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

[BigMcK]

He's just not meeting your unrealistic expectations.

In your opinion, what are realistic expectations for Tangradi?

[The Snapshot]

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.

Um, guys who are NHL capable players in their 3rd full pro season, much like an overage Junior, should be approaching those levels - not going umpteen games without a goal there. Are you seriously a Tangradi fan, or are you just refusing to read the tea leaves and hoping all the evidence is wrong and he is going to magically be better at the NHL level than he is down there?

I've seen him play at the AHL level, and he STINKS. He can't skate, and he can't hit because he cannot even line up AHL pluggers. If he had a similar mentality and skating ability to Tanner Glass at his size, he would at least be a bottom 6 candidate.

If you watch Beau Bennett in his 3rd pro season, barring injury you will be watching him in the NHL at a top six role.

As it is, if you think that he isn't not only auditioning for his CAREER instead of his place in the top six, than I'm glad you aren't a scout. He has had ZERO aha moments at the NHL level and I know he will not make it here. He will be tossed aside when he continues the same slow, disinterested physical game he has played since he became our property and then there will be no more hope.

[The Snapshot]

He's just not meeting your unrealistic expectations.

In your opinion, what are realistic expectations for Tangradi?

That he show up every night and takes the body on smaller NHL defensemen. He can't catch them. Much like an NFL linebacker bust, he is stiff in his hips and has zero lateral mobility. He also has a timid mentality. He's the big guy who wants to be little and quicker.

[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?

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.

I know who Matt Moulson is. I'm asking who cares (other than you obviously)? Penguins dumped him six years ago. He crapped out of the Kings' organization before he found a home on Long Island. Good for him. Lamenting the loss of Matt Moulson would be like Kings or Bruins fans whining about not keeping Robert Lang around in the 90s. You work with this assets you have and you get the hell over it.

If Tangradi deserves a shot in the top six is worthy of debate. To complain about the Penguins finding a reason to "keep around" a 23 year old player in the midst of his 4th professional season is asinine.

[The Snapshot]

To complain about the Penguins finding a reason to "keep around" a 23 year old player in the midst of his 4th professional season is asinine.

"Keep him around" on Geno's line? I'm asinine? Bro, you have no clue.\

By the way, his 4th Pro season is a joke to this point.

[SolidSnake]

The Pens won a cup without Moulson, so I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. lol

[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.

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

in case anyone wants to get the urge to punch a wall

[SolidSnake]

I'm pumped already

[The Snapshot]

The Pens won a cup without Moulson, so I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. lol

My point is that he had shown an NHL level shot when the Pens cut ties. Tangradi has shown nothing.

I still have my Cup run towels and the pics with it, so I haven't forgotten.

[Dickie Dunn]

To complain about the Penguins finding a reason to "keep around" a 23 year old player in the midst of his 4th professional season is asinine.

"Keep him around" on Geno's line? I'm asinine? Bro, you have no clue.\

By the way, his 4th Pro season is a joke to this point.

No clue? Learn how to read. Where did I ever offer my support for Tangradi playing on Malkin's line? He doesn't belong there and probably won't last long. It's obvious what the Pens are doing. This is his last shot to show he belongs in the lineup and after that his future becomes a very large question mark. He's still young and no matter how unlikely it is, there is still the potential that some legitimate time on the Malkin's will make things click for him. My guess is he spends most of the season as a healthy scratch unless they're willing to expose him to waivers to send him back to WBS.

All I did is point out your unrealistic expectations, question the need to grieve the loss of a fringe player 6 years ago, and that your desire to dump off a once "prized" prospect before he receives his last shot is stupid.

[darkstar57]

The Pens won a cup without Moulson, so I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. lol

My point is that he had shown an NHL level shot when the Pens cut ties. Tangradi has shown nothing.

I still have my Cup run towels and the pics with it, so I haven't forgotten.

to be perfectly honest, i don't even remember that moulson was part of the pens,

[shmenguin]

if tangradi's presence was responsible for the pens losing a moulson-esque player (megna maybe?), then it's a different story. but as far as i can tell, we're not ditching anyone in order to promote him. personally, i don't think tangradi has a future on this team, but our situation at wing is sad. it's within reason to give him a whirl right now.

[Sarcastic]

Why didn't Bennett make it? I had to take a week off the board and haven't followed the training camp much.

[The Snapshot]

To complain about the Penguins finding a reason to "keep around" a 23 year old player in the midst of his 4th professional season is asinine.

"Keep him around" on Geno's line? I'm asinine? Bro, you have no clue.\

By the way, his 4th Pro season is a joke to this point.

No clue? Learn how to read. Where did I ever offer my support for Tangradi playing on Malkin's line? He doesn't belong there and probably won't last long. It's obvious what the Pens are doing. This is his last shot to show he belongs in the lineup and after that his future becomes a very large question mark. He's still young and no matter how unlikely it is, there is still the potential that some legitimate time on the Malkin's will make things click for him. My guess is he spends most of the season as a healthy scratch unless they're willing to expose him to waivers to send him back to WBS.

All I did is point out your unrealistic expectations, question the need to grieve the loss of a fringe player 6 years ago, and that your desire to dump off a once "prized" prospect before he receives his last shot is stupid.

Ok Dicky. I assure you I can read and my expectations are being met by him. You and others that support this "trial" are the making illogical statements about his potential yet I am stupid and asinine? I wish you were here with me to see how stupid I am. I seem to be just smart enough.

[columbia]

It's good to see a spirited discussion on hockey and not that stinking lockout.

[penny lane]

Today at the drills, looks like TK is on the 2nd PP; same role as neal. TK looks shifty and speedy in practices.
? dont' know if Netwolf was there, but they also had the shoot-out. I couldn't tell you last man standing?
Tanner Glass maybe.

[Nizzy]

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.

What dude?

Here's the thing about Tangradi, he produces in the AHL playing in a top 6 role. I dont get to see any WB/S games but I'd imagine that the top 6 at WB/S have more offensive talent than Craig Adams on the 4th line in the NHL. Most of Tangradi's NHL time, has been 5-6 total shifts a night, playing along side Craig Adams. People act like he should be putting in 20 goals alone playing alongside Adams.

I saw Tangradi hunt down Kovalchuk coming out of his zone, check him, steal the puck, and go set up a goal. I've never seen Kennedy do that alone. Tangradi at least needs consistent minutes in the top 9. I don't think he's been given a legit chance to produce. I'd give him all 48 games this year in the top 9, consistent minutes, and if he doesn't do anything then move him. I mean look at James Neal the first 20-30 games he was here, didn't he only have 1-2 goals? Playing with Malkin he just dropped 40.

[The Snapshot]

Here's the thing about Tangradi, he produces in the AHL playing in a top 6 role. I dont get to see any WB/S games .....I mean look at James Neal the first 20-30 games he was here, didn't he only have 1-2 goals? Playing with Malkin he just dropped 40.

OK so you have hope for him, that is obvious. My point is that everyone who has hope for him says he is still young - but don't mention he is a step slow, doesn't have a great shot, has no instincts around the net, isn't innately mean or physical and seems to actually not have that much hockey sense either.

To say he is worth a shot is to say that anybody his size should warrant a shot, because he has shown nothing else to justify it. I now want to make a case for Joey Mormina to be converted to wing and given a shot on Malkin's wing because he is as good a skater as Tangradi and is meaner. The rest is easy to teach right?

You say he produces at the AHL level but you never see him play there? He hasn't produced at the AHL level and he was in the midst of a horrific 20 game stretch when he was handed this chance. He had 6 goals in the first 8 or 9 games this season, and has 12 more points and only 4 more goals in the rest of his 34 AHL games. He is also -8. That is in addition to his 1 goal in 40 NHL games.

If anything, he has regressed at the AHL level, and he wasn't good enough to warrant top 6 minutes when he was playing better there last season. I read in the off-season about him losing weight, working on speed, etc. Well, I've seen him and it doesn't show up on the ice. If he were a draft age kid coming out of Jumiors with his 3 year track record he wouldn't even be drafted.

To mention him with James Neal because Neal started slowly as a Pen (after he had already scored 20+ goals 3 times in the NHL) is hard to defend. He couldn't carry James Neal's water bottle as a shooter, passer, skater, forechecker or backchecker no matter what year of the two's pro careers you pick.

I'm not even a Tangradi hater or a Tangradi supporter hater. I hate the misplaced hope that is wasted on him.

I work in high-ticket sales, and I know that hope is not a strategy. It is the opium for losing when you can't accurately assess the situation.