A Cold Draft on Penguins Prospect List

[Bowser]

Ray Shero's first NHL draft as the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins took place during the 2006 Entry Draft, unfortunately, one could say since the first round, second overall selection of Jordan Staal, there has been one cold draft hovering over the Penguins prospect list.

Ten of 44 players drafted by Shero and his team of scouts have played at least one game in the NHL. Of the ten players, only three remain in the organization.

Breakdown:
3 Forwards:
Jordan Staal (06)- traded to Carolina, 120 goals
Dustin Jeffrey (07) - 12 goals
Luca Caputi (07) - traded to Toronto, now AHL journeymen, 3 goals

2 Goaltenders:
Chad Johnson (06) - traded to Rangers, backup G for Coyotes, 8 games
Alexandre Pechurskiy - was let go in KHL, 1 game in NHL as emergency goalie

5 Defensemen:
Simon Despres (09)- 23 games
Robert Bortuzzo (07) - 7 games
Jake Muzzin (07) - went unsigned, Kings signed as free agent, 16 games
Carl Sneep (06) - traded to Dallas, 1 game
Brian Strait (06) - placed on waivers picked up by Islanders, 19 games

The below is a list of the current Penguins prospects at forward, not a glamorous group of players.

[no name]

Wow really not all that impressive.

Honestly Derrik Pouliot looks like he could be a bust, just a gut feeling.

Drafting might not be his thing, but look at the Whitney and Gogo trade. UFA signings are ok.

[pens_CT]

They probably have the top group of defensive prospects of any NHL organization. I'm sure Shero would like to have some NHL ready forwards in Wilkes Barre now, but you draft the highest rated prospect not the highest rated forward available.

[Bowser]

pens_CT - Pouliot wasn't even the highest rated defensemen available at 8th overall, Pens passed up on Jakob Trouba and Cody Ceci. The forwards were higher too with Filip Forsberg, Mikhail Grigorenko, Radek Faksa, Zemgus Girgensons, and Teuvo Teravainen. Then at 22 with Olli Maatta, I thought they could have and should have taken Malcolm Subban, Henrik Samuelsson, Stefan Matteau or Tanner Pearson. The two players I wanted in this draft were available at 8 and 18, Filip Forsberg and Stefan Matteau.

This nonsense about taking best player doesn't hold water when it is constantly a defensemen in the first round. Pouliot, Maatta, Morrow, and Despres have been four of the last five number one picks with Bennett as the lone forward.

[pugilist13]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go. I agree with Bowser. At some point you have to replenish at forward and he has continued to fail except for Bennett. I guess that's what happens when you draft D over and over and wait six years for them to develop, if at all.

[Kaizer]

mmmmm, cold draft.

[mikey287]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go.

Honestly, I don't think this is on point. I'm a big detractor of our scouting staff personally, but people are mad at the drafting for the wrong reasons...that's my issue with the board's take. I don't think we do a good job, but it's not for the same reason as the rest of the board, generally...

[MRandall25]

TSN's Best Player Available =/= the specific teams' BPA's when they pick.

[Bowser]

pugilist13 - This fan base should recognize a problem with the drafts after the last GM basically killed the franchise because of the 94-99 drafts were pretty subpar, yet when you compare Patrick's draft in those years, they got more than Shero during this run (06-12).

[Gaucho]

I like when people are all over the GM because he didn't draft the players they wanted.

[offsides]

They probably have the top group of defensive prospects of any NHL organization. I'm sure Shero would like to have some NHL ready forwards in Wilkes Barre now, but you draft the highest rated prospect not the highest rated forward available.

I disagree, a little. In next year's draft, should we get more defensemen if they are the highest rated players available? If I was trying to build through the draft, I would draft according to need. Then again if I wanted to build trough trades I would draft the highest rated available , even if I already had a bunch of them and then make my trades. So I guess you could make a case either way.

[Bowser]

MRandall - Maybe Shero should look at TSN and others that list the best prospects.

[pugilist13]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go.

Honestly, I don't think this is on point. I'm a big detractor of our scouting staff personally, but people are mad at the drafting for the wrong reasons...that's my issue with the board's take. I don't think we do a good job, but it's not for the same reason as the rest of the board, generally...

Agree with this also, as far as scouting. These guys obviously dont get around much. mikey, we need you in europe.

[MRandall25]

MRandall - Maybe Shero should look at TSN and others that list the best prospects.

You're funny.

[Gaucho]

It's complete nonsense to rate the last 3, 4 drafts already.

[tfrizz]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go. I agree with Bowser. At some point you have to replenish at forward and he has continued to fail except for Bennett. I guess that's what happens when you draft D over and over and wait six years for them to develop, if at all.

I wonder if Shero doesn't go after defensemen knowing the Pens forward and goalie development is quite substandard. It seems like they only type of player they can develop are defensemen.

[Bowser]

Drafting should be a blend of best player available and need. If you don't do that, you are going to be left with a situation like the Pens have with no one in the system that is all that good in goal and bunch of nothings at forward.

Gaucho - Time is already proving Shero and his scouts can't find legit NHL talent at forward. After Staal, they have drafted no one that has produced quality minutes or goals. They desperately need Bennett to become a top six winger, which I think he will be by next season but after him, there's nothing from the draft. The best player from a skill perspective is undrafted free agent Jayson Megna.

Maybe Marcantuoni turns from a third line to second line prospect but right now, I think he's more Konstantin Koltsov than Chris Kunitz or James Neal. Maybe Anton Zlobin gets a shot as a shifty RH shooter at LW but the Pens have shown little interest in Europeans, so I won't be holding my breathe on that one.

[pugilist13]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go. I agree with Bowser. At some point you have to replenish at forward and he has continued to fail except for Bennett. I guess that's what happens when you draft D over and over and wait six years for them to develop, if at all.

I wonder if Shero doesn't go after defensemen knowing the Pens forward and goalie development is quite substandard. It seems like they only type of player they can develop are defensemen.

If that's the case there are huge problems in this organization.

[tfrizz]

Shero gets a free ride on this board as far as drafts go. I agree with Bowser. At some point you have to replenish at forward and he has continued to fail except for Bennett. I guess that's what happens when you draft D over and over and wait six years for them to develop, if at all.

I wonder if Shero doesn't go after defensemen knowing the Pens forward and goalie development is quite substandard. It seems like they only type of player they can develop are defensemen.

If that's the case there are huge problems in this organization.

Think about it... who were the last forward and goalie the Pens developed? They've all pretty well either jumped right into the NHL or topped out as a good AHLer or tweener.

[Gaucho]

I wonder if Shero doesn't go after defensemen knowing the Pens forward and goalie development is quite substandard.

I don't think drafting defensemen would be his solution in this case.

[Steve]

pens_CT - Pouliot wasn't even the highest rated defensemen available at 8th overall, Pens passed up on Jakob Trouba and Cody Ceci. The forwards were higher too with Filip Forsberg, Mikhail Grigorenko, Radek Faksa, Zemgus Girgensons, and Teuvo Teravainen.

Just out of curiosity - which ranking did you use for this - or do you just mean in general, the consensus etc?

thanks...

[Kharlamov]

Dude, relax, we have Theodore Blueger

[Bowser]

Gaucho - Right, let's give him a free pass for 06-09? I'll give you 10-12 as being early but the point is the time frame for guys to make NHL, look at the players on the list. Do you think anyone of them are going to amount to productive NHLers besides Bennett?

Despres is only one to play in NHL from 09 and 10 class for the Penguins. Look at the rest of the players since Despres selection in 09

- Since Despres selection 30th overall, 38 players have played one game in the NHL.

Round Num. Drafted By Player Pos Drafted From GP G A Pts PIM
2 33 Colorado Ryan O'Reilly C Erie Otters [OHL] 236 39 68 107 46
2 35 Los Angeles Kyle Clifford L Barrie Colts [OHL] 163 13 18 31 269
5 149 Chicago Marcus Kruger C Djurgarden Jrs. (Sweden) 85 9 18 27 32
4 98 Nashville Craig Smith C Waterloo Black Hawks [USHL] 79 14 22 36 36
5 129 Dallas Tomas Vincour R Edmonton Oil Kings [WHL] 73 6 7 13 8
5 127 NY Rangers Roman Horak C Ceske Budejovice Jrs. [Czech.] 63 3 9 12 16
2 55 Washington Dmitri Orlov D Novokuznetsk Metallurg [KHL] 60 3 16 19 18
2 40 Edmonton Anton Lander C Timra IK [SEL] 57 2 4 6 12
5 132 Nashville Gabriel Bourque L Baie-Comeau Drakkar [QMJHL] 48 7 14 21 8
2 49 Colorado Stefan Elliott D Saskatoon Blades [WHL] 39 4 9 13 8
3 85 Washington Cody Eakin C Swift Current Broncos [WHL] 37 4 8 12 8
4 94 Columbus David Savard D Moncton Wildcats [QMJHL] 32 2 8 10 16
7 186 Los Angeles Jordan Nolan C Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds [OHL] 32 3 3 6 35
6 172 Philadelphia Eric Wellwood L Windsor Spitfires [OHL] 31 5 5 10 4
3 66 Buffalo Brayden McNabb D Kootenay Ice [WHL] 25 1 7 8 15
4 104 Buffalo Marcus Foligno L Sudbury Wolves [OHL] 21 7 10 17 20
4 92 NY Islanders Casey Cizikas C Mississauga St. Michael's Majors [OHL] 20 1 5 6 8
6 165 Florida Scott Timmins C Windsor Spitfires [OHL] 19 1 0 1 8
2 46 Ottawa Robin Lehner G Frolunda Jrs. (Sweden) 13 0 0 0 2
3 64 Colorado Tyson Barrie D Kelowna Rockets [WHL] 13 0 0 0 4
3 73 New Jersey Alexander Urbom D Djurgardens IF Stockholm [SEL] 13 2 0 2 9
2 45 Atlanta Jeremy Morin L U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] 12 2 1 3 9
3 77 Minnesota Matt Hackett G Plymouth Whalers [OHL] 12 0 0 0 0
2 60 Detroit Tomas Tatar L Zvolen HKm [Slovak] 9 1 0 1 0
3 69 Dallas Reilly Smith R St. Michael's Buzzers [OJHL] 9 0 0 0 4
2 34 Atlanta Carl Klingberg L Frolunda Jrs. (Sweden) 7 0 0 0 4
2 39 Ottawa Jakob Silfverberg L Brynas Jrs. (Sweden) 7 1 0 1 4
2 59 Chicago Brandon Pirri C Georgetown Raiders [OJHL] 6 0 2 2 0
4 112 Boston Lane MacDermid L Windsor Spitfires [OHL] 6 0 0 0 5
2 44 Florida Drew Shore C U.S. National Under-18 Team [Ind] 5 0 0 0 2
2 31 NY Islanders Mikko Koskinen G Blues [SM-liiga] 4 0 0 0 0
3 62 NY Islanders Anders Nilsson G Lulea Jrs. (Sweden) 4 0 0 0 0
5 139 Montreal Gabriel Dumont C Drummondville Voltigeurs [QMJHL] 3 0 0 0 0
2 37 Anaheim Mat Clark D Brampton Battalion [OHL] 2 0 0 0 0
4 102 Nashville Mattias Ekholm D Mora IK [Swe-1] 2 0 0 0 0
4 103 Minnesota Kris Foucault L Calgary Hitmen [WHL] 1 0 0 0 0
5 122 NY Islanders Anton Klementyev D Yaroslavl-2 (Russia) 1 0 0 0 0
5 130 Ottawa Mike Hoffman C Drummondville Voltigeurs [QMJHL] 1 0 0 0 0

[columbia]

And?

[pugilist13]

And?

Lol. Bowser is all over it.