Filling out WBS

[K2]

So WWGRD's comment in the MacLean thread about replacing his 22 goals got me thinking...who's out there for us to sign to fill out WBS? Tenatively, the roster looks like this (* denotes unsigned)

Forwards (9 signed)
Minard, Brent, Filewich, Caputi, Stone, Jeffrey, Letestu, Johnson, Wallace, James*, Smith*, Gove*

Defense (4 signed)
Goligoski, Bissonnette, Engelland, D'Aversa, Lannon*, Lovejoy*

Goalie (2)
Curry, Brown

Goalie is pretty much set. We'll probably have a few spots open at forward, as a few of those guys may make Pittsburgh, some may get sent down to Wheeling or juniors, or for James, Smith and Gove, possibly sign elsewhere. We should be looking to add some defenders, as Grant's no sure thing to make the team, D'Aversa's not a big minutes guy, and Lannon and Lovejoy may go elsewhere. Who are some players you'd like to see brought in on a two way deal, mostly ticketed for WBS? I'll throw a few out there.

Zenon Konopka
Bill Thomas
Doug Janik
Ryan Shannon
Mike Weaver

Discuss all...

EDIT: You can cross the Z-Man off that list, and I removed Grant, Veilleux, and Boogaard

[eastonpensfan]

First off, I don't think Boogaard makes this team. He was horrendous last year and didn't get the chance to come up even when Bonvie broke his hand. The fact that franchise whipping-boy Paul Bissonnette got the callup first should say something.

Second, Chuck Fletcher, like his boss Shero, rarely makes the popular big-name signing. Last year, we watched as he signed guys like Jeff Taffe, Chris Minard, Nathan Smith, and Tim Brent, and we all said "who?". That was a collection of guys who looked like career AHL-ers or losers who never reached their potential. But, all 4 of them made the NHL. Taffe stuck with Pittsburgh, Minard was the top goals-per-game scorer this year, Smith was the captain, and Brent was the center on the top line, not to mention WBS' leading scorer.

That's not even mentioning how we thought WBS would have Pens' draftees David Brown and Bobby Goepfert as the AHL goalies. He went and got Conklin, signed Curry as an undrafted college free agent, and let Goepfert go. Lovejoy was also signed as an undrafted college free agent.

All that having been said, basically what I'm saying is that I have no clue who Fletcher will bring in but I have every confidence in the world that this will be another playoff team in WBS!

[WWGRD]

So pretty much Fletcher is the man.

[K2]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Fletch mentioned as a candidate for GM vacancies in the near future

[eastonpensfan]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Fletch mentioned as a candidate for GM vacancies in the near future

Absolutely! Shero is a model for anyone who wants a GM job. He doesn't overpay, even if it would be the popular decision. When you have a guy like Fletcher who follows the same formula and keeps an AHL franchise so successful, you have to think that other teams are watching.

The general concensus is that when an NHL team is horrible, the AHL team does well or vice-versa. But, in this instance, both the Pittsburgh and WBS Penguins have enjoyed a lot of success over the last few years. That is VERY rare. When something like that does happen, the assistant (or AHL) GM, gets a lot of attention from NHL teams.

[pens_CT]

So WWGRD's comment in the MacLean thread about replacing his 22 goals got me thinking...who's out there for us to sign to fill out WBS? Tenatively, the roster looks like this (* denotes unsigned)

Forwards (12 signed)
Minard, Brent, Filewich, Caputi, Stone, Jeffrey, Letestu, Johnson, Veilleux, Boogaard, Wallace, James*, Smith*, Gove*

Defense (4 signed)
Goligoski, Bissonnette, Engelland, D'Aversa, Lannon*, Lovejoy*, Grant*

Goalie (2)
Curry, Brown

Goalie is pretty much set. We'll probably have a few spots open at forward, as a few of those guys may make Pittsburgh, some may get sent down to Wheeling or juniors, or for James, Smith and Gove, possibly sign elsewhere. We should be looking to add some defenders, as Grant's no sure thing to make the team, D'Aversa's not a big minutes guy, and Lannon and Lovejoy may go elsewhere. Who are some players you'd like to see brought in on a two way deal, mostly ticketed for WBS? I'll throw a few out there.

Zenon Konopka
Bill Thomas
Doug Janik
Ryan Shannon
Mike Weaver

Discuss all...

EDIT: You can cross the Z-Man off that list

I think you can delete Veilleux from the list. I expect that he would play another year in junior (he is just 19) unless he makes the NHL roster (unlikely).

[K2]

I removed Veilleux, Grant and Boogaard. Veilleux and Grant probably aren't ready to turn pro, and Boogaard is probably going to fall into the category of "underachieving little brothers signed by the Pens" with Sean Pronger

[WWGRD]

If Bissonnette gets called up to Pittsburgh, they need Boogaard in the line-up.

[Idoit40fans]

I removed Veilleux, Grant and Boogaard. Veilleux and Grant probably aren't ready to turn pro, and Boogaard is probably going to fall into the category of "underachieving little brothers signed by the Pens" with Sean Pronger

yeah wouldn't Veilleux have to go to the NHL?

well NHL if he goes pro.

[KG]

I think Fletcher will sign Billy Thomas

[Pens4Life]

So WWGRD's comment in the MacLean thread about replacing his 22 goals got me thinking...who's out there for us to sign to fill out WBS? Tenatively, the roster looks like this (* denotes unsigned)

Forwards (9 signed)
Minard, Brent, Filewich, Caputi, Stone, Jeffrey, Letestu, Johnson, Wallace, James*, Smith*, Gove*

Defense (4 signed)
Goligoski, Bissonnette, Engelland, D'Aversa, Lannon*, Lovejoy*

Goalie (2)
Curry, Brown

Isnt Bisso now on forward? Or there are 2 different Bissonnette*s?
Brent is gone.. James re-signed, Lannon gone..

Goalie is pretty much set. We'll probably have a few spots open at forward, as a few of those guys may make Pittsburgh, some may get sent down to Wheeling or juniors, or for James, Smith and Gove, possibly sign elsewhere. We should be looking to add some defenders, as Grant's no sure thing to make the team, D'Aversa's not a big minutes guy, and Lannon and Lovejoy may go elsewhere. Who are some players you'd like to see brought in on a two way deal, mostly ticketed for WBS? I'll throw a few out there.

Zenon Konopka
Bill Thomas
Doug Janik
Ryan Shannon
Mike Weaver

Discuss all...

EDIT: You can cross the Z-Man off that list, and I removed Grant, Veilleux, and Boogaard

[K2]

So WWGRD's comment in the MacLean thread about replacing his 22 goals got me thinking...who's out there for us to sign to fill out WBS? Tenatively, the roster looks like this (* denotes unsigned)

Forwards (9 signed)
Minard, Brent, Filewich, Caputi, Stone, Jeffrey, Letestu, Johnson, Wallace, James*, Smith*, Gove*

Defense (4 signed)
Goligoski, Bissonnette, Engelland, D'Aversa, Lannon*, Lovejoy*

Goalie (2)
Curry, Brown

Isnt Bisso now on forward? Or there are 2 different Bissonnette*s?
Brent is gone.. James re-signed, Lannon gone..

Goalie is pretty much set. We'll probably have a few spots open at forward, as a few of those guys may make Pittsburgh, some may get sent down to Wheeling or juniors, or for James, Smith and Gove, possibly sign elsewhere. We should be looking to add some defenders, as Grant's no sure thing to make the team, D'Aversa's not a big minutes guy, and Lannon and Lovejoy may go elsewhere. Who are some players you'd like to see brought in on a two way deal, mostly ticketed for WBS? I'll throw a few out there.

Zenon Konopka
Bill Thomas
Doug Janik
Ryan Shannon
Mike Weaver

Discuss all...

EDIT: You can cross the Z-Man off that list, and I removed Grant, Veilleux, and Boogaard

P4L, Bissonnette was included in that list as a D-Man because at that time, we only had like 4 guys signed on D and it's his natural position. You can probably pencil him in on the 4th line, because we now have Goose, Eggy, Lovejoy, Kemp, Mormina, Richmond, and maybe D'Aversa as locks on D