Yea, but he's one Marc Staal cheapshot to the head away from (insert too many hits to the head/concussion joke here)
- YouMeAndDupuis9

He's not one shot to the head away. He's there.

Lol. Or Rust the Bust.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I can tell you one thing. I know one player on the current roster that Rust will be an upgrade from in a few years. His name starts with an "A" and ends with an "dams".

Seriously though, the kid was fun to watch in college and was a gadget man. I wrote an article on him for UND.com where I had an extensive comparison between him and Kunitz, but my editor took it out. It was a bold prediction, but I truly believe he could be an effective 4th liner in the NHL.

I can tell you one thing. I know one player on the current roster that Rust will be an upgrade from in a few years. His name starts with an "A" and ends with an "dams".

Seriously though, the kid was fun to watch in college and was a gadget man. I wrote an article on him for UND.com where I had an extensive comparison between him and Kunitz, but my editor took it out. It was a bold prediction, but I truly believe he could be an effective 4th liner in the NHL.
- Victoro311

Adney Crosdams?

I haven't seen the roster, but is Zlobin there? From what I've heard, he's looking like a very nice find. Wonder how he'd stack up at prospect camp.
- jmatchett383

Zlobin is definitely here. I'm not the guy to ask about him.. other than what I've read. He was clutch in the AHL playoffs so I am cautious that his scoring translates over an entire NHL season.

I can tell you one thing. I know one player on the current roster that Rust will be an upgrade from in a few years. His name starts with an "A" and ends with an "dams".

Seriously though, the kid was fun to watch in college and was a gadget man. I wrote an article on him for UND.com where I had an extensive comparison between him and Kunitz, but my editor took it out. It was a bold prediction, but I truly believe he could be an effective 4th liner in the NHL.
- Victoro311

Very interesting, please elaborate. I hadn't noted your location. So why a comparison between him and Kunitz and then saying hes an effective 4th liner? My grandma is an improvement over Adams. Whats his upside? Or similarities to Kunitz?

Zlobin is definitely here. I'm not the guy to ask about him.. other than what I've read. He was clutch in the AHL playoffs so I am cautious that his scoring translates over an entire NHL season.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Absent throughout last season, but in the moment in the playoffs he came out of his shell.

I tend to wonder if he is the type of player that shows up in the moment otherwise he disappears. this season it should be apparent.

Ah Sidney Crosby...what an enigma.

Ok...so...maybe not.

If I were to guess...I would say these two things are true:

1) Crosby's wrist injury bothered him (1 goal...didn't shoot much..bad passes)
2) The constant attention from other teams in the playoffs (some of it fairly illegal and obviously not addressed by the team) was/is beginning to wear on him.

As much as I believe NHL players should be able to stick up for themselves when necessary, I also believe that players who are clearly targeted by opposing teams, should have teammates who defend them. Especially if that player happens to be the best on your team and MAYBE/PROBABLY the best in the league.

Crosby has never really said anything about either of those things publicly.

He denied an injury and when asked about the attention he gets from guys like Dubinksy, Staal and Chara (last year) he more or less just says it's part of the game.

But as we have seen in the past...like the series against the Bruins...he eventually tries to stick up for himself (the Chara incident) and the truth is, he really shouldn't have to do that.

It makes him look bad...he becomes more of a target in some ways...but it also makes his team look bad too.

Whatever you think of that, is your opinion...but you have to be sure that Lemieux and Penguins' management noticed...I don't think Steve Downie's comments the other day about 'protecting' players came from out of nowhere. He may have been asked a specific question...but I am sure he was told by management how they saw him fitting into the equation here before that comment was made.

He denied an injury and when asked about the attention he gets from guys like Dubinksy, Staal and Chara (last year) he more or less just says it's part of the game.

But as we have seen in the past...like the series against the Bruins...he eventually tries to stick up for himself (the Chara incident) and the truth is, he really shouldn't have to do that.

It makes him look bad...he becomes more of a target in some ways...but it also makes his team look bad too.

Whatever you think of that, is your opinion...but you have to be sure that Lemieux and Penguins' management noticed...I don't think Steve Downie's comments the other day about 'protecting' players came from out of nowhere. He may have been asked a specific question...but I am sure he was told by management how they saw him fitting into the equation here before that comment was made.
- icedog97

That's what makes those guys difficult...because they play physical/a little on the edge but they are really good hockey players. That is what this team lacked. Not simply just a skill-less muckraker running around trying to hit people (Glass) or some heavyweight fighter that can't play hockey (Sill, PL3).

Whether Downie can still score and play hockey remains to be seen. I'm fairly confident he can still run around like a loose cannon...but a lot of people can do that... Hope he can still play.

Absent throughout last season, but in the moment in the playoffs he came out of his shell.

I tend to wonder if he is the type of player that shows up in the moment otherwise he disappears. this season it should be apparent.
- Reverend Killtaker

I don't know man...playoffs are a pretty small sample size and there are a lot of streaky goal scorers in the world!

If he does the same thing this season, then maybe we can start calling him clutch/Justin Williams. And obviously, I'd want to see more production in the reg season. I'll remain optimistic!

Very interesting, please elaborate. I hadn't noted your location. So why a comparison between him and Kunitz and then saying hes an effective 4th liner? My grandma is an improvement over Adams. Whats his upside? Or similarities to Kunitz?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Well, to answer the first part of why Kunitz and then turning around and saying that he'll be an effective 4th liner instead of a top liner like the Kun:

To me they're quite similar players. Much like Rust, Kunitz stands at just 6’0 and weighs in at about 195lb. He and Rust have very similar playing styles: neither are flashy and pride themselves more on getting to the dirty areas and having sound defensive play in their own zone than stuffing the stat sheet. Like Kunitz, Rust was a net front presence on our second line (our best line) and on our first PP unit and got a lot, of not most, of his goals as a trash man, tipping in rebounds and jamming them home.

He was centered by a guy named T.J. Tynann who was the kind of silky, puck dangling skater that Crosby is (he's at CBJ now), and Bryan made his living off of being in the right place at the right time while Tynann facilitated. No joke, Rust was always open. Wither it be in front of the net for a rebound, or out in the circle for the open snipe (cus he has a shot too).

The caveat, though, is that Kunitz panned out, and Rust and Kunitz are not the same player destined to go down the same exact path. I don't know if Rust will surpass his perceived potential like Kunitz, but if he reaches what people see as his ceiling right now, I think his skill set are more than suitable for the fourth line. His shining characteristic during his career with the Irish was sound defensive play. He was great at never making mistakes, and always new how to clear the zone without turning the puck over. But don't take it from me. Here it from the horse's mouth in the interview I had with him:

“The key part of my game is hockey sense. To be able to think the game, be able to know situations, and how to read and react. That really helps me have a step up.”

“I see my roll on the team as a responsible forward and a two way forward,” said Rust. “I’m gonna try to make the play, finding the guy back door, scoring goals, but I’m kinda more known for my responsible play. Not really turning the puck over, blocking shots, getting the puck out of the zone, not really turning the puck over. The type of thing that really helps me out defensively, because I’m able to be in the shot lane to block shots and get my stick on the puck when guys are trying to shoot.”

In short, the kid knows his roll. He knows what he's good at. He's not gonna try to be the elite offensive talent that he is not. He's going to focus more on defense first, and then as a second hand option on the attack, but he has the offensive skill to contribute a good bit. At worst, he is a PK specialist with more skill than Adams. At best he is an undersized forward who will be a bull dog in your own end and a clean up man with a shot that can help his more skilled forwards score with silky passes, rebounds, and hockey IQ. Sound familiar?

I don't know man...playoffs are a pretty small sample size and there are a lot of streaky goal scorers in the world!

If he does the same thing this season, then maybe we can start calling him clutch/Justin Williams. And obviously, I'd want to see more production in the reg season. I'll remain optimistic!
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I am hoping as well. Colby Armstrong did this as well, but in a completely different situation. Ive seen plenty of guys here in WBS from all different teams that out of nowhere you see the lightbulb switch on over their head and they all of a sudden seem to get "it" Colby played here for years and out of nowhere he became awesome at the AHL level and I am def. hoping that goes for Anton as well.

Brenden Morrow signs one year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning

..snip omitted...

In short, the kid knows his roll. He knows what he's good at. He's not gonna try to be the elite offensive talent that he is not. He's going to focus more on defense first, and then as a second hand option on the attack, but he has the offensive skill to contribute a good bit. At worst, he is a PK specialist with more skill than Adams. At best he is an undersized forward who will be a bull dog in your own end and a clean up man with a shot that can help his more skilled forwards score with silky passes, rebounds, and hockey IQ. Sound familiar?
- Victoro311

Wow that's really great information. Thanks for sharing. Hockey's Future doesn't seem all that high on him and that's why I was wondering why opinions are scattered.

These are the kinds of guys that are nice to have in your system. Lots of guys project to a bottom 6 role so its best to have someone that can stand out or has a higher ceiling.

I assume he needs at least a year in the AHL before potentially a spot on the 4th line. We have a lot of those fringe-ish top 9 kind of guys (Megna, Archibald, Rust, Lindo, Uher, Sundqvist). I really hope at least one or two will exceed expectations and be more than just a decent energy guy.

Wow that's really great information. Thanks for sharing. Hockey's Future doesn't seem all that high on him and that's why I was wondering why opinions are scattered.

These are the kinds of guys that are nice to have in your system. Lots of guys project to a bottom 6 role so its best to have someone that can stand out or has a higher ceiling.

I assume he needs at least a year in the AHL before potentially a spot on the 4th line. We have a lot of those fringe-ish top 9 kind of guys (Megna, Archibald, Rust, Lindo, Uher, Sundqvist). I really hope at least one or two will exceed expectations and be more than just a decent energy guy.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

He's also a great character guy who went through some growing pains during his college days and turned around what seemed to be a floundering career, so he knows how to work hard and make things work at the high levels of competition. That makes me think that he'll be capable of proving Hockey's Future wrong. I don't know what the rules are on this site about promoting your own stuff, so I won't link it, but if you want to read a fun little overview of one of our lesser known prospects' career, the article is called Growing and Maturing on the Ice on UND.com.

Once again, its my own personal bias talking, but look for Rust in three years.

Plus he has a really bad stutter, which is hilarious.

Brenden Morrow signs one year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning
- PensFanRVA

Yet another guy I would take over Sutter.

Yet another guy I would take over Sutter.
- nbartley9

I understand the hatred and where it comes from, but at some point you're just being absurd

He tried to heal it without surgery and it didn't work. So now, he's forced to have surgery. Which is what every player in sports will do.
- jmatchett383

Not every ... I remember the NBA routine of a few stars. They would delay surgery so they didn't have to attend camp. Not saying Sid would ever do this. But, not every athlete does this.

Oh and does Oskar Sundqvist make it over here for dev camp?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I would imagine that Sundqvist comes over for dev camp and training camp. But my Swedish sources say that Skelleftea expects him back this season.

Admittedly I haven't watched him play a ton but what I have seen is undeniable he plays with tremendous speed and I see him stick his nose in there for his teammates. Kids 22 so giving up prospects to get him is a wash. We will never see eye to eye on this but I think it's irrelevant because players like him don't get traded often.
- dbell646

You didn't answer the question.

You didn't answer the question.
- Oneonta Penguin

I'll answer it. You are comparing Evander Kane to a guy who committed murder. Kane is not even Johnny Manziel. He has cockiness issues that can be channeled appropriately especially with Tocchet on the staff, being out of Winnipeg, and with age. If you want to compare Kane to anyone, compare him to Patrick Kane. Has an ego, has a personality but ultimately is not a team killer....in fact I think its the opposite. I would welcome his personality in the country club penguins locker room.

You can logically debate whether or not management has the balls to bring in a guy like this. You can debate what package of players it would take for us to get him. But these "issues" are completely overblown and comparing him to Aaron Hernandez nullifies any value to your opinion.

You didn't answer the question.
- Oneonta Penguin

I didn't need to because you answered mine which pretty much sums it up. All of your information is from guys not in the locker room who are paid to peak the interest of their readers. So we will just leave it at that you racist

Today the Penguins signed 2014 first round draft pick Kasperi Kapanen to a three-year entry-level contract.

http://pens.pe/1oNpzAu

Today the Penguins signed 2014 first round draft pick Kasperi Kapanen to a three-year entry-level contract.

http://pens.pe/1oNpzAu
- Ledgermain

Sids winger

Today the Penguins signed 2014 first round draft pick Kasperi Kapanen to a three-year entry-level contract.

http://pens.pe/1oNpzAu
- Ledgermain

Fastest player on the team. The new gibbons, but has some skill

I'll answer it. You are comparing Evander Kane to a guy who committed murder. Kane is not even Johnny Manziel. He has cockiness issues that can be channeled appropriately especially with Tocchet on the staff, being out of Winnipeg, and with age. If you want to compare Kane to anyone, compare him to Patrick Kane. Has an ego, has a personality but ultimately is not a team killer....in fact I think its the opposite. I would welcome his personality in the country club penguins locker room.

You can logically debate whether or not management has the balls to bring in a guy like this. You can debate what package of players it would take for us to get him. But these "issues" are completely overblown and comparing him to Aaron Hernandez nullifies any value to your opinion.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Agreed, especially on how absurd and inappropriate bringing Hernandez into the conversation is. The personality "issues" are way overblown.