AHL: WBS Penguins Thread: season is over

[Jacob]

I thought he sucked but he was mostly only in the lineup earlier in the season when the whole team sucked and you need those veterans around anyway.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah, he was fine. He wasn't a Riikola, that's for sure.

 

[jmelm]

Really hard to get excited about this team, unfortunately.

But I do hope they sign a few more veteran AHLers, because especially with a bunch of guys graduating or gone -- DOC/Zohorna/Riikola/POJ and perhaps another prospect (Puussy? TBD?) -- and not a lot coming in, we should at least have a strong, competitive team that has a chance to go deep in the playoffs to help give our prospects there some good experience.

 

[Jacob]

I think the progression of guys like Poulin, Gruden & Hallander will help replace some of the lost offense. I think Puus will be back at least for most of the year and they’ll sign a veteran forward like Chaput. Not sure if Frasca & Svejkovsky will have immediate impacts or if there will be a learning curve. Probably won’t be a high-flying forward group but since most project to be bottom 6ers at best (or at least at first) they will be better off learning how to win tight games paying attention to the minute details.

Since we have few D prospects they’ll need to sign 2-3 AHL vets for the blueline which is probably better for the win column than a bunch of prospects. I think Domingue won’t be back just because I think there might be teams that either sign him to be their NHL backup or at least give him more of a chance to win a backup role than we can but they’ll sign some other veteran goalie to replace him. Hopefully Lindberg stays healthy and plays a ton.

 

[Gurglesons]

Really hard to get excited about this team, unfortunately.

But I do hope they sign a few more veteran AHLers, because especially with a bunch of guys graduating or gone -- DOC/Zohorna/Riikola/POJ and perhaps another prospect (Puussy? TBD?) -- and not a lot coming in, we should at least have a strong, competitive team that has a chance to go deep in the playoffs to help give our prospects there some good experience.

I like their approach last year. Put the kids in big roles and make some changes like a Nylander if they need a little more impact. It’ll be rough for them to lose DOC and Big Z but I think they can make it work. Poulin needs to take a bigger role.

 

[Peat]

I don't think I'd expect too much of them next year. DOC and POJ will be huge losses by the numbers and nobody coming in promises to have a big impact bar Svejkovsky having a seamless transition. Obviously there's guys who could replace the impact if they take another step and they're guys who need to take another step for their NHL career, but I'd bank on that when I see it and more over, they're just not going to have a ton of support.

 

[Darren McCord]

Really hard to get excited about this team, unfortunately.

But I do hope they sign a few more veteran AHLers, because especially with a bunch of guys graduating or gone -- DOC/Zohorna/Riikola/POJ and perhaps another prospect (Puussy? TBD?) -- and not a lot coming in, we should at least have a strong, competitive team that has a chance to go deep in the playoffs to help give our prospects there some good experience.

Idk you have gauthier Frasca & Svejkovsky coming in.

You have lindberg, hallander, poulin, legare, Puusy and Roberts who you hope all progress.

I think there is some hope. It’s not worse than last year.

 

[jmelm]

Idk you have gauthier Frasca & Svejkovsky coming in.

You have lindberg, hallander, poulin, legare, Puusy and Roberts who you hope all progress.

I think there is some hope. It’s not worse than last year.

I hear you, but we expected the same last year. I'm not saying it can't happen obviously and I hope that it does, but I am saying they should fortify this team with a few (2? 3? maybe 4?) veteran guys who are higher caliber players at the AHL level who can help the team be more competitive and go on a deeper run, which will be beneficial to our young guys.

Adding high quality AHL depth is especially needed on the back end. POJ and Riikola need to be replaced, so I hope they can get at least one if not 2 high end AHL level Dmen. I don't follow the league much besides our team or seeing what the other top young prospects in the league are doing, so I don't know who's out there to target exactly.

The forward side I'm a bit less concerned about, but especially if they think there's going to be a 3rd guy to graduate besides DOC & Z (like Puusy), then I'm not sure how much we can rely on the young kids to take that big of a step. I'm sure a couple will, but not all.

I'm not sure if Nylander stays or goes back to Sweden. Angello is a UFA and may be gone. Bjorkqvist is an RFA and likely would clear waivers, but I think he's also a good option as 13th forward for us to keep up with the big club (because it's not like we're crushing much upside with him if he's spending a lot of time in the pressbox), especially if Boyle is not re-signed. So there may be a couple of spots up front we can fill with a quality vet F, if available.

Not at all worried about the goaltending with Lindberg and Gauthier, provided the former can stay healthy. That's definitely our area of strength. Gauthier had a fantastic WHL playoffs.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Ansons and Glover should be fine additions to the bottom six.

 

[jmelm]

Ansons and Glover should be fine additions to the bottom six.

Yes, but I think we need 1 AHL star level forward. If that's Nylander (not a star, but a legit top 6 guy) that's adequate. But if he goes, we need to replace him with someone as good or better rather than just hope Legere is going to suddenly figure things out.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yes, but I think we need 1 AHL star level forward. If that's Nylander (not a star, but a legit top 6 guy) that's adequate. But if he goes, we need to replace him with someone as good or better rather than just hope Legere is going to suddenly figure things out.

I want Anas.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I want Anas.

Tehehe

 

[jmelm]

I want Anas.

I don't know who that is, but I trust you on these sorts of things!

Edit: now I want him too, because we have a perfect nickname for him: Anus!

....yes, my humour is immature

 

[Randy Butternubs]

When I was young, I really enjoyed watching American Gladiators. You know how all the Gladiators have stupid nicknames? Well my Dad told me my name could be "Wrecked 'Em".

Thanks to my Dad, I went around telling people "I am rectum!"

 

[jmelm]

When I was young, I really enjoyed watching American Gladiators. You know how all the Gladiators have stupid nicknames? Well my Dad told me my name could be "Wrecked 'Em".

Thanks to my Dad, I went around telling people "I am rectum!"

"I am rectum" -- I like it!

Why can't that be your username now??

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Wow, Anas is really tearing it up in the AHL Playoffs.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Wow, Anas is really tearing it up in the AHL Playoffs.

Ban Anas.

 

[Jacob]

It’s not even free agency yet and we always end up complaining that they signed too many AHL journeymen that’ll block prospects or waste money so I’m sure this off-season won’t be any different.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

I want Anas.

Anas, Frk, Tynan, Marody, C.J. Smith, Grimaldi, Seney, Leivo, Dries, Petan, De Leo, and Sherwood are potential UFAs this offseason. Any of them would be nice additions to the top-six. I like Dries and Sherwood in particular as they're two forwards who I believe could blossom into legitimate NHL talent similar to Frederick Gaudreau.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I want Anas.

Spellchecker not working?

 

[jmelm]

Spellchecker not working?

I fixed it on my end personally, and already ordered the jersey.

 

[Jacob]

My pick for a forward would be Andreoff. Not super skilled but can score in the AHL and play anywhere and if you need a call-up on a long road trip he won't mind sitting in the press box for a week. Assume he's a good leader.

 

[Pens x]

Anas, Frk, Tynan, Marody, C.J. Smith, Grimaldi, Seney, Leivo, Dries, Petan, De Leo, and Sherwood are potential UFAs this offseason. Any of them would be nice additions to the top-six. I like Dries and Sherwood in particular as they're two forwards who I believe could blossom into legitimate NHL talent similar to Frederick Gaudreau.

Do you think this organization’s recent disdain of young AHL guys will make it difficult to attach respectable free agent?

 

[Victor Z]

Do you think this organization’s recent disdain of young AHL guys will make it difficult to attach respectable free agent?

Quite the opposite, if those minor-league free agents are paying attention.

In the Sully Era (and even earlier) another team's castoff/retread is pretty much always preferable to a homegrown player -- even if that castoff/retread is "unproven" at the NHL level or is already a "proven" non-entity.

Please give us your McKeggs and Ruhwedels, and stop us from having to put any faith in our own organization's judgment about players they drafted or directly signed!

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Anas seems to have dried up.