Small sampling speaks volumes.

[Jesse]

Noah Welch: 3GP - 1G - 3A - +2.

Pretty good stats for a terrible team that was playing teams competing for spots in the postseason.

Three games is obviously an extremely small sampling to judge a young defenseman by, but Noah Welch showed me in those three games that he will be a top defenseman on this team in years to come.

The calm and control this kid had in the big leagues really was astounding. He made a few rookie mistakes, but that's what learning is about. To be a successful defenseman in the NHL, you have to take those bumps.

The Penguins have a few Dmen that are capable and still learning for next year. Hopefully Whitney can turn it around, hopefully Gonchar reaches some type of Enlightenment, because Scuderi and Melichar have been consistant for the majority of the year, especially post olympic break.

As I said, three games is a small sample, but Noah Welch reinforced the faith I had in leaving players in WB/S for long, prolonged stretches of time. He is the real deal and will be in the NHL next year as a solid body that really forces people outside.

Letang, Bissionette, Fernholm...

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

[freq019]

not to rain on the parade, because I do agree with you but the counterpoint is, most of these guys when called up perform really well for 3 to sometimes 10 games then the adrenaline wears off and the grind starts and they fall off, like most of the guys have this year, Christensen, Ouellett and Surovy for example and even Whitney to some extent. So before we dust off the shelf for the first norris trophy in over 25 years? lets give the kid a season and see how he handles it.

[Reilly]

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

[Mad City Mike]

Ryan Whitney's first 3 games: 0 G, 6 A, +2.

'Nuf said.

Welch looks good, for sure, but there will be lots of growing pains, just like with Whitney. No need annointing him as a future Norris winner just yet.

[ExPatriatePen]

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

Can you say "Trade value"?... I knew you could

[freq019]

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

Can you say "Trade value"?... I knew you could

Well its not just trade value, what if someone blows a knee or is in an accident ala Gringorinko. I think you take the most talented player regardless because there are no guarantees that all these guys will be with the team or healthy in 2-3 years

[Reilly]

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

Can you say "Trade value"?... I knew you could

Well its not just trade value, what if someone blows a knee or is in an accident ala Gringorinko. I think you take the most talented player regardless because there are no guarantees that all these guys will be with the team or healthy in 2-3 years

it's not even a matter of that. After Crosby and Malkin, there is a significant dropoff in forward talent on the team. It would be safer and better financially to sign a top 4 defenseman to a long term deal this offseason that it would be to draft one who could potentially be really good in a couple years.

[Jesse]

Ryan Whitney's first 3 games: 0 G, 6 A, +2.

'Nuf said.

Welch looks good, for sure, but there will be lots of growing pains, just like with Whitney. No need annointing him as a future Norris winner just yet.

Where, exactly, did I say the words "future norris winner".


Please point that out for me, thanks.


My post was one of positive nature regarding a rookies defensive play.


You must have read something else.

[ExPatriatePen]

This team has some bright stars for Defense down the road.

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

Can you say "Trade value"?... I knew you could

Well its not just trade value, what if someone blows a knee or is in an accident ala Gringorinko. I think you take the most talented player regardless because there are no guarantees that all these guys will be with the team or healthy in 2-3 years

it's not even a matter of that. After Crosby and Malkin, there is a significant dropoff in forward talent on the team. It would be safer and better financially to sign a top 4 defenseman to a long term deal this offseason that it would be to draft one who could potentially be really good in a couple years.

Which is exactly why top defensemen have such great trade value. You can't just draft one and throw him to the wolves... (Unless he's Brian Berard), they take time to develop.

[Mad City Mike]

[
Where, exactly, did I say the words "future norris winner".


Please point that out for me, thanks.

To be fair, you didn't. But mine wa salso just a euphmeism for, "let's not get to excited just yet until he does it over a longer period of time. Like I said, he did look good, and I'm very happy about that.

[Zscout]

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

The Penguins should not have taken Crosby or Malkin because Matt Hussey looked so promising in his 4 games back in 2004.

[Reilly]

which is exactly why they shouldn't take Erik Johnson.

The Penguins should not have taken Crosby or Malkin because Matt Hussey looked so promising in his 4 games back in 2004.

Yeah, sign a proven defenseman. Thanks for agreeing with me.