WBS Penguins 2017-18 Season Thread: Pens out in first round, black aces are up

[Jacob]

I think Gardiner's got enough potential to earn a two-way deal, if it means keeping him from signing elsewhere. He's a year younger than Tiffels and produced better than he did in the ECHL. Better than Quinney did at the same age too. Not a big loss if he walks, but we usually don't reach the contract limit and our prospect pool isn't exactly bursting at the seams.

I'm sure on July 1st they'll sign a bunch of UFAs to two-way deals to fill out the rest of the roster. Some guys I'd look at would be Matthew Peca, who's also played under 280 pro games so he wouldn't count against the veteran rule limit, or Austin Czarnik as forwards, and Sproul, Wotherspoon or Keegan Lowe on D. Maybe Nick Ebert if he's wanting to come back to NA. Probably need a few d-men, but only one or two forwards IMO. Sestito is probably worth having around.

 

[StaalForOne]

Peca and Czarnik would be interesting. Peca did good in his limited time with Tampa this year. Czarnik would be a good add too. Limited NHL time, but his AHL numbers are good. Boston also has quite a few young forward prospects, so he may be looking for a smaller prospect pool to play in. Same for Peca/TBL.

 

[WayneSid9987]

So Almari is or isn't coming over next season?
I see he's listed as Liiga on EP so assume he isn't...?

I have high hopes for Angello with his size and speed to eventually be a mainstay in the PIT bottom 6.
If we can just get a C to break through out of Blueger, Johnson, Olund...that'd be nice but not banking on anything there. May have to wait for Bellerive and even then, he may turn out a LW'er.

 

[The Old Master]

So Almari is or isn't coming over next season?
I see he's listed as Liiga on EP so assume he isn't...?

I have high hopes for Angello with his size and speed to eventually be a mainstay in the PIT bottom 6.
If we can just get a C to break through out of Blueger, Johnson, Olund...that'd be nice but not banking on anything there. May have to wait for Bellerive and even then, he may turn out a LW'er.

see how much weight Johnson puts on this offseason......that will tell a lot.

 

[Jacob]

I thought we signed Almari to an ELC but I'm not finding any info that we did?

 

[Peat]

I thought we signed Almari to an ELC but I'm not finding any info that we did?

ATO for the play-offs only.

I wonder if the weight thing that Old Master talked about for Johnson applies to Almari too. He was always meant to be a long term thing and he was very light when they drafted him. Maybe they want him to be stronger and heavier before he comes over, and he's not there yet.

In any case, don't think I've seen anything settled about where he plays next season. I hope its somewhere that gives him more opportunities to build on his offence.

 

[Jacob]

I don't think him returning to Finland is a bad thing. He hasn't really even established himself as an every day player there yet.

 

[Peat]

I don't think him returning to Finland is a bad thing. He hasn't really even established himself as an every day player there yet.

Just as long as he learns as much over there as he would here.

 

[The Old Master]

Just as long as he learns as much over there as he would here.

what's the biggest thing holding h im back? if it's size/strength you could improve that anywhere. if it's something else then

 

[Honour Over Glory]

what's the biggest thing holding h im back? if it's size/strength you could improve that anywhere. if it's something else then

I think the less games thing helps with him adding on weight though vs him being in WBS and likely being shuttled back and forth between WBS and Wheeling, might not be all that appealing and the ATO was just to see where he's at currently with his readiness to play in the AHL.

I'm with Jacob, him returning to a good league like that isn't a bad thing as long as he's a regular and is utilized in more situations to develop.

He's still what, 20/21? Yeah we need depth, but defensemen also take a little longer.

 

[Peat]

what's the biggest thing holding h im back? if it's size/strength you could improve that anywhere. if it's something else then

I've no idea, I haven't seen him play and I don't know the roster situations of WBS next year and HPK.

 

[Shrimper]

So, how many "prospects" could we have playing for WBS next year?

 

[Peat]

So, how many "prospects" could we have playing for WBS next year?

As stands:

F: Bluegers, Johnson, Di Pauli, Angello, Lafferty, Dunn, Olund, Miletic, Tiffels, Lindberg, Dea
D: Riikola, Corrado, Prow, Taylor, Birks, Tinordi (Almari?)
G: Jarry/DeSmith

The italicised are restricted free agents with expired contracts. Its possible some of them will go to Europe (Dea seems the most likely) or be released (Dunn almost certainly, maybe Tinordi, maybe Lindberg).

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I see we lost Gage Quinney, but to his hometown team which I can't be mad at, good for the guy to earn that contract there.

 

[jmelm]

As stands:

F: Bluegers, Johnson, Di Pauli, Angello, Lafferty, Dunn, Olund, Miletic, Tiffels, Lindberg, Dea
D: Riikola, Corrado, Prow, Taylor, Birks, Tinordi (Almari?)
G: Jarry/DeSmith

The italicised are restricted free agents with expired contracts. Its possible some of them will go to Europe (Dea seems the most likely) or be released (Dunn almost certainly, maybe Tinordi, maybe Lindberg).

I see DeSmith being the back up on the big club next year, and Jarry given the full year in WBS.

While I also would like to see ZAR on the big club because I think he's ready to make the step, if we don't trade Sheary or Hagelin or other significant moves, I think ZAR at least begins the season in WBS, which would give the WBS what I think would be a really strong forward group, even without any other personnel additions.

The defense, however, leaves a lot to be desired, particularly if Almari goes back to FIN, but I'm sure they can sign 1 or 2 guys to play there.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I see DeSmith being the back up on the big club next year, and Jarry given the full year in WBS.

While I also would like to see ZAR on the big club because I think he's ready to make the step, if we don't trade Sheary or Hagelin or other significant moves, I think ZAR at least begins the season in WBS, which would give the WBS what I think would be a really strong forward group, even without any other personnel additions.

The defense, however, leaves a lot to be desired, particularly if Almari goes back to FIN, but I'm sure they can sign 1 or 2 guys to play there.

The defense in WBS is horse shit for potential NHL'ers if we're being 100% honest here, with or without Almari there. It'll be another year of AHL cast off vets filling that blueline with a couple of Pens "prospects" vying for spots.

I agree about ZAR, I think I would like to see him WBS to start, there was a lot of good stuff for him to take away from his stint in the NHL this past season, but the major focus for him should be that he needs to get stronger to play his game at the NHL level and a little quicker. As for the goalies, I don't really see DeSmith as a back-up full time in the NHL. We need a veteran up there to back up Murray, Murray is around the same age as Jarry and DeSmith, he needs someone to lean on and sort of be his mentor in that sense. DeSmith did a good job as a back-up last year, but yeah I don't think he's the guy that should be backing up Murray full time.

But with how often Murray gets injured, he'll be up there in no time backing up the veteran back-up.

 

[Peat]

Looks like Sestito is gone too

 

[The GM]

Looks like Sestito is gone too

Maybe because he’s heading for the big club on a one way deal

 

[Jacob]

His bro went to Europe at the same age, maybe he will too.

A few enforcers out there still that’d take two-way deals, like McLeod or Gazdic.

 

[Peat]

Maybe because he’s heading for the big club on a one way deal

One way deals don't mean that you can't play in the AHL and given Sestito's talent levels/Sully's lack of use for an enforcer, if he's with the Pens he's in the AHL.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Looks like Sestito is gone too

How will we ever survive?

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Sign Tangradi and Bennett!

 

[Shady Machine]

Sign Tangradi and Bennett!

Actually I’d sign Tangradi for the AHL squad if that was an option!

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm glad no one was killed in the tornado. That was some strange weather yesterday.

 

[Beauner]

I'm glad no one was killed in the tornado. That was some strange weather yesterday.

It was right next to the arena too. Crazy stuff