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Nice to have some actual hockey to discuss again, let's get right into it.
Some general thoughts about the Penguins overall play is that the team looked fast. The Penguins played at a high tempo throughout the game and when they get the more talented lineup in place it will be fun to watch.
Players did not force the puck up the ice. If something wasn't there they took their time and found another outlet. No more mindless stretch passes.
Pavel Datsyuk is great.
Looks like a really easy goal, but that has a lot to do with the guy putting the puck in the net. Such a flawless transition and effortless release.
Now onto some player analysis.
I'll start with some of the more notable players and then work my way down to the lesser known guys.
Patric Hornqvist
First impressions are very positive. He will be a low maintenance player, what you see is what you get. He's a workhorse who displayed some good hands in tight and will clean up a lot of trash around the goal mouth. Whether he plays with Crosby or Malkin, it doesn't matter, he is going to score goals for this team. I believe he is a better fit for the Penguins than Neal. That doesn't mean Hornqvist is better than Neal or vice versa. It just means I like Hornqvist's skill set for what the Penguins need.
Beau Bennett
So far so good. Wrists are intact and he put a goal on the board. I still maintain that Bennett will have a coming out party this year. He and Sutter showed some nice chemistry but I believe Beau will get a promotion to the top six at some point this year. Works well on the wall and has good offensive instincts, stuff that translates well for Crosby and Malkin.
Simon Despres
Displayed some really nice speed throughout the night. Noticeable in joining the rush on occasion and did OK work on the power play. Nothing amazingly awesome and nothing that stuck out as a huge negative. He did take a penalty that happened to lead to a power play goal but that sequence was started by Jean-Sebastien Dea's weak effort at the offensive blue line. He and Bortuzzo have the potential to form a decent bottom pairing with Despres helping out in 2nd PP duty and Bortuzzo on the PK.
Rob Scuderi
New system, same player. When he is on the ice his teammate's offensive ceilings drops. Multiple times the forwards would do a nice job working hard in the corners on a cycle only to get it back up to Scuderi's point spot. This is where offensive creativity goes to die. Most time the puck is thrown back into the muck it just came from. It's only the preseason but I'm going to call it like I see it. I think he is legitimately 10th on the depth chart behind guys like Despres, Bortuzzo, Dumoulin, Harrington, and Pouliot. Same old same old here.
Although there was this
Blake Comeau
He averaged 0:24 of shorthanded ice per game last year in Columbus. That is probably where it should stay. Comeau had multiple failed clearings and the puck consistently found its way through the danger areas when he was the weak side forward responsible. PK might not be his thing but he can certainly help out at even strength in a bottom six role. Comeau got some mustard on a slap shot at the midpoint of the game. There is no doubt that he is an upgrade for the team from last year.
Robert Bortuzzo
He was physical (sometimes too much) and he was noticeable in a positive way in generating some offense. He had the look of a guy who is more than capable of playing bottom pairing minutes. I liked his skating ability and his work with the puck. If Bortuzzo is going to play a regular shift it should be for those reasons, not solely because he throws a lot of body checks. Paul Martin doesn't hit all that often and he was the Penguins best defenseman last year.
Nick Spaling
He was invisible. That isn't meant to a negative or a positive comment. There just isn't anything to really say about his play in this specific game.
Jayson Megna
Speed to burn. If you didn't take notice of his speed you were probably watching a different game. The speed is great, but he will need to get stronger on the puck to be more effective. In space Megna is pretty OK, in tight areas he struggles to create time and space to make plays. Once again, another player who is an upgrade over last year's team.
Jean-Sebastien Dea
He didn't really play all that well. He had one sequence where he found himself on a 2 on 1 but that was pretty much it. As I mentioned before he struggled with one of his zone entries and it jumpstarted the Detroit rush the other way.
Not trying to pick on the guy but you have to do a better job in that spot if you are trying to earn your place on the big roster. The flashes are there, he will hone his craft in WB/S.
Josh Archibald
Great speed. This is the theme with this group of forward prospects. He is not a realistic option to make the team out of camp but he should do a really nice job in WB/S and the door could be open for him down the road.
Oscar Sundqvist
Showed some NHL potential working the corners down low. A successful year down in WB/S will go a long way in his continuing development. The timing of his development seems to be running right in line with when Brandon Sutter's contract is expiring.
Anton Zlobin
Zlobin got a chance to play up with Bennett and Sutter and did not do anything to get in their way. However, he did get in the way of Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard. Zlobin set the screen which led to Beau Bennett's wrist shot goal from the blue line. Zlobin is yet another guy who will start the year down in WB/S and will look to continue developing. He is another guy who could make a serious push for a roster spot next year.
Penguins have a quick turnaround and will take on Brian Gibbons and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Should be fun to watch the defensemen tomorrow, lots of skill with Letang, Ehrhoff, Dumoulin, and Harrington.
Kasperi Kapanen will make his debut with the Penguins as will Steve Downie. Those two are really the only forwards of note that will be playing outside of Marcel Goc. No Dan Carcillo.
He is alive and in Pittsburgh.
Thanks for reading!
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