Dude, it's cassius.You dodging the question leads me to believe you haven't seen him play.
There's nothing about being right or wrong. I'm not suggesting Plotnikov is a sure-fire NHLer. I'm not taking that bet. There's a chance he contributes, and there's a chance he doesn't. He could be another Lehtera, Brunner, Komarov, or Pesonen.
The best take I can say to see where Plotnikov is: look back at the Gold Medal IIHF game 2015. He played with Tikhonov and Ovechkin and was a PKer. Good with stick checking but will force it to Ovechkin a good bit. Skating sticks out on big ice; Similar to Winnik skating. Alot like Fedotenko.
I hope this move is seen as a bottom 6 move for the time being. Still aim for 2 top 6 wings. If camp comes around and he earns a spot in the top 6, that's just a bonus.
I was thinking he's more of a third line version of Hornqvist.
It's different for Europeans, 27 and under is their age threshold.For any CBA-heads out there, I thought that you needed to be 24 or under to sign an ELC, so are we just signing him to a standard NHL contract with no compensation limits? By the CBA, I don't believe he would be considered a UFA until he's 27, so would we control him for two years then regardless of the term of his contract?
I just assumed he'd be on an ELC, but I think he's too old.
Oshie doesn't have the wheels to keep up with Sid. Oshie and Geno would be a great fit though.I feel like Oshie would be a better compliment to Sid than he would be to Malkin. Oshie has never really played the off wing while Hornqvist bounced back and forth while on nashville. If you want to keep he and Sid together try him on left with Oshie on right and give Perron to Geno with Plotnikov?
Also I'm a bit leary about just throwing Plots into the top six, would prefer that he start as a third liner and steal the job from someone else, even if it is a middle six free agent signing like a frolik. I mean we have the cap space. I think a Plot-Tik-Duper third line would be killer and the money spent on Fehr could go to someone with more of an offensive upside.
Horn - Sid - Oshie
Perron -Geno - Frolik
Plots - Tik - Duper
Sundqvist - Spaling (wilson, comeau, rust ect)
then if Plots is better than advertised
Plots Geon Perron (feels like the Fedo Geno Sykora line of old)
Duper Tik Frolik
Too Bad that Glencross has really lost a step, I always thought he would look great as a penguin.
Can people stop putting Hornqvist on his off wing?It's so annoying.
I'm in the camp that thinks Plotnikov is the "right guy, signed for the wrong reasons" if this does come off. He had real trouble skating at the world championships, and his shot was possibly the least accurate on the team. Definitely not a scoring line forward. He has the potential to be a bruising bottom 6er signed for cheap, though. Sadly, I think JR is pencilling him in for the top 6 before he's even set foot on North American ice.
I agree. I think he's a bit of a mix of Fedotenko, Komarov and Kulemin.
Yeah this is a pretty accurate description, but I think he has a much better shot than any of those 3.
Huh? So you're saying that GMJR made a good signing in spite of himself? I guess it's better than the wrong guy signed for the right reasons?
“He's a big guy, a big, strong winger, a power forward,†Dixon said. “I think he's built for the game in North America. I think it's a great find for the Penguins. I think he's a guy that's going to come in and no one's going to know that much about him and he's going to be really good.â€
One way Plotnikov is built for the North American game: He's no stranger to physical play. He has three fighting majors during the past three seasons, which makes him a rare breed in the KHL.
“He's a tough kid,†Dixon said. “He's a laid-back guy off the ice, but when he plays, he's intense. He doesn't mind dropping the gloves. You'll see when he gets over there. He doesn't play the old stereotypical Russian game. He goes to the net hard.â€
According to scouting reports, Plotnikov also has a good shot and keen offensive instincts. He is not known to be a good skater.
“I've never seen him on the small ice, but I think that might suit his game a little better,†Dixon said. “Sometimes with guys that big, you might say, ‘Oh, he doesn't look too fast,' but all of a sudden, he's going around guys. He's a lot faster than he looks.â€
He may not be the solution but at least it allows for competition and he brings size and physical play that the Pens are in need of.
Yeah, it's really too bad that signing Plotnikov might push Jayson ****ing Megna down the depth chart.it's not like we have four or five guys on the farm ready to com up.