I think Dumo/ Shultz and Daley/ Pouliot pass for decent pairs. Is Cole on the outside looking in at this point? I would like to see Bengsston, Percy, and Prow get at least a game each. This franchise has become quite deep on defense and in goal.
- Dcoms

As far as the coaching staff is concerned Cole is aheadd of Shultz and DP.

Sorry holeinone. This must be killing you.

As far as the coaching staff is concerned Cole is aheadd of Shultz and DP.
- Grinder47

Says who?

shutout fleury showed up. Can't Wait to get rid of him

DP is still not good.
- madmike71

Because he has no confidence he needs to find it by playing. Your expectations for dp should be really low. Noone is good without confidence. Just look at slumping crosby earlier last season

Because he has no confidence he needs to find it by playing. Your expectations for dp should be really low. Noone is good without confidence. Just look at slumping crosby earlier last season
- martox

The question is will Sullivan have patience? There's been constant rumors that this management group are not huge fans. They weren't the guys that drafted him either.

You might be right about confidence. I swear he's regressed. I thought he was better than this in his first camp.

I think Dumo/ Shultz and Daley/ Pouliot pass for decent pairs. Is Cole on the outside looking in at this point? I would like to see Bengsston, Percy, and Prow get at least a game each. This franchise has become quite deep on defense and in goal.
- Dcoms

Are you for real? DP isn't a competent Dman. He isn't better than Cole. Right now, DP is the seventh guy. I have a totally different definition on the word deep when referring to this. Our top five are fine, our six has questions - did fine in sheltered minutes last year and our seventh, that be DP, has major major issues. Sully has ZERO trust in him. Deep? The Swede and Prow could become options in time. Percy? Who the hell knows? We are deep in goal though.

Because he has no confidence he needs to find it by playing. Your expectations for dp should be really low. Noone is good without confidence. Just look at slumping crosby earlier last season
- martox

At what point can we throw away the excuses for DP for his failures and say he simply isn't good. I agree, no one is good without confidence. I think this kid better get confidence soon, or his ass will be back in the AHL. He simply hasn't improved at all. Funny, there are one or two guys thinking he is a 3.5 million per year guy after this year. Another guy has him clearly in the top six with Cole on the outside looking in. Mind boggling how people come to this conclusion based on his play, lack of impact and lack of confidence. As mentioned, no confidence winds you back in the AHL and probably out of Pittsburgh after this year.

Says who?
- Dcoms

Cole played pretty well in the playoffs. He is cemented in as the 5. DP? Sully had zero confidence to play him at the most important time of the year. He has looked like trash in his first two outings in games that he should have some sense of impact. How anyone can conclude DP is ahead of Cole is mind boggling. You are in the vast minority that thinks DP is worth a poop as it stands now. Most know he is #7.

Cole played pretty well in the playoffs. He is cemented in as the 5. DP? Sully had zero confidence to play him at the most important time of the year. He has looked like trash in his first two outings in games that he should have some sense of impact. How anyone can conclude DP is ahead of Cole is mind boggling. You are in the vast minority that thinks DP is worth a poop as it stands now. Most know he is #7.
- Oneonta Penguin

This is only preseason so I realize these performances are tough to judge, but I thought Prowe looked good last night in comparison. Absolutely better than DP. It's been reported since day one of camp that DP hasn't been good (even in scrimmages).

This is only preseason so I realize these performances are tough to judge, but I thought Prowe looked good last night in comparison. Absolutely better than DP. It's been reported since day one of camp that DP hasn't been good (even in scrimmages).
- madmike71

Here is the problem. This is the second game he has played against essentially an AHL team. Chicago didn't have its normal lineup. Every forward on the ice is fighting for a job. There isn't one that is safe. Most will wind up in the AHL. These are the types of games that he has to have impact in. Guys that don't, wind up released, ECHL or AHL, not the sixth or seventh Dman in the NHL. There was no Toes, no Kane, no Hossa, no Panarin, not even Krueger. Desjardins is probably the guy with the most experience and he isn't a good player IMO. He essentially was playing last years Rockford team and DIDN'T look good. That doesn't bode well for confidence, if that is the problem. Tonight's game was designed or should have been all about building it.

The glowing reports of DP two weeks ago are now in the past and should be treated as such. Because right now, he isn't cutting it. The fact that Prowe, a kid that played at St. Cloud State last year and then joined WBS late in the season - had some early struggles and got some play-off experience - a kid that hasn't played one second of a regular season NHL game looked better ... should tell you something.

These early games are the ones to showcase yourself against similar players - ones fighting for NHL spots. Because they get more competitive from here on out. The WC is over, so now the major players will be starting to come back. If he can't handle playing against Ryan Hartman, Tyler Motte, PC-L, and Hinostroza ... how can he look good against Toes, Kane, Hossa, Panarin and any real NHL player that is good?

Good thing they didnt trade Maata for Trouba and give DP a top 4 spot!!!

This is the time when he needs to shine and he's not, time to move on. I know I know RW's fancy stats say he's good, but he's a bust.

Not much Pouliot love in here, so how did Shultz go - saw he played a lot of minutes?

Also, wouldn't Warsfsky be our new #7 now? Played a few NHL games with us already? Pouliot is better off going straight to the baby Pens to get some funk & spunk. Let him play large minutes & get himself right into it before getting any start with the Pens. Guys only 22 remember, has plenty of time to develop - I think because he started young & was projected too early everyone has had enough treating him like he's 25. I for 1 am hoping he starts in the A & plays there for a considerable time before getting another look.

First game Ive really watched. DP doesnt look like hes improved at all really
- Grinder47

Just wnt to say thanks for being total insert word.

Looks like my new confidence in DP was a bit misplaced. I see now it was unrealistic to begin with. I like the work he put in this offseason and he does seem motivated, but kid straight up needs to cook in oven longer. We should not carry him as our 7th defenseman where he'll be in the press box. He needs to be taking hockey reps down in WBS where he needs to keep his motivation up and figure out how to dominate AHLers.

If the plan's to keep him as the 7th d man might as well trade him now because he sucks currently and he's not going to develop eating nachos.

I think Dumo/ Shultz and Daley/ Pouliot pass for decent pairs. Is Cole on the outside looking in at this point? I would like to see Bengsston, Percy, and Prow get at least a game each. This franchise has become quite deep on defense and in goal.
- Dcoms

How do you come to this conclusion after watching the past two games? Letang hasn't played a preseason game, maybe Pouliot's about to take his spot too.

Here is the problem. This is the second game he has played against essentially an AHL team. Chicago didn't have its normal lineup. Every forward on the ice is fighting for a job. There isn't one that is safe. Most will wind up in the AHL. These are the types of games that he has to have impact in. Guys that don't, wind up released, ECHL or AHL, not the sixth or seventh Dman in the NHL. There was no Toes, no Kane, no Hossa, no Panarin, not even Krueger. Desjardins is probably the guy with the most experience and he isn't a good player IMO. He essentially was playing last years Rockford team and DIDN'T look good. That doesn't bode well for confidence, if that is the problem. Tonight's game was designed or should have been all about building it.

The glowing reports of DP two weeks ago are now in the past and should be treated as such. Because right now, he isn't cutting it. The fact that Prowe, a kid that played at St. Cloud State last year and then joined WBS late in the season - had some early struggles and got some play-off experience - a kid that hasn't played one second of a regular season NHL game looked better ... should tell you something.

These early games are the ones to showcase yourself against similar players - ones fighting for NHL spots. Because they get more competitive from here on out. The WC is over, so now the major players will be starting to come back. If he can't handle playing against Ryan Hartman, Tyler Motte, PC-L, and Hinostroza ... how can he look good against Toes, Kane, Hossa, Panarin and any real NHL player that is good?
- Oneonta Penguin

Hey man Vinnie Hinostroza's elite.

Just wnt to say thanks for being total insert word.
- powerhouse

? For being what? Honest. I always am.

I think we can all agree that head coach MS used tto play defense in squirt and always wanted to be an nhl d man. He sees himself in Cole and gives him the benefit of the doubt over Poulliot.

How do you come to this conclusion after watching the past two games? Letang hasn't played a preseason game, maybe Pouliot's about to take his spot too.
- Victoro311

Cuz he saw the rookie camps too

I think we can all agree that head coach MS used tto play defense in squirt and always wanted to be an nhl d man. He sees himself in Cole and gives him the benefit of the doubt over Poulliot.
- Grinder47

Cole was a complete and utter turd in the first half of last season (and I'm saying this as an ND fan) and needed to be benched. Possibly even traded for an 8th round pick. Injuries forced him back in action and he grabbed the opportunity by the horns and played admirably. Ian Cole will never be more than a bottom pairing defenseman, but his play coming off his benching was aces for the role he was being asked to play.

Pouliot was a turd during 2015 camp and deserved to be sent back down to the AHL. Injuries forced him to be called up and eventually played. His play wasn't good enough which lead management to trade for "the worst player in the league" for insurance who eventually passed DP in the depth chart.

This isn't a case of Craig Adams or Zack Sill playing over a more useful player. There's a reason why Cole is getting the benefit of the doubt over Pouliot. Pouliot has had chances and has kept flopping.

Cole was a complete and utter turd in the first half of last season (and I'm saying this as an ND fan) and needed to be benched. Possibly even traded for an 8th round pick. Injuries forced him back in action and he grabbed the opportunity by the horns and played admirably. Ian Cole will never be more than a bottom pairing defenseman, but his play coming off his benching was aces for the role he was being asked to play.

Pouliot was a turd during 2015 camp and deserved to be sent back down to the AHL. Injuries forced him to be called up and eventually played. His play wasn't good enough which lead management to trade for "the worst player in the league" for insurance who eventually passed DP in the depth chart.

This isn't a case of Craig Adams or Zack Sill playing over a more useful player. There's a reason why Cole is getting the benefit of the doubt over Pouliot. Pouliot has had chances and has kept flopping.
- Victoro311

Hes lost a spot to Maata, Cole, Shultz, Dumo, Daley.....its not looking good for his career. I bet the Swede they got has a better shot than DP at this point. He's just never been that good despite what some chart says. Its best to walk away at this point and move on.

Hes lost a spot to Maata, Cole, Shultz, Dumo, Daley.....its not looking good for his career. I bet the Swede they got has a better shot than DP at this point. He's just never been that good despite what some chart says. Its best to walk away at this point and move on.
- sammy87

I guess I just don't see any reason to throw away a cheap, waiver exempt contract with upside. When Pouliot gets into Bennett territory where there is just no upside anymore and he's just wasting ~1 mil of cap space that can be used on a useful player, then I'll concede. As of right now, I still have some hope for him. He seems to have woken up and started to care about his development. I'd send him to WBS to get hockey reps and try to put it all together with his new found motivation. If he still can't do that then he's a bust.

I guess I just don't see any reason to throw away a cheap, waiver exempt contract with upside. When Pouliot gets into Bennett territory where there is just no upside anymore and he's just wasting ~1 mil of cap space that can be used on a useful player, then I'll concede. As of right now, I still have some hope for him. He seems to have woken up and started to care about his development. I'd send him to WBS to get hockey reps and try to put it all together with his new found motivation. If he still can't do that then he's a bust.
- Victoro311

As OP mentioned, if he can't step up vs the Hawks farm team he needs to be sent to WB and the Pens should start to develop other prospects and focus on who wants to make the jump. At this point, DP will be a throw in on a future trade at some point.

I guess I just don't see any reason to throw away a cheap, waiver exempt contract with upside. When Pouliot gets into Bennett territory where there is just no upside anymore and he's just wasting ~1 mil of cap space that can be used on a useful player, then I'll concede. As of right now, I still have some hope for him. He seems to have woken up and started to care about his development. I'd send him to WBS to get hockey reps and try to put it all together with his new found motivation. If he still can't do that then he's a bust.
- Victoro311

That's really all they can do with him right now. No reason he should be the 7th defenseman when he can be playing big minutes in WBS and hoping everything clicks. Let him battle for the right to be called up