Speculation: What is Blueger's future in this team?

[AndrewGaze]

I am curious to see where everyone stands on Blueger.

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[Andy99]

He is what he is at this point at age 26-27. His upside is as a third line center but I think with the Pens he won’t be more than a 4th line center. I like him a lot but there’s a realistic chance he’s taken by Seattle or not qualified depending on what the Pens think he’ll get in arbitration….

 

[pistolpete11]

As in next year? Or eventually?

I'd give Teddy a bridge deal for 2 years. With Malkin likely being out for a while, they will get a good look at him as the 3C (pending Sully, of course). Based on how he looks, they can either decide to sign him to an extension to be their 3C, trade him, or let him play out his contract.

I think Teddy can be a solid 3C, but he needs to be surrounded with the right linemates to make it work long term. Not Tanev and ZAR. Tanev would be fine as the 3rd wheel on that line, but there needs to be someone with more skill on the opposite side.

 

[Pens x]

He needs to get out of Pittsburgh to reach his full potential. Coach jackass will have him tied to garbage forever.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Currently a 4th liner behind Carter and probably McCann for the 3C spot. Probably 3C upside.

Wouldn't care one way or another if we traded him or lost him to Seattle though. Not a major cog.

 

[HandshakeLine]

The question is hard to answer in a vacuum because Malkin’s injury and Sullivan’s preferences make a huge difference here for how TB would be best used here vs his absolute pure ceiling.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

We'll see if he makes it past Seattle

 

[Gurglesons]

Probably playing for the Kraken since we are supposedly going to protect Jeff Carter lol

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Probably playing for the Kraken since we are supposedly going to protect Jeff Carter lol

You dare mock Tha Carter?

 

[Gurglesons]

You dare mock Tha Carter?

I just don’t see why Seattle takes him. Guess they hope he produces and flips him at the deadline.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Been kinda disappointed with TB's playoff performances the last couple of years. I really like his regular season game, I just wish he kicked up the intensity in the playoffs a bit more. I often wonder if we had other bigger and or tougher (and capable) forwards and defenseman in the lineup that maybe players like Blueger and some others, would play a little bigger

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Probably playing for the Kraken since we are supposedly going to protect Jeff Carter lol

In hypothetical scenario where we have Carter and JR still as GM, I could see him exposing Carter only to try and reacquire him again the following season

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I just don’t see why Seattle takes him. Guess they hope he produces and flips him at the deadline.

That would have value. And he'd be dirt cheap for a prospective contender.

I know if we exposed Carter and he got picked, I'd be pissed and regret the decision to protect Blueger.

 

[Gurglesons]

That would have value. And he'd be dirt cheap for a prospective contender.

I know if we exposed Carter and he got picked, I'd be pissed and regret the decision to protect Blueger.

Meh. I think Carter probably nose dives back to what he was for the majority of last year for us.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I don't think Teddy has enough offensive abilities/instincts to be a regular 3rd liner, yes, he got points, but he's a more defensive player who's in a contract year with a chip on his shoulder. He's not young enough to pin a heavy upside to his game, not really a go to the net player to be a threat to score goals regularly, and is mostly a good defensive perimeter f3 type of player. He not only lost his 3c position to a much older better player, but he also lost his PK job to that same player.

I like Teddy, but people are just trying too hard to push him higher than he should be. All this in shorten seasons with no real proof of being more without some full regular seasons to gauge what he is. I'd say he is a hit or miss player at this point, and going on 27 I'm not really putting a lot of faith he'll be more than a backup to the backup. Two straight years with shorten seasons and failure playoffs to come away with "I don't know" answers. Do you pay 3.5 for "I don't know" players? He fizzled out in 2 shorten seasons, what will he do in a full 82 and playoffs?

They could easily walk away from Teddy and find 4c's. If you really think he's a full-time 3c, eh, I don't see it.

Just remember, I said from the beginning he'd be better used as a winger as backup to the center. Get good defensive play without the responsibilities of being the center should free him up more.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I don't think Teddy has enough offensive abilities/instincts to be a regular 3rd liner, yes, he got points, but he's a more defensive player who's in a contract year with a chip on his shoulder. He's not young enough to pin a heavy upside to his game, not really a go to the net player to be a threat to score goals regularly, and is mostly a good defensive perimeter f3 type of player. He not only lost his 3c position to a much older better player, but he also lost his PK job to that same player.

I like Teddy, but people are just trying too hard to push him higher than he should be. All this in shorten seasons with no real proof of being more without some full regular seasons to gauge what he is. I'd say he is a hit or miss player at this point, and going on 27 I'm not really putting a lot of faith he'll be more than a backup to the backup. Two straight years with shorten seasons and failure playoffs to come away with "I don't know" answers. Do you pay 3.5 for "I don't know" players? He fizzled out in 2 shorten seasons, what will he do in a full 82 and playoffs?

They could easily walk away from Teddy and find 4c's. If you really think he's a full-time 3c, eh, I don't see it.

Just remember, I said from the beginning he'd be better used as a winger as backup to the center. Get good defensive play without the responsibilities of being the center should free him up more.

Inevitably you need good depth players in this league and Blueger is one.

Yet this board weirdly tried to meme him into something he wasn't this year.

He's perfectly fine but not much more than that. I couldn't care less if he's a Seattle Kraken in a month.

Also my pet peeve: win a faceoff on the PK please.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't think Teddy has enough offensive abilities/instincts to be a regular 3rd liner, yes, he got points, but he's a more defensive player who's in a contract year with a chip on his shoulder. He's not young enough to pin a heavy upside to his game, not really a go to the net player to be a threat to score goals regularly, and is mostly a good defensive perimeter f3 type of player. He not only lost his 3c position to a much older better player, but he also lost his PK job to that same player.

I like Teddy, but people are just trying too hard to push him higher than he should be. All this in shorten seasons with no real proof of being more without some full regular seasons to gauge what he is. I'd say he is a hit or miss player at this point, and going on 27 I'm not really putting a lot of faith he'll be more than a backup to the backup. Two straight years with shorten seasons and failure playoffs to come away with "I don't know" answers. Do you pay 3.5 for "I don't know" players? He fizzled out in 2 shorten seasons, what will he do in a full 82 and playoffs?

They could easily walk away from Teddy and find 4c's. If you really think he's a full-time 3c, eh, I don't see it.

Just remember, I said from the beginning he'd be better used as a winger as backup to the center. Get good defensive play without the responsibilities of being the center should free him up more.

I'm not sure I really trust anything we've seen from McCann or Blueger under Sullivan considering he seems to tolerate them unless they are in the exact role he has determined they work in despite them being more successful in other areas.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Blueger is insanely overrated by Penguins fans because of how little they have churned out in terms of NHL caliber centers over the years.

He's a soon to be 27 year old 30 point defensive center. Frankly losing him in the expansion draft really isn't that big of a loss, considering how Sullivan uses him. He's a great player to have on your 4th line when he's cheap, but he's also a guy you look to upgrade on as soon as he wants real money. He's in the same boat as ZAR, and I don't understand why people have put them on different tiers over the years.

 

[Gurglesons]

Blueger is insanely overrated by Penguins fans because of how little they have churned out in terms of NHL caliber centers over the years.

He's a soon to be 27 year old 30 point defensive center. Frankly losing him in the expansion draft really isn't that big of a loss, considering how Sullivan uses him. He's a great player to have on your 4th line when he's cheap, but he's also a guy you look to upgrade on as soon as he wants real money. He's in the same boat as ZAR, and I don't understand why people have put them on different tiers over the years.

Blueger has improved every year in every league he has been in from a production standpoint. He put up what he did last year in 20 less games.

ZAR flatlined offensively until this year. I think that is the obvious difference.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Blueger has improved every year in every league he has been in from a production standpoint. He put up what he did last year in 20 less games.

ZAR flatlined offensively until this year. I think that is the obvious difference.

Blueger had an on ice shooting% of 11.2% last year and individually had a 14.3% shooting%. He was on the ice for nearly 50% more goals than what his xGF suggested he should have had at 5v5 (22 aGF, 15.42 xGF).

He produced a lot because he had a lot of puck luck this year. I would feel exceptionally confident in a prediction that he's within 30 +/- 5 points next year.

 

[EightyOne]

First 3 games in the NHL----KEEP THIS GUY
Now---whatever

 

[Gurglesons]

Blueger had an on ice shooting% of 11.2% last year and individually had a 14.3% shooting%. He was on the ice for nearly 50% more goals than what his xGF suggested he should have had at 5v5 (22 aGF, 15.42 xGF).

He produced a lot because he had a lot of puck luck this year. I would feel exceptionally confident in a prediction that he's within 30 +/- 5 points next year.

35 pts and what he brings defensively would be excellent for what his cost likely is. TBH, I have no idea why he isn’t used on wing compared with McCann.

 

[Tom Hanks]

35 pts and what he brings defensively would be excellent for what his cost likely is. TBH, I have no idea why he isn’t used on wing compared with McCann.

He’s not a good winger. It’s been tried before.

 

[Gurglesons]

He’s not a good winger. It’s been tried before.

When? In his first call up when he was lighting it up?

 

[Tom Hanks]

When? In his first call up when he was lighting it up?

Last season.

If he goes to the wing it doesn’t really solve much though.