Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Game Day: Pens' v. Flyers
Just a short post today.
Despite it being early in the sesason, the Penguins have a big game tonight on home-ice against Philadelphia. The flightless birds are already 7 points behind the division-leading New York Rangers, who have started the season 5-0. The Flyers are coming into the Igloo tonight after having fallen to the Montreal Canadiens last night. It's a good chance to catch a team on the back end of back-to-back games, although New Jersey was in the same situation on Saturday and still dominated most of the game. Pittsburgh definitely needs to rebound in a good way.
The Flyers will be missing defenseman Randy Jones and Ryan Parent tonight due to injury, so that won't help their cause. They also are missing Derian Hatcher, too, but if you ask me, that's an advantage for them. Unlike in last year's Eastern Conference Final, the Penguins will have to deal with Kimmo Timonen, and they'll also have to contend with right winger Simon Gagne, who has returned after missing most of last year with concussion-like symptoms. Maybe Brooks Orpik can dish out some FREE CANDY and send him back to IR,
The Penguins need to focus on getting their offense going tonight. To do that, they'll have to do it the old fashion way. Work down low, get pucks to the net, and make it miserable for whoever tends goal for Philadelphia. I'm not sure if Martin Biron will start because he played last night and hasn't looked all that great to start the season so far.
I'll post a game recap tomorrow.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Penguins Lose to Devils: Weekend Recap
My apologies for failing to post more promptly over the weekend. I was buried in paint and other things.
I did, however, watch the misery that was the Penguins performance on Saturday night in their wretched home-opening 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins' play on the ice made me seethe. The Baby Penguins would have put forth more effort in the last 2 periods. As it was, the Penguins were fortunate to get a point thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury's outstanding work between the pipes.
Let's see ... the Penguins were outshot by about .... what? 83-6?
Okay, it was only 49-15.
Close enough.
The sad part about it is that Pittsburgh almost stole TWO points out of the game. Fleury had the shutout going until just about 3 minutes left when a Patrick Elias centering pass went off defenseman Hal Gill's skate and behind Fleury. The Penguins didn't do much in overtime other than let the Devils continue to ring up more shots and just about had the opportunity to take their chances in the shootout with Crosby, Letang and company, only to have the Devils win it with about 30 seconds left in the OT when a "Larry-Murphy" dump by a Devils' defenseman allowed Travis Zajac to break down the wing and ring a top-shelf wrister off the post/crossbar for the winner.
With that, reality was (mostly) served, becasue the Penguins didn't deserve to win. They looked like they didn't belong on the ice against New Jersey.
I don't buy what some people are saying ... oh, it was their first game back after their overseas trip. That's garbage. The team was off all week. They were able to practice and re-acclimate themselves. They played at home. Those are all excuses. The Penguins just left their hard hats in Sweden and didn't come to play.
Other notes from the home opener -- and the weekend.
Miroslav Satan scored his first goal as a Penguin -- on a first period power play, no less -- picking up a lose puck next to Devils' goaltender Martin Brodeur after a nice point shot. It was good to see him get on the board. I'd like to see him involved off the rush more with Crosby, though.
Speaking of the Penguins' power play, it went 1-4. That's an improvement over the opening 2 games against the Senators, but the Penguins had several opportunities to go up 2-0 on the power play in the first 20-25 minutes of the game, but failed to capitalize. As it turns out, that would have made the difference.
Penguins coach Michel Therrein dressed veteran defenseman Daryl Sydor and played him on the wing. This concept is not foreign to Penguin fans with Brooks Orpik and Ryan Whitney both seeing a few games there last year. However, this was the first time he put Sydor up there.
I actually didn't mind the move. I figured from the beginning he was doing it so he could have Sydor on the power play, and that's mainly why he did what he did. It couldn't help to have his experience out there on the man advantage, even if Therrein wouldn't use him a whole lot on the backline at even strength. I'm not sure how long the Coach will stick with that arrangement, if at all, but I wouldn't expect it to go on for long. Eventually, I think the Penguins have to sink or swim with Letang and GoGo on the man-advantage. I believe things will be fine in the end. It's just taking a little time to get going.
New acquisition Mike Zigomanis got his first action as a Penguin, centering the 4th line. I learned very quickly in the aftermath of the trade why we probably brought him into the mix -- his near 60% rate on faceoffs last season. I knew he was a defensive player with size, but didn't know he was that good on the draw. Nice move by GM Ray Shero. The Penguins definitely needed a player like him.
One last thing -- the Penguins new marketing plan for the season. Great work here:
http://penguins.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=-6&id=22298
Now only if we can recapture some of that play. Soon. Like starting Tuesday when the arch-nemises Flyers come to town.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Penguins Acquire Mike Zigomanis from Phoenix
In an out-of-the-blue trade today, the Penguins acquired forward Mike Zigomanis from the Phoenix Coyotes for future considerations.
The 6' 1" Zigomanis split time between the Coyotes and the AHL last season, putting up 3 whole points during 33 games in Phoenix. He has 33 points in 167 career NHL contests.
I'm not sure what the Penguins have planned for Zigomanis, although I can't help but speculate that they envision him in a 4th line role with the big club since they sent Jeff Taffe to Wilkes Barre 2 days ago. Taffe did clear waivers, so he'll continue to occupy a fill-in role for the big club as needed this season. Zigomanis has size, but in his upper 20's, not a lot of offensive upside.
I'm anxious to hear from Ray Shero or Cliff Fletcher about what they're hoping to get out of this signing.
The 6' 1" Zigomanis split time between the Coyotes and the AHL last season, putting up 3 whole points during 33 games in Phoenix. He has 33 points in 167 career NHL contests.
I'm not sure what the Penguins have planned for Zigomanis, although I can't help but speculate that they envision him in a 4th line role with the big club since they sent Jeff Taffe to Wilkes Barre 2 days ago. Taffe did clear waivers, so he'll continue to occupy a fill-in role for the big club as needed this season. Zigomanis has size, but in his upper 20's, not a lot of offensive upside.
I'm anxious to hear from Ray Shero or Cliff Fletcher about what they're hoping to get out of this signing.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Penguins Make Roster Moves
A few days ago, I promised I'd talk more about the rumors of the Penguins trying to trade for Marion Gaborik. I'll get to that in a few days, but first, there are a few roster moves the Penguins made today.
First, they waived Jeff Taffe. Okay. No big deal. Hopefully, he'll clear and then will report to Wilkes-Barre. Even though Taffe isn't an impact player, he's a depth player, and we all know that every team needs those guys at some point during the year. That's especially more true in our organization now because most of the guys who were said to be the closest to making the big club in recent seasons -- Stone, Filewich, James, Beech, etc. have fallen out of favor with upper management. Of that list, only James has any kind of remaining favor with the team. Of course, the Penguins have added some new blood recently -- Dustin Jeffrey, Kevin Vellieux, Luca Caputi -- and, in fact, all may really be considered higher end prospects than guys like Filewich and James -- but I think that group is generally green still and not ready for meaningful NHL action as a fill-in due to injury. Taffe was good in that role.
Speaking of Beech, he cleared waivers last week without being claimed. Now, the Penguins have placed him on unconditional waivers, which means that, if he's not claimed this time, the team has the right to terminate his contract altogether in 2 weeks. Apparently, Beech is trying to land himself a gig overseas.
First, they waived Jeff Taffe. Okay. No big deal. Hopefully, he'll clear and then will report to Wilkes-Barre. Even though Taffe isn't an impact player, he's a depth player, and we all know that every team needs those guys at some point during the year. That's especially more true in our organization now because most of the guys who were said to be the closest to making the big club in recent seasons -- Stone, Filewich, James, Beech, etc. have fallen out of favor with upper management. Of that list, only James has any kind of remaining favor with the team. Of course, the Penguins have added some new blood recently -- Dustin Jeffrey, Kevin Vellieux, Luca Caputi -- and, in fact, all may really be considered higher end prospects than guys like Filewich and James -- but I think that group is generally green still and not ready for meaningful NHL action as a fill-in due to injury. Taffe was good in that role.
Speaking of Beech, he cleared waivers last week without being claimed. Now, the Penguins have placed him on unconditional waivers, which means that, if he's not claimed this time, the team has the right to terminate his contract altogether in 2 weeks. Apparently, Beech is trying to land himself a gig overseas.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Split in Stockholm: Pens Lose Game 2, 3-1
This won't be a long post, because yesterday's 3-1 Penguins loss in game 2 of their 2-game Stockholm set against the Ottawa Senators can be summed up by pointing primarily to one area that cost the Penguins the game:
The power play.
With 7 more chances yesterday, the Penguins -- for all intents and purposes -- came up empty again. Defenseman Alex Goligoski broke the shutout bid of the Senators and goalie Alex Auld by scoring a power play goal on a laser from the slot with 1 second left in the game, but when it mattered most earlier in the game, the Penguins couldn't convert with the man-advantage for the 2nd game in a row.
They definitely aren't getting enough shots on goal, and that has to change.
On the Senators side, they got a much better performance in the net from Auld when compared to the guy who tried to impersonate an NHL goaltender the night before. He was there for Ottawa when they needed him to be. Behind his play and the 2 power play goals they got from Dany Heatley, they were in control most of the game.
See what a power play that produces can do for you?
The Penguins have some time to work on the PP in practice before their next game, and they'll need it. I'm sure it's something they'll be chewing on during the long flight home from Sweden today before they next suit up on Saturday for the home opener against the New Jersey Devils.
It also would be nice to get Satan going a little bit. He has been quiet. Even Crosby was a little quiet during the first few games. I'm sure he and Satan are feeling each other out still, but hopefully, that won't take too long. Coach Michel Therrein spent a lot of time mixing and matching the lines yesterday in an effort to jump-start the offense, so that didn't help the cause. But we'll see what combinations he goes back to in practice this week.
All in all, the Penguins return from Sweden with the record I expected: 1-1. It isn't easy to sweep teams in a back to back set these days (although the Rangers did it to the Lightning in Prague this past weekend in their opening set there, winning both games 2-1). Let's hope the Penguins can make some headway during their next 4 games, which will be at home.
More later this week. I keep hearing more linking the Penguins to a possible trade for Minnesota star winger Marion Gaborik .......
The power play.
With 7 more chances yesterday, the Penguins -- for all intents and purposes -- came up empty again. Defenseman Alex Goligoski broke the shutout bid of the Senators and goalie Alex Auld by scoring a power play goal on a laser from the slot with 1 second left in the game, but when it mattered most earlier in the game, the Penguins couldn't convert with the man-advantage for the 2nd game in a row.
They definitely aren't getting enough shots on goal, and that has to change.
On the Senators side, they got a much better performance in the net from Auld when compared to the guy who tried to impersonate an NHL goaltender the night before. He was there for Ottawa when they needed him to be. Behind his play and the 2 power play goals they got from Dany Heatley, they were in control most of the game.
See what a power play that produces can do for you?
The Penguins have some time to work on the PP in practice before their next game, and they'll need it. I'm sure it's something they'll be chewing on during the long flight home from Sweden today before they next suit up on Saturday for the home opener against the New Jersey Devils.
It also would be nice to get Satan going a little bit. He has been quiet. Even Crosby was a little quiet during the first few games. I'm sure he and Satan are feeling each other out still, but hopefully, that won't take too long. Coach Michel Therrein spent a lot of time mixing and matching the lines yesterday in an effort to jump-start the offense, so that didn't help the cause. But we'll see what combinations he goes back to in practice this week.
All in all, the Penguins return from Sweden with the record I expected: 1-1. It isn't easy to sweep teams in a back to back set these days (although the Rangers did it to the Lightning in Prague this past weekend in their opening set there, winning both games 2-1). Let's hope the Penguins can make some headway during their next 4 games, which will be at home.
More later this week. I keep hearing more linking the Penguins to a possible trade for Minnesota star winger Marion Gaborik .......
Sunday, October 5, 2008
A Familiar Foe ... A Familiar Result: Pens' Win OT Opener in Stockholm, 4-3
The Penguins 4-3 season-opening victory over the Ottawa Senators in overtime in Stockholm, Sweden yesterday was all about the old and the new.
The Penguins continued their recent dominance over the Senators, dating back to their 4-game sweep of the club in last year's playoffs. That was the "old".
The "new" came from new contributors stepping up yesterday -- namely defenseman Rob Scuderi and winger Tyler Kennedy.
Scuderi scored his first goal in over 90 games early in the 3rd period on a fabulous cross-ice pass from Sidney Crosby, tying the score at 3-3 and building on the Penguins' momentum after killing a 5-3 for over 90 seconds.
Meanwhile, Kennedy -- who hadn't scored in 29 games to end last season, including every playoff game -- potted two goals. He opened up the scoring less than a minute into the game, then ended it in grand fashion 25 or so seconds before the end of the overtime.
MR. KENNEDY certainly knew how to finish what he started.
In all fairness, his goals were well deserved. Filling in on right wing on Evgeni Malkin's line for an injured Petr Sykora (who sat out with a groin problem), Kennedy looked great all over the ice. He skated with speed, won loose pucks with his tenacity, and brought rubber to the net.
Speaking of the old and the new, yesterday's game could be an example of what the Penguins' special teams will see a lot of this year.
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The bad news is that the Penguins' went 0-7 on the power play in their first regular season action without defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. I'm not overly concerned -- yet -- mainly because I didn't sense difficulty in getting the puck up the ice or into the zone, or in being respected at the point. Those are the things you think the Penguins may miss the most without those guys. Like Crosby said after the game, the boys do need to get more pucks to the net, though.
The good news is that Evegni Malkin scored a shorthanded goal -- on a breakaway no less. With both Malkin and Crosby seeing more time on the penalty killing units this year, you may see more of those. We'll need them, too, because Malkin can get a little adventurous when playing the point on the power play. He got caught carelessly pinching yesterday, and that allowed the Senators to steam up the ice on an odd-man rush that led to a goal against in the second period.
I'll say this ... I'm glad Senators goaltender Martin Gerber doesn't tend goal for the Penguins. Without taking anything away from the Penguins, he was awful yesterday. 3 of the Penguins 4 goals were questionable, in my estimation. All rolled up on him or went off of him into the goal. If you're a goaltender and you get a piece of the puck, you want to stop it altogether. Only the Malkin breakaway goal was one you couldn't fault him on.
Meanwhile, Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 of 35 shots for the Penguins, and he was blameless on at least 2 of the Senators' 3 goals, with Dany Heatly and Jason Spezza, respectively, beating him with excellent, clean shots. He wasn't spectacular, but he didn't need to be. He got the job done.
Other tidbits ... Paul Bissonette got the extra forward spot in the lineup, while Bill Thomas was scratched. Eric Godard took a noteworthy -- and worthless -- hooking penalty against Senators forward Chris Neil in the 2nd period after the two were going at it and Neil refused to drop the gloves against him. Unfortunately, the Penguins' paid the price for that goal, as Heatley scored on the power play. Godard just can't take those penalties.
The Penguins' go for the sweep today.
The Penguins continued their recent dominance over the Senators, dating back to their 4-game sweep of the club in last year's playoffs. That was the "old".
The "new" came from new contributors stepping up yesterday -- namely defenseman Rob Scuderi and winger Tyler Kennedy.
Scuderi scored his first goal in over 90 games early in the 3rd period on a fabulous cross-ice pass from Sidney Crosby, tying the score at 3-3 and building on the Penguins' momentum after killing a 5-3 for over 90 seconds.
Meanwhile, Kennedy -- who hadn't scored in 29 games to end last season, including every playoff game -- potted two goals. He opened up the scoring less than a minute into the game, then ended it in grand fashion 25 or so seconds before the end of the overtime.
MR. KENNEDY certainly knew how to finish what he started.
In all fairness, his goals were well deserved. Filling in on right wing on Evgeni Malkin's line for an injured Petr Sykora (who sat out with a groin problem), Kennedy looked great all over the ice. He skated with speed, won loose pucks with his tenacity, and brought rubber to the net.
Speaking of the old and the new, yesterday's game could be an example of what the Penguins' special teams will see a lot of this year.
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?
The bad news is that the Penguins' went 0-7 on the power play in their first regular season action without defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. I'm not overly concerned -- yet -- mainly because I didn't sense difficulty in getting the puck up the ice or into the zone, or in being respected at the point. Those are the things you think the Penguins may miss the most without those guys. Like Crosby said after the game, the boys do need to get more pucks to the net, though.
The good news is that Evegni Malkin scored a shorthanded goal -- on a breakaway no less. With both Malkin and Crosby seeing more time on the penalty killing units this year, you may see more of those. We'll need them, too, because Malkin can get a little adventurous when playing the point on the power play. He got caught carelessly pinching yesterday, and that allowed the Senators to steam up the ice on an odd-man rush that led to a goal against in the second period.
I'll say this ... I'm glad Senators goaltender Martin Gerber doesn't tend goal for the Penguins. Without taking anything away from the Penguins, he was awful yesterday. 3 of the Penguins 4 goals were questionable, in my estimation. All rolled up on him or went off of him into the goal. If you're a goaltender and you get a piece of the puck, you want to stop it altogether. Only the Malkin breakaway goal was one you couldn't fault him on.
Meanwhile, Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 32 of 35 shots for the Penguins, and he was blameless on at least 2 of the Senators' 3 goals, with Dany Heatly and Jason Spezza, respectively, beating him with excellent, clean shots. He wasn't spectacular, but he didn't need to be. He got the job done.
Other tidbits ... Paul Bissonette got the extra forward spot in the lineup, while Bill Thomas was scratched. Eric Godard took a noteworthy -- and worthless -- hooking penalty against Senators forward Chris Neil in the 2nd period after the two were going at it and Neil refused to drop the gloves against him. Unfortunately, the Penguins' paid the price for that goal, as Heatley scored on the power play. Godard just can't take those penalties.
The Penguins' go for the sweep today.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Pesonen Sent to Wilkes-Barre
So much for the hype.
Today, Janne Pesonen was sent to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, representing Pittsburgh's final cut. He will stay with the team while in Sweden and report to the Baby Penguins upon the team's return to native soil.
I was pretty excited about the Pesonen signing when it was first announed. I thought there was a chance he could stick and make an impact. He may make an impact, but it's not likely to be with the big club.
In truth, if Michel Therein and Ray Shero don't feel Pesonen is going to play on the top 2 lines, he's probably better off in Wilkes-Barre where he can play top minutes. Still, people are kidding themselves if they think Pens' brass brought Pesonen over to add depth to their team. They were hoping to find an unsigned gem they could bring in at a reasonable salary. Kudos to them for trying. It just didn't work out this time.
Let's face it. If Pesonen isn't ready for top line duty in the NHL now, I find it hard to believe he will be able to work that into his game in the AHL all of a sudden.
Sending Pesonen down means that both Paul Bissonette and Fox Chapel kid Bill Thomas are going to stick with the team personnally. Since it looks as if Petr Sykora is going to sit out the season opener because of this lingering groin problem he's dealing with, expect one or both to be in the lineup. Thomas may even get a shot playing on the second line with Geno and Jordan.
Either way, I'm excited to see the two of them in uniform ... and disappointed that the Pesonen experiment doesn't seem like it's going to work out.
Today, Janne Pesonen was sent to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, representing Pittsburgh's final cut. He will stay with the team while in Sweden and report to the Baby Penguins upon the team's return to native soil.
I was pretty excited about the Pesonen signing when it was first announed. I thought there was a chance he could stick and make an impact. He may make an impact, but it's not likely to be with the big club.
In truth, if Michel Therein and Ray Shero don't feel Pesonen is going to play on the top 2 lines, he's probably better off in Wilkes-Barre where he can play top minutes. Still, people are kidding themselves if they think Pens' brass brought Pesonen over to add depth to their team. They were hoping to find an unsigned gem they could bring in at a reasonable salary. Kudos to them for trying. It just didn't work out this time.
Let's face it. If Pesonen isn't ready for top line duty in the NHL now, I find it hard to believe he will be able to work that into his game in the AHL all of a sudden.
Sending Pesonen down means that both Paul Bissonette and Fox Chapel kid Bill Thomas are going to stick with the team personnally. Since it looks as if Petr Sykora is going to sit out the season opener because of this lingering groin problem he's dealing with, expect one or both to be in the lineup. Thomas may even get a shot playing on the second line with Geno and Jordan.
Either way, I'm excited to see the two of them in uniform ... and disappointed that the Pesonen experiment doesn't seem like it's going to work out.
Penguins 2008/2009 Season Preview and Predictions
Well boys and girls, it's time to breakdown how I view the local hockey club this season in my 2008/2009 preview. I'm going to take a detailed look at the roster, grading the team's personnel and special teams. I'll also offer a few predicitions on the regular season, including but not limited to where I think the Penguins will finish.
So without further adieu ...
OFFENSE
The Penguins sustained meaningful free agent losses in the off-season, losing Marion Hossa and Ryan Malone, among others. They remain, however, one of the strongest offensive teams in the NHL. They have the best 1-2 punch down the middle in the game in Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and proven scorers on the wing in Petr Sykora and Miroslav Satan. Does anybody thing Satan is going to finish with 16 goals again this year? I don't think so.
The team also added Ruslan Fedotenko to the mix this season, and he could find himself on the scoresheet upwards of 25 times. And with the Penguins' plan to play Jordan Staal regularly at LW on Malkin's line again, a significant increase in his production is in order. All in all, the Penguins have two strong scoring lines among a top 6 that many teams in the league would love to have.
Don't forget ... the Penguins have a decent collection of 10-goal scorers on the 3rd line in guys like Max Talbot, Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke. That's meaningful depth at the NHL level.
The flightless birds also usually are able to trot out some offensive punch from the blueline as well; however, with Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney on the shelf to start the season, the Penguins certainly can't consider themselves as proficient in this area as they usually are. Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski have great potential to pick up a fair amount of the slack because both skate well and are excellent puck movers, but only time will tell whether they can get that done on the ice.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
DEFENSE
Because of their offensive firepower, the Penguins get overlooked as a solid team defensively. Last season, they finished 10th overall in the league in goals against, and were 3rd in the East only behind defensive stalwarts New Jersey and New York. Don't expect that to change this season. Penguins coach Michel Therrein has a good defensive system in place and holds his players accountable in their own end. This includes their superstars up front, Crosby and Malkin.
On the backline, the Penguins have a reliable group filled largely with veterans. Orpik has developed into a steady defender who knows when the right time is to start dishing out "FREE CANDY". Mark Eaton also is a dependable defenseman and excellent shot blocker. Daryl Sydor -- someone many thought the Penguins would have dealt by now -- is an experienced guy who can play both ends of the ice. Hal Gill, although slow afoot, brings a physical edge and adds a great penalty killing dimension because of his size. Rob Scuderi doesn't get noticed a lot, which is exactly what you want from him.
Even Letang showed himself to be fairly capable defensively last season, and that's really not his game. For a smaller defenseman, I've always been impressed with how physical he plays along with wall. He has great leverage and uses it wisely.
Goligoski is a little green in his own zone -- which is to be expected to some degree -- but he'll have to quickly acclimate to Therein's system and be reliable in his own zone. Until he does, the veterans can help cover for him and allow him to bring the offense that the Penguins need from the backline with Gonchar and Whitney out.
Together, this is a solid group, although the grade would obviously be higher if Gonchar and Whitney were in the lineup.
OVERALL GRADE: B
GOALTENDING
After his work in the playoffs last season, and 2 relatively strong regular seasons in a row, few are questioning Marc-Andre Fleury as one of the better netminders in the NHL anymore. To think how young Fleury still is -- he has many great seasons in front of him. Under the watchful eyes of goaltending coach Gilles Meloche, Fleury has honed his game the last few years. He's more in control and relies less on his athleticism except when absolutely necessary. He's also fast becoming a guy that looks ahead and quickly forgets the last goal. And who can forget about his improved puck-handling skills? Fleury is almost near a complete package in the net for the Penguins.
For as strong as Fleury is, the Penguins are another injury away from having to make Dany Sabourin their main netminder. That's a concern for me. Sabourin can be effective in spot starts and small stretches, but he hasn't demonstrated the consistency necessary to take his good size and put that to successful use over a long period. He was given the chance to do that last year when Fleury got hurt and couldn't hold the fort, which is why Ty Conklin got his chance to shine in the first place. Unlike Sabourin, Conklin took advantage of it. There's a legitimate question mark as to whether Sabourin could get the same job done if Fleury gets hurt again.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
POWER PLAY
The Penguins power play has been in the top of the league the last 2 seasons, and has most of the personnel to do it again this year. Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Satan, and Staal will all see time. In fact 4 of those guys will probably comprise the top unit, with Malkin sliding to the point in Gonchar's absence. Letang will probably man the opposite point. He certainly won't be the quarterback that Sarge is, but he's got a good shot, and he's right handed. That will give the power play a different look. Expect Malkin to be more of the "quarterback" out there in #55's absence.
The second power play unit is likely to feature Sydor and Goligoski at the points, with Sykora and Fedotenko joining Tyler Kennedy up front. Not an intimidating unit, for sure, but when the top power play unit is probably going to play for 75/90 seconds, the 2nd unit matters less.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
PENALTY KILLING
The Penguins penalty kill was really strong after the trade deadline and into the playoffs last year, in part because Gonchar and Orpik really came into their own, and in part because Hal Gill joined the team. Of course, Gonchar is missing from this underrated unit, but Gill returns, and will be joined on the PK by Rob Scuderi and, likely, Mark Eaton. Eaton will help the cause, as he's a reliable shot blocker and intelligent defender.
I still believe the Penguins miss some snarl in front of their net. Orpik brings some of that, but he's always been a more physical player on the boards and in the corners than in front of the goal. Gill also will help in this area, which is critical because your best penalty killer is often your ....
Goaltender. Fleury's work in the Penguins' penalty killing successes down the stretch shouldn't be overlooked. He was great during that period and will need to continue to be mentally sharp around the net. He also needs to make sure he continues to do a good job reducing or eliminating rebounds for the opposing team.
OVERALL GRADE: B
COACHING
Michel Therrein was rewarded in the off-season with a 2 year contract extension on top of the year left on his contract this year. He's led the team to the playoffs the last 2 seasons, and the Cup Final last year. During those years, he's a combined near 35 games over .500.
The Penguins have adopted his system well, largely due to the success they've seen it can bring them. And even though there have been rumblings about him not being a players coach, the guy who was said to have the greatest beef with him -- defenseman Brooks Orpik -- signed a multi-year contract to stay with the team in the offseason. That speaks volumes on that issue, in my opinion.
Therein has 2 capable assistants in Mike Yeo, who controls the offense and directs the power play, and Andre Savard, who assists the defense and penalty killing. Savard has been talked about in a few places as a possible head coaching candidate, but so far, he remains with the team. The continuity having the same staff for nearly 3 years in a row brings to the team should not be underestimated.
OVERALL GRADE: B+
PREDICTION
I believe the Penguins will finish with 46 wins, 25 losses and 11 OTL this season, for a total of 103 points. I expect them to win the Atlantic Division again, and again finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference behind the team I hate more than any other -- the Montreal Canadiens.
A few other Penguin predictions for the season:
Sidney Crosby will lead the league in scoring again, finishing with 124 points in 78 games.
Miroslav Satan will score 34 goals playing with Crosby most of the season.
Jordan Staal will score 29 goals (again) saddling up next to Malkin for most of the season.
Marc-Andre Fleury will win 39 games.
Overall, it should be another successful season for the Penguins. Let the season get underway in earnest today in Stockholm.
LET'S GO PENS!!!!
So without further adieu ...
OFFENSE
The Penguins sustained meaningful free agent losses in the off-season, losing Marion Hossa and Ryan Malone, among others. They remain, however, one of the strongest offensive teams in the NHL. They have the best 1-2 punch down the middle in the game in Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and proven scorers on the wing in Petr Sykora and Miroslav Satan. Does anybody thing Satan is going to finish with 16 goals again this year? I don't think so.
The team also added Ruslan Fedotenko to the mix this season, and he could find himself on the scoresheet upwards of 25 times. And with the Penguins' plan to play Jordan Staal regularly at LW on Malkin's line again, a significant increase in his production is in order. All in all, the Penguins have two strong scoring lines among a top 6 that many teams in the league would love to have.
Don't forget ... the Penguins have a decent collection of 10-goal scorers on the 3rd line in guys like Max Talbot, Pascal Dupuis and Matt Cooke. That's meaningful depth at the NHL level.
The flightless birds also usually are able to trot out some offensive punch from the blueline as well; however, with Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney on the shelf to start the season, the Penguins certainly can't consider themselves as proficient in this area as they usually are. Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski have great potential to pick up a fair amount of the slack because both skate well and are excellent puck movers, but only time will tell whether they can get that done on the ice.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
DEFENSE
Because of their offensive firepower, the Penguins get overlooked as a solid team defensively. Last season, they finished 10th overall in the league in goals against, and were 3rd in the East only behind defensive stalwarts New Jersey and New York. Don't expect that to change this season. Penguins coach Michel Therrein has a good defensive system in place and holds his players accountable in their own end. This includes their superstars up front, Crosby and Malkin.
On the backline, the Penguins have a reliable group filled largely with veterans. Orpik has developed into a steady defender who knows when the right time is to start dishing out "FREE CANDY". Mark Eaton also is a dependable defenseman and excellent shot blocker. Daryl Sydor -- someone many thought the Penguins would have dealt by now -- is an experienced guy who can play both ends of the ice. Hal Gill, although slow afoot, brings a physical edge and adds a great penalty killing dimension because of his size. Rob Scuderi doesn't get noticed a lot, which is exactly what you want from him.
Even Letang showed himself to be fairly capable defensively last season, and that's really not his game. For a smaller defenseman, I've always been impressed with how physical he plays along with wall. He has great leverage and uses it wisely.
Goligoski is a little green in his own zone -- which is to be expected to some degree -- but he'll have to quickly acclimate to Therein's system and be reliable in his own zone. Until he does, the veterans can help cover for him and allow him to bring the offense that the Penguins need from the backline with Gonchar and Whitney out.
Together, this is a solid group, although the grade would obviously be higher if Gonchar and Whitney were in the lineup.
OVERALL GRADE: B
GOALTENDING
After his work in the playoffs last season, and 2 relatively strong regular seasons in a row, few are questioning Marc-Andre Fleury as one of the better netminders in the NHL anymore. To think how young Fleury still is -- he has many great seasons in front of him. Under the watchful eyes of goaltending coach Gilles Meloche, Fleury has honed his game the last few years. He's more in control and relies less on his athleticism except when absolutely necessary. He's also fast becoming a guy that looks ahead and quickly forgets the last goal. And who can forget about his improved puck-handling skills? Fleury is almost near a complete package in the net for the Penguins.
For as strong as Fleury is, the Penguins are another injury away from having to make Dany Sabourin their main netminder. That's a concern for me. Sabourin can be effective in spot starts and small stretches, but he hasn't demonstrated the consistency necessary to take his good size and put that to successful use over a long period. He was given the chance to do that last year when Fleury got hurt and couldn't hold the fort, which is why Ty Conklin got his chance to shine in the first place. Unlike Sabourin, Conklin took advantage of it. There's a legitimate question mark as to whether Sabourin could get the same job done if Fleury gets hurt again.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
POWER PLAY
The Penguins power play has been in the top of the league the last 2 seasons, and has most of the personnel to do it again this year. Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Satan, and Staal will all see time. In fact 4 of those guys will probably comprise the top unit, with Malkin sliding to the point in Gonchar's absence. Letang will probably man the opposite point. He certainly won't be the quarterback that Sarge is, but he's got a good shot, and he's right handed. That will give the power play a different look. Expect Malkin to be more of the "quarterback" out there in #55's absence.
The second power play unit is likely to feature Sydor and Goligoski at the points, with Sykora and Fedotenko joining Tyler Kennedy up front. Not an intimidating unit, for sure, but when the top power play unit is probably going to play for 75/90 seconds, the 2nd unit matters less.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
PENALTY KILLING
The Penguins penalty kill was really strong after the trade deadline and into the playoffs last year, in part because Gonchar and Orpik really came into their own, and in part because Hal Gill joined the team. Of course, Gonchar is missing from this underrated unit, but Gill returns, and will be joined on the PK by Rob Scuderi and, likely, Mark Eaton. Eaton will help the cause, as he's a reliable shot blocker and intelligent defender.
I still believe the Penguins miss some snarl in front of their net. Orpik brings some of that, but he's always been a more physical player on the boards and in the corners than in front of the goal. Gill also will help in this area, which is critical because your best penalty killer is often your ....
Goaltender. Fleury's work in the Penguins' penalty killing successes down the stretch shouldn't be overlooked. He was great during that period and will need to continue to be mentally sharp around the net. He also needs to make sure he continues to do a good job reducing or eliminating rebounds for the opposing team.
OVERALL GRADE: B
COACHING
Michel Therrein was rewarded in the off-season with a 2 year contract extension on top of the year left on his contract this year. He's led the team to the playoffs the last 2 seasons, and the Cup Final last year. During those years, he's a combined near 35 games over .500.
The Penguins have adopted his system well, largely due to the success they've seen it can bring them. And even though there have been rumblings about him not being a players coach, the guy who was said to have the greatest beef with him -- defenseman Brooks Orpik -- signed a multi-year contract to stay with the team in the offseason. That speaks volumes on that issue, in my opinion.
Therein has 2 capable assistants in Mike Yeo, who controls the offense and directs the power play, and Andre Savard, who assists the defense and penalty killing. Savard has been talked about in a few places as a possible head coaching candidate, but so far, he remains with the team. The continuity having the same staff for nearly 3 years in a row brings to the team should not be underestimated.
OVERALL GRADE: B+
PREDICTION
I believe the Penguins will finish with 46 wins, 25 losses and 11 OTL this season, for a total of 103 points. I expect them to win the Atlantic Division again, and again finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference behind the team I hate more than any other -- the Montreal Canadiens.
A few other Penguin predictions for the season:
Sidney Crosby will lead the league in scoring again, finishing with 124 points in 78 games.
Miroslav Satan will score 34 goals playing with Crosby most of the season.
Jordan Staal will score 29 goals (again) saddling up next to Malkin for most of the season.
Marc-Andre Fleury will win 39 games.
Overall, it should be another successful season for the Penguins. Let the season get underway in earnest today in Stockholm.
LET'S GO PENS!!!!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Letters and More
Well, it's official. Brooks Orpik and Evgeni Malkin will start the season as alternate captains for the Penguins, coach Michel Therrein announed today. I believe Malkin will be a part of the rotating assistant captaincy in Sergei Gonchar's absence. Therrein plans to rotate the "A" around every month until Sarge returns. I believe Orpik will wear the other "A" all season.
I like both choices. Malkin has shown he has increased his ability to speak English, and that he is ready for a greater leadership role. Orpik would be a good captain, let alone an assistant captain. He's not a *rah-rah* guy, but then again, neither is Sid. Orpik let's his play do the talking on the ice and his locker-room respect do the talking off it. He reminds me a little of Jason Smith when he was in his prime for the Oilers. Now, Smith is a bit-player for the Ottawa Senators we'll probably abuse beginning this weekend, just like we did in the playoffs last year when he patrolled the blueline for the Flyers.
In other news, the Penguins beat Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League today in their final exhibition game, 4-1. Malkin, Fedotenko, Kennedy and Dupuis (empty net) got the Penguins goals, while only Dany Sabourin allowed a goal to the Fins, and that on a penalty shot in the 3rd period. Otherwise, he and Fleury slammed the door.
Max Talbot (leg) and Petr Sykora (groin) missed the game, although both are expected to be ready to go on Saturday.
The Penguins finished the preseason 4-0-1, which isn't bad considering they haven't had a lot of time to work on things. We'll see if they can continue that trend going into the regular season.
In other news, Center Kris Beech has apparently refused to report to the Baby Penguins. I'm not sure what the Penguins are going to do with him, but he's obviously unhappy with not making the big club. Personally, I think Beech shoudl be hard pressed to gripe. By all accounts, he didn't stand out in training camp and besides, we all know he's really nothing more than a fringe NHL player anyway. He's never shown himself to be any better than that.
I'd actually like to keep Beech in the organization because he provides us some depth, but if we move him, I can't say I'm going to lose sleep over it.
Ryan Stone also wants to be moved, apparently. The PG's Seth Rorabaugh reports in his Empty Netters blog that Stone didn't clear waivers, or was waived again, or that the team is trying to trade him. Maybe it's a combination of all 3. Regardless, Stone's time with the organization has probably run its course. Like Beech, he's a depth player, so although it would be nice to keep him, it won't slow the organization down much if he's not around.
Until Saturday, when I'll try to preview the Penguins upcoming season .....
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Penguins in Stockholm
Sheesh. I've been away too long. That's what happens when you go to Las Vegas. Recovery takes awile. My apologies ...
Needless to say, there have been many happenings in the Penguins' world over the last week or so. Last week, our Boys of Winter knocked off the sad-sack Toronto Maple Leafs in 2 exhibition games by respective 3-2 and 5-4 scores. Winger Ruslan Fedotenko made a big impact on Friday's game with 3 helpers. Crosby scored in that game, as did Janne Pesonen. It was nice to see him on the board. Even Mark Eaton scored. Hey -- like I said, the Penguins were playing the Maple Leafs. Sabourin got the win on Wednesday; Fleury did on Friday.
Probably the most encouraging thing about those games -- and all of the preseason so far -- has been the play of Kris and Go-Go. Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski both have gotten a lot of ice time in the exhibition games, and both have contributed on the scoresheet. The Penguins are going to need each of those two to play significant roles this season, given the unfortunate news that was just made official on Monday.
Defenseman Sergei Gonchar -- the Penguins lynchpin on the backline -- decided to undergo surgery to correct his dislocated shoulder. He's going to have some ligament repair while under the knife, too. Indications are that he'll be gone for the bulk of the regular season, or around 4-6 months. If things go well, he could return in March. Hopefully he won't have any setbacks and will be able to shake the rust off in 2-4 weeks before the playoffs begin. We'll need him more than ever in the postseason.
One thing the Penguins have going for them -- aside from their depth on defense -- is that they won't rely on key injuries as an excuse. They didn't last year, and proved they could win without key players for long stretches. That should give them a lot of confidence as they enter the season with both of their top guns from the point (including Ryan Whitney) on the shelf.
There was one other notable happening last week. The Penguins signed winger Tyler Kennedy to a 2-year contract extension. "KENNEDY" was entering the final year of his contract, and now is signed to play into the time when the new Igloo will open. Kennedy is a useful player with speed, tenacity and some skill who has the potential to improve on his 10-goal total from last season. He'll have to work at it, though, because it looks like he'll be starting the season on the 4th line. And in a different position: center.
On Saturday, the team got on a transcontinental flight for Stockholm, Sweden, where they'll open up the season this coming weekend with a 2-game set against Jarkko Ruutu and the Ottawa Senators. Coach Michel Therein welcomed them to the ground by having them hit the ice for practice. Since then the team has tried to adopt a regular schedule, mixed in with several team building activities, including a stop at a museum. They even have a scavenger hunt set for today.
So much for West Point.
As we get closer to Saturday's opener (2:30 PM EST), the Penguins are trying out Fedotenko on Sidney Crosby's left side. He played the last half of last Friday's exhibition game against the Leafs there and Therrein obviously liked what he saw. I think they're going to take the twosome for another spin in the team's final exhibition tuneup Thursday against Finnish Elite Club Jokerit in Finland.
Fedotenko has the ability to play with Crosby. He's not the best skater, but neither was Ryan Malone, and we know Malone took his turn with Crosby at times during his tenure with the Penguins. More importantly, Fedotenko has the size and game to go up and down the wing, bang in the corners a little bit, set up in front of the net, and clear some space for Sid and Miro to do their thing. I'm anxious to see how Crosby and the Islanders play out.
There's one other thing to mention. I can't neglect to talk about who made the roster out of camp. Aside from the expected players, the Penguins took to Sweden wingers Bill Thomas and Paul Bissonette. Thomas played well in camp and most agree -- this writer included -- that the Pittsburgh product has the potential to play a useful role for the Penguins this season.
Bissonette is the most interesting case, however. This is a guy who the Penguins drafted 3 years ago as a defenseman. He played so poorly that, after camp last year, he wasn't sent down to Wilkes-Barre, but was instead dispatched all the way to the Wheeling Nailers in the East Coast League. To his credit, he worked hard and made his way back to the baby penguins later in the year, and all after changing his position to wing, too. His solid play obviously continued in camp -- so much that the Penguins decided to keep him.
I believe that one of the big reasons the Penguins kept Bissonette is because he provides an element which the team lost some of when the likes of Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone and Ruutu left to join other clubs: toughness. Bissonette can be hard to play against and he isn't afraid to mix it up out there. He's a big, physical guy who will bang well along with wall. I think that's what attracted the Penguins to him the most. He had an opportunity to fill a need and, to his credit, he took advantage of it. I'm eager to see him out there.
Okay. That's enough for now. I'll try to post again before the season opener Saturday. We'll see where the lines stand at that point.
3 more days until my world resumes.
Needless to say, there have been many happenings in the Penguins' world over the last week or so. Last week, our Boys of Winter knocked off the sad-sack Toronto Maple Leafs in 2 exhibition games by respective 3-2 and 5-4 scores. Winger Ruslan Fedotenko made a big impact on Friday's game with 3 helpers. Crosby scored in that game, as did Janne Pesonen. It was nice to see him on the board. Even Mark Eaton scored. Hey -- like I said, the Penguins were playing the Maple Leafs. Sabourin got the win on Wednesday; Fleury did on Friday.
Probably the most encouraging thing about those games -- and all of the preseason so far -- has been the play of Kris and Go-Go. Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski both have gotten a lot of ice time in the exhibition games, and both have contributed on the scoresheet. The Penguins are going to need each of those two to play significant roles this season, given the unfortunate news that was just made official on Monday.
Defenseman Sergei Gonchar -- the Penguins lynchpin on the backline -- decided to undergo surgery to correct his dislocated shoulder. He's going to have some ligament repair while under the knife, too. Indications are that he'll be gone for the bulk of the regular season, or around 4-6 months. If things go well, he could return in March. Hopefully he won't have any setbacks and will be able to shake the rust off in 2-4 weeks before the playoffs begin. We'll need him more than ever in the postseason.
One thing the Penguins have going for them -- aside from their depth on defense -- is that they won't rely on key injuries as an excuse. They didn't last year, and proved they could win without key players for long stretches. That should give them a lot of confidence as they enter the season with both of their top guns from the point (including Ryan Whitney) on the shelf.
There was one other notable happening last week. The Penguins signed winger Tyler Kennedy to a 2-year contract extension. "KENNEDY" was entering the final year of his contract, and now is signed to play into the time when the new Igloo will open. Kennedy is a useful player with speed, tenacity and some skill who has the potential to improve on his 10-goal total from last season. He'll have to work at it, though, because it looks like he'll be starting the season on the 4th line. And in a different position: center.
On Saturday, the team got on a transcontinental flight for Stockholm, Sweden, where they'll open up the season this coming weekend with a 2-game set against Jarkko Ruutu and the Ottawa Senators. Coach Michel Therein welcomed them to the ground by having them hit the ice for practice. Since then the team has tried to adopt a regular schedule, mixed in with several team building activities, including a stop at a museum. They even have a scavenger hunt set for today.
So much for West Point.
As we get closer to Saturday's opener (2:30 PM EST), the Penguins are trying out Fedotenko on Sidney Crosby's left side. He played the last half of last Friday's exhibition game against the Leafs there and Therrein obviously liked what he saw. I think they're going to take the twosome for another spin in the team's final exhibition tuneup Thursday against Finnish Elite Club Jokerit in Finland.
Fedotenko has the ability to play with Crosby. He's not the best skater, but neither was Ryan Malone, and we know Malone took his turn with Crosby at times during his tenure with the Penguins. More importantly, Fedotenko has the size and game to go up and down the wing, bang in the corners a little bit, set up in front of the net, and clear some space for Sid and Miro to do their thing. I'm anxious to see how Crosby and the Islanders play out.
There's one other thing to mention. I can't neglect to talk about who made the roster out of camp. Aside from the expected players, the Penguins took to Sweden wingers Bill Thomas and Paul Bissonette. Thomas played well in camp and most agree -- this writer included -- that the Pittsburgh product has the potential to play a useful role for the Penguins this season.
Bissonette is the most interesting case, however. This is a guy who the Penguins drafted 3 years ago as a defenseman. He played so poorly that, after camp last year, he wasn't sent down to Wilkes-Barre, but was instead dispatched all the way to the Wheeling Nailers in the East Coast League. To his credit, he worked hard and made his way back to the baby penguins later in the year, and all after changing his position to wing, too. His solid play obviously continued in camp -- so much that the Penguins decided to keep him.
I believe that one of the big reasons the Penguins kept Bissonette is because he provides an element which the team lost some of when the likes of Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone and Ruutu left to join other clubs: toughness. Bissonette can be hard to play against and he isn't afraid to mix it up out there. He's a big, physical guy who will bang well along with wall. I think that's what attracted the Penguins to him the most. He had an opportunity to fill a need and, to his credit, he took advantage of it. I'm eager to see him out there.
Okay. That's enough for now. I'll try to post again before the season opener Saturday. We'll see where the lines stand at that point.
3 more days until my world resumes.
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