2013 Camp, Day 4 (Scrimmage) Report is up...

[netwolf]

I have no proofreader or editor, so if there any any egregious mistakes in here, it's not my fault.

http://letsgopens.com/camp_reports.php?id=80

[Digitalgypsy66]

Good read, as always.

[darkstar57]

i think you make a great point about tangradi, he need to do the little things on that line, not be the high flash we all want our top 6 wingers need to be.

[CERV96]

I thought Martin and Orpik looked the best that I have ever seen. Should be interesting once they start playing against other teams besides players they know and have been playing against.

[tfrizz]

i think you make a great point about tangradi, he need to do the little things on that line, not be the high flash we all want our top 6 wingers need to be.

Yup. It sounds as though he's had a pretty good camp, and if he can emulate (and learn from) Kunitz then he should be able to handle that role.

[joopen]

It seems as though everyone is watching with their Tangradi hater glasses on. They're watching expecting to see him fail so no matter what they see they're going to perceive it as failure. He played exactly how he should play on that line. He wasn't out of position offensively or defensively. He battled on the boards and went to the front of the net taking defenders with him.

[penny lane]

at the scrimmage, I thought I saw brooks and niskanen paired together; could have been the 2nd period.

[darkstar57]

It seems as though everyone is watching with their Tangradi hater glasses on. They're watching expecting to see him fail so no matter what they see they're going to perceive it as failure. He played exactly how he should play on that line. He wasn't out of position offensively or defensively. He battled on the boards and went to the front of the net taking defenders with him.

Same is True of Martin. The reaction of people on this board from a scrimmage game from martin is funny.

[joopen]

It seems as though everyone is watching with their Tangradi hater glasses on. They're watching expecting to see him fail so no matter what they see they're going to perceive it as failure. He played exactly how he should play on that line. He wasn't out of position offensively or defensively. He battled on the boards and went to the front of the net taking defenders with him.

Same is True of Martin. The reaction of people on this board from a scrimmage game from martin is funny.

Yup. I thought Martin played a very Paul Martin from NJD type game. Strong skating and positional work with very timely stick work

[Luckybreak]

It seems as though everyone is watching with their Tangradi hater glasses on. They're watching expecting to see him fail so no matter what they see they're going to perceive it as failure. He played exactly how he should play on that line. He wasn't out of position offensively or defensively. He battled on the boards and went to the front of the net taking defenders with him.

Same is True of Martin. The reaction of people on this board from a scrimmage game from martin is funny.

Yup. I thought Martin played a very Paul Martin from NJD type game. Strong skating and positional work with very timely stick work

Happy to hear Martin looks back to his old (NJD) self, though I still don't see the top 4 D as Cup-worthy. We have one bona-fide #1 in Letang and three #3/4 guys in Orpik, Niskanen and Martin. I'm not about to start bashing Martin as I know the value he brings when on his A-game but we all know that doesn't include a shot or physicality. Nisky is still unproven though could certainly cement himself as a solid two way guy if he continues his upswing (no guarantees). Orpik is fantastic at what he does but has some serious mental lapses at times.

Nice to hear mostly positive things from the scrimmage!

[The Snapshot]

Kunitz had 60+ points playing that role. Forgive me if I don't get excited about chipping a puck past a defender or "occupying" space. I know the point is that Tangradi doesn't need to provide the flash, but he needs to provide approximately 1000% more offense than he has EVER provided at even the AHL level.

He isn't even close to a point a game AHL player. I find it absurd and actually pretty disturbing that this coaching staff has seen enough to even give him this shot. He has shown no knack for collecting the garbage that will come his way on this line, and he adds none of the cohesiveness to it that Kunitz or Dupuis add with Crosby.

In addition, each of those other players has at least one or more distinct NHL level skills. For Kunitz it is quickness, physicality, hands and shot. Dupuis has an NHL rocket of a shot and great wheels. I cannot name a single thing in Tangradi's game that stands out.

I cannot wait for this experiment (one that starts with no actual theory to be proven) to be over. If he succeeds, it will be the biggest prayer ever answered.

Shero should have kept Matt Moulson for that role and cut Tangradi when he first took the job.

[Gaucho]

I cannot name a single thing in Tangradi's game that stands out.

I could, but they don't stand out in a good way.

[Dickie Dunn]

Shero should have kept Matt Moulson for that role and cut Tangradi when he first took the job.

Shero traded for Tangradi. Who cares about Matt Moulson?

[joopen]

Not sure where to put this but according to the twitter feed up top, Letang and Niskanen paired together instead of Despres. Despres is with Engelland and Lovejoy-Bortuzzo on the outside looking in. Looks like it is sink or swim time for both Tangradi and Despres.

[Beveridge]

Not sure where to put this but according to the twitter feed up top, Letang and Niskanen paired together instead of Despres. Despres is with Engelland and Lovejoy-Bortuzzo on the outside looking in. Looks like it is sink or swim time for both Tangradi and Despres.

Maybe for Tangradi as a Penguin but saying it's sink or swim time for a 21 year old defenseman is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too early. Letang was quite frightful to watch his first couple of seasons.

[joopen]

Not saying they are going to dump Despres but they are going to see what they have at this point in time with the young man. It is his opportunity to earn an NHL job.

[Idoit40fans]

Yeah I mean Tangradi has been around for a while. Despres' NHL time has been positive so far, so he is nowhere near being in danger of anything other than 3rd pairing minutes and an occasional scratch.

[lemieuxReturns]

so how is Martin looking in camp so far?

[pcm]

When Kunitz was Tangradi's age, he was 1 year away from being cut, waived and discarded by 2 teams. It took him 3 more years to make it in the NHL...

I do believe the Penguins are trying to avoid that route with Tangradi by giving him a chance to succeed now in a role that will take advantage of his big body and soft hands. The Pens have to find out whether or not he can cut the mustard this year. It's not a prayer, it's a projection of his abilities into a role that will test them to the max.

[darkstar57]

Kunitz had 60+ points playing that role. Forgive me if I don't get excited about chipping a puck past a defender or "occupying" space. I know the point is that Tangradi doesn't need to provide the flash, but he needs to provide approximately 1000% more offense than he has EVER provided at even the AHL level.

He isn't even close to a point a game AHL player. I find it absurd and actually pretty disturbing that this coaching staff has seen enough to even give him this shot. He has shown no knack for collecting the garbage that will come his way on this line, and he adds none of the cohesiveness to it that Kunitz or Dupuis add with Crosby.

In addition, each of those other players has at least one or more distinct NHL level skills. For Kunitz it is quickness, physicality, hands and shot. Dupuis has an NHL rocket of a shot and great wheels. I cannot name a single thing in Tangradi's game that stands out.

I cannot wait for this experiment (one that starts with no actual theory to be proven) to be over. If he succeeds, it will be the biggest prayer ever answered.

Shero should have kept Matt Moulson for that role and cut Tangradi when he first took the job.

So i guess your a big tangradi fan huh

[Dickie Dunn]

He isn't even close to a point a game AHL player.

Find someone who is. Seriously, find a prospect who was a point per game player in the AHL. Its not an easy task. Your point per game scorers in the AHL are career minor leaguers and elite level talents, and even that (Zach Parise) isn't a guarantee.

He's not even 24 years old yet. He started playing professional hockey at the same age Kunitz and Malone started their college hockey careers. When those two players were Tangradi's current age, they were finishing the senior seasons. He's young. He's an imperfect player, just like 99% of the league. He needs time. He needs coaching. He might make it in the NHL or he might not, but at this current stage of his development that doesn't mean he sucks. He's just not meeting your unrealistic expectations.

[penny lane]

will tomorrow be Robert Bortuzzo's debut? Did I miss him last year ? I know sneep, strait, despres all played for injured players.

[shmenguin]

will tomorrow be Robert Bortuzzo's debut? Did I miss him last year ? I know sneep, strait, despres all played for injured players.

rinaldo head shotted him after like 6 games. completely illegal. no action from shanahan. makes my blood boil.

[penny lane]

will tomorrow be Robert Bortuzzo's debut? Did I miss him last year ? I know sneep, strait, despres all played for injured players.

rinaldo head shotted him after like 6 games. completely illegal. no action from shanahan. makes my blood boil.

Thanks! all that begins again.
I hope Brendan shanahan bought new suits for his upcoming videos.

[The Snapshot]

Shero should have kept Matt Moulson for that role and cut Tangradi when he first took the job.

Shero traded for Tangradi. Who cares about Matt Moulson?

Matt Moulson was here when Shero joined and was forced to shed contracts at the Pro level. He chose not to keep Matt Moulson - who was someone at the time that I expressed disappointment in the organization cutting ties to.

Now we have this slug who everyone (our GM and Coach included) seems to find not only reason to keep around, but to HAND him a top six audtion for which he has done NOTHING to earn other than to be big. It's a travesty.