GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[Andy99]

Sullivan is so high minded in his lunacy, it's soo absurd!


Sullivan suggested today EK should be ready.

Eh, not exactly…lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839335803404927036

 

[MrBurghundy]

Boy who could have ever guessed bringing in like a dozen filler forwards and not trading any of the old dozen filler forwards would have caused complications and logjams? Almost like that was the point.

But hey... second and third round picks or something.

I'm perfectly cool with trading for players and adding draft picks in the process. Just f***ing go through with the 2nd half of that plan and trade away the guys you still had here.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm perfectly cool with trading for players and adding draft picks in the process. Just f***ing go through with the 2nd half of that plan and trade away the guys you still had here.

This coach has never met a scrub he didn't like.

To this staff and FO... what we see as a pathetic (and expensive) collection of flotsam and jetsam is the heart and soul of the team. You can't trade that away!

EDIT: Besides the more of those guys you have the more you can say stuff like "well these young guys need to be able to beat out <shitty player X> if they wanna make the team!" and everyone nods solemnly and we kick the can down the road yet again.

 

[Ryder71]

Eh, not exactly…lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839335803404927036

Seems pretty encouraging to me. If it's day to day and the RS is two weeks away he should be ready.

Personally I hope he isn't. but I hope the betting markets think he is.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Here's hoping that Eller and Acciari get dealt for minor assets within the first couple months of the season. Maybe Beauvillier at the deadline if he really catches on. Kids will get into the lineup eventually.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Here's hoping that Eller and Acciari get dealt for minor assets within the first couple months of the season. Maybe Beauvillier at the deadline if he really catches on. Kids will get into the lineup eventually.

If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.

 

[Pancakes]

I have zero issues with McGroarty starting in the AHL. Let him dominate there for a bit and get big minutes and then get his mid season call up. There's no need to rush our best prospect.

I don't like potentially losing Puustinen for nothing and I certainly don't like some of the dregs they'll keep over him.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I have zero issues with McGroarty starting in the AHL. Let him dominate there for a bit and get big minutes and then get his mid season call up. There's no need to rush our best prospect.

I don't like potentially losing Puustinen for nothing and I certainly don't like some of the dregs they'll keep over him.

Yeah I think his readiness was oversold by some. He's clearly a good prospect but it's equally clear he would not be hurt by playing in the AHL. I think it's weird that they didn't even try him with some high caliber players considering how over the moon they must be about him - I mean look what they traded to get him. But that's also not surprising with this coaching staff.

Groat's situation isn't what bugs me, here.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I didn't even know Karlsson was hurt.

 

[Pancakes]

I didn't even know Karlsson was hurt.

Letang is going to LTIR himself soon for solidarity. Then Sullivan can roll with the Graves-Ludvig pair he's always dreamed of

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah I think his readiness was oversold by some. He's clearly a good prospect but it's equally clear he would not be hurt by playing in the AHL. I think it's weird that they didn't even try him with some high caliber players considering how over the moon they must be about him - I mean look what they traded to get him. But that's also not surprising with this coaching staff.

Groat's situation isn't what bugs me, here.

Dude can't even make it to the NHL out of college. DOC did it so I'm calling McG a bust.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Dude can't even make it to the NHL out of college. DOC did it so I'm calling McG a bust.

He gon get ZAR'd

Kidding. Kidding.

Probably.

 

[eXile3]

It would be one thing if it was just Groats, but ever single young player is getting set down. Glass is the exception I guess but no other player had an honest chance of making the team.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

As for McG; I think it's fine if he plays in the AHL getting top line minutes and PP time, and I think it's fine if he's playing 3rd line minutes in the NHL and being eased into the league. The only real incorrect avenue is if he's like, thrown on the 4th line and given like 6min a night. Which, with this coach, is always a possibility.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

As for McG; I think it's fine if he plays in the AHL getting top line minutes and PP time, and I think it's fine if he's playing 3rd line minutes in the NHL and being eased into the league. The only real incorrect avenue is if he's like, thrown on the 4th line and given like 6min a night. Which, with this coach, is always a possibility.

I think at this point I'd rather he be getting big offensive minutes in WB/S regardless.

He could develop just fine on MANY NHL teams' third line. I dunno about this one. You know how the staff deploys them.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think at this point I'd rather he be getting big offensive minutes in WB/S regardless.

He could develop just fine on MANY NHL teams' third line. I dunno about this one. You know how the staff deploys them.

Yeah, I really f***ing hate how this coach uses his lines as if he had a 1st, 3rd, and two 4th lines. One of the many issues I have with Sully.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah, I really f***ing hate how this coach uses his lines as if he had a 1st, 3rd, and two 4th lines. One of the many issues I have with Sully.

I'm not making excuses for a lot of the poor player performances we've seen over the years. Many of those guys were simply bad ideas. But you gotta figure it beats a guy down to get like 70% DZ starts while playing with like Brock McGinn and Jeff Carter or whatever.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm not making excuses for a lot of the poor player performances we've seen over the years. Many of those guys were simply bad ideas. But you gotta figure it beats a guy down to get like 70% DZ starts while playing with like Brock McGinn and Jeff Carter or whatever.

For sure. I think it's absolutely a case of both. This team's pro and amateur scouting (coupled with the coach's wish list) have sucked shit and brought in too many bad players, but I'll be damned if anyone outside of Sid and Rust are put in the best position to succeed.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It would be one thing if it was just Groats, but ever single young player is getting set down. Glass is the exception I guess but no other player had an honest chance of making the team.

I'm not saying this as a defense of Sullivan's roster decisions, but what young guys really performed to a level to make the team?

The thing that irritates me with this camp is that Acciari keeps getting a look when he sucks, but I don't really think any of the young guys outperformed Puustinen or Puljujarvi for a spot. If they're going based on performance, I feel like the lines should be something like:

O'Connor-Crosby-Rust
Bunting-Malkin-Rakell
Beauvillier-Eller-Puustinen
Lizotte-Hayes-Puljujarvi/Glass
Glass/Puljujarvi-Acciari

McGroarty has been their best young guy in the games so far IMO, but he hasn't really outperformed anyone in this bottom-6 from what I've seen and it's silly to keep him as an extra. The Acciari thing is pissing me off especially when it's going to screw over Puustinen, but that's really about it.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Eh, not exactly…lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839335803404927036

lol

Remember years ago in the playoffs, this may have even been in the Bylsma years, but the Pens listed some guy as out with a "body injury." Not a lower body injury. Not an upper body injury. A body injury. As opposed to a... what? An ego injury? A psyche injury?

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Not only is Acciari still here, and getting chances, but he was on the ice when we needed a goal with the goalie out against Buffalo. Truly head-scratching stuff.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Not only is Acciari still here, and getting chances, but he was on the ice when we needed a goal with the goalie out against Buffalo. Truly head-scratching stuff.

This is the coach that started Lars Eller in OT over Malkin (and maybe even Crosby depending on how bullshit the whole 'equipment malfunction' thing was) so you really, really shouldn't be surprised.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

My issue with the "you gotta prove you belong" stuff is, like, how do we sit here and define the metric by which guys are measured in so far as being deserving of a spot? This team's had like 5 guys undeserving of a spot for years.

If the requirements are that young guys come in and blow the doors off the joint and play flawless hockey, I think that's pretty flawed. This team doesn't have young guys who are gonna do that, even McG who is leaps and bounds above any prospect in the system (and for some time).

Younger guys are gonna have stumbles, they're gonna look like rookies. This team, *especially* at this stage of the era, is gonna have to shift its stance on what it means to earn a spot. But then again, it's also gonna have to leave spots for open competition as opposed to a bottom-6 that's always chock full o' slopshit vets.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

As for McGroarty, sure you can argue that he does not have to be with this team right now, but if you can honestly tell me he is not one of the best 13 forwards on this team right now, then we really messed up trading Yager.

Perhaps when the organization deems McGroarty as "ready", there won't be a spot for him to win...unlike this season. I mean, seriously. Kevin Hayes, Anthony Beauvillier and Cody Glass are being preferred over our top prospect.

Why Dubas signed Beauvillier and Lizotte when the plan was obviously to add bad contracts to add more picks is just an enigma wrapped in a riddle. And he doubled down on this insanity by NOT trading away Eller and Acciari.

This whole situation is a complete dumpster fire.

My issue with the "you gotta prove you belong" stuff is, like, how do we sit here and define the metric by which guys are measured in so far as being deserving of a spot? This team's had like 5 guys undeserving of a spot for years.

If the requirements are that young guys come in and blow the doors off the joint and play flawless hockey, I think that's pretty flawed. This team doesn't have young guys who are gonna do that, even McG who is leaps and bounds above any prospect in the system (and for some time).

Younger guys are gonna have stumbles, they're gonna look like rookies. This team, *especially* at this stage of the era, is gonna have to shift its stance on what it means to earn a spot. But then again, it's also gonna have to leave spots for open competition as opposed to a bottom-6 that's always chock full o' slopshit vets.

Cody Glass has proven with two organizations that he does NOT belong, so obviously we want THAT guy.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My issue with the "you gotta prove you belong" stuff is, like, how do we sit here and define the metric by which guys are measured in so far as being deserving of a spot? This team's had like 5 guys undeserving of a spot for years.

If the requirements are that young guys come in and blow the doors off the joint and play flawless hockey, I think that's pretty flawed. This team doesn't have young guys who are gonna do that, even McG who is leaps and bounds above any prospect in the system (and for some time).

Younger guys are gonna have stumbles, they're gonna look like rookies. This team, *especially* at this stage of the era, is gonna have to shift its stance on what it means to earn a spot. But then again, it's also gonna have to leave spots for open competition as opposed to a bottom-6 that's always chock full o' slopshit vets.

Idk "outperforming Jesse Puljujarvi" seems like a fairly low bar for a guy to clear for making the team

I think the Acciari stuff is absolutely nonsense and I flat out do not understand why they seem to dislike Puustinen like they do, but I don't particularly think that any of their young guys really outperformed anyone who should be in the Penguins top-12 (Puustinen and Puljujarvi in the top-12). This isn't even putting them on some "if you're not top-6 ready, you shouldn't be in the NHL" criteria, I just didn't really think anyone really seemed better than the Puustinen/Puljujarvi/Glass group vying for the last few available forward spots. And if they're not really performing better than that group, what's the harm in having them start in the AHL?

As for McGroarty, sure you can argue that he does not have to be with this team right now, but if you can honestly tell me he is not one of the best 13 forwards on this team right now, then we really messed up trading Yager.

Perhaps when the organization deems McGroarty as "ready", there won't be a spot for him to win...unlike this season. I mean, seriously. Kevin Hayes, Anthony Beauvillier and Cody Glass are being preferred over our top prospect.

Why Dubas signed Beauvillier and Lizotte when the plan was obviously to add bad contracts to add more picks is just an enigma wrapped in a riddle. And he doubled down on this insanity by NOT trading away Eller and Acciari.

This whole situation is a complete dumpster fire.

That is a silly line of thought. Yager wouldn't be making the team this year either.

They traded Yager for McGroarty because they feel McGroarty is a better prospect, him being more NHL ready is secondary to him being viewed as a better prospect.