GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[The Old Master]

If Yager becomes something and Groats doesn’t that’s a pretty big damnation of Sully. McG was considered the better prospect by far.

not so sure about that. he is more "ready" but that's far from being better.

 

[Gurglesons]

not so sure about that. he is more "ready" but that's far from being better.

Most prospect ratings have him higher.

 

[eXile3]

not so sure about that. he is more "ready" but that's far from being better.

He was a top 30 prospect on most list. Yager was top 60 at best but really didn’t even start popping up there until after he was traded.

 

[Andy99]

Well at least Puusty is finally getting a shot…probably only one and probably too late lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840041810451636425

 

[Sideline]

Well at least Puusty is finally getting a shot…probably only one and probably too late lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840041810451636425

That looks like a really good AHL team.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Tonight's game should be streamable via the Penguins website:

Game Preview: 09.28.24 at Detroit | Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins head to Detroit for the first half of back-to-back games. The puck drops tonight at 7:00 PM. The game will be available to watch on the Penguins website. Fans can listen to the game on the Penguins app and on 105.9 the X. SportsNet Pittsburgh will broadcast five

www.nhl.com

 

[Andy99]

That looks like a really good AHL team.

lol. If Puustinen doesn’t score a goal at minimum, probably two, tonight it’s over for him, per Mike Sullivan’s incredibly exacting standards for him that he has for no other borderline player on the roster lol

 

[Empoleon8771]

Okay that O'Connor-Eller-Puustinen line makes me feel like Puustinen isn't 100% destined for WBS. He really just needs to have a good game on that line and I feel like it could make a huge difference.

 

[chethejet]

Pens have Rust and Rakell on top 2 so the question is Glass, Puustinen or Jesse P for the 3rd and 4th lines. I think Jesse P is better for what the Pens need. Puustinen has options I believe so send him down for PT on a top line. He will play this year as a Pen just not right away. DK sports writer wrote he is far more comfortable in North America and his english is much better. He still needs to add size/strength and his shot although good has to get off quicker.

 

[Andy99]

Pens have Rust and Rakell on top 2 so the question is Glass, Puustinen or Jesse P for the 3rd and 4th lines. I think Jesse P is better for what the Pens need. Puustinen has options I believe so send him down for PT on a top line. He will play this year as a Pen just not right away. DK sports writer wrote he is far more comfortable in North America and his english is much better. He still needs to add size/strength and his shot although good has to get off quicker.

He’s 25. He’s not getting taller and his weight is fine for his size. His issue, as you said, is being able to get his shot off against NHL players. He has good offensive instincts and is a good passer. He’s a middle six player in all other respects. His weakness is not going to improve in the A. He needs a little more time on the big club and if he still can’t shoot or get his shot off, then waive him. I think if he’s waived now someone else will give him another chance

 

[Gurglesons]

I know Brunicke is no where close to ready, but like with EK65 injured he’s probably our 3rd best RHD.

 

[Ulf5]

Well at least Puusty is finally getting a shot…probably only one and probably too late lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840041810451636425

I've quit trying to understand anything Sullivan does but a spot next to Sully's preferred 2C can't be all bad for Puustinen.
But it'll most likely last about 1.5 shifts so Sully can say I gave him a chance.

 

[Andy99]

I've quit trying to understand anything Sullivan does but a spot next to Sully's preferred 2C can't be all bad for Puustinen.
But it'll most likely last about 1.5 shifts so Sully can say I gave him a chance.

Yeah, he’s going to get like a period and then after he’s waived Sullivan will be asked about it and say “well I gave him a chance and he didn’t score”
lol

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Well at least Puusty is finally getting a shot…probably only one and probably too late lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840041810451636425

My takeaway from these projected lines is that tonight's bottom six are all heading to the AHL. And the top six are all fighting for bottom-six forward jobs.

It is definitely more complicated with the defense. I had Aho penciled in as the No. 7, but he seems to be playing as someone who will be more than that this season.

If Sullivan's plan is to have Aho-St. Ivany as the third pairing, I wouldn't hate that. Graves is playing on the third pairing even when Letang, Karlsson, Pettersson et al are not playing. That could mean something, or it could mean nothing. But he certainly looks like a No. 7 D-man these days from the eyeball test.

I don't know what all of this means for the likes of Puustinen and Puljujarvi. Acciari is playing center tonight. Is that because he is now the 13th forward, who can step into the lineup at any position? Or is it because he was the fourth-line C last season, and will be again this season? Probably the latter.

 

[SEALBound]

As an organization, you can't keep overlooking your own prospects in favor of literally anyone else from the outside because of a modicum of NHL experience. This team wants other teams to develop players, and then they acquire them from the outside while completely ignoring their own. It is not a way to run a sports franchise.

OK, say you are right and if all things pan out Poulin will become another Glass. Why not go with the cheaper, homegrown option over the more expensive castaway? Yeah yeah we got draft capital...draft capital that will turn out to be more barren wasteland unless this philosophy changes.

I was and will always be anti-" all-in" approaches because it has proven to be an epic failure for us in our attempt to get back to playoff prominence. But even that is a better approach than whatever the hell we want to call what we are doing now.

How does anyone expect this team to improve if the established stars keep getting older, and the potential reinforcements keep getting held back by middling NHL players with limited or no untapped upside? Or worse, they get traded?

Well, I mean, you can...and should...if the "anyone else" is better than your own prospects. This is extremely common throughout the league. Teams make trades and sign players all the time.

You give the roster spot to the best player that fits the role you need. It should be obvious that, despite us all wanting Puustinen in the lineup, you probably wouldn't want to roll a bottom 6 of 6 Puustinens, right?

Let's say Poulin and Glass are each given 10 games. If Glass scores 5 goals and 5 assists, should Poulin still be the preference if he only scores 1 goal and 1 assist? The problem with what you are saying is that, there's no clearly defined performance metric that defines when you should move on from a prospect (which teams do all the time...including Glass).

Poulin will not impact this roster one bit, quite honestly. I'd rather roll with Puustinen and Puljujarvi because (unlike Poulin), they've at least showed an affinity for playing in the NHL.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I've quit trying to understand anything Sullivan does but a spot next to Sully's preferred 2C can't be all bad for Puustinen.
But it'll most likely last about 1.5 shifts so Sully can say I gave him a chance.

"You didn't score on your first shift, so Acciari's going to double shift in your place the rest of the game. But don't ever complain I didn't give you ample opportunity!"

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Well, I mean, you can...and should...if the "anyone else" is better than your own prospects. This is extremely common throughout the league. Teams make trades and sign players all the time.

You give the roster spot to the best player that fits the role you need. It should be obvious that, despite us all wanting Puustinen in the lineup, you probably wouldn't want to roll a bottom 6 of 6 Puustinens, right?

Let's say Poulin and Glass are each given 10 games. If Glass scores 5 goals and 5 assists, should Poulin still be the preference if he only scores 1 goal and 1 assist? The problem with what you are saying is that, there's no clearly defined performance metric that defines when you should move on from a prospect (which teams do all the time...including Glass).

Poulin will not impact this roster one bit, quite honestly. I'd rather roll with Puustinen and Puljujarvi because (unlike Poulin), they've at least showed an affinity for playing in the NHL.

Again, this is not about Sam Poulin. This is a macro problem.

But whatever. We are clearly not on the same page when it comes to Cody Glass being anything more than AHL-level, replacement-level talent making $2.5 million per.

If Glass scores 10 points in 10 games this season, we are no longer having any conversation. I will be 1000% wrong.

 

[Andy99]

"You didn't score on your first shift, so Acciari's going to double shift in your place the rest of the game. But don't ever complain I didn't give you ample opportunity!"

Doc- Eller-Puusty is going up against Detroit’s top NHL line in DeBrinkat-Larkin-Kane lol…so when Puusty and co. are hemmed in playing defense all night, Sullivan can point out how he’s not shooting and scoring lol but Kane did!

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

Guess it was as obvious as we all said that EK won’t be ready to start the season Game 1 at this rate.

 

[SEALBound]

Okay that O'Connor-Eller-Puustinen line makes me feel like Puustinen isn't 100% destined for WBS. He really just needs to have a good game on that line and I feel like it could make a huge difference.

My only worry is:

Sullivan: Puustinen needs to score more to make it in the NHL

Test: Pre-season game with pedestrian-level offensive support to make your case.

Hopefully Sullivan does more than stat watch when evaluating. Now, to be fair, he's "up against" Puljujarvi (most likely) who potted a hat trick last game.

Again, this is not about Sam Poulin. This is a macro problem.

But whatever. We are clearly not on the same page when it comes to Cody Glass being anything more than AHL-level, replacement-level talent making $2.5 million per.

If Glass scores 10 points in 10 games this season, we are no longer having any conversation. I will be 1000% wrong.

I believe we are on the same side but I think once on the same side, you might be shifting goal posts a bit.

Poulin's problem is he flat out hasn't done much to earn an NHL spot. Glass, on the other hand, at least has a few seasons under his belt to bolster his application. Pre-season is all about making your case to be on big boy team and, as far as I can tell, he has not done that.

I'd love it if Poulin made the team but I'm not going to advocate gifting him a spot he didn't earn just because we drafted him. If Glass is a better player, Glass should play. Period. That's hardly a controversial stance for a fan or even a coach/GM to take. Especially when there's as big of a gap between the two as there currently is with Poulin and Glass.

Now if we want to argue Glass vs Puustinen, then there can be a real discussion there. I'd take Puustinen, personally, but that's because I believe he would be a better player for us in that spot.