Confirmed with Link: Penguins sign Sergei Plotnikov (1 year, $925k)

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He played well in two Cup runs. Shouldn't that count for something?

It'd be tough to pinpoint a guy playing badly on a Cup winner. Especially a winger alongside the best player on Earth at the time (Geno's 09 Playoffs).

I'm just saying, the whole "Feds was clutch and a playoff warrior" stuff was silly then, and it's silly now. Not a terrible player, but pretty much nondescript during the season/playoffs the vast majority of the time.

 

[plaidchuck]

They need to take a trip to the silver strand in Coronado. That is where the experts reside.

Ha yeah, west point wouldn't be my first choice either. Bunch of green cadets.

 

[Shady Machine]

It'd be tough to pinpoint a guy playing badly on a Cup winner. Especially a winger alongside the best player on Earth at the time (Geno's 09 Playoffs).

I'm just saying, the whole "Feds was clutch and a playoff warrior" stuff was silly then, and it's silly now. Not a terrible player, but pretty much nondescript during the season/playoffs the vast majority of the time.

You don't think he contributed to the Pens or Lightning's success?

He had two playoffs where he produced 14 points each. He scored 12 goals in the Lighning's Cup run. We don't need to downplay that type of performance.

I'm not saying he was a playoff warrior, but he came up big for two different teams in their Cup runs. Maybe you could plug in Joe Average in those two spots and they'd produce the same, but I wouldn't bet on it. Feds was a good role player in his prime years. You could count on 15 goals, 20 assists pretty much every year.

Your description of him fits a guy like Spaling to me and Feds was definitely a better player than Spaling.

 

[#66]

You don't think he contributed to the Pens or Lightning's success?

He had two playoffs where he produced 14 points each. He scored 12 goals in the Lighning's Cup run. We don't need to downplay that type of performance.

I'm not saying he was a playoff warrior, but he came up big for two different teams in their Cup runs. Maybe you could plug in Joe Average in those two spots and they'd produce the same, but I wouldn't bet on it. Feds was a good role player in his prime years. You could count on 15 goals, 20 assists pretty much every year.

Your description of him fits a guy like Spaling to me and Feds was definitely a better player than Spaling.

IMO he was the role player that Malkin needed on his line. Not only did he bust his ass to get loose pucks but he had enough skill to get pucks to Malkin and finish plays.

The problem was never Fed or Talbot... it was Feds AND Talbot. Just like Neal AND Jussi were problems too.

 

[Shady Machine]

IMO he was the role player that Malkin needed on his line. Not only did he bust his ass to get loose pucks but he had enough skill to get pucks to Malkin and finish plays.

The problem was never Fed or Talbot... it was Feds AND Talbot. Just like Neal AND Jussi were problems too.

Totally agreed.

 

[Jacob]

nevermind, misremembered.

 

[billybudd]

Eh, I think it's a little too "convenient" to compare him to Tank...I think Fedotenko is a better skater for one...I think Plotnikov is more of a banger and has upside to be a better player on the boards...I've seen worse player comparisons (as they can be very tough), but that's not the player I would use...

My initial thought was David Clarkson...

I can see that a little bit.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

imo he was the role player that malkin needed on his line. Not only did he bust his ass to get loose pucks but he had enough skill to get pucks to malkin and finish plays.

The problem was never fed or talbot... It was feds and talbot. Just like neal and jussi were problems too.

qft^

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Fedotenko was obviously very good in that one playoff run. But let's not go too overboard. I remember vividly that everyone was quite ready for him to move on by the end. I guess he could have maybe worked with a star player on the opposite wing. But he was flubbing plays worse than last-season-Kunitz with some consistency. Not the kind of guy you want to plug in on your first/second line for any longer than his hot streak lasts.

I think nostalgia has benefited Feds a bit. Much like Scuderi. But there have obviously been worse players that have found themselves on one of the top lines.

 

[Shady Machine]

Fedotenko was obviously very good in that one playoff run. But let's not go too overboard. I remember vividly that everyone was quite ready for him to move on by the end. I guess he could have maybe worked with a star player on the opposite wing. But he was flubbing plays worse than last-season-Kunitz with some consistency. Not the kind of guy you want to plug in on your first/second line for any longer than his hot streak lasts.

I think nostalgia has benefited Feds a bit. Much like Scuderi. But there have obviously been worse players that have found themselves on one of the top lines.

For my part I'm talking about his prime years (of which only 1, maybe 1.5ish was with the Penguins). After he left the Pens, he was done as a scoring line support player.

Even in those years, he was a 2nd 3rd line tweener. Solid 3rd line winger and pretty good 3rd wheel on the right top 6 line. The Pens obviously caught lightning in a bottle with Feds-Malkin-Talbot, but Feds is the one that actually fit that role. Talbot just had some magic luck and Geno had a performance for the ages.

 

[#66]

Fedotenko was obviously very good in that one playoff run. But let's not go too overboard. I remember vividly that everyone was quite ready for him to move on by the end. I guess he could have maybe worked with a star player on the opposite wing. But he was flubbing plays worse than last-season-Kunitz with some consistency. Not the kind of guy you want to plug in on your first/second line for any longer than his hot streak lasts.

I think nostalgia has benefited Feds a bit. Much like Scuderi. But there have obviously been worse players that have found themselves on one of the top lines.

Well what did the next years bring? Feds and Talbot were still on Malkins wings the next year. Those guys shouldn't be there long term and I think the Pens expected 20 goals from Fedotenko. He's just not that player.

But put him with Malkin and Neal... his puck getting would have made that line more well rounded than what Jussi brought.

 

[tom_servo]

Ha yeah, west point wouldn't be my first choice either. Bunch of green cadets.

They need simple team-building practice, not parachuting and underwater demolition training. Though I guess it wouldn't hurt.

 

[WVP]

IMO he was the role player that Malkin needed on his line. Not only did he bust his ass to get loose pucks but he had enough skill to get pucks to Malkin and finish plays.

The problem was never Fed or Talbot... it was Feds AND Talbot. Just like Neal AND Jussi were problems too.

Well Hornqvist fills that role for Malkin, on steroids really. Very good on loose pucks plus a major skill upgrade on Talbot and Fedotenko. Plotnikov sounds like he could play a similar style but that's a definite unknown at this point.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Malkin just needs to keep remembering he's Evgeni Malkin, and keeps demanding the puck and puts it on net. When he and his line stop being effective is when he's constantly deferring to other people.

 

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I think Geno needs a guy he can work the give and go with again. It opens up so much for him as well as the winger. He and Neal were dynamite in the regular season with just that simple play alone.

Fortunately for us, I think Perron, Hornqvist and Kessel would all be great in that regard. Hopefully this is a huge year for us offensively, namely Sid, Geno and the wingers in the top six. We're gonna need to be unstoppable, because our defense is extraordinarily suspect right now... Regardless of how hopeful we all are of Pouliot, Dumo and even Maatta.

 

[Russian Factor]

He was a big time possession player with ok hands in tight. Pretty much Kunitz with less offensive skill.

Short sweet to the point and spot on. Only thing I'd add is that Feds didn't have quite the physical element Kunintz-at-his-best has (or "had" ...)

 

[WVP]

I think Geno needs a guy he can work the give and go with again. It opens up so much for him as well as the winger. He and Neal were dynamite in the regular season with just that simple play alone.

Fortunately for us, I think Perron, Hornqvist and Kessel would all be great in that regard. Hopefully this is a huge year for us offensively, namely Sid, Geno and the wingers in the top six. We're gonna need to be unstoppable, because our defense is extraordinarily suspect right now... Regardless of how hopeful we all are of Pouliot, Dumo and even Maatta.

Something is going to happen with the defense before April, that's for sure. Our division looks tough but I have no worry of not making the playoffs.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Something is going to happen with the defense before April, that's for sure. Our division looks tough but I have no worry of not making the playoffs.

I hope so, and I agree, respectively.

Would be great to find a way to land a legit top-4 defenseman, a long-term solution, sometime this year.

I won't mention Despres. Welp, ****, too late.

 

[gopens66]

They need simple team-building practice, not parachuting and underwater demolition training. Though I guess it wouldn't hurt.

The ice at the CEC is just that bad...........

 

[Darth Vitale]

The ice at the CEC is just that bad...........

I still cannot understand how, with a brand new slab of concrete, brand new refridgeration and ice-making equipment, the ice can be so bad at CEC. Is Pittsburgh abnormally humid for the region most of the year? I know the whole three rivers thing but damn.

 

[The Old Master]

I still cannot understand how, with a brand new slab of concrete, brand new refridgeration and ice-making equipment, the ice can be so bad at CEC. Is Pittsburgh abnormally humid for the region most of the year? I know the whole three rivers thing but damn.

there are/have been enough ice rinks in the area. that they should know what works best

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I still cannot understand how, with a brand new slab of concrete, brand new refridgeration and ice-making equipment, the ice can be so bad at CEC. Is Pittsburgh abnormally humid for the region most of the year? I know the whole three rivers thing but damn.

I used to make my own rinks in Pittsburgh. It was cold enough to have a natural rink from mid December until early March. That was like, late 90s until I moved away in '06.

I haven't made a rink since I moved back and it does seem like the climate has shifted here somewhat, but I think I could make a decent rink from mid Jan until the end of Feb for my kids if they get into the sport as they grow. Since my daughter is taking her first skating class next week, I was looking into synthetic ice, but that **** is expensive.

Kind of blows being in Pittsburgh after you get used to having outdoor rinks on every corner next to a Tim's.

 

[plaidchuck]

Probably sucks due to all of the events there, like MSG and the kings arena.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Yohe on Plotnikov:

Sergei Plotnikov is really impressive. Skates better than one might think for a big man. And plays with an edge. Really good so far.

And it seems that Geno was the main reason Plotnikov signed with the Pens. He in fact actively recruited him:

"He doesn’t really speak English. He understands, but sometimes he doesn’t know what coach is saying," Malkin said. "I try to help. The first couple of weeks he was scared, but now he knows players and everyone is friendly to him. Now it’s easier for him."

Plotnikov, 25, played his entire career in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. He talked to Malkin before deciding to make the jump to the NHL.

"He said he was excited to come to the NHL, but didn’t know which team," Malkin recalled. "I said if you come to Pittsburgh I will help you. After a couple days he signed."

http://www.pensburgh.com/2015/9/19/9357235/pittsburgh-penguins-training-camp-2015

 

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I'm cautiously optimistic with regard to Plotnikov. I'd love to see him turn into the new Malone for Sid or Geno's line.