Random Penguins Fodder

[thehockeyguru]

This was an off the cuff remark by Taylor Haase today when talking about World Championships, but she made a comment that Rakell wasn't going because of his shoulder injury. According to Taylor, the injury occurred sometime in November and he wore a brace on that right shoulder all season.

I don't recall hearing about this at locker exit day or any other time during the season. Anyone else recall hearing about this injury? Rakell has always been a very up and down player from year to year, but, this goes a long way for me in explaining his somewhat down season.

Then why not sit him and take advantage of the LTIR space? Playing hurt while not producing isn't noble it's a determent to the team.

[Badger Bob]

This was an off the cuff remark by Taylor Haase today when talking about World Championships, but she made a comment that Rakell wasn't going because of his shoulder injury. According to Taylor, the injury occurred sometime in November and he wore a brace on that right shoulder all season.

I don't recall hearing about this at locker exit day or any other time during the season. Anyone else recall hearing about this injury? Rakell has always been a very up and down player from year to year, but, this goes a long way for me in explaining his somewhat down season.

Then why not sit him and take advantage of the LTIR space? Playing hurt while not producing isn't noble it's a determent to the team.

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/ricka ... m-practice

[KG]

Koivunen scored in his first game last night. Playoff game 2-1 loss. He was playing with Poulin.

[largegarlic]

Koivunen scored in his first game last night. Playoff game 2-1 loss. He was playing with Poulin.

I'm irrationally excited about Koivunen. I've never seen him play, but I have a gut feeling he might come good as at least a decent NHLer. Scoring that much in the Finnish league that young is impressive. And I just looked up his size, and he's listed at 6 foot and 172 lbs by Elite Prospects. So, he seems to have some room to bulk up and won't necessarily be another Pesonen who just didn't have the size to hang in the NHL.

[Admin]

[KG]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

[thehockeyguru]

This was an off the cuff remark by Taylor Haase today when talking about World Championships, but she made a comment that Rakell wasn't going because of his shoulder injury. According to Taylor, the injury occurred sometime in November and he wore a brace on that right shoulder all season.

I don't recall hearing about this at locker exit day or any other time during the season. Anyone else recall hearing about this injury? Rakell has always been a very up and down player from year to year, but, this goes a long way for me in explaining his somewhat down season.

Then why not sit him and take advantage of the LTIR space? Playing hurt while not producing isn't noble it's a determent to the team.

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/ricka ... m-practice

Yeah why not sit out longer until it's healed or have surgery if needed?

[KBone]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

I'd take darn near anyone over Todd.

[FLPensFan]

Was looking into Florida a bit more today, and they are ripe with good players that they aren't going to be able to keep. Going into next season, they have only 13 players under contract and 20.6M in cap space.

Prominent UFAs: Reinhart, Montour, Tarasenko, OEL, Kulikov, Lomberg, Stolarz
Prominent RFAs: Lundell

Simply put, there is no way that Zito can keep this team together next year. Adding to the issues, is that after next season, Bennett, Verhaeghe, and Ekblad are UFAs.

I think Reinhart will end up going to market, because with as many players as they need to add, they cannot afford to give Reinhart almost half their available cap space this summer. If the Penguins could trade out Reilly Smith and get pick/prospect only in return, they should consider making a run at Sam Reinhart in the 8-9.5M range. If Reinhart bumps someone like Rakell or Rust down to the 3rd line, add in the cheap re-signs of guys like POJ, Ludvig, Shea on defense, coupled with a cheap Blomqvist, and then Poulin, Puustinen, Puljujarvi, and Ponomarev types filling out the roster, Reinhart would work.

If Reinhart isn't an option, another idea is for Dubas to potentially look at offer sheeting Anton Lundell. Lundell is only 22 years old and could be our 3C next season. He still needs to take his game to the next level and produce a little more, but he's good at all 3 phases of the game. If he can get to 20 goals, 50-60 points, that would be a huge next step for him. Penguins can give up only a 2nd round pick in the 2024 draft and offer sheet Lundell at 4.25M AAV.

I expect Florida, with their limited cap space for the # of roster spots needing filled, ends up prioritizing the following moves:

1) Recall goalie Spencer Knight from the AHL. He went there after being in NHL substance abuse program. He has a 4.5M cap hit that is costing them a ton to bury in the AHL. Adding 1.125M more to their roster by bringing him back to the NHL is cheaper than re-signing Stolarz. (That puts Florida at just over 19M and 14 players)

2) I think next, they end up prioritizing Brandon Montour. Probably need about 6.5M to bring him back to round out their top 4. If they can't get him for the right price, then they'd likely look at bringing back OEL to play RD even though he's left handed. Montour at 6.5M puts Florida at 15 players, @ about 13M in cap space.

3) With Reinhart being too expensive to bring back, they'll prioritize Tarasenko next. He lives here in the offseason. If they can bring him back at 5M AAV, I think that would work for them. 16 players @ 8M in cap space, needing just maybe another 3rd liner, 4th liners, and bottom pairing d-men.

4) This is where Lundell becomes interesting. Florida would likely offer him a bridge deal at 2-3M. At 4.25M, they may have to consider letting Tarasenko go to keep Lundell. That's a move they may make to keep the younger player with more upside, but, Lundell has been better centering his own line. His production doesn't seem like it will flourish when he's playing wing in the top 6.

I'm going to be looking at some other teams this weekend, where cap situations could allow the Penguins to use their 2nd rounder this year for an offer sheet.

[KG]

Florida also has the benefit of no state income tax so they could offer less AAV than other teams. They'll find a way to keep who they want to keep. These teams usually always find a way to not let stars leave for nothing.

Lundell would be a great get for the Pens. We really need a younger 2-way center and adopt a more balanced attack going forward.

[FLPensFan]

Florida also has the benefit of no state income tax so they could offer less AAV than other teams. They'll find a way to keep who they want to keep. These teams usually always find a way to not let stars leave for nothing.

Lundell would be a great get for the Pens. We really need a younger 2-way center and adopt a more balanced attack going forward.

Unless everyone keeps the same salary or takes a pay cut, no state tax isn't going to save them. Bunch of teams are going to have an issue because a good portion of these dead-LTIR contracts are finally expiring this year (Seabrook, Muzzin, Murray to name a few)

[mikeys66ers!]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

Maybe he can get Karlsson playing like he should

[FLPensFan]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

Maybe he can get Karlsson playing like he should

Welcome to the board. I think we saw a little bit of Karlsson playing his style in the last month of the season. We shall see if it continues on into next season.

[mikeys66ers!]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

Maybe he can get Karlsson playing like he should

Welcome to the board. I think we saw a little bit of Karlsson playing his style in the last month of the season. We shall see if it continues on into next season.

Thanks. Actually been here for years. Just stopped posting a long time ago. Silent lurking for a long time

[Pitts]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

Maybe he can get Karlsson playing like he should

Welcome to the board. I think we saw a little bit of Karlsson playing his style in the last month of the season. We shall see if it continues on into next season.

Thanks. Actually been here for years. Just stopped posting a long time ago. Silent lurking for a long time

Good to see you back.

[mikeys66ers!]

Sharks fired Sullivans bestie and clone Quinn. If Quinn gets hired by us as an assistant we will know who’s pulling the strings on the coaching staff.

If we are set with bringing Sullivan back we need to bring in an offensive assistant who can coach stars to get this PP going. Maybe someone like Jay Woodcroft or someone similar.

Maybe he can get Karlsson playing like he should

Welcome to the board. I think we saw a little bit of Karlsson playing his style in the last month of the season. We shall see if it continues on into next season.

Thanks. Actually been here for years. Just stopped posting a long time ago. Silent lurking for a long time

Good to see you back.

Some dark times ahead (again). Pens fans all have to stick together.

[DelPen]

WBS lose 5-4 in OT and lose the series 0-2 to the Phantoms. Expected more from the defense and goaltending.

[Crash66]

Blew a 3-1 lead in the 3rd. Sound familiar? 1 for 5 on the PP while giving up 3 PP goals on 6 chances. Sounds like the entire organization needs a new system.

[KG]

We shouldn’t be rushing Blomqvist next season. Sign Ned, trade Jarry for a backup and some futures.

Also it’s good to see the lower seeds in the east going down 0-3. Maybe that will get rid of the narrative that you just have to get in and anything can happen.

No. You have to play a full season to get in, not just the last 3 weeks of the season.

[Sigwolf]

We shouldn’t be rushing Blomqvist next season. Sign Ned, trade Jarry for a backup and some futures.

Also it’s good to see the lower seeds in the east going down 0-3. Maybe that will get rid of the narrative that you just have to get in and anything can happen.

No. You have to play a full season to get in, not just the last 3 weeks of the season.

i agree on the goalie narrative, Jarry is simply not worth the money being paid.

As for the playoffs... Florida went to the final just last year. They would not have even seen the playoffs if the Pens managed to beat just one of the two worst teams in the league in their last two games, so...

[KG]

We shouldn’t be rushing Blomqvist next season. Sign Ned, trade Jarry for a backup and some futures.

Also it’s good to see the lower seeds in the east going down 0-3. Maybe that will get rid of the narrative that you just have to get in and anything can happen.

No. You have to play a full season to get in, not just the last 3 weeks of the season.

i agree on the goalie narrative, Jarry is simply not worth the money being paid.

As for the playoffs... Florida went to the final just last year. They would not have even seen the playoffs if the Pens managed to beat just one of the two worst teams in the league in their last two games, so...

The Florida narrative is the exception to the rule . Florida was the Presidents trophy winner the year before that changed their coach and took a season to learn their new system.

The Pens, Isles, Caps are not the Panthers from last season.

[FLPensFan]

We shouldn’t be rushing Blomqvist next season. Sign Ned, trade Jarry for a backup and some futures.

Also it’s good to see the lower seeds in the east going down 0-3. Maybe that will get rid of the narrative that you just have to get in and anything can happen.

No. You have to play a full season to get in, not just the last 3 weeks of the season.

He played well all season. He had the 3rd best GAA and 5th best SV% in the AHL. Out of the 5 goals scored against him tonight, 3 were on the PP, and the final OT winner, was nowhere near his fault. Team gave up a 2-1 with d-man Scooter Brickey (never heard of this guy) trailing. Rathbone dropped to the ice to try and break up the 2-1, failed, and Blomqvist stoned the guy cutting behind Brickey. Problem is, because Rathbone was laying on the ice, the guy that passed to the 2-1 cutter had free reign to skate in and bury the rebound.

Here are the highlights. Puustinen and Zohorna appeared to have a good night. Koivunen had a nice assist, and while this is only the highlights, it seems defense, penalties, and the PK were the biggest issues. The 2 goals I didn't like (one was on the PP) both seemed to come from the left dot (right dot from goalie view) and go far side post over the glove. Hard to tell from the replays if those were just lasers or shots that Blomqvist could have maybe played better.

[DelPen]

Pens would be getting physically destroyed by every single one of these teams except maybe the Canes but would still get out skilled and never have puck possession. This team was not built to compete in meaningful games at all.

[Puck-Lurker]

Pens would be getting physically destroyed by every single one of these teams except maybe the Canes but would still get out skilled and never have puck possession. This team was not built to compete in meaningful games at all.

Look at the Rags-Caps series. Imagine that's us there instead of the Caps. We would not do better and be getting swept. I'm all for being in it, to win it, but let's be real, we wouldn't win. If we'd swapped places with Isles instead, there's some vague chance, but not much of one I think to be followed by a 4-5 game exit in round two if we got that far.

[Pens4Life]

Koivunen scored in his first game last night. Playoff game 2-1 loss. He was playing with Poulin.

I'm irrationally excited about Koivunen. I've never seen him play, but I have a gut feeling he might come good as at least a decent NHLer. Scoring that much in the Finnish league that young is impressive. And I just looked up his size, and he's listed at 6 foot and 172 lbs by Elite Prospects. So, he seems to have some room to bulk up and won't necessarily be another Pesonen who just didn't have the size to hang in the NHL.

Same here.. The most exciting prospect we got for Jake