GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[Ryder71]

I'm of the opinion that Poulin is at least a 4th liner.

Absolutely! In the ECHL.

 

[deakka]

Man it’s super great all those teams passed on Michkov for Philly to get him. Still stoked about that.

im not. gifted a bordeline generational talent. Needed to be us

 

[Ryder71]

I'm not sure the team needs any help in that department.

What a low blow!

 

[Johnny Rifle]

I'm still surprised we haven't flipped Eller for draft picks at this point, we are stacked with bottom-six forwards at this point.

I like Eller as a player, he just doesn't fit what the Penguins should be doing and that's getting younger and more offensive-minded.

 

[Ryder71]

I'm still surprised we haven't flipped Eller for draft picks at this point, we are stacked with bottom-six forwards at this point.

I like Eller as a player, he just doesn't fit what the Penguins should be doing and that's getting younger and more offensive-minded.

Give it time, we'll be selling off soon enough.

 

[Johnny Rifle]

Give it time, we'll be selling off soon enough.

I don't know, this team might be lucky enough that there is a possibility that we are buying at the deadline. Selling off Eller now won't make a bit of difference in our regular season record, so why not cash him out while he has the most value?

 

[pistolpete11]

But this goes back to the overriding issue of there being too many vets on the team blocking these Poulin types.

If given the choice between a younger guy and a vet, we all know who Sully will select to put in the lineup.
That's why the only thing Dubas should be doing and what he can control is to remove Sully's pacifiers i.e. tired old vets like Accari, Harkins, etc.

This is not about Poulin per se (bc I think Poulin is a dime a dozen guy). It's about the philosophical approach.

I thought Dubas was on the right track by not paying out the nose to retain Jake and removing a Sully/Sid crutch

But then he went backwards with all these "been there/done that" vets in the summer with zero room for young guys. It's maddening to watch...

That's not really the discussion. The discussion is what to do with Poulin. I don't think anybody really wants Accairi or whoever else on the roster.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I'm still surprised we haven't flipped Eller for draft picks at this point, we are stacked with bottom-six forwards at this point.

I like Eller as a player, he just doesn't fit what the Penguins should be doing and that's getting younger and more offensive-minded.

I don't think that is the memo Sullivan is writing up. Younger? More offensive-minded?

Shirley you jest.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If Poulin isn't playing NHL games as a 24 year old, I don't really see what the development curve is for him.

He has proven pretty much all he can in the AHL outside of staying healthy.

And I dont see what he would do in the AHL that would bring up his trade value.

That'd go a long way toward helping his chances. Poulin's played 62 games total since '21-'22, and more than 46 games in a season only once since '18-'19.

Dude needs to find a way to stay on the ice.

 

[pistolpete11]

And my point to Empo stays the same.

If there is an injury or two, I'd rather bring up McG, Koivunen or Ponomarev versus Poulin.

I'd prefer those 3 playing top six minutes in the AHL versus being a 13th forward.

But, if Acciari gets hurt or Eller gets hurt, I'd rather move Hayes or Glass to those roles and then put one of the young kids on L3.

I mean, if we're putting ourselves in Dubas' shoes, you could still do that. Doesn't mean you need to get rid of Poulin.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

And my point to Empo stays the same.

If there is an injury or two, I'd rather bring up McG, Koivunen or Ponomarev versus Poulin.

I'd prefer those 3 playing top six minutes in the AHL versus being a 13th forward.

But, if Acciari gets hurt or Eller gets hurt, I'd rather move Hayes or Glass to those roles and then put one of the young kids on L3.

I'd rather bring up whoever's playing the best. That's the main thing that should dictate who gets called up.

I don't know, this team might be lucky enough that there is a possibility that we are buying at the deadline. Selling off Eller now won't make a bit of difference in our regular season record, so why not cash him out while he has the most value?

Why not? He's a good player.

Some people are pretty eager to mail in the whole year before it even starts.

 

[Gurglesons]

I mean, if we're putting ourselves in Dubas' shoes, you could still do that. Doesn't mean you need to get rid of Poulin.

I'm not giving away Poulin. What I said was what is best for Poulin and the org is he goes.

"Poulin is never getting a chance here. I'd rather see him leave the organization and go somewhere where he actualy gets to play more than 6 games at 8 minute a night."

 

[Jag68Sid87]

If Poulin is a bust, I would have liked to see him bust at the NHL level before declaring that. I get it, not every first-round pick gets that opportunity, but MOST actually do. At some point, teams give their first rounders an opportunity to fail. We really never gave Poulin that opportunity to fail. Even after trading Yager, Poulin never had a chance thanks to the glut of middling veteran centers that we have behind the legends. Sad.

I suppose if there is a silver lining, the Pens do such a piss-poor job with prospects that they are often overlooked on the waiver wire. I hope this is the case again with Poulin, but I would not be surprised if someone sees something (anything) in him and claims him.

We sure as hell know Mike Sullivan sees nothing in him.

 

[eXile3]

Man it’s super great all those teams passed on Michkov for Philly to get him. Still stoked about that.

They didn’t. He said he would only play for Philly. No way Michkov goes and plays in Columbus.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Being sick for a morning meeting on a work trip in Vegas is relatable and endearing. Sue me

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I'd rather bring up whoever's playing the best. That's the main thing that should dictate who gets called up.


Why not? He's a good player.

Some people are pretty eager to mail in the whole year before it even starts.

I, for one, am not mailing it in. Heck, the only thing we have going for us right now is the remote possibility of squeaking into the playoffs. The future is beyond ugly, Sullivan is here forever. This is fugly.

The problem with calling up whoever is playing the best is those who usually play the best in THIS system are the most middling players on the roster. I am fairly confident in saying that Ville Koivunen will never be playing the best at any point this season. Does not mean he shouldn't get the nod over someone with a lot less talent. If Koivunen is playing well, he should get the nod over a non-prospect.

This team has never operated that way, but they also have never tried to "re(insert your favorite term not named "build" here) during this era.

Perhaps this would be a good time to start?

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm not giving away Poulin. What I said was what is best for Poulin and the org is he goes.

"Poulin is never getting a chance here. I'd rather see him leave the organization and go somewhere where he actualy gets to play more than 6 games at 8 minute a night."

I'm so confused.

You're not giving him away, but it's best for the organization if he leaves? What?

You don't want him here because he's going to be called up before McGroarty, Pono, etc. but also he's never going to be given a chance? Huh?


This just doesn't make any sense. You, I, nor anybody else really knows what prospects are going to work out and when or what injuries are going to happen in the NHL or the AHL. If he still has some potential, you try to keep him. Period.

 

[SEALBound]

If Poulin is a bust, I would have liked to see him bust at the NHL level before declaring that. I get it, not every first-round pick gets that opportunity, but MOST actually do. At some point, teams give their first rounders an opportunity to fail. We really never gave Poulin that opportunity to fail. Even after trading Yager, Poulin never had a chance thanks to the glut of middling veteran centers that we have behind the legends. Sad.

I suppose if there is a silver lining, the Pens do such a piss-poor job with prospects that they are often overlooked on the waiver wire. I hope this is the case again with Poulin, but I would not be surprised if someone sees something (anything) in him and claims him.

We sure as hell know Mike Sullivan sees nothing in him.

I get why you think that and it's honestly difficult to not have the same viewpoint but with Poulin, I am firmly in the "he has done himself no favors" camp.

He had an underwhelming 21-22 season where he didn't get the call for okay reasons.

He had a VERY underwhelming 22-23 season where he got time in the NHL and was "meh" and then took months off for mental health seasons. At 21, that's a very important period of solid developmental hockey to miss (whether it's for good reasons or not).

Then last year, he was decent in the AHL, had 3 meh games in the NHL but more importantly, when there were good opportunities to bring him back up to the NHL, he was injured.

So I just don't buy that Poulin's lack of a secure roster spot lands squarely on the Penguins' shoulders. I think how history developing players is nearly irrelevant here.

 

[BerthMania]

Why isn't Mcgroarty projected to be a roster player? Particularly considering how poor The Penguins depth at forward is.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Why isn't Mcgroarty projected to be a roster player? Particularly considering how poor The Penguins depth at forward is.

Because we have meh to marginal vets that we have to build up for trading midway through the season (Eller, Glass, Beauvillier, Lizotte, Acciari…) for draft picks. At which point we will infuse our lineup with exciting youth like McGroatry, Koivunen, Pono, Poulin, Broz after they’ve been playing top6 minutes in the AHL.

 

[Ryder71]

I don't know, this team might be lucky enough that there is a possibility that we are buying at the deadline. Selling off Eller now won't make a bit of difference in our regular season record, so why not cash him out while he has the most value?

We're not going to be buying, here's why. Dubas is accruing picks and prospects. We're not going to be giving up assets as a result. This team is toast.

Why isn't Mcgroarty projected to be a roster player? Particularly considering how poor The Penguins depth at forward is.

I contend that their depth is pretty good actually. The question is the quality of that depth. THAT is what comes into question. We arguably have 8-10 NHL bottom sixers now.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I'm still surprised we haven't flipped Eller for draft picks at this point, we are stacked with bottom-six forwards at this point.

I like Eller as a player, he just doesn't fit what the Penguins should be doing and that's getting younger and more offensive-minded.

This guy get it! ^^^^^ wake up Dubas.... and fire the beantown meathead

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Let's not count our chickens when it comes to trading away vets.

We were told nobody wanted Reilly Smith and Lars Eller last year, so we kept them.

We may here some other platitude this year when Sullivan decides to keep them around.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I get why you think that and it's honestly difficult to not have the same viewpoint but with Poulin, I am firmly in the "he has done himself no favors" camp.

He had an underwhelming 21-22 season where he didn't get the call for okay reasons.

He had a VERY underwhelming 22-23 season where he got time in the NHL and was "meh" and then took months off for mental health seasons. At 21, that's a very important period of solid developmental hockey to miss (whether it's for good reasons or not).

Then last year, he was decent in the AHL, had 3 meh games in the NHL but more importantly, when there were good opportunities to bring him back up to the NHL, he was injured.

So I just don't buy that Poulin's lack of a secure roster spot lands squarely on the Penguins' shoulders. I think how history developing players is nearly irrelevant here.

The Pens get zero benefits of the doubt with me when it comes to youth. Sorry.

This is not about Sam Poulin. This is philosophical. When the Pens were on the way up, they did almost nothing wrong. Once they started winning, they did almost nothing right.

They cannot see the forest from the trees when it comes to getting back to their winning ways. They need young, inexpensive ELCs with higher upside in order to help Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson and Letang get back to winning in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, we are trying to figure out between Noel Acciari and Cody Glass for 13th forward.

Unless that changes, those legends are just riding things out.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

The Pens have great depth.

They could roll out three of the best fourth lines in the league.