Shady Machine
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- Aug 6, 2010
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Olli Määttä
- Thread starter tjziel
- Start date
Honour Over Glory
#firesully
- Jan 30, 2012
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He was rock solid to start the season, in his first dozen games, but the last few, he hasn't had his best games. I figured he'd have a few of those at some point so I am not all that worried.
MrBurghundy
I may be older but I'm never forgetting #47 & #41
If you don't know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.
cheesedanish87
Registered User
Maatta has had some rough games lately, but its standard for young def to go through some growing pains, im sure DB and Shero expected that.
cygnus47
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- Sep 14, 2013
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I'm just guessing, but I imagine its hard as a rookie defenseman to play well when everyone else is playing bad. You'd try too hard to make up for their mistakes and then fall into their bad patterns. If the team starts playing well and he doesn't, then I'll be worried.
Til the End of Time
Registered User
you can tell he is a smart defenseman. and i like all that stuff i've heard about him having an amazing work ethic.
i wish letang had half of his hockey iq.
i wish letang had half of his hockey iq.
IcedCapp
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- Aug 7, 2009
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I wonder if your personal hopes are influencing what you think needs to happen for him to progress? =)
Fordy
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- May 28, 2008
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I've been thrilled with Olli. He's been really solid. Saw him at the prospect camp in July and you could just tell he was close to being NHL ready.
Darth Vitale
Dark Matter
I don't necessarily want him to go back (will depend on the next few weeks and team health) but i would not be surprised at all. 1 they've sort of done the "half season" thing with Despres too and I suspect would not want to risk burning him out if he slows down / struggles. 2 the FA matters. While they did burn a year of his contract they have not burned a year towards FA yet and that is the kind of thing that will likely cause Shero to take the conservative approach.
Pretty much this.
Sivek
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- Apr 9, 2011
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I think it would be beyond stupid to send him back after burning up a year of his ELC, especially if he is still playing well. Sending Maatta back to the OHL while he's playing decently sends a terrible message. There's much more to gain by playing against NHL'ers and in the playoffs than the Matia Marcantuoni's of the world.
The team could of just kept Despres in the line-up and let him get extended regular NHL playing time for the first time of his career instead of keeping Maatta for around for 40 games. I think sending him Maatta back is the complete opposite of good asset management. The only scenarios should of been Maatta being sent back after 9 games or stay the entire season.
The team could of just kept Despres in the line-up and let him get extended regular NHL playing time for the first time of his career instead of keeping Maatta for around for 40 games. I think sending him Maatta back is the complete opposite of good asset management. The only scenarios should of been Maatta being sent back after 9 games or stay the entire season.
hahaha. I thought, for once, I was reading the first positive message I've seen you post here. And then I read the second sentence. I guess it's just not possible for you.
Zadorov and Maatta are different. Zadorov has a lot still to be gained from the tutelage of the Hunters and to grow into his frame. But while it would not hurt Maatta to go back, it is absolutely not essential either. He is a smart, smart player, he has a work ethic that the Hunters would be proud of, and he has learned to be a "Hunter" defenseman. And he is fully realized in that regard: he's defense-first despite his offensive talent, he has become a tremendous shot blocker, and he's a team player. Whether he plays 39 games or less and gets sent back, or if he's with us for the rest of the season, his development will be just fine -- even if his absence hurts the Knights play. The latter is obviously not the Penguins primary concern.
Dipsy Doodle
Rent A Barn
- May 28, 2006
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Maatta is currently helping the Pens win this year. So long as he continues to do so, he'll stay with the Pens.
Anyway, interesting that he's getting a look with Letang. It'd be a big jump in responsibility for a rookie, but I'm curious to see how he'd fare in game action.
Shady Machine
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- Aug 6, 2010
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Can anyone thing of examples of players staying up for half a season and then getting sent back to juniors? I'm sure it happens, I just can't imagine it would be that often.
BrunoPuntzJones
Biscuit Scorer
Shady Machine
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Bob McKenzie said it right from the beginning (or at least after the Pens "announced" Olli would stay): He said that the Pens were not at all concerned about burning the first year of his ELC. He said their primary concern would be the UFA year. So it really depends on how Olli is doing vs. how Despres/Dumo are doing vs. if there are any other injuries/trades, etc.
So I wouldn't be surprised if he stays up, nor would I be surprised if he got sent back down; but I see the latter only being the case if they feel Despres or Dumo can step in and be about as good as Olli has been so far, or if they do move a body like a Nisky or Orpik.
So I wouldn't be surprised if he stays up, nor would I be surprised if he got sent back down; but I see the latter only being the case if they feel Despres or Dumo can step in and be about as good as Olli has been so far, or if they do move a body like a Nisky or Orpik.
Burgs
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- Sep 10, 2005
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Fleury played 3 months for the Pens as a rookie in 03-04, got increasingly shelled, then was allowed to go to the WJC at the end of the year, returned briefly and was finally reassigned to Cape Breton in the Q at the end of January. But that was as much about money as it was about performance.
2012-2013 - Mikail Grigorenko - played 25 games before getting sent down. (Juniors)
2012-2013 - Stefan Matteau - played 17 games before getting sent down. (Juniors)
2008-2009 - Luca Sbisa - played 39 games before getting sent down. (Juniors)
Those are the ones that comes to mind.....
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Jag68Sid87
Sullivan gots to go!
I'd like to see him paired with Letang for several games in a row. I think they complement each other very well. And I think Maatta deserves to be on the ice more with Geno's line or Sid's line.
I'm still not seeing any reason to send him to London. If they want to send him to Team Finland for 10 days during the holidays for the WJC, that's perhaps something they can consider. But this kid is so far above the OHL by now it would literally be stupid to go backwards here.
Again, he really has NOTHING to do with Simon Despres and/or Brian Dumoulin. If those guys are ready, we can find place for one of them by moving out our statistically beautiful/eyeball-test ugly/current left defenseman Matt Niskanen.
But I suppose we have to expect the worst with this regime these days.
I'm still not seeing any reason to send him to London. If they want to send him to Team Finland for 10 days during the holidays for the WJC, that's perhaps something they can consider. But this kid is so far above the OHL by now it would literally be stupid to go backwards here.
Again, he really has NOTHING to do with Simon Despres and/or Brian Dumoulin. If those guys are ready, we can find place for one of them by moving out our statistically beautiful/eyeball-test ugly/current left defenseman Matt Niskanen.
But I suppose we have to expect the worst with this regime these days.
I'm perfectly fine with any experimentation right now, while Scuderi is out with his injury.
That said, I still think that, long term, Maatta or Despres are not the right partners for Letang. Why? Because what makes those prospects good, especially Maatta, is their ability to jump into the play and add to the offense. When you're playing with a guy who is so eager to always jump into the rush, it cause their partner to always think to stay back, rather than follow their normal offensive instincts. That's why I think that Letang will eventually end up with either Harrington (pure rock on defense who is smart enough to play with Letang), or Dumoulin (who can add offense, but does it with smart 2-way play, like a Paul Martin type, and can play with anyone).
So short term? Sure. But long term, I don't think they'll end up being partners. I think Bortuzzo is a great partner for Maatta in the short and long term because he really allows Maatta (who is easily our best offensive Dman after Letang and Pouliot) to do what he does best: follow his instincts, which include a strong offensive acumen and sense of when to join or lead the play up the ice. I think Letang will be an excellent role model for Maatta in this regard, and Maatta has already praised Letang as someone who really inspires him and whose footsteps he'd like to follow in terms of work ethic, conditioning and ability to consistently play at a high level. So take that, all you Letang haters.
