Confirmed Signing with Link: [PIT] Penguins re-sign Teddy Blueger (2 years, $750k AAV)

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

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[domaug]

*Steve Dangle at the top of his lungs*

TEDDY BLUEGER
from RIGA, LATVIA

 

[JuJu Mobb]

He's a decent player. Most likely a full-time NHLer.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Solid contract for both sides. Should be playing with the team full time this season.

 

[izzy]

radical, full time this year id imagine

 

[Ignatius]

I like Teddy and this contract. Kid works hard and plays smart, he needs to be at the NHL level full time all next season.

 

[Patmac40]

Teddys Bluegers

Looked solid at WC, hopefully he can stick full time.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Kid has been ready for 2 years and finally got his shot last season. Pencil him in for 4C, with the ability to slide to 3C in a pinch.

He would have been up and full time sooner had Cullen not come back to the Pens.

 

[Hostile Offer]

Talk about a project. Made his NHL debut in his D+7 season with the team that drafted him. That's a long time of investment by the Pens without getting any contribution but it seems to being paying off.

 

[wej20]

radical, full time this year id imagine

I like Teddy and this contract. Kid works hard and plays smart, he needs to be at the NHL level full time all next season.

Can't foresee any situation where he isn't full time in the NHL next season. Will start the season as the 4th line centre and a regular rotation on the PK.

 

[DesertPenguin]

This was fully expected and one of the remaining dominoes to fall for the Pens offseason.

Signing Pettersson will cost some $$$, especially if they want it to be a longer deal. We will then need to move some salary out.

 

[NHL WAR]

Nice deal for Pens

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Talk about a project. Made his NHL debut in his D+7 season with the team that drafted him. That's a long time of investment by the Pens without getting any contribution but it seems to being paying off.

To be fair, Blueger was ready and deserving of a spot last year.

He's the definition of "overripe".

 

[BHD]

He's a decent player. Most likely a full-time NHLer.

He was better than anyone on the 4th line last year. The team needs more players like him.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Good deal for the Pens. Showed some great things and at that price, can't ask for much more!

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Talk about a project. Made his NHL debut in his D+7 season with the team that drafted him. That's a long time of investment by the Pens without getting any contribution but it seems to being paying off.

It could be argued he was ready to see NHL minutes in the bottom six two seasons ago. And last season for sure, and possibly a full 82 at that. He has just been buried by center acquisitions the past few years and guys he may have been able to perform over like Sheahan made to much money to simply sit on the pine for a player from the farm. He is very much ready for his time in the NHL and I fully believe he will be a full time NHL with the Pens this season.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Penguins signed Freddy Krueger?

 

[snipes]

Great deal for the Pens.

Kid plays hard and is good every shift or at least when he makes mistakes he’s going balls to the walls.

+67 in his first 3 full years of pro hockey

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Talk about a project. Made his NHL debut in his D+7 season with the team that drafted him. That's a long time of investment by the Pens without getting any contribution but it seems to being paying off.

He was ready before that. But our management/coaching staff kept playing guys like Carter Rowney and Derek Grant ahead of him.

 

[snipes]

He was ready before that. But our management/coaching staff kept playing guys like Carter Rowney and Derek Grant ahead of him.

Where does he project to play this year?

He’s a good value add for under a million that all top teams have.

I think he’s possibly a 3rd liner by the end of the year after starting 4th line.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

That's some bad hockey name.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Where does he project to play this year?

He’s a good value add for under a million that all top teams have.

I think he’s possibly a 3rd liner by the end of the year after starting 4th line.

Unless Rutherford does something stupid like bring in a 30 year old 4th liner, Blueger should start the year at 4C and get some PK duties.

Depending on how he performs, he might make Bjugstad expendable at 3C. But that's jumping the gun at this point.

 

[snipes]

Unless Rutherford does something stupid like bring in a 30 year old 4th liner, Blueger should start the year at 4C and get some PK duties.

Depending on how he performs, he might make Bjugstad expendable at 3C. But that's jumping the gun at this point.

How is he on the PK?

My limited viewings suggest he’d be good at it.

Feisty and positionally smart player who commits to playing hard every shift in a bottom 6 role = excellent PK potential.

+/- is a flawed stat but +67 in his first 3 pro years confirms the limited eye test I have on him.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

How is he on the PK?

My limited viewings suggest he’d be good at it.

Feisty and positionally smart player who commits to playing hard every shift in a bottom 6 role = excellent PK potential.

+/- is a flawed stat but +67 in his first 3 pro years confirms the limited eye test I have on him.

Seemed alright in the games I saw him getting PK shifts. Might even play on the top PK unit because of the dearth of center options on the PK for the Pens. With Cullen retiring, it's either Blueger or Bjugstad to take faceoffs on that top unit.

His bread and butter is his smarts and positioning. He's not overly fast (not slow, either, but speed isn't really his thing) and or physical, but he just seems to know where to be positionally.

Ironically, his goal scoring surprised me the most. Figured he'd be lucky to ever score 10 goals in a full season (more of a playmaker), but he had like 6 goals in 28 games (around an 18 goal pace), a couple of them nice snipes.

 

[snipes]

Seemed alright in the games I saw him getting PK shifts.

His bread and butter is his smarts and positioning. He's not overly fast (not slow, either, but speed isn't really his thing) and or physical, but he just seems to know where to be positionally.

Ironically, his goal scoring surprised me the most. Figured he'd be lucky to ever score 10 goals in a full season (more of a playmaker), but he had like 6 goals in 28 games (around an 18 goal pace), a couple of them nice snipes.

Hockey IQ is hard to adjudicate outside of the hardcores like some good posters you find here but when you see it there’s no doubt it’s the most valued attribute only perhaps skating ability rivals it, even that high hockey IQ and slow skating > great skating, low IQ.

Positional awareness, gap control, and anticipation ability can overcome some physical limitations. Good value add for the Pens. These shrewd signings are what allow good teams to maintain.

The analytics and spreadsheet crowd will never appreciate the value a guy like him brings.

Balls to the walls player who plays every shift like it’s his last. Again, added value in that he can play 3rd/4th line minutes and kill penalties on a contract under $1M.