Confirmed with Link: Penguins Sign Cody Ceci, 1 Year $1.25M AAV

[HandshakeLine]

To be honest I like our 6 D now, obviously hinging on Matheson having a bounceback year, Ceci not f***ing up too much and the forwards not hanging them all out to dry.

Dumoulin - Letang
Matheson - Marino
Pettersson - Ceci
Riikola, Ruhwedel

All these guys can *really* skate, except maybe Pettersson but he’s hardly slow. No softies, no pushovers, nobody unwilling to block a shot or take a hit to make a play. The only guy under 6’2” in the regular 6 is Letang. This might be both one of the youngest and biggest D groups in the league, and there’s no tradeoff in mobility. Varying skill levels but no Scuderis or Hal Gills in the bunch. 3 guys that have hit double digits in ES goals some time in their careers. It’s both better and cheaper than the D was last season. You don’t need to shelter anyone from PK minutes, in fact you can probably just run these pairings as-is, and there’s a few more PP options too.

This is really it and I think it could be the key for some of these guys turning it around. You have 3 pairings that are mobile, there's a lot more emphasis on transition, and there's at least three players with legit point shots that should make the PP a bit more dangerous, if they get time there on either unit.

I like the idea of the defense a lot in theory. I'm not sure it'll live up to its potential, but I think it's a lot better than trying to snap up all the slower, more physical guys, or the softer positional guys who aren't really that mobile.

 

[SEALBound]

Credit where credit is due. Ceci may be a poor NHL defenseman but he could pass as a movie star.

With Letang getting older, the lady yinzers will appreciate this move.

My wife is usually a pretty good judge. I show her a player and she has two responses: Ewwww or "is he good?". If I say "yes", it's "Ooooooo!!!" If it's no it's "Hmmmmm...."

In this case, she asked if he was good and said "ummm...meh". She then replied that if he's not good, at least he looks good.

I then asked to compare against Letang and she instantly said better than Letang and reiterated that Malkin looked like a truck.

I think we're good.

 

[Jacob]

This is really it and I think it could be the key for some of these guys turning it around. You have 3 pairings that are mobile, there's a lot more emphasis on transition, and there's at least three players with legit point shots that should make the PP a bit more dangerous, if they get time there on either unit.

I like the idea of the defense a lot in theory. I'm not sure it'll live up to its potential, but I think it's a lot better than trying to snap up all the slower, more physical guys, or the softer positional guys who aren't really that mobile.

My main concern now is if our bottom 6 forwards can get out of the D zone with possession and get to the offensive zone, and sustain enough pressure there so that any of our pairings, but particularly the potentially weaker guys like Matheson and Ceci, aren’t just stuck defending/chasing for entire shifts every night. That and whether we can commit, for a full season, to keeping a forward high to back up the D so it’s not just odd-man rushes against all game long. Even 6 cloned, prime Prongers wouldn’t look good in such scenarios.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Kasperi Kapanen
Cody Ceci
Mike Matheson

Also, Jack Johnson.

The old man likes his alliteration.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

My wife is usually a pretty good judge. I show her a player and she has two responses: Ewwww or "is he good?". If I say "yes", it's "Ooooooo!!!" If it's no it's "Hmmmmm...."

In this case, she asked if he was good and said "ummm...meh". She then replied that if he's not good, at least he looks good.

I then asked to compare against Letang and she instantly said better than Letang and reiterated that Malkin looked like a truck.

I think we're good.

Glad that's settled. I was gonna ask that chick on our sub but you saved me the trouble.

 

[HandshakeLine]

My main concern now is if our bottom 6 forwards can get out of the D zone with possession and get to the offensive zone, and sustain enough pressure there so that any of our pairings, but particularly the potentially weaker guys like Matheson and Ceci, aren’t just stuck defending/chasing for entire shifts every night. That and whether we can commit, for a full season, to keeping a forward high to back up the D so it’s not just odd-man rushes against all game long. Even 6 cloned, prime Prongers wouldn’t look good in such scenarios.

The thing that might help there is there's a lot of speed in the bottom 6 now, so the potential for quick counterattacking (to alleviate the dump and chase that teams do that just kills us) is a lot better with this lineup than last year's.

 

[Pens x]

The thing that might help there is there's a lot of speed in the bottom 6 now, so the potential for quick counterattacking (to alleviate the dump and chase that teams do that just kills us) is a lot better with this lineup than last year's.

Speed is one of many skills though. I agree with senile Jimmy that we needed to get younger and faster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bring in anyone with a pulse simply because they are young and fast.

That doesn’t mean just go and sign any warm body that happens to be fast.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

To be honest I like our 6 D now, obviously hinging on Matheson having a bounceback year, Ceci not f***ing up too much and the forwards not hanging them all out to dry.

Dumoulin - Letang
Matheson - Marino
Pettersson - Ceci
Riikola, Ruhwedel

All these guys can *really* skate, except maybe Pettersson but he’s hardly slow. No softies, no pushovers, nobody unwilling to block a shot or take a hit to make a play. The only guy under 6’2” in the regular 6 is Letang. This might be both one of the youngest and biggest D groups in the league, and there’s no tradeoff in mobility. Varying skill levels but no Scuderis or Hal Gills in the bunch. 3 guys that have hit double digits in ES goals some time in their careers. It’s both better and cheaper than the D was last season. You don’t need to shelter anyone from PK minutes, in fact you can probably just run these pairings as-is, and there’s a few more PP options too.

All great points and I agree with everything in this post including the pairings listed.

 

[Rakell67]

All great points and I agree with everything in this post including the pairings listed.

I agree as well, but isn’t Marino listed at 6’1”? Not that it’s a big deal but I was curious if he’s listed somewhere at 6’2”.

 

[JackFr]

Speed is one of many skills though. I agree with senile Jimmy that we needed to get younger and faster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bring in anyone with a pulse simply because they are young and fast.

That doesn’t mean just go and sign any warm body that happens to be fast.

100% agree, tbh this board has a hard-on for anybody fast.

 

[ChaosAgent]

100% agree, tbh this board has a hard-on for anybody fast.

And fast in terms of straight line speed isn't the same as playing fast.

 

[Gurglesons]

100% agree, tbh this board has a hard-on for anybody fast.

Today’s NHL requires it.

 

[Zirakzigil]

My wife is usually a pretty good judge. I show her a player and she has two responses: Ewwww or "is he good?". If I say "yes", it's "Ooooooo!!!" If it's no it's "Hmmmmm...."

In this case, she asked if he was good and said "ummm...meh". She then replied that if he's not good, at least he looks good.

I then asked to compare against Letang and she instantly said better than Letang and reiterated that Malkin looked like a truck.

I think we're good.

Im so confused now, buts lets go with it!

I think Ceci could work out real well for us on a 3rd pairing. People need to stop freaking out about a cheap 1 year contract.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

My main concern now is if our bottom 6 forwards can get out of the D zone with possession and get to the offensive zone, and sustain enough pressure there so that any of our pairings, but particularly the potentially weaker guys like Matheson and Ceci, aren’t just stuck defending/chasing for entire shifts every night. That and whether we can commit, for a full season, to keeping a forward high to back up the D so it’s not just odd-man rushes against all game long. Even 6 cloned, prime Prongers wouldn’t look good in such scenarios.

I don't have any concerns about that. The ZAR-Blueger-Tanev line had to play third line minutes all season due to injuries and they bottled up other teams top forwards all year. I think McCann-Jankowski also will form a good 3rd line option with whoever wins that other wing spot whether it be Poulin, Rodriguez, or they put Tanev on that line. I don't see our bottom 6 forwards being bottled up no matter who wins those spots.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

100% agree, tbh this board has a hard-on for anybody fast.

Because Sullivan's system is based on it. You need a fast forecheck forward on each line to make it work. This season we have that in spades. Our defense is much better skaters also which will also help in the system.

This team has been built to be the perfect mold for Sullivan much like the 2016 group was. I actually think this team might be faster and more skilled than that group. That team had rookie Sheary, an old and severely declining Kunitz, a rookie Rust, and Hornqvist as the top 2 line wingers. Compare that to Guentzel, Zucker, Rust, and Kapanen and it is not close in speed, skill, or any measure. I really think this team is going to surprise everyone. If this group doesn't work then It will be time to unload Sullivan and bring in a different system.

 

[cygnus47]

Daily reminder that Matheson is not a top 4D. If he's in our top 4 it's likely to be a major issue. Ceci is a #6 at best as well. These guys are nooot going to drive play, they're going to need shielding.

 

[ColePens]

Daily reminder that Matheson is not a top 4D. If he's in our top 4 it's likely to be a major issue. Ceci is a #6 at best as well. These guys are nooot going to drive play, they're going to need shielding.

I've got some bad news for you....

 

[Gurglesons]

Daily reminder that Matheson is not a top 4D. If he's in our top 4 it's likely to be a major issue. Ceci is a #6 at best as well. These guys are nooot going to drive play, they're going to need shielding.

I think you can hide Matheson enough in # 4 minutes. Ceci being in the line-up f***s that plan up.

 

[JackFr]

Today’s NHL requires it.

Because Sullivan's system is based on it. You need a fast forecheck forward on each line to make it work. This season we have that in spades. Our defense is much better skaters also which will also help in the system.

This team has been built to be the perfect mold for Sullivan much like the 2016 group was. I actually think this team might be faster and more skilled than that group. That team had rookie Sheary, an old and severely declining Kunitz, a rookie Rust, and Hornqvist as the top 2 line wingers. Compare that to Guentzel, Zucker, Rust, and Kapanen and it is not close in speed, skill, or any measure. I really think this team is going to surprise everyone. If this group doesn't work then It will be time to unload Sullivan and bring in a different system.

I of course want us to be fast, I just mean that this board automatically thinks fast = desirable, even when the player in question is bad.

 

[Gurglesons]

I of course want us to be fast, I just mean that this board automatically thinks fast = desirable, even when the player in question is bad.

Do you have a specific example?

I mean even Grabner who this forum wanted bad was a pretty good player up until the last few years when age caught up.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

No risk cheap deal

Only negative is not being able to buy a better player.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Kasperi Kapanen
Cody Ceci
Mike Matheson

Also, Jack Johnson.

The old man likes his alliteration.

*In scooby dew voice* Rim Rutherford

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

And fast in terms of straight line speed isn't the same as playing fast.

Reminds of that guy from Might Ducks 2

 

[Tom Hanks]

Do you have a specific example?

I mean even Grabner who this forum wanted bad was a pretty good player up until the last few years when age caught up.

AA

 

[cygnus47]

I've got some bad news for you....

What has JR said?