Ryan Wilson
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Rochester, NY Joined: 06.13.2013
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Sprong's problem is in his own defensive zone. Playing with Brassard is okay, but I think Crosby is the ideal guy. Sprong likes to shoot, Crosby will get the puck to him. Crosby is an ideal player for a guy like Sprong given Crosby's strong defensive play. |
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MacPatty
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Joined: 05.21.2015
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Guentzel, Crosby & Sprong would be a great regular season line. Playing with two very smart players who can dish the puck might really help develop the mental side of the game for Sprong. |
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Victoro311
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: San Diego, CA Joined: 06.17.2014
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I still think the best thing for Sprong's development would be to stick him on the 3rd line with Brassard. But hey, if the kid's already earning top line minutes then by all means. As long as he's in the top 9 I'm happy.
I think Rust's main position this year will be LW. He's equally effective on both sides and we have too many RWs. Sticking Rust on the 14th line and limiting him to 12 minutes a night would be a mistake. He is a clear cut top 9 winger and needs to be put in a position to produce according to his new, shiny cap hit.
I'm excited to see how ZAR goes this season. Feel like every time he was healthy for a stretch he'd start to look really solid and then get hurt. Starting off strong with the big club this year will be important for solidifying his role moving forward. Hagelin probably won't be around after this season and we'll be pretty thin at LW and PKers.
I don't think he'll be that good this season, but it will warm my heart seeing Cullen back in a Pens sweater. I love him the same way I love Dupuis. Hopefully Simon can push him to a 13th forward role, but if not you could do worse for a 4th liner. |
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Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Rust
ZAR-Brassard-Kessel
Simon-Sheahan-Sprong
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Oleksiak-Johnson/Ruhwedel
You had sprong on the fourth line when everyone else was saying play him with Sid....now ur on board all of a sudden to give him proper minutes? |
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Rinosaur
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Somewhere, NJ Joined: 01.21.2016
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I honestly don't understand this knock on Sprong's defense. In his small sample size with the Pens I thought he looked fine and if I recall, he had very good possession numbers.
I know possession and defense aren't the same thing, but there's definitely a connection between the two. I hate situations like this because once players come under microscopes like this I think they get over-scrutinized by the coaching staff.
What one player might not get punished for another will. I really hope that isn't the case with Sprong. He's never going to a Hossa-type player as far as his two-way game is concerned. |
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Victoro311
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: San Diego, CA Joined: 06.17.2014
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I honestly don't understand this knock on Sprong's defense. In his small sample size with the Pens I thought he looked fine and if I recall, he had very good possession numbers.
I know possession and defense aren't the same thing, but there's definitely a connection between the two. I hate situations like this because once players come under microscopes like this I think they get over-scrutinized by the coaching staff.
What one player might not get punished for another will. I really hope that isn't the case with Sprong. He's never going to a Hossa-type player as far as his two-way game is concerned. - Rinosaur
Honestly my biggest issue with Sprong from the eye test wasn't even his defense. It was his play away from the puck on offense. Felt like he looked lost a lot and didn't quite know what he should be doing to support the play. It wasn't necessarily laziness or compete level. It looked like a young guy legitimately not being quite ready yet to hang with the big boys.
His defense is whatever. Like you said, that's not his game. If he can use his speed to interrupt a couple of plays with his stick every now and then I'll be happy. Sprong's key to success will be getting to soft spots on offense with better regularity to open up the possession with his shot. |
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Rinosaur
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Somewhere, NJ Joined: 01.21.2016
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Honestly my biggest issue with Sprong from the eye test wasn't even his defense. It was his play away from the puck on offense. Felt like he looked lost a lot and didn't quite know what he should be doing to support the play. It wasn't necessarily laziness or compete level. It looked like a young guy legitimately not being quite ready yet to hang with the big boys.
His defense is whatever. Like you said, that's not his game. If he can use his speed to interrupt a couple of plays with his stick every now and then I'll be happy. Sprong's key to success will be getting to soft spots on offense with better regularity to open up the possession with his shot. - Victoro311
Totally agree. He didn't look he knew how he should always engage himself in the offensive zone. That could come from the fact he doesn't want be too alpha playing with Sid or simply isn't sure what type of role he should play.
It could also like you said not ready to hang with the big boys. His instincts right around the net were great IMO, but as far as cycling goes he was seemed a bit lost. |
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VeryModernMan
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Munich Joined: 06.06.2017
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So, the season hasn't even started, hell, the training camp hasn't started, and we have alreay the first injured players. Not good!
@taleisyreXIII: Sheahan is currently injured, and even when healthy, be sure that Cullen is set on the 4th line. And when Hagelin produces like last year, he shouldn't play 2nd row. |
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Grinder47
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Somerset, PA Joined: 10.20.2013
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Lineup is sofffffffff! Is it written in the Pens mission statement that we can’t draft physical players who can play? |
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VeryModernMan
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Munich Joined: 06.06.2017
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powerhouse
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Columbia , MD Joined: 11.28.2006
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You can always drink to ease the pain. |
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madmike71
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA Joined: 12.21.2006
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Honestly my biggest issue with Sprong from the eye test wasn't even his defense. It was his play away from the puck on offense. Felt like he looked lost a lot and didn't quite know what he should be doing to support the play. It wasn't necessarily laziness or compete level. It looked like a young guy legitimately not being quite ready yet to hang with the big boys.
His defense is whatever. Like you said, that's not his game. If he can use his speed to interrupt a couple of plays with his stick every now and then I'll be happy. Sprong's key to success will be getting to soft spots on offense with better regularity to open up the possession with his shot. - Victoro311
I agree with this. He just looks confused sometimes. It reminds me a little like DP. There's a half second delay in his reaction and it appears he's not focused on defending.
People want to compare him to Kessel but I don't necessarily see the parallel. Phil is pretty damn aware when he needs to be and he can backcheck with the best them. Sprong is only 21 too. It would be nice to have the option to send him to WB if he falls on his face. Unfortunately they screwed up by playing him for a couple extra games a few years ago. |
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VeryModernMan
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Munich Joined: 06.06.2017
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{Sprong} He just looks confused sometimes. - madmike71
In his NHL-stint he got cold a little, but don't forget that he added a point-per-game AHL-season (65gp 32g 33a 65p) after that - in his first prof. season at all... think he has a good chance to make the show. |
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madmike71
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA Joined: 12.21.2006
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In his NHL-stint he got cold a little, but don't forget that he added a point-per-game AHL-season (65gp 32g 33a 65p) after that - in his first prof. season at all... think he has a good chance to make the show. - VeryModernMan
Sully praised Sprong a little in his post practice discussion. It's a good start I guess.
DK had some good notes... He said Riicola looks really good. Not out of place at all. He sounds like a good puck mover with better than expected strength.
He also said Oleksiak was the best dman on the ice. Which is a little surprising. Obviously it's just one practice, but these are 3 guys that seemingly performed well that are under the microscope to some degree.
Speaking of being out of place, apparently Jimmy Hayes was the dog of the practice. Very slow and sucking wind a lot. |
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Barnaby36
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Former Orpik44 Joined: 02.22.2013
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Why am I not surprised by RW missing this impression on Jack Johnson?
Defenseman Jack Johnson was paired with Justin Schultz, and Johnson was really impressive today. He skates so well for a big guy. At one point he skated up to a defender, slammed on the brakes, spun around and whipped a backhand pass to a teammate. I know it's only one day and it's only training camp, but Johnson looks like the real deal. |
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Aussiepenguin
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Sydney Joined: 08.02.2014
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Why am I not surprised by RW missing this impression on Jack Johnson?
Defenseman Jack Johnson was paired with Justin Schultz, and Johnson was really impressive today. He skates so well for a big guy. At one point he skated up to a defender, slammed on the brakes, spun around and whipped a backhand pass to a teammate. I know it's only one day and it's only training camp, but Johnson looks like the real deal. - Barnaby36
Well there's a glimmer of hope after the first day.
You'll find positive comments about JJ in the comments section only me thinks. |
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VeryModernMan
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Munich Joined: 06.06.2017
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Why am I not surprised by RW missing this impression on Jack Johnson? - Barnaby36
But the sad truth its also: It's just a lot of talk, in all the training camps we could now follow in social media-age there were always some praised on the first days, just to be resent to juniors/AHL/bench a few days later. Start of regular season will tell us the real picture, we should (due better roster/schedule) definitely have a better start than last year. |
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Victoro311
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: San Diego, CA Joined: 06.17.2014
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Why am I not surprised by RW missing this impression on Jack Johnson?
Defenseman Jack Johnson was paired with Justin Schultz, and Johnson was really impressive today. He skates so well for a big guy. At one point he skated up to a defender, slammed on the brakes, spun around and whipped a backhand pass to a teammate. I know it's only one day and it's only training camp, but Johnson looks like the real deal. - Barnaby36
Johnson being impressive and Oleksiak being the best defender on the ice is something that desperately needs to continue into the regular season. |
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Barnaby36
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Former Orpik44 Joined: 02.22.2013
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Johnson being impressive and Oleksiak being the best defender on the ice is something that desperately needs to continue into the regular season. - Victoro311
Please. This would do wonders for the team. |
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Rinosaur
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Somewhere, NJ Joined: 01.21.2016
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Johnson being impressive and Oleksiak being the best defender on the ice is something that desperately needs to continue into the regular season. - Victoro311
This times 1,000. Lest anyone think me, you or any other JJ detractors want him to fail, we don't. We'll all be happy to be wrong. |
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Victoro311
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: San Diego, CA Joined: 06.17.2014
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This times 1,000. Lest anyone think me, you or any other JJ detractors want him to fail, we don't. We'll all be happy to be wrong. - Rinosaur
One my happiest moments as a Pens fan was admitting I was dead wrong about the Schultz acquisition. |
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Rinosaur
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Somewhere, NJ Joined: 01.21.2016
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One my happiest moments as a Pens fan was admitting I was dead wrong about the Schultz acquisition. - Victoro311
Same. Also for Daley. |
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madmike71
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA Joined: 12.21.2006
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One my happiest moments as a Pens fan was admitting I was dead wrong about the Schultz acquisition. - Victoro311
On the day we acquired Schultz some guy on Sports Net said he was literally the worst player in the NHL. You weren't the only one. People under estimate what a new system/team, coach, surroundings can do for players. In any sport really. It happens all the time. |
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madmike71
Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA Joined: 12.21.2006
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Same. Also for Daley. - Rinosaur
I think Daley is a classic case of going to a new team (Hawks) and never getting comfortable. I read the Hawks blog fairly regularly and they say the coach didn't like him from the beginning. Furthermore, we traded the bones of Scuderi for him so It was virtually impossible for the Penguins to lose that deal. |
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