Reedeeming qualities about Tangradi...

[Mr. Colby]

Totally agree with the "scared to mess up" comment.

That's something that can go away with a change of scenery. I hope for his sake he gets that

[BigMcK]

1) While he is this year's whipping boy, at least he's in the press box, and not on the ice.

Next...
2)

2) He hasn't run over any old people in the city.

(Some may say he is too slow to catch up to the old people.)

[Mongoose87]

Send him to Columbus, let him learn with no expectations, then sign him as a free-agent.

[columbia]

He must have compromising photos of half the Penguins fan base.
The dude has nothing to offer the Pens and that should have been obvious from the start.

[Rylan]

He seems like a good guy.

[Rocco]

His center drive against Ottawa single handedly changed the trajectory of the team, according to Steigy.

[Lt. Dish]

I'm sure he's a decent human being.

He IS from Philly... You can't assume that.

Raised in a Flyers fan family among Flyers fan friends, he probably had to endure a lot of senseless BS. And yet, he wore the skating Pen crest proudly and tried to crack the lineup.

I give props for that.

I know it was his job and everything... Anyway, he seems like a good guy, and I hope he does well.

[Eismann]

His absence from the ice is the sole reason the Pens have won a crapton of games in a row. Tahnks.

[DelPen]

It would be funny to see Tangradi or anyone else maligned in the internets start ripping guys for doing a crappy PowerPoint presentation at their job. Dude is making 6 figures watching the Penguins play hockey in the owners box. I wish I could only "suck" like that.

I hope players don't get too bog downed in the fans criticism especially when they can destroy anyone here on the ice.

[Pens4Life87]

Catchy Nick Name

[Tico Rick]

People who make crappy powerpoint presentations don't get the best jobs. Just sayin.

[columbia]

It would be funny to see Tangradi or anyone else maligned in the internets start ripping guys for doing a crappy PowerPoint presentation at their job. Dude is making 6 figures watching the Penguins play hockey in the owners box. I wish I could only "suck" like that.

I hope players don't get too bog downed in the fans criticism especially when they can destroy anyone here on the ice.

I'd like to see an NHL ref pay a visit to your workplace.

[shafnutz05]

I like his Twitter, and he seems like a quality guy. I really wish he was better

[Idoit40fans]

It would be funny to see Tangradi or anyone else maligned in the internets start ripping guys for doing a crappy PowerPoint presentation at their job. Dude is making 6 figures watching the Penguins play hockey in the owners box. I wish I could only "suck" like that.

I hope players don't get too bog downed in the fans criticism especially when they can destroy anyone here on the ice.

I'm not sure what others' ability play on the ice has to do with it. If someone doesn't do their job here, they are asked to go try to do it somewhere else...or nowhere else. They don't keep showing up and getting a paycheck. If he wants to compare his situation to a real world job situation, he's gonna be out of luck unless he wants to go sit in on some government work.

[thepittman]

[Penspal]

The kids gotten 45 games total in the NHL broken up across 4 years. It's no wonder he hasn't figured out his game at the NHL level.

Most 2nd-3rd tier prospects with his size don't even make the NHL until they're 24. He's got 2 years at least before he can rightfully be called a bust.

He was fine in his 20 games last season as a 4th liner. He averaged as many hits per game as Cooke and Adams. He'll continue to develop as a bottom 6 six forward somewhere in this league. And maybe his hands and hockey sense (which he does have, they just haven't caught up with him yet) will come together and he'll find a role with a team as a 2nd/3rd line tweener.

I know this is anathema to the Tangradi-hater crowd, but such is as it is when you don't see the game myopically.

I more or less agree with this. Most Tangradi Hater's don't know what anathema is, nor do they have the wherewithal to even look it up (that should bring them out). Hater's gotta hate!

However, I will add this. Big Dog has received more chances than other Pens prospects, and it has not worked out (many reasons already discussed). By virtue of that, he would likely find more opportunity in another organization, which I hope his agent has started telling him. For now, he's 1-2 injuries from playing in the NHL again.

[slappybrown]

The kids gotten 45 games total in the NHL broken up across 4 years. It's no wonder he hasn't figured out his game at the NHL level.

Most 2nd-3rd tier prospects with his size don't even make the NHL until they're 24. He's got 2 years at least before he can rightfully be called a bust.

He was fine in his 20 games last season as a 4th liner. He averaged as many hits per game as Cooke and Adams. He'll continue to develop as a bottom 6 six forward somewhere in this league. And maybe his hands and hockey sense (which he does have, they just haven't caught up with him yet) will come together and he'll find a role with a team as a 2nd/3rd line tweener.

I know this is anathema to the Tangradi-hater crowd, but such is as it is when you don't see the game myopically.

Saying he has 45 games over four seasons is disingenuous. He played one game in 2009-2010. He's played the remaining 44 this season and the past two.

Not sure how he was "fine" last year. He had nearly a 70% offensive zone start percentage (the only person last year that Bylsma sheltered more in this respect was the immortal Alexandre Picard, who was slightly higher); faced the second worst quality of competition on the team (Despres was the only who was protected more and it was only slightly more); and still posted a negative relative Corsi. I think this is a better indication of where he is presently as compared to "average hits per game relative to Craig Adams and Matt Cooke."

He's still young, but he's rapidly approaching the point where it may never happen for him. This is not "hating" or "seeing the game myopically"; its just reality. Not every criticism leveled at players is "hating." I hope he does succeed, ideally here, but if not, elsewhere (in the Western Conference of course).

[RJW76]

1) His existence made some blogger super happy.
2) Broad shoulders could carry millions of bags
3) Rookie camp leadership

[The Snapshot]

Tangradi is no longer worth discussion. When someone says panning his play and potential is being "myopic" and then uses the word "anathema" - they are number one misinformed and number two looking to distract folks with vocabulary. Substance is important in life, and substance is what Tangradi hopers lack. That is a new terms I have coined for Tangradi's support crew - Hopers.

It's still the same question for anyone who is on the "he's still learning" tip. What exactly does his play this year or last, here or at WBS, indicate that he has learned? He has regressed rather than progressed in every single skill category as it translates to the NHL level.

Rookie defensemen, in limited minutes, have contributed more offensively than he has over 45 games. Are we supposed to be happy that he mostly gets over the boards on line changes without falling?

[Rylan]

Yea, Tangradi may not be the hockey player he was expected to be. It happens. I am all for letting him continue to try and figure it out. If an offer comes in that sounds reasonable with him involved I am not at all against shipping him away.

[DudeMan2766]

Reedeeming qualities about Tangradi...

[Tico Rick]

Tangradi is no longer worth discussion. When someone says panning his play and potential is being "myopic" and then uses the word "anathema" - they are number one misinformed and number two looking to distract folks with vocabulary. Substance is important in life, and substance is what Tangradi hopers lack. That is a new terms I have coined for Tangradi's support crew - Hopers.

It's still the same question for anyone who is on the "he's still learning" tip. What exactly does his play this year or last, here or at WBS, indicate that he has learned? He has regressed rather than progressed in every single skill category as it translates to the NHL level.

Rookie defensemen, in limited minutes, have contributed more offensively than he has over 45 games. Are we supposed to be happy that he mostly gets over the boards on line changes without falling?

Tangradi supporters are Tangradites. Kind of like Troglodytes, but slower.

The "he's still learning" argument doesn't hold up too well when you look at Boychuk, who is a full year younger than Tangradi. He jumped at his opportunity to play with Malkin and Neal and has played with energy, enthusiasm, and skill since his first shift with them. Haven't seen much of any of that from Tangradi.

[DudeMan2766]

I remember encountering so many people (mostly puckbunnies) in 09 who were furious with this trade mainly because they knew who Ryan Whitney was and never heard of Chris Kunitz, much less ever heard of Eric Tangradi. I find it funny that alot of those people now who "hated" that trade are in full support of ET and his "not getting a fair chance."

[The Snapshot]

Yea, Tangradi may not be the hockey player he was expected to be. It happens. I am all for letting him continue to try and figure it out. If an offer comes in that sounds reasonable with him involved I am not at all against shipping him away.

Look, he does no harm in the press box so if things stay as they are I have no real issue. On the Hockey Business side though, we are an injury or two from having the fact that he must be waived to go to WBS become an issue. I don't see any use for him at this level, he can't go to WBS to "develop" either without being waived. His failure is now at a point where waiting for him is going to become a "luxury" (for want of a better word) we cannot afford while we are trying to win.

If he clears waivers, I guess I am ok with him going down and praying that he magically learns how to skate, shoot and use his size effectively. We are enough below the Pro contract limit that we can do that.

He is wasting a roster space and not progressing up here.

[mikey287]

and Tangradi is still a mystery despite his play in the O this year...hopefully he's the type that gets better when he turns pro, but there are a lot of reservations about him still...

Favorable quote cherry pick by me, of my own quote from the Whitney/Kunitz trade. At the time he was second in the OHL in scoring to John Tavares...