GDT: Penguins Training Camp

[chethejet]

Pens can start the season with sending guys down to get at least some cap room. But no question everyone's preferred move is moving JJ for picks and or prospects. Teams are so tight on the cap that some RFA's and good vets are unsigned.

 

[Empoleon8771]

How has Chucky looked for you guys in pre-season?

I remember thinking to myself he'd be lethal on a team like the Pens back when he was a Habs. Is he going to be used on the RW half-wall for his one-timer on the PP even though that's typically where Crosby hangs out?

He and Malkin looked absolutely great together, the chemistry between the two is clearly evident. That's Malkin's spot on the powerplay so he's not standing there, the Penguins powerplay is still TBD because they have like 8 top PP unit worthy players. He had a goal in the last pre-season game from the left half-wall on the PP, it was an absolute rocket of a wrist shot from the top of the circles.

 

[Lebowski]

He and Malkin looked absolutely great together, the chemistry between the two is clearly evident. That's Malkin's spot on the powerplay so he's not standing there, the Penguins powerplay is still TBD because they have like 8 top PP unit worthy players. He had a goal in the last pre-season game from the left half-wall on the PP, it was an absolute rocket of a wrist shot from the top of the circles.

Yeah I saw the goal, which is why I'm asking because he'll have a hard time taking advantage of his one-timer on the left side.

Really hoping he figures things out now that he has a very solid leadership group to depend on. I still believe he has 70+ points upside in him, especially if he's not the one that has to be the driver on his line. He has a great shot, great hands and he's a very good passer too. Just gets caught flat footed a bit too often and he can't really take advantage of his hands on zone entries and such since he tends to slow down too much and plays just die down, but Malkin can do that for him now. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep up the pace with a guy like him.

 

[pistolpete11]

Horny's line did better when away from Sid last season, Sid's line did better when away from Horny this season. Horny's improved Malkin two seasons in a row. Horny and Bjugstad had a better xGF% than Sid and Horny.

Those numbers aren't telling me that Horny and Sid are better together.

Am I looking at something wrong? Natural Stat Trick says for last year:

Crosby with Hornqvist : 60.88 xGF%
Crosby without Hornqvist : 55.93 xGF%
Hornqvist without Crosby : 52.24 xGF%

Which is about on par with other seasons.

 

[dogthateats]

There have been some pretty good goalies on waivers yesterday and today. Might be something to keep an eye on to see if we can sneak one of our guys through.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

It's interesting seeing so many people who lambasted trading Sprong talking up Petts a year later.

That was a fantastic trade then. And it's even better now.

Believe it or not, it's possible to like both players.

 

[Peat]

Am I looking at something wrong? Natural Stat Trick says for last year:

Crosby with Hornqvist : 60.88 xGF%
Crosby without Hornqvist : 55.93 xGF%
Hornqvist without Crosby : 52.24 xGF%

Which is about on par with other seasons.

I was using GF% - sorry for not saying

 

[pistolpete11]

I was using GF% - sorry for not saying

OK, but even still, they had a solid 58 GF% last year, had a better GF% together every other year, had a better xGF% together every year except for Hornqvist's first year in Pittsburgh (it was close), and with the limited minutes and xGF% from last year it says to me there might be a little bit of flukiness in there.

Also, when you add in Guentzel, Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist had a 64 GF% and a 60 xGF%. So maybe it wasn't so much Hornqvist bringing down Crosby as it was whatever non-Guentzel LW bringing down Crosby-Hornqvist.

 

[Jacob]

I think the Pettersson signing guarantees Johnson is sticking around. That'd be kind of a kick in the teeth to Pettersson to ask him to sign a cheap 1 year deal because of cap room issues and then turn around and make a trade to get a bunch of cap room.

Also I don't know how much he's played there but I've seen Galchenyuk in that left spot on the PP before.. where he's kind of in between the point and the half-boards and then circles out and skates openings.

I mean it's not like we had a one-time option on the left side the past 4 years anyway so to me we're no worse off with him over there.

 

[Empoleon8771]

BTW there's a preseason game going on right now, tied 1-1 after 2. Super boring so far, but Riikola and Ruhwedel have both looked good.

 

[Hannibal]

How is Poulin?

Was high on him for the draft.

 

[Peat]

How is Poulin?

Was high on him for the draft.

Poulin's looked okay to good in his pre-season games without doing anything earth shaking. Skating looked better than some of the worry suggested, might take a bit for him to put all his toolkit together.

 

[Peat]

I think the Pettersson signing guarantees Johnson is sticking around. That'd be kind of a kick in the teeth to Pettersson to ask him to sign a cheap 1 year deal because of cap room issues and then turn around and make a trade to get a bunch of cap room.

I'd rather give Pettersson a kick in the teeth that he'd quickly get over because he's busy setting himself up to make bank next summer than give the whole team a weekly series of kicks to the teeth. And I hope/reckon Rutherford would think the same. Just a matter of being able to do so without it having an insane cost.

OK, but even still, they had a solid 58 GF% last year, had a better GF% together every other year, had a better xGF% together every year except for Hornqvist's first year in Pittsburgh (it was close), and with the limited minutes and xGF% from last year it says to me there might be a little bit of flukiness in there.

Also, when you add in Guentzel, Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist had a 64 GF% and a 60 xGF%. So maybe it wasn't so much Hornqvist bringing down Crosby as it was whatever non-Guentzel LW bringing down Crosby-Hornqvist.

I don't think Hornqvist particularly dragged Crosby down, I just don't think he's guaranteed to be the best option anymore. Last year that was Simon and Kessel; we've lose Kessel, but effectively cloned Simon. They're clearly not bad together, but they've had a bunch of success apart from each other recently.

 

[Corvidae]

Yinz got room on that Marino bandwagon? I'm preparing a fine meal of crow.

He won't make it out of camp unless both Johnson and Ruh run into each other, but he's looking at an early call up.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yinz got room on that Marino bandwagon? I'm preparing a fine meal of crow.

He won't make it out of camp unless both Johnson and Ruh run into each other, but he's looking at an early call up.

He has to keep it up down in WBS though. The prospect currency he’s built up through the tourney and preseason will be long gone by Halloween if he doesn’t stand out in WBS.

They tend to call guys up based on their current play, than potential, in almost every case.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Marino doesn't have a spot in the NHL right now, since he's a RD and the Penguins RD depth is really good. Marino's chance will come when Letang gets injured or when Schultz walks after the year, but I don't think he has a spot before.

My bet is that Marino wins the vacant spot that Schultz will leave.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

 

[Andy99]

Quite a few players playing back to back this weekend...can’t wait to see Dumo-Marino....also Almari, can he supplant anyone?...Legare back in...I’m excited...

A LD is going to have to play on the right since there’s not enough RDs

 

[Empoleon8771]

With DeSmith playing the full game today and being on the lineup tomorrow tells me that Jarry's getting the full game tomorrow, which makes sense to me. The Penguins seem to really be treating the backup goalie spot as a competition. I think DeSmith has been good in the preseason, but I think the Penguins are hoping that Jarry plays himself onto the team.

 

[Turin]

Not going to lie I was so unimpressed with Jarry’s big club stints that I would have anxiety about giving him the job even with a good preseason.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

With DeSmith playing the full game today and being on the lineup tomorrow tells me that Jarry's getting the full game tomorrow, which makes sense to me. The Penguins seem to really be treating the backup goalie spot as a competition. I think DeSmith has been good in the preseason, but I think the Penguins are hoping that Jarry plays himself onto the team.

I think Jarry just has to be close to DeSmith and it’s his. He’s half the price and they need to make cap space where the pay can except if it dishonours JJ. It’s a gamble but that’s on JR.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Not going to lie I was so unimpressed with Jarry’s big club stints that I would have anxiety about giving him the job even with a good preseason.

Jarry was actually pretty good in 17-18 in the games he started, with a .609 quality start% (games of a save% above league average). The issue is that Jarry was bad when he wasn't having good starts (4 really bad starts in 23 starts is high) and he was pretty crappy coming off the bench (.849 save% in relief of the starter). For the most part, Jarry was either really good (13 games above a .925 save% and 15 games of 2 or fewer goals against) or really bad (9 games below a .865 save% and 7 games of giving up 4+ goals). He only had 4 games between an .875 save% and a .925 save%, which is a pretty big range in the first place.

You'd think that he would have smoothed out those highs and lows with being 2 years older, but we'll see. He's usually crap in the preseason but he has looked good this year, so maybe this is the year he puts it all together. The upside there is really evident, he can be a .920+ save% goalie if he cuts out some of his terrible games. He has already shown he can be a really good NHL goalie, he just needs to eliminate the bad games.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Jarry could also be the type of goalie who takes years to put it all together.

But i trust DeSmith "this year". Already at the age where confidence isnt a huge factor . He just doesnt have the pedigree but I still wonder if we would have beat the Caps in 2nd round if we switched to him. Our offense was fine..Murray kept letting up goals. Yes i know our D and overall play didnt help Murray at all..just saying he didnt make those same saves he did the previous seasons and maybe Casey does. Also..would have been 3 straight years with a diff goalie against Wash lol. May have thrown them off again. Once they got a few past Murray...they weren't worried any anymore.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Feel like Sully is not happy with ZAR if he’s playing him in every single game as an established NHL player.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Seems like Simon is gonna keep getting reps at center, and I liked reading that Cullen's special assignment was to help him with faceoffs.

If we have Simon, Blueger, and Lafferty able to play bottom 6 center (and McCann if he's not on wing), it will make moving Bjugstad that much easier.