Recalled/Assigned: Pens have recalled Harry Zolnierczyk from WBS and have placed James Neal on IR

mpp9

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Dec 5, 2010
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By playing on the 3rd line. If he's playing well in all facets of the game it will be apparent, no matter what line he's on. Notice how guys like Hilbert, Armstrong, Recchi, etc. were all replaced on the top lines as soon as someone more capable was available. When Bennett's better than Dupuis or Kunitz he will replace them.

Doubt it. At least this year. Sid's "chemistry" with Dupuis and the need for depth scoring will keep things as they are.
 

cheesedanish87

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Context, cheese pastry, context. Bennett played mostly 4th lines minutes with Gladams and company. Did you really expect him to light the lamp there? Not to mention, BB is a playmaker. He will likely be a 20 goal, 35-50 assist guy in his prime.

BB would work well with Sid because Sid needs some skill on his line. Two stone hand wingers will not work. Sid may be a pass first guy (I'm not sure that's necessarily the case), but he's a fairly straight line player. Having a guy that can pull up in traffic, make a move to open up space for him will be huge. I think they would be great together.

I think we agree with the type of player BB could be, i could see him being a 20 goal 40 assist type player.

Whoever plays on a line with Sid is going to gets lots of scoring chances, and i just don't think that's BB strength, BB making plays setting up Neal for some one timers seems like a better fit to me.
 

Jag68Sid87

Sullivan gots to go!
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I'm fine with Kunitz, Dupuis, and Neal as 3 of our 4 top 6 wingers. Jussi Jokinen, if he continues his play deserves the 4th spot. Beau Bennett will be a great player, but as of now he's nowhere near as good as those guys. Not only are they still better offensively, they have experience and play well rounded games. Pens are trying to win now, i have no problem with Bennett on the 3rd line for this season. He'll be on the top 2 lines when he brings more to the table than our current top 6 wingers.

The problem with this line of thinking is when will Bennett be deemed 'ready'? Once he was given the top-six job, he played well, in all areas of the game (two-way play, complementing linemates, showing more physicality than expected, creating chances on his own, etc.), and never showed he was out of place.

The only thing he didn't do was score a hat-trick in preseason. And for that, he was demoted again.

Bennett isn't going to get top-six forward minutes regularly. Ever. There will ALWAYS be a Jussi Jokinen available for Shero to acquire. And Bylsma will play him ahead of Bennett.
 

Speaking Moistly

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Ab. So. Lutely.

One thing I agree wholeheartedly with (and I think mpp brought this up in another thread?) is now that Staal has departed... the emphasis needs to be building around Crosby and Malkin. Needs to be. It needed to start happening, like... yesterday.

X/Bennett - Crosby - Bennett/X
Jokinen/Y - Malkin - Neal
Kunitz - Z (Jeffrey?) - Dupuis
Kobasew/W - Adams - Vitale

Scuderi - Letang
Martin - Young D1
Bortuzzo - Young D2

Should be happening in the near future, keep the 4th line cheap and offset K/D's salaries with a cheap centre. Play the young D to pay for the top 6.
 

BlindWillyMcHurt

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I think we agree with the type of player BB could be, i could see him being a 20 goal 40 assist type player.

Whoever plays on a line with Sid is going to gets lots of scoring chances, and i just don't think that's BB strength, BB making plays setting up Neal for some one timers seems like a better fit to me.

Crosby is a pretty damned good goal scorer, himself, though. Not a pure sniper like Neal but he has no problem finishing his chances. I think Bennett next to Crosby would make a lot of sense for that reason. It doesn't much matter that Bennett isn't a pure goal scorer... he has offensive creativity and great anticipation/vision. That would go well with Sid. Get him the pucks in areas he can use it.
 

Shady Machine

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Crosby is a pretty damned good goal scorer, himself, though. Not a pure sniper like Neal but he has no problem finishing his chances. I think Bennett next to Crosby would make a lot of sense for that reason. It doesn't much matter that Bennett isn't a pure goal scorer... he has offensive creativity and great anticipation/vision. That would go well with Sid. Get him the pucks in areas he can use it.

Exactly. Plus, there is that Geno guy that's a pretty good playmaker for Neal. If either of the 2 lines needs a set up man, it's Crosby's line.
 

mpp9

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I think we agree with the type of player BB could be, i could see him being a 20 goal 40 assist type player.

Whoever plays on a line with Sid is going to gets lots of scoring chances, and i just don't think that's BB strength, BB making plays setting up Neal for some one timers seems like a better fit to me.

Not to single you out, but I hate this line of thinking. Why can't Sid have a guy who sets HIM up. Sid would be far more difficult to defend in that scenario.
 

Shady Machine

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The problem with this line of thinking is when will Bennett be deemed 'ready'? Once he was given the top-six job, he played well, in all areas of the game (two-way play, complementing linemates, showing more physicality than expected, creating chances on his own, etc.), and never showed he was out of place.

The only thing he didn't do was score a hat-trick in preseason. And for that, he was demoted again.

Bennett isn't going to get top-six forward minutes regularly. Ever. There will ALWAYS be a Jussi Jokinen available for Shero to acquire. And Bylsma will play him ahead of Bennett.

Jokinen isn't the problem here. It's Super Duper.
 

BlindWillyMcHurt

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Exactly. Plus, there is that Geno guy that's a pretty good playmaker for Neal. If either of the 2 lines needs a set up man, it's Crosby's line.

Exactly. The first line is desperate for another playmaker. Just... anyone who can do something with the puck. It doesn't bug me that Beau hasn't found his goal scoring touch, yet. That line doesn't really need that with Crosby and Kunitz on it, already. What they need is someone who can actually find the open lanes, hold the puck for more than .5 seconds at a time and open up the offensive zone a little bit with their creativity and patience.

mpp9 said:
Not to single you out, but I hate this line of thinking. Why can't Sid have a guy who sets HIM up. Sid would be far more difficult to defend in that scenario.

Agreed. And what a nightmare that would be for every other team in the league. He's already pretty alright, ya know?
 

mpp9

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Jokinen isn't the problem here. It's Super Duper.

Yeah seeing him live with Malkin convinced me he'll be fine there. They support one another well. They just need Neal back to build chemistry as a line. He's a perfect stopgap solution.

The sooner Dupes is flanking Sutter, the better for this team's Cup chances.
 

cheesedanish87

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Not to single you out, but I hate this line of thinking. Why can't Sid have a guy who sets HIM up. Sid would be far more difficult to defend in that scenario.

I don't think Sid needs anybody to set him up, he can create his own scoring chances, if there is somebody who needs better line mates its Geno, it seems like Geno has had a different winger every couple games for the last couple years.
 

mpp9

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I don't think Sid needs anybody to set him up, he can create his own scoring chances, if there is somebody who needs better line mates its Geno, it seems like Geno has had a different winger every couple games for the last couple years.

Why would you not want a potential 60 goal guy to have a playmaker? Sid uses his linemates better than anyone in the league. God forbid one of them thinks the game on his level.
 

Shady Machine

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I don't think Sid needs anybody to set him up, he can create his own scoring chances, if there is somebody who needs better line mates its Geno, it seems like Geno has had a different winger every couple games for the last couple years.

This is very confusing. If Sid doesn't need anyone to set him up then why would Geno?

Geno has Neal. You have set up man, Geno, and elite sniper Neal. Add in Jokinen and you have a guy feeding Geno and Neal opportunities. That line will be pretty balanced other than a speedy forechecker which I don't think they need due to style of play. That line will be ragging the puck all over the ice.

What Geno needs is consistent line mates. Neal is one and Jokinen appears to be the other based on the 1st 5 games. I think Bennett could do well there, but it's obvious that his playmaking skills are needed more with Sid.
 

cheesedanish87

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Why would you not want a potential 60 goal guy to have a playmaker? Sid uses his linemates better than anyone in the league. God forbid one of them thinks the game on his level.

You make it seem like Sid is out there playing with a couple scrubs, obviously playing with Sid helps Kunitz and Dupuis production, but Kunitz and Dupuis have shown they don't need Crosby to put up good numbers, there good hockey players playing with or without Crosby.
 

billybudd

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There any odds on Zolnierczyk doing something stupid tonight? If I can get them, I'm taking the over.
 

cheesedanish87

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This is very confusing. If Sid doesn't need anyone to set him up then why would Geno?

Geno has Neal. You have set up man, Geno, and elite sniper Neal. Add in Jokinen and you have a guy feeding Geno and Neal opportunities. That line will be pretty balanced other than a speedy forechecker which I don't think they need due to style of play. That line will be ragging the puck all over the ice.

What Geno needs is consistent line mates. Neal is one and Jokinen appears to be the other based on the 1st 5 games. I think Bennett could do well there, but it's obvious that his playmaking skills are needed more with Sid.

Sid is better then Geno, my main point is i think BB fits better with a sniper like Neal, i know Sid can score a bunch of goals when he wants to, but he scores them in a different way then Neal, Sid gets lots of his goals by going to the net, i know Sid just had that one timer on his hat trick goal but that's not really his strength.
 

Shady Machine

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Sid is better then Geno, my main point is i think BB fits better with a sniper like Neal, i know Sid can score a bunch of goals when he wants to, but he scores them in a different way then Neal, Sid gets lots of his goals by going to the net, i know Sid just had that one timer on his hat trick goal but that's not really his strength.

Sid being better than Geno is arguable but that's a conversation for another time. I guess we will just have to agree to disagree. Malkin and Jokinen are Neal's set up men. There is no room or need for Bennett. Kunitz and Crosby could really use a guy like Bennett IMO.
 

Your Boy Troy

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There any odds on Zolnierczyk doing something stupid tonight? If I can get them, I'm taking the over.

Pretty much. You know that he is going to do something stupid and wind up making one his teammates drop the gloves because of it.

I can see it now. Harry Z will take a run at one of the Oilers' star players. He will get challenged by Mike Brown/Luke Gazdic, and he will refuse to fight them. Tanner Glass/Craig Adams/Robert Bortuzzo/Deryk Engelland will stand up for Harry Z and drop the gloves.
 

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