Ryan Wilson: Which Penguins Are Playing With Who In World Cup? Which Penguins Are Playing With Who In World Cup?

First

Has anyone seen any line combinations for Team NA yet? I saw something this morning about Matthews opening camp as the 13th forward and was curious if that was true and how the lines shake out to make Matthews the 13th forward.

Edit: Just found it but what I saw has Trochek rotating through the 4th line as the 13th forward and Matthews on the 4th line.

I obviously understand the will to keep teammates together in a short tournament like the WC but how much fun would it be to see Malkin flanked by Ovechkin & Kucherov? I'm not complaining about watching Malkin & Tarasenko play together but I think seeing him center the other 2 would be more entertaining.

Stoked to see McD and Drouin on the same line for team NA.

Yawn.... wow. Did I miss anything in the past year or so? swell article mr. Wilson.

^ you were gone?

^ you were gone?
- martox

. Who are you? Hello

is it labor day yet?

Have the Penguins announced the roster for the alumni game yet?

Yeah, Schiefele, Gostisbehere, Miller and Saad all suck. Yakupov would skate circles around them. Did I mention Eichel, Matthews, Larkin and Nugent-Hopkins. Oh I almost forgot Parayko, Ekblad, Mackinnon and Gaudreau. I can't help but think I am missing someone else who may, just may be better than the guy you are so high on. Who by the way could not make a Russian team that has several players not in the NHL.

Thuderbolt in the last thread^

Your inability to comprehend what you read is incredible. I used Yakupov to describe what the short comings of team NA. Its going to be like a bunch of flies buzzing around a trash can, only the trash can is going to be Crosby whose team always has the puck. I can't spell but atleast I can understand what people are trying to say without them spelling it out. Yakupov is a terrible professional hockey player.

Yawn.... wow. Did I miss anything in the past year or so? swell article mr. Wilson.
- ChrisMS

How was that year long ban? Welcome back!

Yeah, Schiefele, Gostisbehere, Miller and Saad all suck. Yakupov would skate circles around them. Did I mention Eichel, Matthews, Larkin and Nugent-Hopkins. Oh I almost forgot Parayko, Ekblad, Mackinnon and Gaudreau. I can't help but think I am missing someone else who may, just may be better than the guy you are so high on. Who by the way could not make a Russian team that has several players not in the NHL.

Thuderbolt in the last thread^

Your inability to comprehend what you read is incredible. I used Yakupov to describe what the short comings of team NA. Its going to be like a bunch of flies buzzing around a trash can, only the trash can is going to be Crosby whose team always has the puck. I can't spell but atleast I can understand what people are trying to say without them spelling it out. Yakupov is a terrible professional hockey player.
- Grinder47

Schiefele and Gostisbehere suck, according to some people?

Torts is a bad coach....but I love the dude.

Schiefele and Gostisbehere suck, according to some people?
- jmatchett383

Sorry, the first two lines were sarcasm.

Yeah, Schiefele, Gostisbehere, Miller and Saad all suck. Yakupov would skate circles around them. Did I mention Eichel, Matthews, Larkin and Nugent-Hopkins. Oh I almost forgot Parayko, Ekblad, Mackinnon and Gaudreau. I can't help but think I am missing someone else who may, just may be better than the guy you are so high on. Who by the way could not make a Russian team that has several players not in the NHL.

Thuderbolt in the last thread^

Your inability to comprehend what you read is incredible. I used Yakupov to describe what the short comings of team NA. Its going to be like a bunch of flies buzzing around a trash can, only the trash can is going to be Crosby whose team always has the puck. I can't spell but atleast I can understand what people are trying to say without them spelling it out. Yakupov is a terrible professional hockey player.
- Grinder47

Team NA is a good team, nobody is going to blow them out. Every single player on that team plays important roles on their respective teams. Quite a few of them are already in leadership roles. Inexperience will be their downfall long before aggression and speed.

To Sammy.

Yes agree with you there my man.

I wish there was more Torts unleashed telling us what he really thinks!!

I bet the BlowJackets have some Shyte in his contract about going bananas or knocking on the opposition door in the first interval!

"now get the (frank) outta here"

Team NA is a good team, nobody is going to blow them out. Every single player on that team plays important roles on their respective teams. Quite a few of them are already in leadership roles. Inexperience will be their downfall long before aggression and speed.
- Thunderbolt

Experience is overrated.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I think as it relates to handling the pressure it can be a factor. Of course, Murray was the exception to that rule.

How was that year long ban? Welcome back!
- Victoro311

Thanks! I hope I learned my lesson. Avoid certain blogs while grieving and in my cups

Experience is overrated.
- j.boyd919

No question it is a young man's game. Most of these guys under 23 are used to winning. They are used to being the best player on the ice. Finding ways to win just isn't something that they are accustomed to. Most of the time they just rely on their own natural ability to overcome situations. Now that everyone is as talented as they are, they will have to adjust and find ways to exploit/suppress the opposition. This is much more demanding on the defense than the forwards. The defense will have a much bigger say in the outcome of games than how the forwards play.

Experience is overrated.
- j.boyd919

Experience should be an X factor when deciding between two similarly skilled players. At no point should guys like Calahan, Dubinsky, and Backes make the team over guys like Johnson, Okposo, and Kreider.

No question it is a young man's game. Most of these guys under 23 are used to winning. They are used to being the best player on the ice. Finding ways to win just isn't something that they are accustomed to. Most of the time they just rely on their own natural ability to overcome situations. Now that everyone is as talented as they are, they will have to adjust and find ways to exploit/suppress the opposition. This is much more demanding on the defense than the forwards. The defense will have a much bigger say in the outcome of games than how the forwards play.
- Thunderbolt

Yes not sure about the bolded. When they first hit the NHL maybe, but as soon as they get in the bigs it depends directly on where they are playing - most high draft picks get a start in the bottom teams that are losing. They aren't winning most games & aren't the best player on the ice. So having that shock of reality will test a young players stability, the good ones progress (Ekblad a perfect example here), the not so good ones regress (Yak comes to mind here). So throw them into a team together their play will be an edgy one in my opinion that can either play with reckless abandon & freedom or strangle their sticks. Finding ways to win I doubt will be something they will/can do especially against solid experienced NHL players.

It's going to be interesting, especially with Murray in goal. Great test for him & hopefully will lift him to another level (higher ).

Yes not sure about the bolded. When they first hit the NHL maybe, but as soon as they get in the bigs it depends directly on where they are playing - most high draft picks get a start in the bottom teams that are losing. They aren't winning most games & aren't the best player on the ice. So having that shock of reality will test a young players stability, the good ones progress (Ekblad a perfect example here), the not so good ones regress (Yak comes to mind here). So throw them into a team together their play will be an edgy one in my opinion that can either play with reckless abandon & freedom or strangle their sticks. Finding ways to win I doubt will be something they will/can do especially against solid experienced NHL players.

It's going to be interesting, especially with Murray in goal. Great test for him & hopefully will lift him to another level (higher ).
- Aussiepenguin

Not many levels above Stanley Cup Winner starting goalie...

Not many levels above Stanley Cup Winner starting goalie...
- MattStrat

I think Murray played very well during the Cup run, but with that logic you may as well say Michael Hanzus can't reach another level as a 2C because he's a Stanley Cup winning 2C. Hanzus is a very subpar 2C. Individual level of play has nothing to do with team success.