Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread

[Randy Butternubs]

He's probably more like Saad.

 

[stardog]

I see him more of a Brutus Beefcake before his days as "The Barber" but hoping for a late 80's Randy Savage

Oh, and for my obligatory Puusti update, HPK won a close one. 1-1 after 3 and went to shootout. Puusti held pointless but had a whopping 9 shots on goal, played on the top line and what really spoke to me, in such a close game he played 6 minutes over his average ice time with an enormous 23:05.
That much time in so close a game speaks volumes about the trust his coach has in him.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I see him more of a Brutus Beefcake before his days as "The Barber" but hoping for a late 80's Randy Savage

Oh, and for my obligatory Puusti update, HPK won a close one. 1-1 after 3 and went to shootout. Puusti held pointless but had a whopping 9 shots on goal, played on the top line and what really spoke to me, in such a close game he played 6 minutes over his average ice time with an enormous 23:05.
That much time in so close a game speaks volumes about the trust his coach has in him.

9 SOG is more impressive than a point imo

 

[Peat]

Yeah, I think he plays like a less tall, less fast Saad somewhat imo. Might just be they way they look skating tho.

I can see some ZAR possibility as a boring bottom 6er that doesn’t find his offensive game whenever tried in the top 6, maybe with a more heavy game... but that’s still an NHL player that is a net plus on the ice.

I think Poulin probably has more offensive chops today than ZAR and something would have to go seriously wrong for him to not keep improving there. I think we're more talking a McCann - does good things then go dry - although Poulin maybe already has as much puck poise as him. You can never be entirely sure about this until seeing him in the same situations we've seen them in but on what we've got, I feel happy saying that.

These are famous last words but, even with everything I've learned on being negative about prospects, he seems to have a real high floor.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I think Poulin probably has more offensive chops today than ZAR and something would have to go seriously wrong for him to not keep improving there.

looks that way but ZAR was a really good scorer at collegiate and AHL level. Obv Poulin is younger and a 1st round pick but sometimes it seems like that can fall off at the NHL level for little reason.

Luckily he’s got a build and athletic profile where I think he can play a role if the points never come.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

looks that way but ZAR was a really good scorer at collegiate and AHL level. Obv Poulin is younger and a 1st round pick but sometimes it seems like that can fall off at the NHL level for little reason.

Luckily he’s got a build and athletic profile where I think he can play a role if the points never come.

Interestingly enough about ZAR, he was never really a "scorer" until his Junior and Senior years in college. He's certainly had success in the AHL, though.


[edit] Meant to reply to @Peat and accidentally quoted you saying the same thing I just said.

 

[Jacob]

Maybe Dubois but a winger is an apt comparison for Poulin.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

Maybe Dubois but a winger is an apt comparison for Poulin.

Really excited to focus on Poulin at the WJC

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Playing with Byfield and Krebs on the listed “first” line for Team Red past couple days.

 

[Peat]

Playing with Byfield and Krebs on the listed “first” line for Team Red past couple days.

That would be super exciting if it comes through.

 

[Empoleon8771]

On ZAR, I think the Penguins rushed him to the NHL and ruined any chances he had at developing beyond a defensive 4th liner. ZAR was never going to become more than a 4th liner with the usage/deployment/development the Penguins gave him. I think that plus a decline due to injuries are really why ZAR took a step back, and I imagine he'll be even worse next year and gone after next year.

 

[Peat]

On ZAR, I think the Penguins rushed him to the NHL and ruined any chances he had at developing beyond a defensive 4th liner. ZAR was never going to become more than a 4th liner with the usage/deployment/development the Penguins gave him. I think that plus a decline due to injuries are really why ZAR took a step back, and I imagine he'll be even worse next year and gone after next year.

Hmm. Not sure I agree with this. ZAR got plenty of looks with Sid and Geno and even with a very defensive task, he was still getting a bunch of really good chances with Blueger and Tanev - he just blew them. Maaaybe he'd have developed his attacking skillset more with more time in the AHL? But that's a maybe.

I also think the big reason ZAR's not taking the way they hoped is his high intensity games are 1 in 10 (maybe due to fear of injuries tbf) and that he's simply not good enough to be much more than a defensive guy if he's not playing high intensity.

 

[Darren McCord]

Hmm. Not sure I agree with this. ZAR got plenty of looks with Sid and Geno and even with a very defensive task, he was still getting a bunch of really good chances with Blueger and Tanev - he just blew them. Maaaybe he'd have developed his attacking skillset more with more time in the AHL? But that's a maybe.

I also think the big reason ZAR's not taking the way they hoped is his high intensity games are 1 in 10 (maybe due to fear of injuries tbf) and that he's simply not good enough to be much more than a defensive guy if he's not playing high intensity.

This

People forget about 2018-2019 when everyone started hating ZAR. The only reason people got frustrated with him is because he was getting 2nd line minutes over other players. In 2018-2019 his most common linemates were Kessel and Malkin.

 

[Jacob]

ZAR was like 24 when he became a regular. Not sure how much more seasoning you can give.. 26 is the cutoff for even being a prospect IMO.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

On ZAR, I think the Penguins rushed him to the NHL and ruined any chances he had at developing beyond a defensive 4th liner. ZAR was never going to become more than a 4th liner with the usage/deployment/development the Penguins gave him. I think that plus a decline due to injuries are really why ZAR took a step back, and I imagine he'll be even worse next year and gone after next year.

I'm not sure how anyone can argue ZAR wasn't given ample opportunity here.

His most frequent line in '18-'19 was with Malkin and Kessel.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm late to this party.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Looking at ZAR's linemates he was paired with Sid and Sheary for almost 30% in 17-18. And then in 18-19 he got 32% with Geno and Phil.

 

[Gurglesons]

ZAR was forecasted as a Hornqvist type whose drive and front of the net play would outweigh his poor skating.

It didn’t..

 

[Gurglesons]

ZAR was like 24 when he became a regular. Not sure how much more seasoning you can give.. 26 is the cutoff for even being a prospect IMO.

He was one year removed from his rookie year after a college career.

 

[Gurglesons]

This

People forget about 2018-2019 when everyone started hating ZAR. The only reason people got frustrated with him is because he was getting 2nd line minutes over other players. In 2018-2019 his most common linemates were Kessel and Malkin.

Let’s be honest what the real reason was.

Sprong was being given shit minutes because he sucked and ZAR was being played above his head likely to prove a point to Sprong and other players who weren’t committed to playing a 200 ft game.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Let’s be honest what the real reason was.

Sprong was being given shit minutes because he sucked and ZAR was being played above his head likely to prove a point to Sprong and other players who weren’t committed to playing a 200 ft game.

ZAR got put with Malkin-Kessel because the amount of goals against them. What’s weird is from memory that ZAR still maintained good defensive stats and Geno and Phil still sucked. I guess he didn’t play the minutes they did though.

 

[Gurglesons]

ZAR got put with Malkin-Kessel because the amount of goals against them. What’s weird is from memory that ZAR still maintained good defensive stats and Geno and Phil still sucked. I guess he didn’t play the minutes they did though.

I think he actually got out with them because McCann - Crosby - Guentzel and Simon - Bjugstad - Hornqvist were buzzing.

 

[Peat]

All of those reasons. Let's not forget ZAR got pre-season looks with Malkin and Kessel that season, they didn't pick that out of a hat mid-season. And tbf, for a while, against soft-ish opposition it actually worked and looked decent.

And yes, the idea that ZAR hadn't earned his shot and got it as a coaching favourite was a big part of the animus - particularly compared to Sprong. The oddity of people screaming "Play the youth before ZAR" will always tickle and baffle me.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

ZAR got put with Malkin-Kessel because the amount of goals against them. What’s weird is from memory that ZAR still maintained good defensive stats and Geno and Phil still sucked. I guess he didn’t play the minutes they did though.

ZAR had chances with the top 6 but that is not the player he is. That is okay because he did well in pretty much all defensive analytics and helped form a shut down line that played against the other teams top forwards. All take that for free. ZAR does not look pretty out on the ice but it is hard to argue the results. Surprisingly Blueger and Tanev we're not as effective when ZAR was hurt. I wouldn't have predicted that but it was true. I don't know why it is the case but ZAR does help a shut down line. I predicted ZAR as the 13th forward out of the lineup coming into last year but he proved me wrong. It doesn't look pretty but he does well in a shut down line.

Comparing ZAR to Poulin is how this topic started and I don't see any comparison. Poulin is a 1st round pick who has much more skill than ZAR and much younger with more time to develop. ZAR came in at 24 and Poulin is 19. Poulin has much more room to improve his game in all areas.

One thing that will help Poulin and all our prospects is that they are playing while this season hasn't started yet. So with this free development time players like Poulin might be more ready to make the jump than if the season started in early October. I could very easily see a mid season Poulin and or other prospect coming into camp and beating out a winger to get on that 3rd line. Poulin and other prospects will be in top form while the other players they are competing against have been just waiting for the season to start.

 

[Darren McCord]

Let’s be honest what the real reason was.

Sprong was being given shit minutes because he sucked and ZAR was being played above his head likely to prove a point to Sprong and other players who weren’t committed to playing a 200 ft game.

Sprong was gone by december that year. He wasn't part of the reason at all.

 

[Peat]

Sprong was gone by december that year. He wasn't part of the reason at all.

A lot of people weren't happy about it though and were railing against the team in general. In terms of the emotions, I think it was definitely part for some.