GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[Sidney the Kidney]

If McGroarty and Puljujarvi’s chemistry isn’t just a flash in the pan, if and when the time comes to drop DOC down the lineup and give McGroarty a chance with Sid, I hope Puljujarvi moves up with him. In a fantasy land where that pair really does jive perfectly and Puljujarvi finally taps into his offensive potential, this lineup would suddenly be crazy deep:

McGroarty-Crosby-Puljujarvi
Bunting-Malkin-Rust
DOC-Eller-Rakell
Hayes-Glass-Lizotte

With those combinations (or really, with any) Sullivan's going to have to change his approach to zone start allocations. Because that would mean Rakell and DOC would be swamped with about 80% D-zone starts, and Glass/Hayes would be at around 65% to 70%. I think that's a waste of those guys' offensive ability to be utilized like that.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

I question the talent and roster evaluation of keeping an Aho over Ludvig if that's indeed the case. St. Ivany being his replacement and Brunicke making the team out of camp might be their answer and the most logical explanation.

Aho is a guy who's more suited for the Swiss national league. He's not an effective NHL defenseman with his lack of size and limitations defensively. He doesn't move the needle when it comes to his puck-moving abilities as well.

Ludvig is most likely never going to be more than a spare/bottom-pairing guy, but Aho was a stupid signing that I didn't care for at all.

 

[Gurglesons]

I question the talent and roster evaluation of keeping an Aho over Ludvig if that's indeed the case. St. Ivany being his replacement and Brunicke making the team out of camp might be their answer and the most logical explanation.

Aho is a guy who's more suited for the Swiss national league. He's not an effective NHL defenseman with his lack of size and limitations defensively. He doesn't move the needle when it comes to his puck-moving abilities as well.

Ludvig is most likely never going to be more than a spare/bottom-pairing guy, but Aho was a stupid signing that I didn't care for at all.

I don't think I agree. Aho has been a Ludvig level option for the Isles over the last three years with more success tbh.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Pulling for Puusty

Isn't this what got Pee Wee Herman (RIP) in trouble?



Looks like Larsson has already been demoted and he didn't have to clear waivers.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think injuries save Puustinen from going on waivers, but as soon as everyone is healthy he’s probably the first guy being waived. He really needs a strong performance when he gets in if he doesn’t want to end up on waivers.

That being said, hopefully injuries make it a moot point. I definitely don’t want to waive him and risk losing him to waivers.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Yes I’d rather have Ludvig as the #7 than Aho.

But I think the Avs can deploy him better. They have some huge minute eaters in their top 4 and can pair Ludvig with Makar half the time to protect him.

That will make sick when I watch

 

[Malkinstheman]

I'm kind of glad Ludvig got claimed tbh. Seemed like one of those guys that sucks but Sullivan is a bit too fond of.

 

[DrDangles]

I'm actually legitimately excited to see how the bottom 6 shakes out this year. Our depth has been ass for so long, it's a breath of fresh air to have some intriguing guys battling for spots.

Also huge shoutout to Eller. Dude's IQ is often overlooked and I think he has a lot to teach the younger guys in the bottom 6, playing with him did wonders for DOC and Puusty last season.

 

[Tom Hanks]

That will make sick when I watch

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm actually legitimately excited to see how the bottom 6 shakes out this year. Our depth has been ass for so long, it's a breath of fresh air to have some intriguing guys battling for spots.

Also huge shoutout to Eller. Dude's IQ is often overlooked and I think he has a lot to teach the younger guys in the bottom 6, playing with him did wonders for DOC and Puusty last season.

It’s weird how bad his skating looked in WAS and COL compared to here.

 

[DearDiary]

Pens needs a better LD version of Friedman in the lineup. Not a Ludvig.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I'm actually legitimately excited to see how the bottom 6 shakes out this year. Our depth has been ass for so long, it's a breath of fresh air to have some intriguing guys battling for spots.

Also huge shoutout to Eller. Dude's IQ is often overlooked and I think he has a lot to teach the younger guys in the bottom 6, playing with him did wonders for DOC and Puusty last season.

No idea what was going through this board's collective head a month ago non-stop talking about how Eller was going to be traded for a bag of pucks when he's the only guy that can vaguely handle his job description. You can hoard as many Hayeses and Glasses as you want, they still don't add up to one Lars Eller.

 

[deakka]

No idea what was going through this board's collective head a month ago non-stop talking about how Eller was going to be traded for a bag of pucks when he's the only guy that can vaguely handle his job description. You can hoard as many Hayeses and Glasses as you want, they still don't add up to one Lars Eller.

If he plays anything like the pre-season his value would be a 2nd round pick at the deadline

 

[orby]

I'm certainly not counting chickens before they hatch, but it seems like the Pens may have a surplus of good bottom 6 players this year on relatively short, cheap contracts. I don't know if that's gonna make them a playoff team (probably not), but at least it might mean they have a lot of guys to flip at the deadline for mid round picks.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I'm certainly not counting chickens before they hatch, but it seems like the Pens may have a surplus of good bottom 6 players this year on relatively short, cheap contracts. I don't know if that's gonna make them a playoff team (probably not), but at least it might mean they have a lot of guys to flip at the deadline for mid round picks.

Which is another reason why waiving Puustinen would be a bad idea.

 

[SomeDude]

I'm certainly not counting chickens before they hatch, but it seems like the Pens may have a surplus of good bottom 6 players this year on relatively short, cheap contracts. I don't know if that's gonna make them a playoff team (probably not), but at least it might mean they have a lot of guys to flip at the deadline for mid round picks.

I don’t want to sound too pessimistic, but in the preseason, our bottom 6 NHL guys were playing mostly top 6 minutes and deployment during their games. Now that the regular season is here, Sully is going to go back to playing them only in ultra defensive roles and deployment and the scoring will likely dry up like it always does.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

With those combinations (or really, with any) Sullivan's going to have to change his approach to zone start allocations. Because that would mean Rakell and DOC would be swamped with about 80% D-zone starts, and Glass/Hayes would be at around 65% to 70%. I think that's a waste of those guys' offensive ability to be utilized like that.

Zone starts (%) are an overrated and flawed stat. Most line changes happen on the fly.

 

[Tube Skates]

For those that have seen him play does Brunicke remind anyone of Jay Bouwmeester?

 

[Andy99]

Which is another reason why waiving Puustinen would be a bad idea.

I am very opposed to waiving him…he’s cheap for what he brings. Pens either need to hold on to him or trade him if they aren’t going to play him. I hope the Pens are considering trading Hayes or Glass to CLB since they need to reach the cap floor. Both can play center, are slow and rather superfluous I feel. Not that they both can’t improve our L4 but our L4 right now consists of $8M in salary and that’s crazy! We could play Pono or Gruden at center/wing and likely get similar results for a lot less coin….if L4 is playing 10 min a night, what’s going to be the huge difference between Lizotte/Beau- Hayes- Acciari and Hayes-Glass-Acciari?

Just my two cents lol…really don’t see different outcome for team with that lineup

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunting-G-Rakell
Mcg-Eller-PoolParty
Lizotte/Beau-Hayes-Acciari
Puustinen

Speaking of outcomes, McCurdy is really optimistic but most models aren’t lol..

A variety of good and bad season outlooks coming out for the Penguins

A little something for everyone

www.pensburgh.com

 

[HandshakeLine]

Pens needs a better LD version of Friedman in the lineup. Not a Ludvig.

we could have just held on to Friedman

 

[eXile3]

Zone starts (%) are an overrated and flawed stat. Most line changes happen on the fly.

I don’t know what to think of zone starts. There’s some good evidence for both sides of it.

I think it was interesting that one article I read made a chicken and egg argument. Basically maybe a player gets more defensive starts because they’re awful and always stuck in their zone, or making bad icings.

Either way I don’t look at the metric with as much certainty as I once did.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If Puustinen is going to be waived, I think it will be today. The deadline for finalizing rosters is tomorrow at 5, so if anyone is going on waivers, it will have to be today to be sent down tomorrow.

I think he’s safe from waivers though due to injuries. I don’t think he’s majorly at risk of going on waivers until Lizotte is healthy, and at that point they’ll probably have another forward injury anyway.