Yohe said the other day, the Pens really like Ruh a lot. JM was singing his praises. He's definitely higher than Riiki on the depth chart at RD. I imagine if we needed LD, Riiki gets the call.

That's pretty much the depth in the system. And while I give Reilly a shot, he doesn't factor in next year so they need to add a body.

For this playoffs, I guess Riikola is the 5 RD in addition to 4 LD.

Riikola is another guy I worry won't be back next year. Might not be happy with his role and has the option to return to Europe. If I were him, I'd seek a trade because Sully doesn't seem to have confidence in him.
- Tojo.

If I were Riikola I’d be pissed. The kid has obviously put in a lot of work to redeem himself after an abysmal rookie campaign and now that he’s a legit NHL defenseman he’s not being given a chance over a vet who everyone knows would be average in the AHL at this point in his career. If Riikola were playing as bad as he were last year I wouldn’t care and pack his bags outa town myself, but he’s been pretty good in a bottom pairing role this year when given a chance to play. Further his partner has usually been Chad Ruhwedel, which nothing against him, but he’s an 8th D. Ruh isn’t propping anyone up, so Riikola’s been good in his own right.

Oh right, Trot is a righty....pretty sure they called him up and he played him on left side a few times though. Anyways, find him less than vanilla.
- MattStrat

Not a fan of Trot either. I think he's pretty awful.....especially in a high paced game. He gets exposed quickly if guys are flying around.

Yohe said the other day, the Pens really like Ruh a lot. JM was singing his praises. He's definitely higher than Riiki on the depth chart at RD. I imagine if we needed LD, Riiki gets the call.
- madmike71

Nothing wrong with that. I don’t get caught up in defenders’ handedness, but I do think natural positions matter. Riikola is an LD and Ruhwedel is an RD. Neither is good enough to merit playing over the other on their off side.

Nothing wrong with that. I don’t get caught up in defenders’ handedness, but I do think natural positions matter. Riikola is an LD and Ruhwedel is an LD. Neither is good enough to merit playing over the other on their off side.
- Victoro311

I think Ruh is RD. Call me crazy, but I think there were times when Ruh was steadier than Schultz this season.

I think Ruh is RD. Call me crazy, but I think there were times when Ruh was steadier than Schultz this season.
- madmike71

Oops typo. Yeah I meant RD

And I have no idea on Schultz. Schultz and Johnson were always gonna be a disaster pairing and I was harping on that before the season started. Even if Johnson weren’t a bottom 5 defender in the league and were a better version of himself, their play styles don’t mix. But then again Schultz has also just been bad in general so he may very well just suck now. One things for sure: I have no interest in bringing him back.

(frank) China and (frank) communism.
- Feds91Stammer

I totally agree.

It is hard to believe that is has been 30 years since the fall of communism in eastern Europe and almost 30 since the breakup of the USSR. I remember watching the Tienanmen Square massacre on TV in the spring of 1989, near the end of when I was in fifth grade, and cheering on the protesters but then being very horrified seeing them gunned down by machine guns and run over by tanks. I remember Lithuania declaring its independence and unarmed Lithuanians facing off against Soviet tanks but in this case, Gorbachev relented. I remember Yeltsin facing off against the KGB, who were trying to kill him and restore the USSR, but ultimately succeeding, with the dissolution of the USSR happening on Christmas Eve, 1991. Unfortunately, these events seem largely forgotten about nowadays by older people and unknown by people born after they occurred, much like the tens of millions of people who died in Stalin's gulags .

I wish that somehow, someway, communism could fall in China and that everyone there could experience the freedom that Hong Kong once knew, as well as to see the Tibetans and Uighurs become independent after many decades of oppression.

Seeing the IOC suck up to communist China is pretty disgusting. Perhaps the NHLPA will ask the IOC if hockey can be switched to the summer Olympics, like basketball. In that case they would play next year in Toyko and in 2024 in Paris. This would not disrupt the NHL season and these cities are worthy of holding the Olympics, unlike Beijing.

Camp roster is released. POJ is there. 5 goalies...

Camp roster is released. POJ is there. 5 goalies...
- MattStrat

Gonna need all 5 goalies to stop Tatar from scoring.

That’s the thing. Pretty much every contender is in a lot of trouble if they’re 9 deep by the playoffs. Contenders have to trade prospects and don’t have the cap to carry a bunch of spares. It’s a tough ask for a contender to have 3 legitimately NHL ready D prospects in the NHL
- Victoro311

True. I consider Trotman pretty good by 9th defensemen/ 5th righty standards, so IMO it's a depth loss that hopefully we don't need. Much more likely that we lose a forward or 2 and Simon and Bjugstad are missed unless you really love Lafferty and Angelo as the 14th and 15th forwards.

I think Ruh is RD. Call me crazy, but I think there were times when Ruh was steadier than Schultz this season.
- madmike71

You're not crazy. At no point did Schultz look steady. In a very protected role Ruhwedel and Riikola did well.

Oops typo. Yeah I meant RD

And I have no idea on Schultz. Schultz and Johnson were always gonna be a disaster pairing and I was harping on that before the season started. Even if Johnson weren’t a bottom 5 defender in the league and were a better version of himself, their play styles don’t mix. But then again Schultz has also just been bad in general so he may very well just suck now. One things for sure: I have no interest in bringing him back.
- Victoro311

Agree on play styles not meshing, but both are severely limited.

JJ is just going to defend the high danger areas (and to limited effectiveness), but in a sheltered role with a defenseman who can get the puck back and start transition (Marino, Pettersson) he's been at least ok for stretches.

Schultz is kind of useless mostly just applying token pressure on defense and not even that good starting transition. His only real strengths are PP and offensive zone once the puck is there.

With JJ, and Schultz, that basically means the forwards will need to get the puck back themselves.

Camp roster is released. POJ is there. 5 goalies...
- MattStrat

Here's how I'd break it down. 34 players in camp for 31 spots.

LOCKS (26)
F(15): Crosby, Guentzel, Sheary, Malkin, Rust, Zucker, McCann, Marleau, Hornqvist, Tanev, Blueger, ZAR, Rod, Lafferty, Angelo

D (8): Letang, Dumoulin, Marino, Pettersson, JJ, Schultz, Riikola, Ruhwedel

G(3): Murray, Jarry, DeSmith

BATTLE FOR 5 SPOTS (8)
F: Poulin, Varone, Miletic, Johnson

D: Czurczman, POJ

G: Larmi, D'Orio

If the Pens bother with a 4th goalie, I'd go Larmi. Makes sense for numbers, they're just the 2 least deserving guys as Tokarski, the WBS back-up wasn't eligible.

Trotman was a lock and I thought Czurczman v POJ would battle for the 10th defenseman. So maybe both make it even though they're both lefties because it feels like you'd want 10 D in the bubble.

Leaves 1 or 2 forwards. Varone might be my top pick because he's a natural center and played 47 games with Philly last year. I really want to just give that last spot to Poulin as a wildcard, but they might prefer Johnson. Miletic I think is juat here for experience. A little surprised no DiPiauli, not that I like him, just shows where he is and maybe doesn't get another contract.

Another wildcard is while Bjugstad was initially ruled back, GMJR said he will (in theory) be healthy later so they could give him the 17th or 18th forward spot figuring he helps more than the last guy if ir gets that far.

That’s the thing. Pretty much every contender is in a lot of trouble if they’re 9 deep by the playoffs. Contenders have to trade prospects and don’t have the cap to carry a bunch of spares. It’s a tough ask for a contender to have 3 legitimately NHL ready D prospects in the NHL
- Victoro311

True, but after Schultz is gone, you only have 5 RDs total and just 4 RDs who have ever played in the NHL in the entire organization, two of whom aren't starters. We definitely need to restock the cupboard this offseason (in addition to finding a legit starting 3RD).

Agree on play styles not meshing, but both are severely limited.

JJ is just going to defend the high danger areas (and to limited effectiveness), but in a sheltered role with a defenseman who can get the puck back and start transition (Marino, Pettersson) he's been at least ok for stretches.

Schultz is kind of useless mostly just applying token pressure on defense and not even that good starting transition. His only real strengths are PP and offensive zone once the puck is there.

With JJ, and Schultz, that basically means the forwards will need to get the puck back themselves.
- Tojo.

Good analysis.

I'm looking forward to Schultz being gone, despite how thin we are at RD.

True, but after Schultz is gone, you only have 5 RDs total and just 4 RDs who have ever played in the NHL in the entire organization, two of whom aren't starters. We definitely need to restock the cupboard this offseason (in addition to finding a legit starting 3RD).
- Hockey66

Right. We have an issue moving forward, but for the here and now we’re pretty Pat for the course. Definitely not in a good spot depth wise but I wouldn’t say we’re in a particularly unexpected or comparatively awful spot either.

I am wondering what the Pens are going to do regarding their goalie situation after this season. If they try to keep both Murray and Jarry long term they almost definitely loose Jarry in the expansion draft. If they trade Murray it means they go into next season with Jarry and DeSmith. That could work but it is taking a chance.

As for the tournament, I guess the best approach would be to start Murray but keep him on a short lease. He doesn't have two months to get into NHL form.

I am wondering what the Pens are going to do regarding their goalie situation after this season. If they try to keep both Murray and Jarry long term they almost definitely loose Jarry in the expansion draft. If they trade Murray it means they go into next season with Jarry and DeSmith. That could work but it is taking a chance.

As for the tournament, I guess the best approach would be to start Murray but keep him on a short lease. He doesn't have two months to get into NHL form.
- PghPens668771

So long as they don't give Murray a NMC, they can expose either goalie.

That said I expect them to trade Murray barring a monster playoff and if they don't I doubt Murray signs past one year without a NMC making him an UFA.

I don't think Jarry will be the slam dunk choice for Vegas people think. And the Pens may try a side deal to get JJ or Hornqvist selected at that point to clear space for Marino's extension.

So long as they don't give Murray a NMC, they can expose either goalie.

That said I expect them to trade Murray barring a monster playoff and if they don't I doubt Murray signs past one year without a NMC making him an UFA.

I don't think Jarry will be the slam dunk choice for Vegas people think. And the Pens may try a side deal to get JJ or Hornqvist selected at that point to clear space for Marino's extension.
- Tojo.

What’s the timeframe for the NMCs in relation to the draft? I’m pretty sure Murray can’t have a NMC kick in until 2021-22.

At least 3 Habs tested positive for the covid yesterday...what does that mean for all of this? They cant take part in team activities for at least 2 weeks or until they test negative?

At least 3 Habs tested positive for the covid yesterday...what does that mean for all of this? They cant take part in team activities for at least 2 weeks or until they test negative?
- MattStrat

Means there’s a good chance Domi doesn’t play.

Means there’s a good chance Domi doesn’t play.
- Feds91Stammer

Yeah it definitely ups the chances of that.

I'm guessing players that test positive have to be left behind and obviously not travel with team or go to bubble until free of infection... this is probably spelled right out in the RTP guideline releases I haven't really read hahah

Yeah it definitely ups the chances of that.

I'm guessing players that test positive have to be left behind and obviously not travel with team or go to bubble until free of infection... this is probably spelled right out in the RTP guideline releases I haven't really read hahah
- MattStrat

What’s the timeframe for the NMCs in relation to the draft? I’m pretty sure Murray can’t have a NMC kick in until 2021-22.
- Feds91Stammer

I think you might be right and that Murray can't have a NMC until after the expansion draft so long as nothing changed with the new CBA. Of course Rutherford may just offer him a guarantee anyways that he won't be in the expansion draft if he signs a long-term deal.

I think you might be right and that Murray can't have a NMC until after the expansion draft so long as nothing changed with the new CBA. Of course Rutherford may just offer him a guarantee anyways that he won't be in the expansion draft if he signs a long-term deal.
- Tojo.

Well Detroit will gladly take whichever of Murray/Jarry you don’t keep.