Prospect Info: Pittsburgh Penguins Prospect Discussion

[Zero Pucks]

Sure if you completely ignore Despres'

When was the last time Oprik was out of position like Despres in Vancouver? Orpik might make small mistakes that add up here and there. But he doesnt hand teams breakaways.

You might want to rethink what you just said.

 

[Fordy]

I don't know if I've ever seen someone try to argue that Orpik's a smart player before

 

[MrBurghundy]

I don't know if I've ever seen someone try to argue that Orpik's a smart player before

Well there's always a first for everything.

 

[IcedCapp]

Christ, Despres wasn't out of position on the goal against in Vancouver. He misread the play and didn't think the player could make that pass. His depth was a bit off, but he wasn't out of position.

For ****'s sake, my biggest problem with people defending the organization with regards to the Despres situation is they just either don't understand hockey, don't watch hockey, or are just flat out making things up in order to push the contrarian position

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Christ, Despres wasn't out of position on the goal against in Vancouver. He misread the play and didn't think the player could make that pass. His depth was a bit off, but he wasn't out of position.

For ****'s sake, my biggest problem with people defending the organization with regards to the Despres situation is they just either don't understand hockey, don't watch hockey, or are just flat out making things up in order to push the contrarian position.

...or the organizational agenda.

 

[IcedCapp]

...or the organizational agenda.

same thing at this point!

 

[Honour Over Glory]

So to steer away from whatever the hell is going on in this page.


How is Matia Marcantuoni doing? Can we at least hope for him to be a Cogliano type at best? Or is he a long shot for that and likely more like a 4th line energy player?

 

[Valarukar]

So to steer away from whatever the hell is going on in this page.


How is Matia Marcantuoni doing? Can we at least hope for him to be a Cogliano type at best? Or is he a long shot for that and likely more like a 4th line energy player?

I'd be very happy if he ended up as a balls to the walls 4th line forechecking nightmare. He was a 4th round pick so even if he makes it onto an NHL roster consistently I'd say that's a win.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

So to steer away from whatever the hell is going on in this page.


How is Matia Marcantuoni doing? Can we at least hope for him to be a Cogliano type at best? Or is he a long shot for that and likely more like a 4th line energy player?

Cogliano made the WJC both years after he was drafted, Marcantuoni wasn't even on the radar. If you don't show offensive upside in the OHL 2 years after being drafted then I think we have to look at him as a 4th liner as you said.

 

[cygnus47]

Pouliot with 2 more points!

 

[MrBurghundy]

Yay!

 

[jmelm]

How is Matia Marcantuoni doing? Can we at least hope for him to be a Cogliano type at best? Or is he a long shot for that and likely more like a 4th line energy player?

No. Cogliano had real high level skill as a young player. We're not seeing any of the type of skill that some scouts thought made Macaroni a potential top-10 pick at the beginning of his draft year. He could end up being a very good, energy producing player that could driver other teams nuts and be good on the PK -- kind of like Vitale, but with a tad less physicality, and a touch more offense. Those 2 could make 2/3rds of a great 4th line. Bottom 6 is where he tops out.

Pouliot with 2 more points!

Yay!

Indeed!! And a good majority of these recent points have been goals, relatively to his production before the WJCs. That tells me he's playing with more confidence and is asserting himself offensively. Hopefully it's not coming at the expense of defense, and he's continuing to play at a high level in all areas of the game.

 

[SprootsMasterFlex]

Great Pouliot Article on NHL.com

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=701452

 

[Shrimper]

Am I right in thinking that Portland has quite a strong defence even after Jones has left with Pouliot and Dumba?

 

[Hottubber]

Great Pouliot Article on NHL.com

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=701452

Thanks for posting that. Good to hear about Pouliot recognizing that he needs to distribute his weight differently and add some muscle.

 

[Burgs]

Philip Samuelsson has been named AHL Player of the Week after his surprising offensive outburst with 5 points and a +6 in 3 games.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Philip Samuelsson has been named AHL Player of the Week after his surprising offensive outburst with 5 points and a +6 in 3 games.

Yet another player better than Brooks Orpik. We now have too many to count down on the farm!

 

[IcedCapp]

Yet another player better than Brooks Orpik. We now have too many to count down on the farm!

I want to get rid of Orpik as much as anyone, but I didn't think Samuelsson was that good during his call-up.

Nothing against him, he seems to have a lot of tools and a bright future, but he's a while away, imo.

 

[Fordy]

Samuelsson wasn't any more mistake prone than Orpik.

 

[Gallatin]

Pouliot is peaking. Archibald is peaking. Samuelsson is peaking.

All three of these guys are putting up big numbers. Exciting times in Pens prospects land.

I would love to see Ulfie's son stay hot, and turn into a decent trade chip at the deadline. Stranger things have happened.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I want to get rid of Orpik as much as anyone, but I didn't think Samuelsson was that good during his call-up.

Nothing against him, he seems to have a lot of tools and a bright future, but he's a while away, imo.

And he can keep developing down there for another year or two with the call up here and there. Orpik has nothing left and I just hope we can deal him and get something back in return

 

[cygnus47]

Pouliot is peaking. Archibald is peaking. Samuelsson is peaking.

All three of these guys are putting up big numbers. Exciting times in Pens prospects land.

I would love to see Ulfie's son stay hot, and turn into a decent trade chip at the deadline. Stranger things have happened.

He's played well, but those points were all, bar a powerplay point, standing right next to and involving our boy Despres. So there's your reason.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

And he can keep developing down there for another year or two with the call up here and there. Orpik has nothing left and I just hope we can deal him and get something back in return

If I'm not mistaken, this is Samuelsson's last year of being waiver-exempt.

 

[jmelm]

He's played well, but those points were all, bar a powerplay point, standing right next to and involving our boy Despres. So there's your reason.

Despres has been great the last few games, but Samuelsson has also been great the last few weeks, before Despres came back, and is not merely by riding the coat-tails of Despres. I'm still not sure where Samuelsson tops out when you project him, because he took the very uncommon route of leaving college for the pro game BEFORE he was a dominant player at the former level.


But his trajectory has been hard to ignore, and he definitely seems to be taking A LOT of confidence from his call up to the NHL and not looking out of place and playing quite well when he was here. Ultimately, he may also not be able to crack our team or be part of the future long term, but if he keeps progressing like he has, he could certainly become a fairly valuable trade asset to have.

 

[jmelm]

If I'm not mistaken, this is Samuelsson's last year of being waiver-exempt.

Yes, and currently I see him either as being a nice piece to throw into a deal sometime between now and the start of next season; or making the roster as our #7th Dman who can fill in for short spurts in the event of injuries, etc. We're not going to want to have our "better" prospects like Pouliot/Harrington/Dumoulin sitting in the pressbox in the NHL if they can be playing huge roles for what should be one of the league' best teams in the AHL next season.


But Samuelsson is a guy who we would not worry to much about getting wasted as being our #7 next year if he stays. Either way, his development has been a pleasant surprise, and he's gone from being pretty much off the radar to rather on it.