Post-Game Talk: Post Pre-Season Talk

[EightyOne]

I'm not sure THAT is best for him. I suspect they send him to WBS and he goes into the top 6 when someone gets hurt.

My gut tells me that he very well may make someone in that top six expendable once he gets that chance.

Trade deadline could be interesting again this year. Could be a buyer again.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

There's no way Riikola starts in the AHL after that kind of performance, especially if Dumoulin is injured.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I'm not sure THAT is best for him. I suspect they send him to WBS and he goes into the top 6 when someone gets hurt.

My gut tells me that he very well may make someone in that top six expendable once he gets that chance.

I'm gonna go with that's what best for the team, and Frankly, him too.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Preseason is over! We get to the real stuff. Here is my quick take from all of camp/preseason:

++ Riikola/Brassard: Two biggest standouts in camp/preseason, IMO. We've discussed Riikola to death but he deserves it. Some people will say "Oh but it's just camp.. let's see what he can do against the big boys." But that's the thing, Maatta/Ruh/Oleksiak were all playing the same guys and didn't look as good as him. He deserves all the praise in the world.

Brassard looks the best and this is the player I saw glimpses of last year. I knew a healthy camp and preseason with time to get acclimated to Sully would bring this player out. I think these two guys looked the best. Also major props to Rust. I think Rust looked better than I expected, and I was actually expecting

-- Maatta/ZAR: Camp isn't the end all be all of things. Just both guys really looked bad. Maatta's footspeed was brutal and he looked like our worst dman. Not far off were Ruh/Oleksiak. ZAR barely looks like an AHL 3rd liner, but let's give him time to figure his game out in the AHL again. Time will tell with these guys. **** happens.

== Left me hanging and wanting a lot more are Simon/Sprong. These two guys were basically fighting for a top spot and neither guy took it. Simon gets all the praise in the world from his mates/coach and Sprong has all the tools. Neither guy lit the world on fire. Neither guy even looked to have a sense of urgency like they were in a dog fight.


++ Best fight of camp - Jarry vs. DeSmith. Thought both guys were really solid.

++ Underrated name of camp: Trotman. Liked his game. Liked how he developed. I think he's not too far away from the NHL and I think he could take Ruh's spot immediately.

++ Upcoming players: DiPauli and Haggerty have to get a cup of coffee if needed this year. They both lit my eyes up this preseason. I hope they dominate the AHL.

Eerie. I was going to make most of these points post-game.

Trotman doesn't stick out but he's been a dependable hard-nosed bottom pair guy. I wouldn't have any issues with him being called up in a pinch.

I'll also add that Adam Johnson impressed me quite a bit with his speed and anticipation this preseason. He looks close.

What can you say about Riikola? I keep waiting for him to look like something other than our best all-around defenseman.

 

[Andy99]

The better play may have been Hags-Geno-Horny AND Rust-Brass-Phil AND then let Simon/Sprong compete to play on the RW with Sid-Jake.

I suspect we'll end up there relatively soon because Sid will hit a dry patch and want a change from Horny and because the Geno-Phil pairing will run into the obvious issues (Geno not shooting, trying to do everything, and getting killed in the physical stuff).

Agree...but I don’t want Simon with Sid given what we saw last year and he’s still having problems finishing...if they won’t move Rust from RW, then I’d rather see the following, even if 1L is a bit worse....
Jake-Sid-Rust/Sprong
Hags-G-Horny
Simon-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Rust/Sprong

 

[KIRK]

I'm also wary of G's line but theres pieces to move around if one so wished/needed to do so.

I suspect the need will arise. Only question is whether the line's natural issues or Sid's impatience with Horny is the impetus.

 

[EightyOne]

Are we still going on about Sprong deserving a spot in the top-9 despite his play not at all warranting a spot in the top-9 to start? The only reason he's even in the NHL to start this year is because he can't be sent down, he would be in WBS if he was still waiver exempt.

I think Riikola starts the year in Pittsburgh because JR was underwhelmed with ZAR in training camp, which likely means that he's going to WBS. ZAR would be your 14th forward, so him going down opens up a spot to carry 8D. There's Riikola's spot. This is especially the case if Dumoulin is injured.

It is going to devolve into a chicken or the egg. Did Spong suck because he wasnt handed a real shot? Did he not get a real shot because he sucked?

Who knows. Will be interesting when his 'injury' heals.

 

[KIRK]

Trade deadline could be interesting again this year. Could be a buyer again.

When aren't we a buyer?

We also could be a seller . . . I suspect of Maatta.

 

[Riptide]

I will say I don't see what Grant brings to the table. He's got decent size and skating, but besides that he's pretty meh. Blueger imo is a way better player.

Way too soon to say that. And even if that's the case, you want Blueger playing every night. Who cares is Grant sits for 40 games as our 13F. But you can't do that to Blueger.

As for his assets, C/W, size (even if he's Fehr like in how he uses it), FOs, PK ability, legit NHL player, even if only a L4 guy.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Trade deadline could be interesting again this year. Could be a buyer again.

I don't even know what they'd buy at the deadline. There aren't really any holes on this team, especially if Riikola and Johnson continue their strong preseasons. Your worst position is LW, where you still have a top line LWer and 2 3rd line LWers.

 

[Ugene Magic]

There's no way Riikola starts in the AHL after that kind of performance, especially if Dumoulin is injured.

Right, totally forgot about that. But there's so much time before game 1.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I'll also add that Kessel and Malkin can look like the laziest damn duo in the league when they don't give a shit. Like tonight.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It is going to devolve into a chicken or the egg. Did Spong suck because he wasnt handed a real shot? Did he not get a real shot because he sucked?

Who knows. Will be interesting when his 'injury' heals.

I don't know how you can seriously argue that, because if Sprong needs to be playing with Crosby to be competent, he's not a good player, therefore he sucks.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Trade deadline could be interesting again this year. Could be a buyer again.

I'd like to keep our 1st. I'd move a 2nd + B prospect no question asked though.

 

[Tom Hanks]

It is going to devolve into a chicken or the egg. Did Spong suck because he wasnt handed a real shot? Did he not get a real shot because he sucked?

Who knows. Will be interesting when his 'injury' heals.

The most important thing is that he sucked though

 

[KIRK]

Agree...but I don’t want Simon with Sid given what we saw last year and he’s still having problems finishing...if they won’t. I’ve Rust from RW, then I’d rather see the following, even if 1L is a bit worse....
Jake-Sid-Rust/Sprong
Hags-G-Horny
Simon-Brass-Phil
Cullen-Sheahan-Rust/Sprong

I think we'll end up with Simon to L1, HGH, Rust-Brass-Phil OR musical RW's, with Rust to L1, Horny to L2, and Phil to L3 relatively quickly, but we'll see . . .

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The problem is that Brassard-Kessel isn't any better of a fit. Brassard and Rust is about as perfect of a combination as you can come up with.

Based on what? They were awesome when Rust was on LW. But that's verboten.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Based on what? They were awesome when Rust was on LW. But that's verboten.

They were awesome when Rust was on LW, but the team very clearly doesn't view Rust as a LWer and it was crap with any other player on LW outside of Rust.

 

[KIRK]

Based on what? They were awesome when Rust was on LW. But that's verboten.

Honestly, THAT would be my call.

Rust-Brass-Phil

Then, you have a choice . . . IF Simon is stepping up, Jake-Sid-Simon and HGH. Or, MAYBE try this . . .

Jake-Sid-Horny
Hags-Geno-Sprong
Rust-Brass-Phil

Then again, if ANYTHING is verboten, then it certainly is Sprong getting a period on Geno's wing.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Sprong almost certainly has more potential, but that doesn't change the fact that Simon is playing the better game right now. And then to boot he's a young guy himself who's not without potential and a LW vs a RW. Sprong's gotta do a lot more than what he's done to get more playing time.

I just don't agree with that. And you can save the advanced stats, because it was a) for a small sample of preseason games where b) Simon was primarily on a line with two guys playing lights out with or without him.

 

[ColePens]

I understand the skillsets that both Simon/Sprong bring and i'm excited for both, technically, but if we are talking about "deserving" or walking in and "taking" a spot, neither did that. I feel like if anything a guy like Johnson/DiPauli attempted to steal a spot more-so than the expected suspects like ZAR/Simon/Sprong. And those guys have half the talent.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't know how you can seriously argue that, because if Sprong needs to be playing with Crosby to be competent, he's not a good player, therefore he sucks.

Nobody's saying that.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I think we'll end up with Simon to L1, HGH, Rust-Brass-Phil OR musical RW's, with Rust to L1, Horny to L2, and Phil to L3 relatively quickly, but we'll see . . .

Agree at least we’ll be good no matter what really. Sully’s main job will be timing our run to hit the playoffs hard. The regular season shouldn’t provide a lot of hiccups. Not with this roster.

*except for a truck load of injuries

 

[ColePens]

IF you get any left winger that can roll with Brass/Rust the way those 2 looked, then you may have a magical 3rd line. I hope it can be Simon, but he looked more-so like he was just tagging along as opposed to joining those 2.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Nobody's saying that.

You keep dismissing his bad preseason because he wasn't playing with Crosby. You've been saying this all along.