Here are some notes from training camp which opened yesterday.
The Pittsburgh Penguins re-acquired the services of one of the league’s best players yesterday. Kris Letang is cleared to practice with the team. The team’s number one defenseman missed the entirety of the Penguins 2017 playoff run and remarkably the team was able to survive that loss. Make no mistake the fact the Penguins won without him doesn’t discredit Letang at all as a player. Pittsburgh wasn’t nearly as good in their 2017 run as they were in 2016.
Sullivan says Letang and Schultz are both No. 1 power play defensemen. #Pens
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) September 15, 2017
Justin Schultz totally revived his NHL career in Pittsburgh. He’s been very good and had the kind of skillset the Penguins desperately needed after Kris Letang left the lineup for good last year. However, Kris Letang is and should still be the #1 power play defenseman. I don’t think Schultz is markedly better in the offensive zone than Letang and I definitely don’t believe Schultz is better than Letang at facilitating their neutral zone drop pass entries. Letang is the guy. It’s a nice compliment to Schultz to mention him.
Jim Rutherford has apparently narrowed his center search to three names
The search for a third-line center has been narrowed down to three possible players.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 15, 2017
Read more: https://t.co/XK8DUUBZ7L pic.twitter.com/qbSCazMpHp
Rutherford continues to say that he could have made a trade by now if he wanted to. We are still in the time frame where it makes sense to wait it out if you aren’t in love with the deal for the next third line center.
If you wanted to take the approach that he has a high end player in mind, a middle range player, and a lower end option I think that could be Matt Duchene, Tyler Bozak, and Riley Sheahan.
Phil Kessel will remain with Evgeni Malkin for now
Coach on Kessel and Malkin: "Right now, they're together. What I love about the group is that we have the ability to move players around."
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 15, 2017
It was Zach-Aston Reese who played the left side with that duo the other day. I am always wary of taking the small sample of training camps too seriously, but I do believe in giving the players that could potentially make the big club the best usage possible to see if they sink or swim playing with the legit talent. Aston-Reese certainly falls into that category.
Phil is being Phil already this season
Asked Phil about letting his hair grow out. "I’m not going to answer that stupid question. Next one."
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) September 15, 2017
Patric Hornqvist still isn’t completely healed from his hand injury from the playoffs. He is skating this morning receiving passes with one hand it appears
Patric Hornqvist skating some before practice. pic.twitter.com/dapWobo0pE
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) September 16, 2017
Who is at training camp to protect players like Sestito and Reaves from Sestito and Reaves? Does anybody have Dennis Bonvie’s number?
Violent collision between Sestito and Reaves. Both getting medical attention, Reaves on right arm, Sestito on left leg.
— Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) September 15, 2017
NEW PODCAST We attempted to predict the Central Division. An impossible task https://t.co/QNd9WZtJ9h pic.twitter.com/UtxdI9Spm9
— Ryan Wilson (@GunnerStaal) September 16, 2017
Thanks for reading!