Pens News/Links

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Congrats to Zatkoff. I was very critical at first but he 's been solid as of late.

 

[JBM73]

Deep group of defensive prospects beginning to come of age for Pittsburgh Penguins - Hockey's Future

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Deep group of defensive prospects beginning to come of age for Pittsburgh Penguins - Hockey's Future

True our pipeline did a great job of proving themselves.

 

[evolver115]

Mega Roundtable Part II: Why Are the Penguins So Good This Season? - Pulling No Punches - January 2014 - Pittsburgh, PA

Good link here with a couple media hounds who cover the Pens discussing what makes them tick this season.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

True, a more conservative style year. I agree with their analysis. Also our special teams have been awesome so far. #1 power play, #2 penalty kill as of now.

 

[thedddd]

Penguins notebook: Letang's illness not believed to be life-threatening | TribLIVE

Bottom of the article traded Paul Thompson for Spencer Machacek just more AHL filler for AHL filler. I guess Thompson after last season really fell out of favor to be a callup any time soon.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Penguins notebook: Letang's illness not believed to be life-threatening | TribLIVE

Bottom of the article traded Paul Thompson for Spencer Machacek just more AHL filler for AHL filler. I guess Thompson after last season really fell out of favor to be a callup any time soon.

I actually liked Thompson a lot going into this year. Him & Gibbons were our 2 best players on the farm last season IMO.

 

[thedddd]

Yeah I liked Thompson a lot also but this year he really fell far. I know absolutely nothing about Machacek outside he played a few NHL games. Probably fits the Bylsma mold more?

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Kris Letang's mystery illness is not believed life threatening, but the Penguins are not sure when he will play again this season, multiple sources told the Tribune-Review.

The team planned to update Letang's condition Friday.

There were concerns last week that Letang's season — if not his career — could be in jeopardy because of the illness, the sources said.

Really hope that's not the case and he's okay.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Really hope that's not the case and he's okay.

same here Johnny, wish Tang the best.

 

[thehobocop]

Letang had a stroke on the road trip and is expected to be reevaluated in 6 weeks. Sounds like he is going to be given blood thinners to help him out. Truly sad to hear this, because on all accounts Letang is a class act and has a family. Here's to hoping he makes a full and speedy recovery.

 

[evolver115]

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The great news around the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday was that Tomas Vokoun has been medically cleared and can start participating in practice in a full capacity.

This certainly helps the Penguins on ice product but more importantly it means that the treatment Vokoun had been receiving has been working as planned. Long term post career health was always the more important issue with Vokoun and if he has actively made the choice to try and play again, that means the long term health prognosis is very good.

Here is what Vokoun had to say:

“My agenda is practice and see how I feel and how it goes. Take it one day at a time,” Vokoun said. “It’s pretty much left open. I’m trying to get back, see how I feel. Make sure (it) holds up.”


There will be some salary cap and roster implications if Vokoun returns but I will save those issues for another day. For now it’s just nice to see a return to health for Vokoun.

 

[evolver115]

Penguins Need to Revive Three-Center Model

 

[element1286]

Penguins Need to Revive Three-Center Model

Ugh, I wish the Penguins would just realize they won because they played the kids and they got better. Setting aside the fact that they have been a terrible drafting team recently, they don't even pretend to want to play the guys they have drafted.

And I heard Rossi today "The coaching staff doesn't trust Bortuzzo and Despres which is why they play Engelland so much" unreal how out of touch this organization is with what actually won them a Cup.

"Trust in Ray Shero" is no longer something I can say with a straight face.

 

[thehobocop]

Ugh, I wish the Penguins would just realize they won because they played the kids and they got better. Setting aside the fact that they have been a terrible drafting team recently, they don't even pretend to want to play the guys they have drafted.

And I heard Rossi today "The coaching staff doesn't trust Bortuzzo and Despres which is why they play Engelland so much" unreal how out of touch this organization is with what actually won them a Cup.

"Trust in Ray Shero" is no longer something I can say with a straight face.

I wouldn't say they've drafted bad lately. They just drafted Maata who's a Calder contender. Joe Morrow didn't really live up to the hype, and the jury is still out on Bennett. Kind if hard to get the slam dunk picks when you're at the back end of the first round every year.

 

[evolver115]

Ugh, I wish the Penguins would just realize they won because they played the kids and they got better. Setting aside the fact that they have been a terrible drafting team recently, they don't even pretend to want to play the guys they have drafted.

And I heard Rossi today "The coaching staff doesn't trust Bortuzzo and Despres which is why they play Engelland so much" unreal how out of touch this organization is with what actually won them a Cup.

"Trust in Ray Shero" is no longer something I can say with a straight face.

It does seem like a strange approach to take with Despres and Bortuzzo, and before them, Lovejoy. Ben went to Anaheim and quickly proved he could skate 20+ minutes a game. They've had Bortuzzo on the roster for a season and a half, and he's only played 50 games.

 

[scoutyjones2]

It does seem like a strange approach to take with Despres and Bortuzzo, and before them, Lovejoy. Ben went to Anaheim and quickly proved he could skate 20+ minutes a game. They've had Bortuzzo on the roster for a season and a half, and he's only played 50 games.

Suter is a nice 4th line piece, but it's not like Jordan Staal is setting the world on fire in Carolina...he isn't missed. What is missed is a competent scoring piece to the 3rd line. And Crosby to actually take over a game for a change...And Engelland has become a very valuable player this year. Bortuzzo is meh and Scud's is pathetic. Why Despres isn't playing is beyond me...And the article citing Megna as the answer....LOL

Shero has his work cut out for him...

 

[element1286]

I wouldn't say they've drafted bad lately. They just drafted Maata who's a Calder contender. Joe Morrow didn't really live up to the hype, and the jury is still out on Bennett. Kind if hard to get the slam dunk picks when you're at the back end of the first round every year.

They've drafted terribly under Ray Shero, there was a list recently, and Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy and now Maata were the only RS draft picks to make a real impact on the daily lineup since 2008.

The problem is the reports that every young guy who leaves says the same thing, "that there were no clear expectations and they were scared that any mistake they make and they are out of the lineup"

Iron Mike sat down Subban after that terrible breakaway he gave up. Dan would never ever do that to any of the stars on the team.

 

[element1286]

It does seem like a strange approach to take with Despres and Bortuzzo, and before them, Lovejoy. Ben went to Anaheim and quickly proved he could skate 20+ minutes a game. They've had Bortuzzo on the roster for a season and a half, and he's only played 50 games.

Yep, don't get it. Now we are stuck with Scuderi for another 3 years, and he has been terrible this year. And we still don't know if Despres/Bortuzzo can play bottom pairing minutes because Dan would rather run out Engelland in the middle of Feb when the Pens have a 15 pt lead in the division, and are missing the two actual puck movers.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Bortuzzo is not a puck mover. He's Engelland meets Oprik on defense. A possible brawler and big body to bang with. He's not a puck mover. Now Despres absence makes me wonder...