Maatta out indefinitely; placed on IR

[FLPensFan]

Per Penguins official site: https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/olli-maatta-injury/c-304755150?partnerId=pit-twt-penguins

So, Penguins could do this:

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Johnson-Riikola

But, I assume Rutherford is going to have to go shopping for a d-man now.

[thehockeyguru]

Per Penguins official site: https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/olli-maatta-injury/c-304755150?partnerId=pit-twt-penguins

So, Penguins could do this:

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Johnson-Riikola

But, I assume Rutherford is going to have to go shopping for a d-man now.

Is Oleksiak available for a 4th?

[penny lane]

Healing vibes X10.

[ville5]

$#!$$&^%@

[Great58]

Separated shoulder?

[Pruezy11881]

Hope it wasn't the surgically repaired shoulder (2X??) again...

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

This is going to hurt the Pens more than I think many would ever think. Outside of our top pairing, no one plays a more defensively responsible game than Olli. Ruh was actually quite a mess before getting benched and even Shultz relied on Oleksiak to stay back.

[pens_CT]

Oh well sounds like more ice time for JJ. I suspect the fan base will be less than thrilled with this possibility.

[ville5]

Oh well sounds like more ice time for JJ. I suspect the fan base will be less than thrilled with this possibility.

The chance of JMFJ being traded before was slim. Now you have to think it's near zero.

[Hatrick]

having Schultz out makes that injury news even worse. A lot of people hate on Maatta(some deserved some not deserved) but once Schultz was injured that meant Maatta was their third best defenseman.
If Schultz doesn't play next game, it means you will have Johnson, Petterrson, and Ruhwedel all in the lineup(and based on last couple game lineups, all on separate pairings). YIKES

[Puck-Lurker]

Man, that sucks. I get that people don't like Määttä. On his worst nights, he's still middle of the pack. He'll be missed.

Can we please not trade for another defenceman? Just.. no. I don't want to lose a 1st in exchange for some nob we will just end up scratching Riikola for.

[Maestro]

Thank goodness they signed Jack Johnson this off season. Too bad for Maatta.

[brwi]

This is really bad news but not surprising after watching the how he hit the boards and reacted immediately. He's a solid 4th dman and that's a big hole on a blueline that is already weak to try and fill. Ugh!

[Southern Fan]

Defense will be faster but not necessarily better.

[Owchar76]

I guess I disagree with most, but I'm not so sure this is going to hurt as much as most think.

Maatta ranks dead last among Pens defensemen in terms of possession. 45.39
His expected goals for % is 4th out of 7 (not counting Ruhwedel) at 49.89
His shots for % is below 50%, ranking 4th of 7 again.
His goals for % is 5th out of 7.

Basically, he's lumped into the 3-4 bad defensemen we have this year. The %'s are extremely close for the most part, save for a couple here and there. If you aren't named Letang or Dumoulin, you pretty much fall in with all the other defensemen with bad stats. There isn't a lot to differentiate them. Maatta is almost as bad as Johnson in terms of affecting other's on ice possession.

I'm not sure where the Ruhwedel hate is coming from. I didn't think he looked that bad and upon researching, he's the only other Pens defenseman not named Letang or Dumoulin that has a positive CF. Yes it's only in 155 minutes, but that's not his fault. His expected goals for % is also the only other positive one, not named Letang or Dumoulin.

I'm not saying to put Ruhwedel in the top 4, but playing him properly in the bottom pair might not hurt at all, while promoting a guy like Riikola or even Johnson might not be the severe drop off from Maatta that many think it might be.

[FLPensFan]

I guess I disagree with most, but I'm not so sure this is going to hurt as much as most think.

Maatta ranks dead last among Pens defensemen in terms of possession. 45.39
His expected goals for % is 4th out of 7 (not counting Ruhwedel) at 49.89
His shots for % is below 50%, ranking 4th of 7 again.
His goals for % is 5th out of 7.

Basically, he's lumped into the 3-4 bad defensemen we have this year. The %'s are extremely close for the most part, save for a couple here and there. If you aren't named Letang or Dumoulin, you pretty much fall in with all the other defensemen with bad stats. There isn't a lot to differentiate them. Maatta is almost as bad as Johnson in terms of affecting other's on ice possession.

I'm not sure where the Ruhwedel hate is coming from. I didn't think he looked that bad and upon researching, he's the only other Pens defenseman not named Letang or Dumoulin that has a positive CF. Yes it's only in 155 minutes, but that's not his fault. His expected goals for % is also the only other positive one, not named Letang or Dumoulin.

I'm not saying to put Ruhwedel in the top 4, but playing him properly in the bottom pair might not hurt at all, while promoting a guy like Riikola or even Johnson might not be the severe drop off from Maatta that many think it might be.

Ruhwedel's good numbers = playing time away from Johnson
Ruhwedel's bad numbers = playing time with Johnson

Pretty much across the board, sub-50% numbers with Johnson, including an on-ice SV% of .837 in about 76 minutes TOI
Without Johnson, with exception of his GF%of 40 (one more goal against than for skews that alot), Ruhwedel's numbers are a hair under 60%, and in some cases mid-to-high 60%.

Therein lies the problem. They aren't going to scratch Pettersson or Johnson, and we know Pettersson-Johnson started being a bad pairing, and we know Ruhwedel-Johnson is a horrible pairing.

If they refuse to even try Johnson sitting out a game,I don't have high hopes.

[Owchar76]

I guess I disagree with most, but I'm not so sure this is going to hurt as much as most think.

Maatta ranks dead last among Pens defensemen in terms of possession. 45.39
His expected goals for % is 4th out of 7 (not counting Ruhwedel) at 49.89
His shots for % is below 50%, ranking 4th of 7 again.
His goals for % is 5th out of 7.

Basically, he's lumped into the 3-4 bad defensemen we have this year. The %'s are extremely close for the most part, save for a couple here and there. If you aren't named Letang or Dumoulin, you pretty much fall in with all the other defensemen with bad stats. There isn't a lot to differentiate them. Maatta is almost as bad as Johnson in terms of affecting other's on ice possession.

I'm not sure where the Ruhwedel hate is coming from. I didn't think he looked that bad and upon researching, he's the only other Pens defenseman not named Letang or Dumoulin that has a positive CF. Yes it's only in 155 minutes, but that's not his fault. His expected goals for % is also the only other positive one, not named Letang or Dumoulin.

I'm not saying to put Ruhwedel in the top 4, but playing him properly in the bottom pair might not hurt at all, while promoting a guy like Riikola or even Johnson might not be the severe drop off from Maatta that many think it might be.

Ruhwedel's good numbers = playing time away from Johnson
Ruhwedel's bad numbers = playing time with Johnson

Pretty much across the board, sub-50% numbers with Johnson, including an on-ice SV% of .837 in about 76 minutes TOI
Without Johnson, with exception of his GF%of 40 (one more goal against than for skews that alot), Ruhwedel's numbers are a hair under 60%, and in some cases mid-to-high 60%.

Therein lies the problem. They aren't going to scratch Pettersson or Johnson, and we know Pettersson-Johnson started being a bad pairing, and we know Ruhwedel-Johnson is a horrible pairing.

If they refuse to even try Johnson sitting out a game,I don't have high hopes.

Yeah, good point.

Johnson ruins everything.

[Hatrick]

I guess I disagree with most, but I'm not so sure this is going to hurt as much as most think.

Maatta ranks dead last among Pens defensemen in terms of possession. 45.39
His expected goals for % is 4th out of 7 (not counting Ruhwedel) at 49.89
His shots for % is below 50%, ranking 4th of 7 again.
His goals for % is 5th out of 7.

Basically, he's lumped into the 3-4 bad defensemen we have this year. The %'s are extremely close for the most part, save for a couple here and there. If you aren't named Letang or Dumoulin, you pretty much fall in with all the other defensemen with bad stats. There isn't a lot to differentiate them. Maatta is almost as bad as Johnson in terms of affecting other's on ice possession.

I'm not sure where the Ruhwedel hate is coming from. I didn't think he looked that bad and upon researching, he's the only other Pens defenseman not named Letang or Dumoulin that has a positive CF. Yes it's only in 155 minutes, but that's not his fault. His expected goals for % is also the only other positive one, not named Letang or Dumoulin.

I'm not saying to put Ruhwedel in the top 4, but playing him properly in the bottom pair might not hurt at all, while promoting a guy like Riikola or even Johnson might not be the severe drop off from Maatta that many think it might be.

Ruhwedel's good numbers = playing time away from Johnson
Ruhwedel's bad numbers = playing time with Johnson

Pretty much across the board, sub-50% numbers with Johnson, including an on-ice SV% of .837 in about 76 minutes TOI
Without Johnson, with exception of his GF%of 40 (one more goal against than for skews that alot), Ruhwedel's numbers are a hair under 60%, and in some cases mid-to-high 60%.

Therein lies the problem. They aren't going to scratch Pettersson or Johnson, and we know Pettersson-Johnson started being a bad pairing, and we know Ruhwedel-Johnson is a horrible pairing.

If they refuse to even try Johnson sitting out a game,I don't have high hopes.

If they wouldn't sit Johnson when Maatta was still healthy(and when they also had Oleksiak along with ruhwedel) they certainly aren't gonna sit him now that Maatta is on IR and Oleksiak was given away. If Schultz isn't ready to play they don't have any choice besides to keep playing Johnson, even if they did suddenly want to sit him(which they wouldn't).

[ville5]

Per Yohe, fairly severe shoulder separation. Expected to miss at least a month. They hope surgery isn't required.
https://theathletic.com/815066/2019/02/ ... er-injury/

[Lesky]

Per Yohe, fairly severe shoulder separation. Expected to miss at least a month. They hope surgery isn't required.
https://theathletic.com/815066/2019/02/ ... er-injury/

OK. This means in about 35-40 days they will announce Maatta will have shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the season. BOOK IT!

[Scott]

I don't wish the kid any ill will but the defsense just got better.

I can't stress enough how much of a crutch is slow feet hurt us. Especially playoffs. Its no coincidence his ice time is very little. Even with Shultz out.

The Pens got all giddy over how smart and disciplined of a D man he was for his age and 101 percent over spent on his contract. Way too excited and didn't realize just how slow he was.

The band aids left to cover up for him and the exposing began. Cole, Daley, Lovejoy, Hainsey

Shultz was a nice surprise but too much was lost and not enough gained to cover up for his lead feet.

Sorry

[Hatrick]

I don't wish the kid any ill will but the defsense just got better.

I can't stress enough how much of a crutch is slow feet hurt us. Especially playoffs. Its no coincidence his ice time is very little. Even with Shultz out.

The Pens got all giddy over how smart and disciplined of a D man he was for his age and 101 percent over spent on his contract. Way too excited and didn't realize just how slow he was.

The band aids left to cover up for him and the exposing began. Cole, Daley, Lovejoy, Hainsey

Shultz was a nice surprise but too much was lost and not enough gained to cover up for his lead feet.

Sorry

while he is slow he doesn't make nearly as much dumb plays as Johnson or Petterrsson(to be fair petterrsson was trying to cover for Johnson most of those times). Maatta was probably their third best defenseman since Schultz was out. They paid him for potential(that he really hasn't quite lived up to) but the team still is worse with him out rather than healthy.