Injury Report: Updates In 1st Post - Full Attendance at Practice (4.13)

[2wayPlay]

I mean they keep winning so it’s giving us a nice luxury of waiting. That being said this Carolina game coming up is huge. Have to think those guys would play in that game if they are ready. If they are not you have to wonder how effective they will be come playoff time anyway. Especially Letang something isn’t right with him

 

[ncm7772]

Unfortunately, I don't think any of us were surprised about Letang.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Three days off now and doing fairly solid in terms of points in the standings so Letang and Malkin can kinda take all the time they want really. But will be interesting to see if either/both are ready three days from now.

Agreed, and especially with our schedule to close the year we probably don't see them back before Sunday or just next week to close out the 3 last games

 

[Multigrain]

I don't know, he's down in WBS now and it should be Trotman. Or Trotman to Wheeling. I don't care, just no Trotman. Riik has had some issues but he's had some good stretches and should absolutely be playing over this guy.

WBS has a do or die game tomorrow not sure if that factors in but they could possibly miss the playoffs.
Let him play down until they might need him later.

 

[Multigrain]

Oh good, I was missing Zach Trotman being one of the worst defensemen I've seen in recent years.

Every coach has his favorites

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Good news is we already saw Letang come back from his injury and not miss a beat. A point in each game I believe.

Could have just been a decision to give him a week off to make sure he didnt reaggrivate the injury. With the way our schedule was this week.

 

[Empoleon8771]

That's really interesting to read Sullivan's words. Maybe it's not as clear cut as people assume it is with the defense. You might get a glimpse of what they'll do on Friday with Letang out, if they go Dumoulin-Maatta as the top pair, I think you may see them run with Pettersson-Maatta when Letang is back.

 

[BHD]

The pressure should be off for certain guys to be playing. Tons of time before the next game, and (what should be) an easy schedule down the stretch.

 

[vikingGoalie]

That's really interesting to read Sullivan's words. Maybe it's not as clear cut as people assume it is with the defense. You might get a glimpse of what they'll do on Friday with Letang out, if they go Dumoulin-Maatta as the top pair, I think you may see them run with Pettersson-Maatta when Letang is back.

i dunno, once Letang is back I think i'm fine with Letang/Dumo JJ/Schultz Guds/Petttersson. I think I'm fine wiht Matta being our #7 at this point. Certainly skill wise he is good enough to not be our #7 but things seem to be working better with him out.

 

[Empoleon8771]

i dunno, once Letang is back I think i'm fine with Letang/Dumo JJ/Schultz Guds/Petttersson. I think I'm fine wiht Matta being our #7 at this point. Certainly skill wise he is good enough to not be our #7 but things seem to be working better with him out.

I understand that and definitely get why people think that, but I have a feeling Sullivan and the coaching staff thinks way higher of Maatta than people here do. Gudbranson has been really solid here, but I just have trouble believing that the Penguins would scratch Maatta for him to stay in the lineup.

 

[Fordy]

they’re going to blow up an extremely functional d corps to force maatta back in and never look back. could ruin the season easily

 

[Gurglesons]

I understand that and definitely get why people think that, but I have a feeling Sullivan and the coaching staff thinks way higher of Maatta than people here do. Gudbranson has been really solid here, but I just have trouble believing that the Penguins would scratch Maatta for him to stay in the lineup.

I don’t understand why they would scratch Gudbranson for Maatta. I assume it is Petts or JJ and given how Petts and Guddy are averaging more than JJ the last ten maybe it’ll be Johnson.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don’t understand why they would scratch Gudbranson for Maatta. I assume it is Petts or JJ and given how Petts and Guddy are averaging more than JJ the last ten maybe it’ll be Johnson.

My guess is that they view Gudbranson as their 7th best defenseman, and being their 7th best defenseman outweighs being their 3rd best RHD. That's how I think they'd justify scratching Gudbranson for Maatta.

 

[Gurglesons]

My guess is that they view Gudbranson as their 7th best defenseman, and being their 7th best defenseman outweighs being their 3rd best RHD. That's how I think they'd justify scratching Gudbranson for Maatta.

Then why are they playing Gudbranson more minutes than JJ?

 

[chethejet]

A rotation of Olli, Dumo, JJ and Petts the last three games is fine. Same for the RW if Ruhwedel is ready to go. Two to three days rest in addition to the three now is big this time of year. Add in three or four games between the last game and first playoff games and nice time off for the players.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I hope Letang doesn't end up like Dupuis, risking his life just to play a few more games.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Then why are they playing Gudbranson more minutes than JJ?

You're fretting over a less than 1 minute difference a game, though. In the 3 games where Letang was healthy over the last 10 games, the 2nd and 3rd pairs played nearly the same TOI. In the last 10 games overall, basically all of their defenseman outside of Trotman have the same TOI.

With that said, I do support the option of scratching Johnson and playing Maatta, because Maatta is a much bigger offensive threat on defense (while Johnson is neutering the 2nd pair offensively) and is great on the PK. I just don't buy that they'd do that, I actually think you may see them go back to Pettersson-Johnson.

 

[Peat]

Then why are they playing Gudbranson more minutes than JJ?

They've done weirder temporary things tbf. Cole often got a lot of responsibility one night then scratched the next. But you could be right. I can well believe Empo's right about how much they rate Maatta; I can also believe someone other than Gudzilla could be the fall guy.

 

[Empoleon8771]

They've done weirder temporary things tbf. Cole often got a lot of responsibility one night then scratched the next. But you could be right. I can well believe Empo's right about how much they rate Maatta; I can also believe someone other than Gudzilla could be the fall guy.

That's just where I get tripped up at. They're obviously not going to scratch Dumoulin, Letang or Schultz. I'm inclined to believe they won't scratch JJ either, but I won't throw that one out entirely. That leaves JJ, Pettersson and Gudbranson as potential guys to get scratched.

Pettersson has been fantastic for the Penguins and is their only good puck mover in the bottom-3, so I doubt he gets moved out. Gudbranson is a right handed D that has been solid, when a lot of guys have struggled on their off-sides. Johnson has been really solid recently and it seems like the Penguins have really liked him even when he's playing bad, so I doubt they'd not like him when he's playing better. The problem is I can't see them scratching any of those guys or Maatta, but one of them needs to be scratched. Or they can run with 7 D, which is what I'd personally do, but they won't do that.

 

[Gurglesons]

That's just where I get tripped up at. They're obviously not going to scratch Dumoulin, Letang or Schultz. I'm inclined to believe they won't scratch JJ either, but I won't throw that one out entirely. That leaves JJ, Pettersson and Gudbranson as potential guys to get scratched.

Pettersson has been fantastic for the Penguins and is their only good puck mover in the bottom-3, so I doubt he gets moved out. Gudbranson is a right handed D that has been solid, when a lot of guys have struggled on their off-sides. Johnson has been really solid recently and it seems like the Penguins have really liked him even when he's playing bad, so I doubt they'd not like him when he's playing better. The problem is I can't see them scratching any of those guys or Maatta, but one of them needs to be scratched. Or they can run with 7 D, which is what I'd personally do, but they won't do that.

I think it’ll say a lot about where this staff is at if they scratch Petts.

And by where this staff is at, I mean if I start agreeing with @Honour Over Glory which makes me feel gross.

Even Gudbranson to a degree. But he’s obviously low man on the totem pole here.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think it’ll say a lot about where this staff is at if they scratch Petts.

And by where this staff is at, I mean if I start agreeing with @Honour Over Glory which makes me shutter.

I will be immensely disappointed if they do that. A funny small reason I'd be disappointed, Pettersson is on pace to play more than 82 games this year, and I think it would be pretty neat to see him play in more than 82 games.

 

[Gurglesons]

I will be immensely disappointed if they do that. A funny small reason I'd be disappointed, Pettersson is on pace to play more than 82 games this year, and I think it would be pretty neat to see him play in more than 82 games.

He’s also just shy of what Maatta did in his rookie year and you figure they’d realize that.

He’s been phenomenal for us, and I could see him getting sat and then randomly thrown into the playoffs doing a number on his development.

Not to mention Maatta - Schultz ala Maatta - Niskanen has always been a solid pairing.

 

[The Old Master]

I will be immensely disappointed if they do that. A funny small reason I'd be disappointed, Pettersson is on pace to play more than 82 games this year, and I think it would be pretty neat to see him play in more than 82 games.

that's also a good reason to sit him a few. keep every one fresh for the playoffs

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I will be immensely disappointed if they do that. A funny small reason I'd be disappointed, Pettersson is on pace to play more than 82 games this year, and I think it would be pretty neat to see him play in more than 82 games.

They're not going to play Maatta on his offside, and JJ/Schultz isn't being broken up. Petts will just sit if Maatta comes back, seems pretty clear cut. I'd rather just play Petts, but giving him a break and getting Maatta a couple games makes sense.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Guessing they sat Letang this week for Maatta to play