Orpik is good tradebait

[FuturePens]

Orpik in my opinion is at best a WBS player, not NHL caliber. I always thought that, but after last nights game I'am 150% certain that he is nothing more than a liability to our team. His puckhandling, passing, and responsibility on D, is F+ , AT BEST.

I would downgrade him or trade him as soon as possible and give Micky D. a chance with Alan N. on the same line. Who would you choose to replace him until Eaton comes back? I think he could be good trade bait for a left winger...your thoughts

[Pitts]

Let me think about it....um...NO!

[magnum]

We likely wouldn't get much in return for Orpik.

[PensBeerGeek]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

[kirk]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

See Magnum's comments. As far as I can tell, Orpik's role has devolved into one in which he makes Scuderi seem deft with the puck in his own zone. A player like Orpik no longer has very much in terms of trade value.

[Scott]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

Wait a second. Certainly YE JEST!

genuine mean streak? Did he beat you up at a bar or something? Orpik is a daisy. If you think he is a big hitter then you must have started watching hockey 3 years ago.

[jmh470]

Orpik had value for the past two summers, but not anymore. He's Kasparaitis with less hitting.

[magnum]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

He's not very good on defense and doesn't hit anymore. Unless we can salvage his career somehow by making him competent, we would likely be getting very little of anything useful in return for Brooks Orpik.

I don't expect to see Brooks with the Pens next year unless the new coach feels that Orpik just needs tweaked here and there (which is what I personally believe, but it won't happen right now)

[magnum]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

See Magnum's comments. As far as I can tell, Orpik's role has devolved into one in which he makes Scuderi seem deft with the puck in his own zone. A player like Orpik no longer has very much in terms of trade value.

Hey now, Scuderi has been pretty decent this season. I can't explain why, but his game has improved drastically. He is still used wrong IMO. Scuderi should never be put in front of the net to clear people out of the crease on a PK, EVER. That's not his game and he will fail in every instance, but he has improved big time positionally and seems to be making strides towards being a half decent defenseman.

[netwolf]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

[bh]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

I have never really seem anything great from him and I think he has little potential. This year has confirmed it so far. Whitney plays bad but you can see the potential to be really good is there. I see no such thing with Oprik.

[magnum]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

I haven't been pleased with Orpik at all this season. I'm also not calling for him being traded either. His game can be improved. He has potential and talent. It's just not being seen yet this season.

[mikey287]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

Finally, common sense saves the day...

Orpik has only played 15 games this year, he is 6th on the team in hits with 28 (Ruutu 38, Talbot 34, Gonchar 31 are our top 3)

Orpik had 203 hits last year in just 64 games in 05-06...Malone was second with 110 and Boguniecki third with 76...mean streak? I'd say at least a bit...

05-06 hit leaders
Morrow, 81GP, 234 hits (2.89 hits/gm)
Hunter, 82GP, 230 hits
Chara, 71GP, 224 hits
Neil, 79GP, 221 hits
Orpik, 64GP, 203 hits (3.17 hits/gm)

In 05-06 Orpik also led the team in blocked shots with 122...

So, we hate Whitney for not playing physical, we hate Gonchar for not being physical, and we hate Orpik because...well, because he plays for the Penguins so therefore he's not good enough...

I wish even half the people here made any sense...we'd trade everyone after every loss, pathetic...

[brwi]

At the end of the day, you don't trade him because you'll get less in return. Orpik is a 5th or 6th d-man like a lot of the Pens' blueliners and there isn't a real demand for that in the NHL. He's slow, can't do a damn thing with the puck, gets caught out of position too frequently, etc. etc. Now, where is the trade value in THAT?

We're stuck with him and can only hope he develops further than he has so far. Maybe 5 years ago he the flyers would have been drooling for him, but not in the new NHL.

Brad

[NIN]

Orpik appeared agravated by his left hand during the game last night. He had trouble handling the puck, maybe he should have been scratched instead of Dupont?

When healthy, he is a steadily improving defender with good shot blocking and checking skills. He skates extremely well for a player with that physique too. This being only his 3rd season, I think he is right on pace to be a solid NHL defensmne for many years. he has shown some confidence in the offensive zone too, he has great back checking speed that enables him to take calculated risks while pinching. That talent, is not readily available for the vast majority of NHL level defensmen let alone AHL ones.

I would avoid trading Orpik if possible, he is better than you think.

[NJ5934]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

I was just thinking the same

[wallflower]

Hmmm.... Orpik has a bad game. All of the sudden the "Orpik is a waste" train that has been silent is suddenly full steam ahead. Odd...

I was just thinking the same

Make that three of us.

If there's a knee jerk reaction to be had around here lately, people jump all over one another to do it first.

[Stoosh]

So, we hate Whitney for not playing physical, we hate Gonchar for not being physical, and we hate Orpik because...well, because he plays for the Penguins so therefore he's not good enough...

I wish even half the people here made any sense...we'd trade everyone after every loss, pathetic...

This is typical. Fans always want what they don't have and complain about what they do have. Sometimes it's warranted. Sometimes it's ridiculous.

That's not to say Orpik shouldn't be shopped. I'm not saying get rid of him. I'm just saying that if Shero was looking to improve areas of the team, Orpik is one of the few who players we have who could actually be used to fetch decent return.

He's not good enough to be a franchise-caliber/untouchable player, but he's certainly better than a "serviceable" defenseman like, say, Melichar (Melichar is a fairly solid 5/6/7). Orpik is good enough that any GM would at least consider adding him to balance out his blueline corps.

[KennyTheKangaroo]

thats great that he can hit people. whoo hoo

but id rather have someone who wont let the puck slide off his blade when he is carrying the friggin puck

[NIN]

thats great that he can hit people. whoo hoo

but id rather have someone who wont let the puck slide off his blade when he is carrying the friggin puck

What if the the player you aquire for him has a wounded wrist and can't handle the puck properly either? Would you trade him too? Then the next...and the next...and the next?

The madness must stop here.

[magnum]

thats great that he can hit people. whoo hoo

but id rather have someone who wont let the puck slide off his blade when he is carrying the friggin puck

What if the the player you aquire for him has a wounded wrist and can't handle the puck properly either? Would you trade him too? Then the next...and the next...and the next?

The madness must stop here.

Ummm.... don't acquire that player?

[kirk]

Why would you want to give up the blueliner with a genuine mean streak that we have on this team?

Sure, he's no Scott Stevens, but Orpik is a serviceable NHL 2nd/3rd pairing defenseman.

See Magnum's comments. As far as I can tell, Orpik's role has devolved into one in which he makes Scuderi seem deft with the puck in his own zone. A player like Orpik no longer has very much in terms of trade value.

Hey now, Scuderi has been pretty decent this season. I can't explain why, but his game has improved drastically. He is still used wrong IMO. Scuderi should never be put in front of the net to clear people out of the crease on a PK, EVER. That's not his game and he will fail in every instance, but he has improved big time positionally and seems to be making strides towards being a half decent defenseman.

No, Magnum, I wasn't talking about Scuderi's positional work. I was talking about Scuderi's work with the puck in his own zone versus Orpik, who, netwolf's suggestion about one bad game notwithstanding, is god awful anytime he's asked to handle the puck in his own end, be it with a clear, handling a pass, or making a first pass out of the zone.

[wm0712]

lets get real guys... brooks is going nowhere, he'll be here next year when he might be able to be the 6th dman... it will probably be gonchar whitney eaton welch letang and orpik... looks alot better without melichar and scuderi

[NJ5934]

lets get real guys... brooks is going nowhere, he'll be here next year when he might be able to be the 6th dman... it will probably be gonchar whitney eaton welch letang and orpik... looks alot better without melichar and scuderi

It would look even better without Gonchar. I can only hope that as soon as Malkin gets on his feet, Gonchar is out the door.

Phoenix is hurting big time.....how bout' Gonchar for Ballard.

[kirk]

lets get real guys... brooks is going nowhere, he'll be here next year when he might be able to be the 6th dman... it will probably be gonchar whitney eaton welch letang and orpik... looks alot better without melichar and scuderi

It would look even better without Gonchar. I can only hope that as soon as Malkin gets on his feet, Gonchar is out the door.

Phoenix is hurting big time.....how bout' Gonchar for Ballard.

I'd go the other way myself and see if Wayne could be persuaded to take Malone and Orpik for Boynton . . .