Alex Goligoski - How good?

by **ExPatriatePen** on Tue May 06, 2008 11:09 am

Has anyone seen his numbers in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs so far?

Games: 8
Goals: 3
Assists: 9
Points: 12
+/- : +6
PIM: 10.00

Not too shabby!

by **eastonpensfan** on Tue May 06, 2008 11:21 am

Yeah, he will probably be like Letang this year... start the next season in the AHL, but he won't be there long.

by **ZelieMike** on Tue May 06, 2008 1:13 pm

How good? From what little I've seen, very, very good eventually. Looks like Gonchar's ultimate replacement.

ZM

by **Henry Hank** on Tue May 06, 2008 1:17 pm

I think I'm going to order Wednesday's web cast if I don't have anything going on, and I'll keep an eye on Goligosk, along with guys like Caputi, Jeffrey, and Curry.

by **WWGRD** on Tue May 06, 2008 3:08 pm

ZelieMike wrote:How good? From what little I've seen, very, very good eventually. Looks like Gonchar's ultimate replacement.

ZM

He's very good. Used to be a forward in college, so he knows how to score. He's also improved greatly defensively.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Tue May 06, 2008 5:00 pm

He was never a forward in college. He was always a defensemen at Minnesota, and on satellite at least was on tv it seemed every weekend. He's a smallish puck-moving defenseman. The only knock on him is his size. Although he's compared to Letang, he's probably 15 pounds lighter, if not 20.

I'm sure the Pens are working on bulking him up, because the guy can clearly pass and skate. He needs to get physically stronger, but hopefully that can happen.

by **WWGRD** on Tue May 06, 2008 5:12 pm

bill from turtle creek wrote:He was never a forward in college.

They played him at forward for several games, due to injuries.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Tue May 06, 2008 5:44 pm

WWGRD wrote:
bill from turtle creek wrote:He was never a forward in college.

They played him at forward for several games, due to injuries.

Well, that could be. He's been a defensemen since HS and also during his rather short stint in the USHL, though.

The way he played in college, he may as well have been a forward, I'll grant you that. That team never had to play defense because they always had the puck.

by **WWGRD** on Tue May 06, 2008 5:47 pm

bill from turtle creek wrote:
WWGRD wrote:
bill from turtle creek wrote:He was never a forward in college.

They played him at forward for several games, due to injuries.

Well, that could be. He's been a defensemen since HS and also during his rather short stint in the USHL, though.

The way he played in college, he may as well have been a forward, I'll grant you that. That team never had to play defense because they always had the puck.

Haha, I can imagine.

by **DelPen** on Tue May 06, 2008 10:18 pm

I think Gologoski and Letang could be our Rafalski and Niedermyer. Goligoski's play will make it easier to trade Whitney on draft day to get a 1st rounder and some prospects back. We have Gonchar, Letang, Sydor, Scuderi and Gill all under contract next year, ass Goligoski into the mix and bring back Orpik and that is a solid 7.

Then we get some guys to develop in WBS in the next 2 years or so when we will have more FA departures.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Tue May 06, 2008 10:48 pm

My guess is that Gonchar will go at some point, not Whitney. Gonchar's unaffordable in 2 years anyhow, and if things fall into place Goligoski will start next year in WBS.

Gonchar's going to be 35 or so when his contract is up. It wouldn't make sense to dump Whitney. I'm sure, however, that they will see how Whitney looks at the beginning of next year before they make a firm decision.

by **ExPatriatePen** on Tue May 06, 2008 11:52 pm

Goligoski gets another goal tonight on a beautiful end-to-end rush!

by **crzymike** on Wed May 07, 2008 2:58 am

ExPatriatePen wrote:Has anyone seen his numbers in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs so far?

Games: 8
Goals: 3
Assists: 9
Points: 12
+/- : +6
PIM: 10.00

Not too shabby!

Damn impressive!

by **ZelieMike** on Wed May 07, 2008 11:14 am

Yep, Whitney's not going anywhere. That is only in the minds of those disappointed in his play this year, after signing the long term contract.

I see Goligoski as the eventual offensive-defenseman replacement for Gonchar. After all, when Gonchar's contract is up and he is gone, you all will need a smallish defenseman to yell at as he is pushed around in front of the net.

ZM

by **ExPatriatePen** on Wed May 07, 2008 11:53 am

ZelieMike wrote:I see Goligoski as the eventual offensive-defenseman replacement for Gonchar. After all, when Gonchar's contract is up and he is gone, you all will need a smallish defenseman to yell at as he is pushed around in front of the net.

ZM

Thanks for expressing what I was thinking but didn't want to say. :-)

Goligoski's size does seem to be an issue. You can get away with being smaller at the AHL level, in the NHL, guys like AO and Jags will eat you alive.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Wed May 07, 2008 1:30 pm

His size is the only issue. Unfortunately, it's potentially a very big issue.

If you've ever seen him in regular clothes, you'd have to at least wonder a little bit. He's definitely far from being "big".

by **Guinness** on Thu May 08, 2008 11:40 am

DelPen wrote:I think Gologoski and Letang could be our Rafalski and Niedermyer. Goligoski's play will make it easier to trade Whitney on draft day to get a 1st rounder and some prospects back. We have Gonchar, Letang, Sydor, Scuderi and Gill all under contract next year,

I do hope they don't give up on Whitney. He's had an off year, but I think we'd be disappointed we gave up on him in a year or two.

ass Goligoski into the mix and bring back Orpik and that is a solid 7.

I'm sorry... do what now?

by **pfim** on Thu May 08, 2008 11:41 am

I see Goligoski as the eventual offensive-defenseman replacement for Gonchar. After all, when Gonchar's contract is up and he is gone, you all will need a smallish defenseman to yell at as he is pushed around in front of the net.

I wouldn't call Gonchar small.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Thu May 08, 2008 8:19 pm

Definitely not small, at 6'1" 210.

by **Maagwa** on Thu May 08, 2008 8:31 pm

ExPatriatePen wrote:Has anyone seen his numbers in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs so far?

Games: 8
Goals: 3
Assists: 9
Points: 12
+/- : +6
PIM: 10.00

Not too shabby!

Yea this kid is really good.... not flashy but just smooth

by **WWGRD** on Thu May 08, 2008 8:36 pm

9 games played
3 goals
11 assists
14 points

Updated.
2nd in the AHL in points. Tim Brent is 1st

by **Henry Hank** on Thu May 08, 2008 11:30 pm

Goligoski just needs to bulk up. Remember that he was recovering from shoulder surgery last summer and so he was limited in how much he could work out. I'm pretty sure Fletcher even said himself that they want him to get bigger over the summer. Seems like a reasonable request and something that will happen. I'm not really concerned about his size. He's young and he'll get bigger. I've seen him compared to Brian Rafalski a lot. Rafalski's a guy who's not very big himself but has proven to be a legitimately good two-way defenseman.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Fri May 09, 2008 10:30 am

I'm hoping he can add some weight. As you said, with the shoulder last year it would have been difficult. On the other hand, they tried to get Armstrong to bulk up, too, to no avail, as some of it is just genetics.

This guy looks awfully slight in street clothes, though. Letang is a tank compared to him.

by **ExPatriatePen** on Fri May 09, 2008 10:34 am

bill from turtle creek wrote:Letang is a tank compared to him.

Every time I see mention of Letang I smile. I think I might be developing a man crush on him. :shock:

I'm really excited about his future with the Pens.

(And no, I didn't feel this way about Whit)

by **Maagwa** on Fri May 09, 2008 10:37 am

^^^^^^^ i told you before he even played 4 games for the pens that he was going to be one my favs

Alex Goligoski - How good?

Alex Goligoski - How good?

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