earlier on in SH goals, before he got injured). It's hard not to like him.

 

[Shockmaster]

Also, I don't know if we'll be able to outbid teams like Philly, Anaheim, Chicago etc...I felt like this deadline was our best chance. Hope I'm wrong though.

Kesler does have a NTC, so he has control over where he wants to go. That could help the Penguins in a bidding war if he views Pittsburgh as the first team he'd like to go to.

 

[maxpenguins6630]

Kunitz-Crosby-Stempniak
Neal-Malkin-Juice
Goc-Sutter-Megna/Bennett
Glass-Vitale-Adams

Not bad but when Bennett returns I wanna see him with Sutter and Goc.

I am throwing this lineup also:

Kunitz-Crosby-Malkin
Neal-Sutter-Juice
Bennett-Goc-Stempniak
Glass-Vitale-Adams

 

[Mischa]

Another note I just remembered on Stempniak... Last season I believe, he lead the league in short handed points.

sounds like the perfect Dupuis replacement

 

[pensfan71]

I love Stempniak...people are hating on him cause we all expected Kesler, but think back to every deadline, a bunch of us have wanted Stempniak for like the last 2 years

 

[Waffle Fries]

Stempniak can also play both wings which makes him Bylsma-proof. So that's nice.

 

[Shockmaster]

Stempniak can also play both wings which makes him Bylsma-proof. So that's nice.

Nah. Bylsma will pair him with Orpik and dub them the shutdown pair.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Stempniak can also play both wings which makes him Bylsma-proof. So that's nice.

Shero is learning...

 

[Zen Arcade]

Stempniak can also play the point on the powerplay, so if nothing else, they added a couple of versatile players today.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Stempniak can also play both wings which makes him Bylsma-proof. So that's nice.

Shero is gradually adapting to the stupidity, taking away things Bylsma can mess with.

I seriously think there is no such thing as a player being Bylsma proof, he'll find a way. Playing them out of position, out of their depth, putting them on a poorly built line, putting them somewhere they have no chemistry, forcing them to be something they're not, etc. He'll manage it.

 

[pensfan71]

Stempniak can also play the point on the powerplay, so if nothing else, they added a couple of versatile players today.

These guys give our 2nd PP a huge kick, so many options:

Goc-Sutter-BB/Stempniak

Martin/Stempniak-Maatta

I do think we've improved, and without gutting anything

 

[Waffle Fries]

Shero is gradually adapting to the stupidity, taking away things Bylsma can mess with.

I seriously think there is no such thing as a player being Bylsma proof, he'll find a way. Playing them out of position, out of their depth, putting them on a poorly built line, putting them somewhere they have no chemistry, forcing them to be something they're not, etc. He'll manage it.

Including Bennett, 4 of the 6 wingers in our top 9 can play both sides (Beau, Jokinen, Neal and Stempniak). It really limits Bylsma being able to screw things up. The versatility we have on the roster helps. With Kobasew gone, if Shero could just get rid of at least one part of Gladams and call up Megna, the roster would be pretty close to completely Bylsma-Proof.

 

[cygnus47]

I wish it was Adams contract coming up instead of Glass'. Tanner's been a nice 12th forward this year, its a real shame that Adams has been so useless.

 

[wej20]

These guys give our 2nd PP a huge kick, so many options:

Goc-Sutter-BB/Stempniak

Martin/Stempniak-Maatta

I do think we've improved, and without gutting anything

Plus Jokinen who will be there ahead of Goc or Sutter.

 

[Captain Hook]

Flames fan in peace.
When he is hot, he is hot. However even when he isn't scoring goals he still seems to do everything right. If he's put on your PK expect more SH chances (he was the reason why Calgary lead the league earlier on in SH goals, before he got injured). It's hard not to like him.

Thanks for the writeup. Sounds good. Pens PK is ranked #2 in the NHL but the one bugaboo about it has been they can't score or even generate many chances short-handed. Sounds like Stemp will help that.