I'm not advocating using cocaine or getting help if need be or admitting a mistake when wrong and apologizing to people you let down but I do find it annoying when someone has to come out and do the big apology and meetings with league brass and entering substance abuse programs only after they were caught. Forcing people into programs in such circumstances usually doesn't help. And the perfectly worded apologetic statements seem more patronizing than genuine. And why does the IIHF care what grown adults do unless they consider it performance enhancing
- just69sayin

The IIHF considers cocaine performance enhancing, the NHL doesn’t.

By bonefide, I mean like a Brandon Saad. It will take a while or sadly maybe not.
- rpeters01

Well, Sikura should have scored a few goals at least last year but a new season and more familiarity with the NHL should boost his confidence a lot, and confidence is huge in hockey. Nylander should be interesting to see what happens. I don't like what I've heard out of Buffalo fans though. Stan seems to think he has all the tools though...should be interesting. Hopefully he turns out to be an awesome and exciting player like was drafted to be. That would be a huge bonus.

The IIHF considers cocaine performance enhancing, the NHL doesn’t.
- walleyeb1

I see...probably Amphetamines are too then...i remember reading how players in the NHL were popping Sudafeds because of some form of meth in them and I think that might have gotten outlawed too. Cocaine would help the awareness levels but it is so hard on your heart I don't think it would be too pleasant to take and then go play hockey

I see...probably Amphetamines are too then...i remember reading how players in the NHL were popping Sudafeds because of some form of meth in them and I think that might have gotten outlawed too. Cocaine would help the awareness levels but it is so hard on your heart I don't think it would be too pleasant to take and then go play hockey
- just69sayin

Never touched it so I really couldn’t say, but they sure do glorify it as a great booster on tv and in movies.

I am hoping Maatta will be gone before the season even starts. He is a terrible fit for this D group.
- Elbows15

Why because he plays defense? You might be onto something.

I also notice perusing Twitter, Murphy has been spending a ton of time in the gym this summer. Im not his biggest fan but curious to see what he looks like on the ice this fall.

Nothing we don't already know. Stan improved the defense with Maatta and de Haan which help overall and specifically on the PK.
- DarthKane

I have been watching Pens a lot as I like their style of play. I do not understand overall sentiment about Maata as his level of play is Seabrook's nowadays. Fall down, seal style, or lose the puck in his zone turnover after turnover. He is nowhere near top 4D. DeHaan is better but is questionable after his injuries and shoulder so we do not know what we are going to get. And with Keith and Seabrook one year older, I do not consider D to be improved, at best it will be comparable with the last year. Goaltending on the other hand should give Hawks a chance to compete for wild card.

I don’t agree with this assessment

He’s not the best but he’s an upgrade over guys we had filling out the 4th-6th spots on D last season.

He’s still relatively young but has tons of experience. Can help on the PK and be relied on as a defensive defenseman. Again those are roles we needed to upgrade and we did.
- SimpleJack

He isn't really a defensive defenseman. His zone splits are 50/50. And last season when they tried to use with heavy d-zone starts, he was pretty bad. He was getting crushed rocking a 46% CF and his CFRel% was -4.3.

Who do you pair him with? He has his best seasons playing with a mobile, vg skating PMD. Neither he nor de Haan play their offside well. Thereby limiting either of their value and effectiveness. Pair with Seabrook? That gives me nightmares.

Gus is prolly the best option but that leaves the other two pairs less than ideal and Seabrook playing more minutes than he should at this stage of his career.

Saying he is a bad fit is NOT the same as saying he is a bad player.

I have been watching Pens a lot as I like their style of play. I do not understand overall sentiment about Maata as his level of play is Seabrook's nowadays. Fall down, seal style, or lose the puck in his zone turnover after turnover. He is nowhere near top 4D. DeHaan is better but is questionable after his injuries and shoulder so we do not know what we are going to get. And with Keith and Seabrook one year older, I do not consider D to be improved, at best it will be comparable with the last year. Goaltending on the other hand should give Hawks a chance to compete for wild card.
- vshun

de Haan will be fine once he is cleared to return. He played through that shoulder injury during the playoffs last season. And played quite well.

He isn't really a defensive defenseman. His zone splits are 50/50. And last season when they tried to use with heavy d-zone starts, he was pretty bad. He was getting crushed rocking a 46% CF and his CFRel% was -4.3.

Who do you pair him with? He has his best seasons playing with a mobile, vg skating PMD. Neither he nor de Haan play their offside well. Thereby limiting either of their value and effectiveness. Pair with Seabrook? That gives me nightmares.

Gus is prolly the best option but that leaves the other two pairs less than ideal and Seabrook playing more minutes than he should at this stage of his career.

Saying he is a bad fit is NOT the same as saying he is a bad player.
- Elbows15

Honestly though i find this advanced stat very common, it seems the amount of draws taken in the defensive zone have a bearing on advanced stats, 57% of the draws occurred in the defensive zone last year and he was at 46% C, 48%F, years prior at 50% draws or above but closer or above 50% C or F. If these are the stats you are referring to.

I think he's better than Manning, i hope so. I'd rather see how he meshes with this team because i really don't want another Scuderi situation

With all that being said i really wish it was Dumoulin we traded for, big fan, solid solid defensive hockey player, oh well hopefully Maata can be an asset for us

I also find it interesting how the advanced stats for both Nik and Oduya drop, sure they are older but Oduya is traded, Nik loses his partner, we lose a bunch of forward depth in 2016, kind of like the Pens did prior to last season. I guess we'll see but hockey is the ultimate team sport

Honestly though i find this advanced stat very common, it seems the amount of draws taken in the defensive zone have a bearing on advanced stats, 57% of the draws occurred in the defensive zone last year and he was at 46% C, 48%F, years prior at 50% draws or above but closer or above 50% C or F. If these are the stats you are referring to.

I think he's better than Manning, i hope so. I'd rather see how he meshes with this team because i really don't want another Scuderi situation
- BetweenTheDots

He is definitely better than Manning and the Scuderi that played for the Hawks at the end of his career. Those numbers aren't everything but what I take from them is once he starts in his own zone, he tends to stay there. Which is not what you want. You want those guys to flip the ice to get your O players out there. Hjalmarsson used to be vg at doing that.

Again. The question with Maatta is who to pair him with and what affect it has on the other pairings. That is what I mean by bad fit. Once de Haan, a better player, became available, it sort of made Maatta redundant.

I was using those numbers to highlight that Maatta isn't a true defensive D-man.

I also find it interesting how the advanced stats for both Nik and Oduya drop, sure they are older but Oduya is traded, Nik loses his partner, we lose a bunch of forward depth in 2016, kind of like the Pens did prior to last season. I guess we'll see but hockey is the ultimate team sport
- BetweenTheDots

TBF, Hjalmarsson was partly responsible for his drop in numbers. Though most here won't admit it, Hammer's play was falling rapidly his last two seasons with the Hawks.

With all that being said i really wish it was Dumoulin we traded for, big fan, solid solid defensive hockey player, oh well hopefully Maata can be an asset for us
- BetweenTheDots

The Pens weren't trading Dumoulin and to be fair to Maatta, he was playing with Jack Johnson by the end of last season.

Maatta is a good complement partner but hasn't be the one to carry a pairing.

Guess we will see and have to hope for the best.

He is definitely better than Manning and the Scuderi that played for the Hawks at the end of his career. Those numbers aren't everything but what I take from them is once he starts in his own zone, he tends to stay there. Which is not what you want. You want those guys to flip the ice to get your O players out there. Hjalmarsson used to be vg at doing that.

Again. The question with Maatta is who to pair him with and what affect it has on the other pairings. That is what I mean by bad fit. Once de Haan, a better player, became available, it sort of made Maatta redundant.

I was using those numbers to highlight that Maatta isn't a true defensive D-man.
- Elbows15

I agree about defensive pairings as well but i also believe forwards play a key role, even looking at post 2010 numbers they drop for Nik, like Oduyas #'s in NJ are good then drop in Atl/Peg, kind of gets a feel in Chicago and then him and Nik go on a nice run with quality forwards, in the advanced stats category. The arrow is pointing up for this team i really hope Maata will be able to contribute.

Speaking of great defensive forwards, did Pelini sign yet?

Speaking of great defensive forwards, did Pelini sign yet?
- BetweenTheDots

Who cares?

Who cares?
- Ogilthorpe2

Ty

Who cares?
- Ogilthorpe2

I cares.

Size, decent skater, CAN score (even his first two years in Phoenix, about a goal per 60 - and he did have those two weeks here), only 23.

If (IF) they can turn his mind around and have him play consistently with some urgency....

It’s not like they have an abundance of top-6 Wings in the system.

I cares.

Size, decent skater, CAN score (even his first two years in Phoenix, about a goal per 60 - and he did have those two weeks here), only 23.

If (IF) they can turn his mind around and have him play consistently with some urgency....

It’s not like they have an abundance of top-6 Wings in the system.
- StLBravesFan

He is a 25-30 point guy. hardly top 6 level. He is just a guy. And I would argue his lack of desire/hustle/smarts indicates he is not a top 6 guy.

That IF is huge, Sage. He got his ass sat multiple times last season and it never seems to affect him except for his magical 2 weeks when the puck was finding him. Even that appeared to me to be more a case of his mates doing the dirty work and puck luck.

He is a 25-30 point guy. hardly top 6 level. He is just a guy. And I would argue his lack of desire/hustle/smarts indicates he is not a top 6 guy.

That IF is huge, Sage. He got his ass sat multiple times last season and it never seems to affect him except for his magical 2 weeks when the puck was finding him. Even that appeared to me to be more a case of his mates doing the dirty work and puck luck.
- Elbows15

Which is why I emphasized it.

I don’t know whether he’ll come around or not - maybe (probably) less than a 50% chance - I just don’t like giving up on his combination of size, skating, skill at only 23 - they can always bury almost all of his cap hit in Rockford (assuming he’s not at $2MM).

One of my poster-children for spending good development time in the “A” from juniors, not directly to the pros (only 17 games in Tucson).

Which is why I emphasized it.

I don’t know whether he’ll come around or not - maybe (probably) less than a 50% chance - I just don’t like giving up on his combination of size, skating, skill at only 23 - they can always bury almost all of his cap hit in Rockford (assuming he’s not at $2MM).

One of my poster-children for spending good development time in the “A” from juniors, not directly to the pros (only 17 games in Tucson).
- StLBravesFan

Meh. The A wasn't going to make him GAF. His size is irrelevant because he doesn't use it. He can skate and has a good shot but his on ice awareness is pretty meh at best.

You can call it giving up and I call it moving on.

Ty
- Elbows15

Do I?

Maroon signs a one year deal with Tampa Bay for 900K.