Where would you play him?
- Aussiepenguin

I play him over Bennett for starters.

I'd play him everywhere. Give him some time with Sid or geno depending on the game situation.
- drummer829

i like this. the guys don't have to be locked into one spot. i'd be in favor of moving players up and down the lineup and even put into the press box to give guys breaks more often than most teams.

Injuries are right there with bottom 6 depth for reasons why this group doesn't have a 2nd cup.

same goes for the defense. Maatta and Letang MUST be healthy in April. give everyone an occasional night off.

if they lose a few more regular season games as a result, who cares? goal number 1 must be to go into the playoffs healthy.

i like this. the guys don't have to be locked into one spot. i'd be in favor of moving players up and down the lineup and even put into the press box to give guys breaks more often than most teams.

Injuries are right there with bottom 6 depth for reasons why this group doesn't have a 2nd cup.

same goes for the defense. Maatta and Letang MUST be healthy in April. give everyone an occasional night off.

if they lose a few more regular season games as a result, who cares? goal number 1 must be to go into the playoffs healthy.
- poopmouth

For the lines to be effective they need to play together for sustained periods, if they are continually changing then that may not happen. MJ has already said they will be having their pairs using different players to what extent will depend on injuries & success I suppose.

Ice time management is probably the most important thing for our top players. Last season Sid & Geno reduced their ice time for 75% of the season & Sutter got the extra time which he didn't handle too well (cue the Sutter haters.......), & that will probably happen again I imagine.

I'd send him back to Juniors after some games. Lots of prospects look good through the preseason and maybe their first 25-30 games until finally hitting a wall. Even the best of rookie players have trouble bouncing back from hitting that "wall", leaving their rookie season a mixed bag of results.

Give him the 9 game look (or less), see where he is, and send him down. You'll be thankful later when you haven't burned a year of his ELC. Having a guy like Sprong next year, assuming he continues his current development trend and makes the team full time, will be a huge asset. On a top heavy team in terms of salary like Pittsburgh, the longer you guys can keep a cheap contract around, the better.

I personally have been very impressed with the kid, but I've also seen plenty of players start their seasons off the exact same way. If you guys had a bigger need up front, I'd say he has a better shot. You have the depth to send this kid back to Juniors where he'll play 18-20 minutes a game as opposed to 8-12 in the bottom 6 for the Pens.

That being said, if he is lights out (and I mean lights out) during his 9 game look and the team is winning, you dont fix what isn't broken. At that point you simply take it game by game. The second he hits a wall, send him down. It will be better for him in the long run. People will call burning a year of his ELC a waste, but 25-30 good games or so (just spit-balling) in the NHL is still great experience.

For the lines to be effective they need to play together for sustained periods, if they are continually changing then that may not happen. MJ has already said they will be having their pairs using different players to what extent will depend on injuries & success I suppose.

Ice time management is probably the most important thing for our top players. Last season Sid & Geno reduced their ice time for 75% of the season & Sutter got the extra time which he didn't handle too well (cue the Sutter haters.......), & that will probably happen again I imagine.
- Aussiepenguin

i didn't know that about Sid and Geno's ice time last year. Glad to hear Johnston did that.

Sutter aside, the bottom 6 in general is more capable than last year. Whatever they have to do to keep Sid, Malkin, Letang, and Maatta fresh. Even if it means Scuderi gets more time than he deserves in the regular season. (he better not be in the playoff lineup.) Heck... even Cole. he'll have a bigger role than he's ever had, and should probably have his minutes monitored closely.

#41 Sprong
#51 Pouliot
#61 Plotnikov
#71 Malkin
#81 Kessel

Everyone following Geno's footsteps

I don't want to bring up the Penguins curse but did Sprong get injured in yesterday's game? Someone told me he left during the second period but didn't hear anything after that.

Your wall theory is exactly why you send him down. May be better for his development to hit a wall after 30 games but that third year of the elc is gigantic. You only keep him up if your strongly believe his low side this year is top 9 and perhaps top 6.

Look at drouin on Tampa whose a much more talented player. They didn't get any improvement on their team last year for blowing a year of elc. On a deep team its not worth blowing a big third year elc.

I'm intrigued with giving him a few games now and then calling him up for playoffs when juniors are over. Fresh legs for a few games in the playoffs could be a big spark. Go with Chicagos playbook on saad his draft year.

I don't want to bring up the Penguins curse but did Sprong get injured in yesterday's game? Someone told me he left during the second period but didn't hear anything after that.
- stevens87

he's fine, according to Josh Yohe. seems like it just hurt really bad, but no actual injury.

I don't want to bring up the Penguins curse but did Sprong get injured in yesterday's game? Someone told me he left during the second period but didn't hear anything after that.
- stevens87

Sprong said he got a knee to his thigh & hurt him for a bit at first but nothing to worry about. Said he was lucky it wasn't his knee. Cheap shot!

This is typical of the knee jerk reactions we tend to see in preseason. It's ludicrous to suggest he stay for 82 games when he hasn't even played a single NHL game yet. No one has any idea how he will play at NHL speed.

Sprong said he got a knee to his thigh & hurt him for a bit at first but nothing to worry about. Said he was lucky it wasn't his knee. Cheap shot!
- Aussiepenguin

OK Great! Thanks

Your wall theory is exactly why you send him down. May be better for his development to hit a wall after 30 games but that third year of the elc is gigantic. You only keep him up if your strongly believe his low side this year is top 9 and perhaps top 6.

Look at drouin on Tampa whose a much more talented player. They didn't get any improvement on their team last year for blowing a year of elc. On a deep team its not worth blowing a big third year elc.

I'm intrigued with giving him a few games now and then calling him up for playoffs when juniors are over. Fresh legs for a few games in the playoffs could be a big spark. Go with Chicagos playbook on saad his draft year.
- sditulli

I mostly agree with this. If he can't play LW I fail to see how he is going to make such great contributions and it seems like a waste to use up an ELC year so the Pens can have a talented 4th line RW. As long as they don't do something dumb like play Farnham they'll have strong forward depth without Sprong.

This is typical of the knee jerk reactions we tend to see in preseason. It's ludicrous to suggest he stay for 82 games when he hasn't even played a single NHL game yet. No one has any idea how he will play at NHL speed.
- DoubleDown

Which part? As 9 games has been suggested, 30 games, season, 9 & playoffs.

How would you suggest we find out if he can handle the NHL?

This is typical of the knee jerk reactions we tend to see in preseason. It's ludicrous to suggest he stay for 82 games when he hasn't even played a single NHL game yet. No one has any idea how he will play at NHL speed.
- DoubleDown

Yeah tell that to Maatta

This is typical of the knee jerk reactions we tend to see in preseason. It's ludicrous to suggest he stay for 82 games when he hasn't even played a single NHL game yet. No one has any idea how he will play at NHL speed.
- DoubleDown

I find it interesting how everyone seemingly wants Sprong to leapfrog over Bennett in the lineup despite Bennett also having a strong preseason.

This is typical of the knee jerk reactions we tend to see in preseason. It's ludicrous to suggest he stay for 82 games when he hasn't even played a single NHL game yet. No one has any idea how he will play at NHL speed.
- DoubleDown

That's true we don't know. He may play the nine games and be overwhelmed but his preseason play has definitely earned him a shot. If it doesn't go well, no harm.

I find it interesting how everyone seemingly wants Sprong to leapfrog over Bennett in the lineup despite Bennett also having a strong preseason.
- jfkst1

I've said I would like BB on Geno LW but now it appears Plots done enough for that spot. Then Perron is there & Im not considering him 4th line, so if BB wants to play LW it's 4th line. Where as Sprong RW I believe is suited to a higher line than 4th also, but not above Philbo & Horny. I think a Plot, Culldog, Duper 4th line would be very tough to play against (depending if Culldog can keep up). That way BB is 2nd LW.

I find it interesting how everyone seemingly wants Sprong to leapfrog over Bennett in the lineup despite Bennett also having a strong preseason.
- jfkst1

96 career games 10 goals, 23 assists ... that is Beau Bennett. He has shown nothing to warrant anything. He has teased us before with good preseasons only to fail in the regular season.

I don't want to bring up the Penguins curse but did Sprong get injured in yesterday's game? Someone told me he left during the second period but didn't hear anything after that.
- stevens87

It was pretty scary. He was down for awhile but once he got up he skated off on his own power and returned to the game.

I've said I would like BB on Geno LW but now it appears Plots done enough for that spot. Then Perron is there & Im not considering him 4th line, so if BB wants to play LW it's 4th line. Where as Sprong RW I believe is suited to a higher line than 4th also, but not above Philbo & Horny. I think a Plot, Culldog, Duper 4th line would be very tough to play against (depending if Culldog can keep up). That way BB is 2nd LW.
- Aussiepenguin

Looks like a very crowded forward lineup to me. Any other year and I'd think it pretty likely that Sprong can and should stick. But this year is different. Fehr is gonna be back too.

96 career games 10 goals, 23 assists ... that is Beau Bennett. He has shown nothing to warrant anything. He has teased us before with good preseasons only to fail in the regular season.
- Oneonta Penguin

All the more reason to remain skeptical of Sprong who has 0 real NHL games.

96 career games 10 goals, 23 assists ... that is Beau Bennett. He has shown nothing to warrant anything. He has teased us before with good preseasons only to fail in the regular season.
- Oneonta Penguin

In fairness, brittle Beau was rushed because of the dearth of talented forwards. In being rushed, he got hurt......a lot. Not every kids body is ready for the abuse of the NHL. It's hard to play a sport at the highest level when you're constantly nursing injuries.

I get the pessimism, but they'd be wise to see what he's got. Apparently, he's added some muscle (finally) and had a really good off season of work.

In fairness, brittle Beau was rushed because of the dearth of talented forwards. In being rushed, he got hurt......a lot. Not every kids body is ready for the abuse of the NHL. It's hard to play a sport at the highest level when you're constantly nursing injuries.

I get the pessimism, but they'd be wise to see what he's got. Apparently, he's added some muscle (finally) and had a really good off season of work.
- madmike71

It is make or break time for Bennett. He will be given a chance to show if he is over his persistent injuries. If he does not show anything this year, I am thinking he will be let go.

Haha Farnham made the cut rust Dea and Pouillot to wbs Gonchar cut.

Let the crying begin!!!

http://penguins.nhl.com/c...09&cmpid=pit-twt-penguins