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Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread

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HandshakeLine

HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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Randy Butternubs said:
Yeah, not looking too good.

Leaves college early for an ATO with WBS. Then signs a contract with WBS, barely attends the summer camp, and is then released from WBS.

Soon after that he signs with SC, plays a game with them, and is then released from SC. But then he signs with Manchester and ends his season there.

That summer he signs with Reading, doesn't play for Reading (edit: he was released by Reading right before the season started), ends up signing with Norfolk even though I can't find any source for this (edit: signed mid-November), plays for them until he's traded to Greenville where he only plays 3 games. His tenure with Greenville is cut short due to COVID.
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I ain't much of a fortune teller, but those are some pretty gnarly tea leaves.
 

Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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HandshakeLine said:
That’s some Peter Tosh levels of weed going on there then. Some absolutely heroic blazin’.
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Part of me suspects he's just not that good to begin with. I'm sure there's been good prospects who've come out of juniors into the pros with bad addictions and who've received help (and kudos to the NHL and NHLPA in general for how much their recreational drug testing is about help rather than punishment. A guy like Masonius who probably wasn't making it even if he cleaned up his act? Too bad so long. Which is a shame, but not even one of the bigger ones in the world today.
 
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SHOOTANDSCORE

SHOOTANDSCORE

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe
Sep 25, 2005
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Peat said:
I thought Gudzilla skated well enough tbh. Could certainly motor forwards and had enough skating to be difficult to go around the outside of.

But yeah, okay, if we're using Maatta as subpar, then yeah, not much space for wingers like that here. Pretty sure Legare and Poulin are already better than poor Olli, bless him.

Also... disagree on ZAR. I think he thinks the game pretty well, which explains his shiny defensive stats and the fact his production when deployed high was actually pretty strong until this season. He also got a lot of glorious chances this season and absolutely blew most of them. I actually think his brain is probably his strongest attribute.
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Re ZAR: I agree, he thinks the game well in general. But I think HSL has a point about when he's bumped up. Sometimes you can see the gears turning when he's trying to play with high offensive IQ guys.
 
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Peat

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Scott Wheeler had a piece on Poulin in the Athletic today and how he's a package of power and finesse - really encouraging reading, particularly on how the finesse part of Poulin's game in terms of controlling and passing the puck, and how he's seeing the game and finding soft places to play from, improved over the season. Seems like acceleration is the only thing in his game that's not plus at this point, at least for his level.
 
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cookthebooks

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Peat said:
Scott Wheeler had a piece on Poulin in the Athletic today and how he's a package of power and finesse - really encouraging reading, particularly on how the finesse part of Poulin's game in terms of controlling and passing the puck, and how he's seeing the game and finding soft places to play from, improved over the season. Seems like acceleration is the only thing in his game that's not plus at this point, at least for his level.
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this really was a fantastic read, only wish the video quality was higher but guessing thats just the nature of junior hockey video feeds
 
Dipsy Doodle

Dipsy Doodle

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May 28, 2006
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SHOOTANDSCORE said:
Re ZAR: I agree, he thinks the game well in general. But I think HSL has a point about when he's bumped up. Sometimes you can see the gears turning when he's trying to play with high offensive IQ guys.
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Yeah. Big difference between having a sound defensive IQ and being able to process and execute offensive plays at a high level.

Peat said:
Scott Wheeler had a piece on Poulin in the Athletic today and how he's a package of power and finesse - really encouraging reading, particularly on how the finesse part of Poulin's game in terms of controlling and passing the puck, and how he's seeing the game and finding soft places to play from, improved over the season. Seems like acceleration is the only thing in his game that's not plus at this point, at least for his level.
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His quickness has always made me doubt how he'd work in our top 6 with centers who have already lost a step and will naturally slow down further as they age, but Simon has managed to tread water on the top line as a slower guy who compensates with puck protection and soft feeds, and Poulin sounds like he's got quite a bit more more finesse and power to his game. Plus he can shoot!
 
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BlindWillyMcHurt

BlindWillyMcHurt

ti kallisti
May 31, 2004
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I know this is about as cliche as it can possibly get but I'm fine if your skating is a bit clunky if you can think and process the game at a high level. High offensive IQ can get you to the good spots of the ice often faster than being a burner.
 
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BlindWillyMcHurt

BlindWillyMcHurt

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May 31, 2004
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Soggy Biscuit said:
A la Mark Stone
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Yeah a good example.

I just don't think it's an accident most of the time when you keep on saying "man he's always in the right spot" about certain players. Or "the puck really seems to follow that guy."

In most ways I take that over pure speed. But obviously it is a big selling point in today's league.
 
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Mr Jiggyfly

Mr Jiggyfly

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Jan 29, 2004
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I have zero concerns about Poulin’s acceleration or any aspect of his skating.

He has a faster first step than Guenztel and he’s done just fine with Malkin/Crosby.

He’s the first fwd prospect in awhile that I have no concerns about... no size, skating, skill or IQ worries.

My last three favorite fwd prospects I felt good about all had legit concerns... Ie Guentzel was his size, Simon was his first few steps, Rust was his offensive IQ.

Maybe the NHL game will be too fast for Poulin, but there aren’t any obvious concerns that will hold him back.
 
Dipsy Doodle

Dipsy Doodle

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pixiesfanyo said:
I wonder if either Poulin or Legare gets a look in the playoffs if we have some injuries.
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The brass seem to really like both of them, so it could happen. I imagine it'd depend on who gets hurt.

They'd probably defer to WBS guys with experience if they needed a bottom 6 type (Lafferty/Angello), but if they lost a scoring winger and needed some pop they might go with one of the junior kids.
 

Peat

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Soggy Biscuit said:
His quickness has always made me doubt how he'd work in our top 6 with centers who have already lost a step and will naturally slow down further as they age, but Simon has managed to tread water on the top line as a slower guy who compensates with puck protection and soft feeds, and Poulin sounds like he's got quite a bit more more finesse and power to his game. Plus he can shoot!
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I kinda like that comp in a weird way and I don't think Jiggy's wrong about Guentzel not exactly being a burner either.

My big demand for them - while acknowledging they will need guys to stretch the ice and do the fast work for them in future - is guys who can operate in tight spaces. To me, that's where the NHL is going - increasing levels of pressure on the puck carrier - and having a way of dealing that will be the make or break for guys hoping to roll as more than complimentary top 6 guys. I look at the selected vids and I really see that with Poulin.
 
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Rakell67

Rakell67

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Sep 28, 2017
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Can anyone reflect on Angello’s potential and discuss his pros/cons? I wasn’t blown away from what I saw of him.
 
Dipsy Doodle

Dipsy Doodle

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Peat said:
I kinda like that comp in a weird way and I don't think Jiggy's wrong about Guentzel not exactly being a burner either.

My big demand for them - while acknowledging they will need guys to stretch the ice and do the fast work for them in future - is guys who can operate in tight spaces. To me, that's where the NHL is going - increasing levels of pressure on the puck carrier - and having a way of dealing that will be the make or break for guys hoping to roll as more than complimentary top 6 guys. I look at the selected vids and I really see that with Poulin.
Click to expand...

That's where guys like Rust and Zucker come in (and more controversially, McCann).
 
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