Random Penguins Fodder

[DelPen]

I am confused on the All-Star teams, they did a draft by the best player from each division and they could take anyone? Team McKinnon looks good.

[DelPen]

A large trash can at the ASG media scrum spoke highly of Sidney Crosby:

Crosby might get this trash can an MVP award if they play together

[DelPen]

This might be the most boring all-star game ever.

[offsides]

Sid close but 0 for 2 on breakaways. c'mon Sid.

[DelPen]

Sid going to be eliminated because he tried to pass the puck back to Swayman for a goal.

[KBone]

Losing the first game means you can go home early.

Pro All Star move by 87

[KG]

Puljujarvi isn't playing tonight for WBS. Twitterverse is speculating that maybe he will be signed by the Pens.

I don't know if this is back to back games for WBS. Could be that too.

[largegarlic]

Puljujarvi isn't playing tonight for WBS. Twitterverse is speculating that maybe he will be signed by the Pens.

I don't know if this is back to back games for WBS. Could be that too.

Interesting. I'd say it's 50/50 "signed for the big Pens" or "hip is sore."

[FLPensFan]

Puljujarvi isn't playing tonight for WBS. Twitterverse is speculating that maybe he will be signed by the Pens.

I don't know if this is back to back games for WBS. Could be that too.

He's already played a few back to back games this season. 3 times he has played in back-to-backs (and yes, the team did play last night against Hartford). Both Puljujarvi and Ludvig (down for conditioning) were healthy scratches tonight. Penguins practice tomorrow, and speculation is both players may be in Cranberry tomorrow. Of course, Puljujarvi would need to be signed first.

[Pens4Life]

Puustinen (sadly yeah) and Shea down, Ludvig and Puljujarvi up I assume,if he is signed.. I wish Poulin would get a chance as well instead of White

[DelPen]

Could also just be roster management due to the vet rule. Also WBS lost three games going into last night so some speculation was just a tweak to see if it would help at all.

But I think he’s coming up to the NHL. PoolParty has done everything expected to get that NHL contract and see what he can do in the short term with Geno and DOC.

[FLPensFan]

Penguins practice at 4pm today in Cranberry. Would expect an announcement from the team within the next hour if they have signed him. I don't think he can practice with the NHL club on an AHL PTO.

[FLPensFan]

Penguins moved up 2 spots year over year in The Athletic's Prospect Pool Rankings. Was 29 last year, moved up to 27th. Here's a quick hit on their top 5 and a brief summation of the comments:

1. Brayden Yager, C - He’s a natural scorer and creator who plays a direct style, but he’s also got plus vision and deft touch. I don’t think he’s going to become a star, but he’s got 2C and PP upside if he can fill out his frame and continue to add dimension.

2. Owen Pickering, LHD - Pickering’s offensive production still doesn’t jump out at you, and I felt (and feel) that No. 21 was a little too high for him. Intelligent and has a long effortless skating stride. He’s not going to be a big point producer at the next level, but he should have two-way value as a No. 4-5 type.

3. Joel Blomqvist, G - He’s not a big goalie (6-foot-2, a little more than 180 pounds) but he plays aggressive, challenging lines on shooters and has real foundation of reads. Goes post to post and low to high very quickly, tracks play well, and moves well within the net to get to his spots. He looks like he’s going to be an NHL goalie and reminds me a little of Anaheim Ducks rookie Lukáš Dostál.

4. Sergei Murashov, G - He’s quick and nimble on his feet, he gets to a lot of pucks, he stays with shooters one-on-one and he’s got great hands. I like the movement, the skill, the way he anticipates plays and his tracking. When he’s dialed in, he’s tough to beat. Had Russia played at the world juniors, he would have been one of their three goalies. With the right patience, the Penguins might really have something there.

5. Sam Poulin, C/RW/LW - Poulin’s adjustment to the pro level has been slow, revealing deficiencies in his skating and pace of play and downgrading his pre-draft middle-six wing projection. He’s also got versatile skill to his game which combines quietly quick hands with surprising softness to his touch and a hard shot. But the clock is now ticking (he’ll be 23 at the end of February) and his acceleration from stops and starts may never get to where it needs to be to make the most out of the rest of his game (which has some real NHL qualities).

[KG]

In DK's podcast he talked about Smith. Mentioned some people from the inside think that two potential reasons why Smith has struggled are 1. He was on a Stanley Cup hangover (although he did star the season well) or 2. He wasn't happy about the trade and sulked a little bit.

I definitely see why Smith wouldn't want to move. He was an original misfit and worked with Vegas on a contract extension while they worked through their cap issues. That said, it's time to pick it up and decide if you want to stay here or not. If not, make a hockey trade and bring in a different top 6 player. Preferably one that you notice doing something positive even if they aren't scoring goals.

[KG]

Jeez, Spezza's younger brother Matthew passed away over the weekend from an overdose. Sad news.

[FLPensFan]

In DK's podcast he talked about Smith. Mentioned some people from the inside think that two potential reasons why Smith has struggled are 1. He was on a Stanley Cup hangover (although he did star the season well) or 2. He wasn't happy about the trade and sulked a little bit.

I definitely see why Smith wouldn't want to move. He was an original misfit and worked with Vegas on a contract extension while they worked through their cap issues. That said, it's time to pick it up and decide if you want to stay here or not. If not, make a hockey trade and bring in a different top 6 player. Preferably one that you notice doing something positive even if they aren't scoring goals.

I can understand being caught off guard and being a bit miffed about the trade initially...but get over it. Vegas isn't taking him back. They don't have the cap space. So, you can either sit here and sulk, or get traded to some other team where you may be in a worse position or less of a fit.

[Antonio]

The idea of a pro athlete being a whiny baby about being traded and playing somewhere he does not want to is just mind boggling to me. You play a game for a living..a GAME, and make 5 MILLION dollars for PLAYING for half of the year. Most real hard working people (the kind that make a league full of millionaires playing a game for a living even possible with the fruits of their actual labor) would eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for half that money. It is all supposition regarding Smith, I know, but the sentiment has been expressed before regarding other players in this and other leagues.

[Maestro]

No state tax in Nevada. The trade hurt him where rich people care about most: in the bank account.

[FLPensFan]

Once again, no Penguins scouts seen at a heavily scouted game:

Senators GM Steve Staios on the list to take in today’s Isles/Leafs game. 17 teams with reps tonight: OTT (2), SEA, CBJ, EDM, LA, NAS, WPG, WAS, COL, VAN, TB, BOS, MTL, DAL, STL, PHI & CGY

[Daniel]

Penguins moved up 2 spots year over year in The Athletic's Prospect Pool Rankings. Was 29 last year, moved up to 27th. Here's a quick hit on their top 5 and a brief summation of the comments:

1. Brayden Yager, C - He’s a natural scorer and creator who plays a direct style, but he’s also got plus vision and deft touch. I don’t think he’s going to become a star, but he’s got 2C and PP upside if he can fill out his frame and continue to add dimension.

2. Owen Pickering, LHD - Pickering’s offensive production still doesn’t jump out at you, and I felt (and feel) that No. 21 was a little too high for him. Intelligent and has a long effortless skating stride. He’s not going to be a big point producer at the next level, but he should have two-way value as a No. 4-5 type.

3. Joel Blomqvist, G - He’s not a big goalie (6-foot-2, a little more than 180 pounds) but he plays aggressive, challenging lines on shooters and has real foundation of reads. Goes post to post and low to high very quickly, tracks play well, and moves well within the net to get to his spots. He looks like he’s going to be an NHL goalie and reminds me a little of Anaheim Ducks rookie Lukáš Dostál.

4. Sergei Murashov, G - He’s quick and nimble on his feet, he gets to a lot of pucks, he stays with shooters one-on-one and he’s got great hands. I like the movement, the skill, the way he anticipates plays and his tracking. When he’s dialed in, he’s tough to beat. Had Russia played at the world juniors, he would have been one of their three goalies. With the right patience, the Penguins might really have something there.

5. Sam Poulin, C/RW/LW - Poulin’s adjustment to the pro level has been slow, revealing deficiencies in his skating and pace of play and downgrading his pre-draft middle-six wing projection. He’s also got versatile skill to his game which combines quietly quick hands with surprising softness to his touch and a hard shot. But the clock is now ticking (he’ll be 23 at the end of February) and his acceleration from stops and starts may never get to where it needs to be to make the most out of the rest of his game (which has some real NHL qualities).

Pickering reads a lot like Pettersson or Dumoulin and while 4-5 type might be accurate, it seems like he'd be a top pairing with a guy like Kris Letang. Blomgvist is having an All Star year at WBS and would be the top goalie if not for the insane stats of Hershey this year.

[Wyopen]

I saw Blomqvist play against Hershey. He was excellent moving side to side, cutting angles, positioning well, quick glove. Unless he totally implodes, he’ll be in the NHL.

[Guinness]

The idea of a pro athlete being a whiny baby about being traded and playing somewhere he does not want to is just mind boggling to me. You play a game for a living..a GAME, and make 5 MILLION dollars for PLAYING for half of the year. Most real hard working people (the kind that make a league full of millionaires playing a game for a living even possible with the fruits of their actual labor) would eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for half that money. It is all supposition regarding Smith, I know, but the sentiment has been expressed before regarding other players in this and other leagues.

Just for the record, I would definitely NOT eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for 2.5 million.

I'd honestly be surprised if Smith has been pouting about being traded. It would definitely be difficult to go from a Cup team to a fringe playoff team, but these things happen dozens of times every year. As a professional athlete, you'd have to expect it, and learn to accept it. But if he is seriously pouting, put him on a boat and shove him out to sea.

[Puck-Lurker]

The idea of a pro athlete being a whiny baby about being traded and playing somewhere he does not want to is just mind boggling to me. You play a game for a living..a GAME, and make 5 MILLION dollars for PLAYING for half of the year. Most real hard working people (the kind that make a league full of millionaires playing a game for a living even possible with the fruits of their actual labor) would eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for half that money. It is all supposition regarding Smith, I know, but the sentiment has been expressed before regarding other players in this and other leagues.

Just for the record, I would definitely NOT eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for 2.5 million.

I'd honestly be surprised if Smith has been pouting about being traded. It would definitely be difficult to go from a Cup team to a fringe playoff team, but these things happen dozens of times every year. As a professional athlete, you'd have to expect it, and learn to accept it. But if he is seriously pouting, put him on a boat and shove him out to sea.

If you transfer 2.5M to my account om this condition (dependent on being able to verify its legit and so on)... That's a lot of money and it's only 366 days max. That's about 6.8K per. Then again 2.5m I guess is about 100k in real money, so maybe not.

[Pens4Life]

Penguins 5th round draft pick Mikhail Ilyin from last year has made a surprising rise this season, which is good to see and hear..

https://breakdownsandbreakaways.substac ... tats-video

Btw. About Blomquist I hope he will get some NHL games under his belt next season..

[Guinness]

The idea of a pro athlete being a whiny baby about being traded and playing somewhere he does not want to is just mind boggling to me. You play a game for a living..a GAME, and make 5 MILLION dollars for PLAYING for half of the year. Most real hard working people (the kind that make a league full of millionaires playing a game for a living even possible with the fruits of their actual labor) would eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for half that money. It is all supposition regarding Smith, I know, but the sentiment has been expressed before regarding other players in this and other leagues.

Just for the record, I would definitely NOT eat a literal **** sandwich every day for a year for 2.5 million.

I'd honestly be surprised if Smith has been pouting about being traded. It would definitely be difficult to go from a Cup team to a fringe playoff team, but these things happen dozens of times every year. As a professional athlete, you'd have to expect it, and learn to accept it. But if he is seriously pouting, put him on a boat and shove him out to sea.

If you transfer 2.5M to my account om this condition (dependent on being able to verify its legit and so on)... That's a lot of money and it's only 366 days max. That's about 6.8K per. Then again 2.5m I guess is about 100k in real money, so maybe not.

Yeah, that's a lot of money... but it's also a lot of poo!