GDT: Penguins vs Wild

[Michael8771*]

I was about to say that I'd have preferred to flip first round picks, except JR likely would've taken Kapanen at #11 anyway.

Probably the case yep. Pretty good pick at #22 though. I was hoping for Forsberg to be the 2hd piece, but that was wishful thinking I guess.

 

[KIRK]

Probably the case yep. Pretty good pick at #22 though. I was hoping for Forsberg to be the 2hd piece, but that was wishful thinking I guess.

Sure, I'd have preferred him to Spaling too.

 

[Michael8771*]

Sure, I'd have preferred him to Spaling too.

Obviously I would have liked that trade a lot better if that were the case. I liked Neal, that's not a secret, but if we got both Horn and FF I would have been very satisfied with the return.

 

[Shockmaster]

I think Spaling just needs to stay on the third line and he'll be fine.

 

[Michael8771*]

I think Spaling just needs to stay on the third line and he'll be fine.

The thought of him playing meaningful minutes in the top six makes me cringe. I sincerely hope he stays on the third line as well.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Iginla said he'd be happy to play wherever the coaches wanted too. Point being, there are guys who can play either side without a discernible drop off and guys who cannot. The drop off from Dupuis or even Beau shifting to LW, IMO, would be smaller than the drop off with Hornqvist. Apparently, the coaches see it similarly.

Iginla said he didn't mind switching to LW either. How'd that work out? The Penguins just need to stop playing guys on their off-wings to keep KCD together.

Cherry picking a guy who looked out of place there.

Most players if asked will say "I can play either side. Wherever the coach wants me". Well this coach happens to believe Hornqvist is better suited to play on the RW. So that's what is going to happen.

Hornqvist hasn't looked out of place anywhere. I think it's being overboard on this subject considering Iginla's the only proof that seems to come up. Dupuis should go back to LW, but that's not happening now is it?

I understand the Iggy stuff but this is getting over the top. If Neal was still here I guess he'd be moved back to LW as well?

 

[Nharris31]

Good game guys the wild played terrible give or take the third period. If Kuemper didn't stand on his head you guys would have won. Apparently if they don't have Nino,Spurgeon and Haula there in trouble.

 

[jdpitt05]

Downie showed some good hands on that goal. If thats Dupuis, thats definitely a flubbed chance. I really wouldn't mind seeing Kunitz-Crosby-Downie for some shifts. Downie shows some flashes of puck handling and decision making. I really would like to see him be more physical though.

I think Carcillo skated pretty well and showed some constraint on drawing that penalty. I like really what he and Downie can bring. I hope Carcillo lands a spot even as 13th forward.

 

[Fordy]

johnston specifically mentioned adams losing the puck in the refs skates in his presser. never would have happened

 

[drpepper]

Any thoughts on Andrew Ebbett, Sill, or Carcillo making the team and challenging Adams's spot?

Carcillo, I thought, looked good for a first outing and had some nice passes that I wasn't expecting. Ebbett has shown more speed than last year, good offense and defense and decent PKing. Sill has been physical with some decent offensive cycles. Ebbett is the only one of the three that has been good on the penalty kill in the NHL. (Sill has hardly played on the PK in the NHL)

Any further ideas on Sundqvist or Kapanen staying for 9 games?

Sundqvist has looked good if raw. Kapanen has struggled a bit with spatial issues and speed (eg how quickly an NHL defender can cover a smaller ice surface) and with indecision. A generous explanation for playing with Sill-Adams would be to give a playmaker to that line, but I am not sure that I entirely buy that.

 

[ProgOg]

Image from an interesting write-up from tonights game.

The writer didn't like Sunqvist as much as some other people on here:

Oskar Sundqvist – Sundqvist had a rough game with the puck, turning it over twice in the offensive zone (both of which led to rushes and good chances for the Wild) and also failing to clear it from the defensive zone once. I also marked him down for being partially at fault for the second goal against because he followed a player (who was skating into the coverage of two Penguins) too deep into the zone, which left Parise wide open at the point. On a non-performance note, Sundqvist had a good-person moment when he went to hit a player facing the boards in the back and instead made sure to turn and get his side to make it a safer hit. It would be nice to see the Pens give him at least a few games at the NHL level over some of the other fringe veterans to see what he could do.

I would really like to see him get some games after the preseason.

 

[canadianguy77]

johnston specifically mentioned adams losing the puck in the refs skates in his presser. never would have happened

That loser managed to get off the ice before he took a minus. DB wouldn't have noticed.

This gives me hope, but at the same time 27 is getting a awful lot of time on the PK in the preseason.

 

[billybudd]

I haven't seen a single minute of pre-season hockey, but based on past viewings of Spaling... I just think people will have to get on board with the fact that he is an underwhelming, yet safe and versatile, player to have on the roster. Certainly that evaluation of him seems to also fit with what people have been seeing so far.

Hopefully he is being made redundant by a guy like Sundqvist, and can be used as a reasonable, youngish NHL asset in a trade. Until such a thing was to happen... well, he is someone who'll rarely ever hurt us and work hard at a reasonably salary (not a bargain, but reasonable).

Man, if you're right, this guys going to drive me nuts. He falls back on 75/25 pucks. I don't mind responsible play, but he takes it too far.

 

[billybudd]

I feel like Spaling is going to be a solid, if quiet third line winger that people will say was terrible every game no matter what he does.

He's not terrible, but he's certainly aggravating. And I don't mean that in the Carcillo sense.

 

[billybudd]

Any thoughts on Andrew Ebbett, Sill, or Carcillo making the team and challenging Adams's spot?

Carcillo, I thought, looked good for a first outing and had some nice passes that I wasn't expecting. Ebbett has shown more speed than last year, good offense and defense and decent PKing. Sill has been physical with some decent offensive cycles. Ebbett is the only one of the three that has been good on the penalty kill in the NHL. (Sill has hardly played on the PK in the NHL)

Any further ideas on Sundqvist or Kapanen staying for 9 games?

Sundqvist has looked good if raw. Kapanen has struggled a bit with spatial issues and speed (eg how quickly an NHL defender can cover a smaller ice surface) and with indecision. A generous explanation for playing with Sill-Adams would be to give a playmaker to that line, but I am not sure that I entirely buy that.

To me Ebbett doesn't add anything to a fourth line, but I've been underwhelmed with Sill. Gun to the head, I probably go with Carcillo and Farnham right now, assuming a better option isn't available via waivers.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

johnston specifically mentioned adams losing the puck in the refs skates in his presser. never would have happened

Bylsma is going to hunt Johnston down for that comment.

 

[DearDiary]

That loser managed to get off the ice before he took a minus. DB wouldn't have noticed.

This gives me hope, but at the same time 27 is getting a awful lot of time on the PK in the preseason.

Why is Craig getting pk time a problem? As was mentioned earlier, he has been near the top of the league on the pk 4 out of the 5 last years. In one of the years he was first.

You look at specific plays, he screwed up here, he couldn't clear it here. Over 82 games, he is an good pker and the stats back it. The ones who aren't good on the pk are Sutter and especially Spaling.

Goc, Dupuis and Adams very likely get top pk spots if they make the roster

 

[jdpitt05]

Ebbett reminds me of a poor mans Dominic Moore. Skates well, plays smart...don't really see a need for him on the NHL roster though.

 

[canadianguy77]

Why is Craig getting pk time a problem? As was mentioned earlier, he has been near the top of the league on the pk 4 out of the 5 last years. In one of the years he was first.

You look at specific plays, he screwed up here, he couldn't clear it here. Over 82 games, he is an good pker and the stats back it. The ones who aren't good on the pk are Sutter and especially Spaling.

Goc, Dupuis and Adams very likely get top pk spots if they make the roster

I watch every Pens game. Year in and year out.

Earlier in his career he might have been an adequate PKer. He no longer is. He's too slow to get to loose pucks, and when a puck manages to get near him, he flubs the clear. He's not particualrly adept at blocking shots either. (You ever notice how he never gets hurt?)

Last year especially, he was an abomination on the PK. This preseason he's been bad as well.

He and Scuderi have no place on this team. It's a young man's game now unless you're an elite player. We can ice younger, faster, hungrier players to take his place on the PK.

 

[3074326]

Here we go, DearDiary has done it again.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Image from an interesting write-up from tonights game.

Man, this chart makes Ebbett look awesome.

 

[Human]

Why is Craig getting pk time a problem? As was mentioned earlier, he has been near the top of the league on the pk 4 out of the 5 last years. In one of the years he was first.

You look at specific plays, he screwed up here, he couldn't clear it here. Over 82 games, he is an good pker and the stats back it. The ones who aren't good on the pk are Sutter and especially Spaling.

Goc, Dupuis and Adams very likely get top pk spots if they make the roster

yeah, and how was the PK in the playoffs?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Ebbett might play if Kapanen is sent back, I think he might end up being the 3rd or 4th line C and Spaling stays as a winger on the 3rd line instead of moving back to C until Malkin is healthy again.

Adams is terrible and it's nice to see the coach noticing, I think he is playing a lot because the team does want to give kids a chance, but they don't want to put them in situations where they know they aren't ready. Maybe. Adams is garbage and he's shwing them each time, that he just does not belong in the NHL anymore.

I'd send Sundqvist home after the final pre-season game, for sure.

 

[ImporterExporter]

We have looked brutally bad for much of the preseason.

 

[chethejet]

Bennett is key to the Pens being a team with three very good lines. Adding Downie and Spaling with Sutter is a little limited, but still a much better line than the cluster ******* last year. Fourth line of Goc and Comrie is also a nice upgrade from last year. With limited cap and the crap decisions that Shero saddles this franchise with, JR has done a nice job in upgrading the team. It does appear the Pens will be a tough team to play against unlike the Bylsma Shero final product.