Confirmed with Link: Pens sign D Niclas Andersén out of Sweden

[Big McLargehuge]

Oh ********. Orpik was solid for a while. Just because the team didn't move on from him like they should have doesn't take away what he contributed.

Exactly. Orpik was trash at the end, but was awesome until the wheels fell off sometime in 2012-13. He was a steal for a few years on that contract.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Loved Orpik. Seeing him have a good post-season was one of the best parts of the playoffs for me.

 

[Farnham4top6]

Disappointed at this signing would much rater have someone like Hellraiser or Welch.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

http://www.amazon.com/Clue-Board-Game-2013-Edition/dp/B00DUB6RVW

give me $9 more please

 

[Darth Vitale]

Whether or not this pans out, i like that they're looking at European leagues for possible talent. A welcome change.

Agree. This seems like a classic all-upside, no risk signing and potentially will address a need in our bottom pairing in the near future. Also he's a SVEEEED!

 

[gordie]

Here's hoping they give him the #47 sweater because its always been unlucky for this franchise in the past and maybe Niclas Andersen can make it lucky this time.

 

[SidDidNothingWrong]

So the Penguins have signed Swedish defenseman Niclas Andersén to a 1 year ELC.

Age: 27
Size: 6'1", 218 lbs
Shoots: Left

Andersén was originally drafted by L.A. back in 2006 (114th overall) but never crossed the pond. He became an SHL regular at age 19 and spent six seasons with Brynäs, winning the league title in 2012. Played for Cherepovets in the KHL from 2012 to 2014. Returned to Brynäs last season, captaining the club and putting up a career high 5-17-22 in 54 games. Has represented Sweden at the 2008 WJC (winning Silver) and the 2014 World Championships (winning Bronze).

From what I've found in his early 20s he was being compared style-wise to former Kings captain Matthias Norström. A dependable defensive defenseman with physicality and leadership skills. Apparently he didn't develop as well as hoped. But now with his recent success he wants to give it a real shot.

Despreström

 

[Jacob]

For the Swedes, does he play the left or right side, or both?

 

[eXile59]

We had a cheaper, younger version of Orpik in Despres.

 

[Black Label]

For the Swedes, does he play the left or right side, or both?

He's played both before, but he's definitely played left more often.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

We had a cheaper, younger version of Orpik in Despres.

None of the bolded statement is true by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I agree. Really, for me, it's Sekera @ 5.5-6M or go full youth. Sekera's the only bonafide top 4 defender FA. You can slot Franson in there but he has no where near the defending abilities of Sekera.

Yeah no thanks. Go with the youth, defensemen are highly sought after and they don't even need to be good, just half-decent to mediocre.

Sekera is better than Petry, if Petry got Orpik money, you better believe Sekera is 6m+.

There is no ****ing way the Pens should be throwing that kind of contract around. Let someone else regret it.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Andersen will get his first taste of life in the United States when he arrives in Pittsburgh for training camp. He knows that nothing is going to be handed to him. He’ll enter camp with the same goal as everyone else, earning a job.

“I have to make the team. It’s going to be hard,†he said. “There are a lot of good players in their organization. It’s going to be tough. I’m looking forward to practicing hard this summer and coming to camp in September.

“I’m 27. I want to go to the NHL and see how good I can be.â€

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=771122

 

[vodeni]

why do I think if he were any good he wouldn't be snatched by this organization

 

[The Old Master]

why do I think if he were any good he wouldn't be snatched by this organization

I know our clowns, but we have been good at reclamation of de-men

 

[The Greatest 101]

We had a cheaper, younger version of Orpik in Despres.

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

 

[Shady Machine]

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

For one, that's just not true. Secondly, Despres is not in his prime yet, so I guess time will tell who has the better career.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

Yup.

For one, that's just not true. Secondly, Despres is not in his prime yet, so I guess time will tell who has the better career.

Prime Orpik was a feared open ice hitter and a smooth skating defenseman that was an amazing partner for Gonchar for a while. Despres, is still trying to find his footing and seems to make some of the same mistakes when he was a Penguin and his short time with the Ducks.

Simon would need to get better real fast to get to Orpik's level of play when he was in his prime. I think people hated Orpik the last 2yrs so much that they forget just how good he was. There was a reason LA & NYR were throwing a ton of money at him after 2009.

 

[Darth Vitale]

None of the bolded statement is true by any stretch of the imagination.

No ****. I don't know where this Orpik comparison thing is coming from...

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

... they're not even remotely comparable players style-wise and skill-wise. If he maintains his physicality and continues to develop his game he will end up a more valuable player than Orpik ever was. He just won't be running around pancaking people into the boards all night like Orpik did earlier in his career. Orpik was a purely defensive, physical D man in his prime. He didn't skate that great, pass that great, and had virtually no offensive upside. He was an intimidator.

Despres is going to be an all-around, highly mobile, two-way D with some physicality and punch but who has plenty over Orpik in the skating, vision / passing and shooting departments. It may take a couple years for him to fully get there now that he's not being ****ed up by this organization but he will get there IMO.


And in case anyone is going to bring it up, Orpik's skating only improved markedly towards the end of his time here. Unfortunately not too long before the wheels came off all together from injuries and all that physical play taking its toll. But, no idea why anyone would try to compare the two. Different types of player, different skill levels too. Pretty pointless exercise whether it's June and we're bored or not.

 

[gordie]

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

You don't have to put down Orpik like that just because he left for more money.

 

[gordie]

For one, that's just not true. Secondly, Despres is not in his prime yet, so I guess time will tell who has the better career.

You mean he will cough up the puck, get out of position, over skate the puck, blow coverages and come even later on changes even more then he does now? Bad news for the Ducks!!

 

[bambamcam4ever]

No ****. I don't know where this Orpik comparison thing is coming from...




... they're not even remotely comparable players style-wise and skill-wise. If he maintains his physicality and continues to develop his game he will end up a more valuable player than Orpik ever was. He just won't be running around pancaking people into the boards all night like Orpik did earlier in his career. Orpik was a purely defensive, physical D man in his prime. He didn't skate that great, pass that great, and had virtually no offensive upside. He was an intimidator.

Despres is going to be an all-around, highly mobile, two-way D with some physicality and punch but who has plenty over Orpik in the skating, vision / passing and shooting departments. It may take a couple years for him to fully get there now that he's not being ****ed up by this organization but he will get there IMO.


And in case anyone is going to bring it up, Orpik's skating only improved markedly towards the end of his time here. Unfortunately not too long before the wheels came off all together from injuries and all that physical play taking its toll. But, no idea why anyone would try to compare the two. Different types of player, different skill levels too. Pretty pointless exercise whether it's June and we're bored or not.

Sure...

 

[eXile59]

Prime Orpik was twice the player Despres is.

Despres is on track with Orpiks physicality at his age but is already a better skater, stickhandler, and passer.

I hate when nostalgia blinds people.

 

[Shady Machine]

Yup.


Prime Orpik was a feared open ice hitter and a smooth skating defenseman that was an amazing partner for Gonchar for a while. Despres, is still trying to find his footing and seems to make some of the same mistakes when he was a Penguin and his short time with the Ducks.

Simon would need to get better real fast to get to Orpik's level of play when he was in his prime. I think people hated Orpik the last 2yrs so much that they forget just how good he was. There was a reason LA & NYR were throwing a ton of money at him after 2009.

What years would you consider Orpik's prime? How old was he during this prime? These are important questions to answer before making a declaration that prime Orpik is twice as good as Despres. Despres isn't in his prime yet and is coming off a very good season all things considered. If he can build off of last year, he will be an amazing partner for Fowler.

The point is that it's too early to make any kind of declaration like that.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Despres is on track with Orpiks physicality at his age but is already a better skater, stickhandler, and passer.

I hate when nostalgia blinds people.

There's a huge difference in the type of physicality here. Despres had a great physical game, but he wasn't the open ice presence Orpik was. Despres wasn't afraid to hit anyone or anything, but Orpik separated the man from the puck and introduced him to the ice.

The stink of the end of Orpik's tenure has led to a lot of people forgetting just how good he was. Orpik was an ideal #2 for a good while. Despres' upside is more of a two-way #3...very different styles aside from both hitting people.