Ryan Wilson: Penguins News and Notes for 9/16 Including New X's O's Video Breakdown

No mention of Hartzell plays? I liked what I saw. His rebound control was better than I saw in NCAA Final game. He was able to kick the puck into the corners as well as jump on pucks around the net. Grant it he did not see the same amount of shots as Vokun, he still played well. If the pens did not have Vokun, I wouldn't mind him playing ackup to flower against some lower ranking teams...

Do you see him or Zatkoff being the starter in wb/s?

No mention of Hartzell plays? I liked what I saw. His rebound control was better than I saw in NCAA Final game. He was able to kick the puck into the corners as well as jump on pucks around the net. Grant it he did not see the same amount of shots as Vokun, he still played well. If the pens did not have Vokun, I wouldn't mind him playing ackup to flower against some lower ranking teams...

Do you see him or Zatkoff being the starter in wb/s?
- nh4442

Hartzell isn't NHL caliber right now.

Hartzell isn't NHL caliber right now.
- Ryan_Wilson

in due time

in due time
- nh4442

Not necessarily

No mention of Hartzell plays? I liked what I saw. His rebound control was better than I saw in NCAA Final game. He was able to kick the puck into the corners as well as jump on pucks around the net. Grant it he did not see the same amount of shots as Vokun, he still played well. If the pens did not have Vokun, I wouldn't mind him playing ackup to flower against some lower ranking teams...

Do you see him or Zatkoff being the starter in wb/s?
- nh4442

I would bet that Zatkoff gets the starting job out of camp. They know what they have in him... someone who played really well during the regular season and collapsed in the playoffs (sound familiar?).

Besides what will be a couple of periods in preseason games, Eric Hartzell hasn't seen live game action since April. It will be interesting to see how he plays once he gets into the grove of a season though.

Scouting goalies is such a crapshoot. Brad Thiessen and John Curry were also Hobey Baker finalists.

Hartzell has great size, but at the mercy of his lateral movement. That's the main area of development that I see at the present time. It's good to see that we have some goalie prospects, because the shelf was pretty empty for awhile.

I would bet that Zatkoff gets the starting job out of camp. They know what they have in him... someone who played really well during the regular season and collapsed in the playoffs (sound familiar?).

Besides what will be a couple of periods in preseason games, Eric Hartzell hasn't seen live game action since April. It will be interesting to see how he plays once he gets into the grove of a season though.

Scouting goalies is such a crapshoot. Brad Thiessen and John Curry were also Hobey Baker finalists.
- rival22

Good points

What do you guys think the starting lineup is based on the two preseason games?

What do you guys think the starting lineup is based on the two preseason games?
- WVPensFan22

Kuni-Sid-dupe
Bennett-Malkin-Neal
Jokinen-sutter-jefferey/d'ags
Kobasew-vitale-Adams

That bottom 6 is going to be constantly changing though. Adams makes the team simply because of his PK abilities. This is Jeffery's make or break season, and I think he gets the most chances on that 3rd line.

For defense, it's almost the same as offense, the bottom pairing is constantly going to be shook up. Despres, Dumoulin, engelland, bortuzzo, Samuelson, and maybe Harrington will be fighting for the last 2 spots (I really think nisk is gone by the time the season starts)

What do you guys think the starting lineup is based on the two preseason games?
- WVPensFan22

Kuni-Sid-Duper
Bennett-Malkin-Neal
Jokinen-Sutter-D'agastini
Adams-Vitale-Glass

D
Scuds Letang
Orpik Martin
Despres Borts

I'm starting to doubt nisk is gone... I'd be less than suprised to see Despres start in WBS. that gets us almost flush with the cap. So... its like the wilsastrator?

Kuni-Sid-Duper
Bennett-Malkin-Neal
Jokinen-Sutter-D'agastini
Adams-Vitale-Glass

D
Scuds Letang
Orpik Martin
Despres Borts
- dbell646

Are you guys comfortable with that?
I would feel a lot better if we asked Morrow to come back.
Adams-Vitale-Morrow sounds a lot better to me.

I'm starting to doubt nisk is gone... I'd be less than suprised to see Despres start in WBS. that gets us almost flush with the cap. So... its like the wilsastrator?
- ChrisMS

In a Rob Rossi column a little while back, he stated the Capgeek number that we are over the cap, and said that Jason Botterill said that internal calculations tell them that they are closer to the cap then that. Maybe Despres going down gets them there?

I didn't think that it was a flexible thing, but before coming to the Pens, Botterill worked for the NHL central registry who basically oversees the cap, so I'm sure he knows something that I don't.

I would think that Capgeek would have any performance bonuses indicated, right? I know that those can be basically deferred and not counted against the cap and if the team doesn't have any cap room in that season, they are basically penalized the next season.

I don't know...

In a Rob Rossi column a little while back, he stated the Capgeek number that we are over the cap, and said that Jason Botterill said that internal calculations tell them that they are closer to the cap then that. Maybe Despres going down gets them there?

I didn't think that it was a flexible thing, but before coming to the Pens, Botterill worked for the NHL central registry who basically oversees the cap, so I'm sure he knows something that I don't.

I would think that Capgeek would have any performance bonuses indicated, right? I know that those can be basically deferred and not counted against the cap and if the team doesn't have any cap room in that season, they are basically penalized the next season.

I don't know...
- rival22

All of that is above my pay grade.

If true then Niskanen is probably safe, Despres probably sent down, and hopefully Engelland is the 7th guy.

All of that is above my pay grade.

If true then Niskanen is probably safe, Despres probably sent down, and hopefully Engelland is the 7th guy.
- Ryan_Wilson

Yeah... it would be the easy way to start the season.

The only thing that it does though, is to delay the inevitable move. With Despres down, you are down to 22 players, with only one spare forward and defensmen. Once the injuries start happening and guys are banged up, you don't have much room for error.

If it's a serious injury, you can get LTIR relief, but most of the time it's guys banged up for a couple weeks with shoulders, groins, illnesses, etc., and at those times you get the cap squeeze. There are times (with normal IR designations) that team can have 25-26 guys on their roster (and payroll) at one time. The Pens don't have the cap room to do that.

Are you guys comfortable with that?
I would feel a lot better if we asked Morrow to come back.
Adams-Vitale-Morrow sounds a lot better to me.
- nbartley9

Morrow on the bottom 6 would be a huge plus. A mixture of leadership, grit, and experience is never a bad thing to have. I'd love for shero to somehow resign morrow at around 1-1.5 mil and be able to get rid of glass.

Jokinen-sutter-morrow would be my ideal/most realistic 3rd line. However, with the pens already over the cap, shero would once again have to make a team look foolish in a trade by dumping glass and possibly nisk or engelland. If shero can trade glass, he is a miracle worker

A morrow would be perfect for the bottom six. Maybe somehow Shero could work his magic, trade DJ and Glass to free up the needed space? Haha there would have to be some type of upside in a deal including Glass.

I'm really pulling for tuzzo to make an impact this year. I'm a huge fan of his grit style play.

Morrow on the bottom 6 would be a huge plus. A mixture of leadership, grit, and experience is never a bad thing to have. I'd love for shero to somehow resign morrow at around 1-1.5 mil and be able to get rid of glass.

Jokinen-sutter-morrow would be my ideal/most realistic 3rd line. However, with the pens already over the cap, shero would once again have to make a team look foolish in a trade by dumping glass and possibly nisk or engelland. If shero can trade glass, he is a miracle worker
- drummer829

If you want Morrow it would come at the expense of a guy like Orpik.

I just watched the power play goal video in Ty Anderson's blog and it showcases one of my pet peeves about the Penguins PP. the Pens never utilize the goal line area. Bruins did and it opened up clear one timer lanes.

Beau Bennett is an 80 overall on NHL14. Do you guys agree?

Beau Bennett is an 80 overall on NHL14. Do you guys agree?
- WVPensFan22

Seems a little low for his skill set, but let's not forget that, including playoffs, he has a grand total of 4 NHL goals.

I like morrow but he took some bad penalties last year , I don't think they could get him with salary cap issues anyway, no one in their right mind would take glass off our hands for his salary.

If you want Morrow it would come at the expense of a guy like Orpik.
- Ryan_Wilson

Im not sure of the logic, I wasn't saying pay Morrow top dollar.
If he would be willing to come here on the cheap that would be the only scenario of asking him back.

I like morrow but he took some bad penalties last year , I don't think they could get him with salary cap issues anyway, no one in their right mind would take glass off our hands for his salary.
- Bradlee3

People still can't comprehend this.