Olli Määttä

[Jacob]

Can he eventually be a top 2 dman?

Probably in terms of ice time. He's already a regular PKer, and they didn't even trust Niskanen to kill penalties when he first got to Pittsburgh.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Can he eventually be a top 2 dman?

With the intelligence and poise he displays, he definitely has #1 or #2 written all over him IMO. Imagine him with 20 more pounds of muscle over the next few seasons. He's constantly frustrating people with his stick in the defensive zone.

His game reminds me of a certain player but I won't say who just because I don't want people to get butthurt about the comparison and to jinx it If he turned out to be half that player, we'd be lucky.

 

[Gallatin]

With the intelligence and poise he displays, he definitely has #1 or #2 written all over him IMO. Imagine him with 20 more pounds of muscle over the next few seasons. He's constantly frustrating people with his stick in the defensive zone.

His game reminds me of a certain player but I won't say who just because I don't want people to get butthurt about the comparison and to jinx it If he turned out to be half that player, we'd be lucky.

I know who you are talking about, and yes there are similarities. Matta would have to just keep learning like he did this last year, and keep getting better and better over time like our guy did, but they play a similar style with a similar game.

It's a nice upside to contemplate.

 

[jmelm]

Can he eventually be a top 2 dman?

Hell yes. He is calm and poised beyond his years, doesn't get rattled after a bad play (no one is perfect or goal against) and is not intimidated nor looks out of place when going up against the best teams and the most challenging players to defend. Also, what we will soon see more and more of is just like, how with Scott Harrington, Olli is an ELITE shot blocker and knows when to go down on one knee or lay the stick down on the ice. On top of that, we're only just scratching the surface of what he'll be able to contribute offensively once he gets comfortable and finds a steady partner whom he feels will be more of the guy to stay back and cover for him (i.e. a Bortuzzo or Harrington or Dumoulin, as opposed to a Letang or Pouliot), and we've head about how committed he is in terms of off-ice training, focus and work habits.

This guy is here to stay and the trajectory I've seen him on would suggest he will only get better and better. I don't see any sophomore slumps or anything of the sort in his future.

With the intelligence and poise he displays, he definitely has #1 or #2 written all over him IMO. Imagine him with 20 more pounds of muscle over the next few seasons. He's constantly frustrating people with his stick in the defensive zone.

His game reminds me of a certain player but I won't say who just because I don't want people to get butthurt about the comparison and to jinx it If he turned out to be half that player, we'd be lucky.

Well, I'll say it, and I don't think it's wrong: a "poor man's" Nick Lidstrom is a very good comparison of how this guy plays, especially defensively. He is so rock solid defensively that, for a guy his age, it's almost scary. Where I think he'll fall short of Lidstrom is just in the sheer skill to be en ELITE offensive player. I think Maatta will be that guy who is an elite DEFENSIVE player who also has VERY good offensive abilities, but not elite like Nick.

I think that's the primary difference between these two but this guy has all the right attributes and work ethic to be a solid, two-way #1 Dman or, at worst, an all-around & high-end #2 guy who can play with any player and in any situation on your roster. And if anyone is going to surprise and over-achieve even more than expected, it's probably Olli. Where this guy is at for his age and this stage in his career is pretty scary (in a good way, of course).

 

[Gurglesons]

This thread is ridiculous. Maatta has had a few horrible games. He's easily at best a 1st or 2nd is complete blinders talk. Love the way this kid plays, and hope to see him with the big club, but to call on him as a 1st or 2nd is exactly like calling on Letang as a 1st or 2nd when he was behind Gonch, Whitney, etc.

Remember how Letang's effort looked four or five years ago? Guess what, he still trains that way. Let's see this kid when offensive lines are actually poised to go at him.

 

[mpp9]

This thread is ridiculous. Maatta has had a few horrible games. He's easily at best a 1st or 2nd is complete blinders talk. Love the way this kid plays, and hope to see him with the big club, but to call on him as a 1st or 2nd is exactly like calling on Letang as a 1st or 2nd when he was behind Gonch, Whitney, etc.

Remember how Letang's effort looked four or five years ago? Guess what, he still trains that way. Let's see this kid when offensive lines are actually poised to go at him.

He's been paired with Letang for quite awhile now.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Let's see this kid when offensive lines are actually poised to go at him.

What?

He's been playing top pairing minutes for weeks now.

 

[Ugene Magic]

What?

He's been playing top pairing minutes for weeks now.

BS. Top pairing minutes is north of 20 regularly, and he's cracked 20 minutes once, and come close a couple other times.

I don't dispute this kid has 1/2 uppside, but he's playing the typical 3/4 D-man minutes.

How any of you can support top pairing minutes is super stretching it. He's getting those extra minutes via injuries. He has impressed, but he's still being sheltered somewhat, and I'm a huge fan of his, much more than Despres, or Pouliot. Despres has had a couple stellar games thus far, but interms of these guys taking over the top duties on team will start leaving sour tastes in your mouths because, these guys haven't felt the full weight of being top pairing minute munchers here yet. That to me is playing anywhere from 22 to 30 minutes a game in all situations.

Sorry.

 

[penguins2946*]

Maatta hadn't been playing top pair minutes, but he probably will in a year or 2. When the lineup is healthy, I wish we would go with a bottom pair of Despres-Maatta. Even though they're inexperienced, they will be a damn good pair.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Maatta hadn't been playing top pair minutes, but he probably will in a year or 2. When the lineup is healthy, I wish we would go with a bottom pair of Despres-Maatta. Even though they're inexperienced, they will be a damn good pair.

That's a good way to look at it and a pretty safe bet.

Yes, Maatta is getting top pairing minutes here and there, this game or that game, but not enough to say he's been playing it for weeks.

 

[WhatsaMaatta]

Maatta hadn't been playing top pair minutes, but he probably will in a year or 2. When the lineup is healthy, I wish we would go with a bottom pair of Despres-Maatta. Even though they're inexperienced, they will be a damn good pair.

I don't know why Bortuzzo-Maatta was broken up in the first place. I'd run Bortuzzo-Maatta, Despres-Letang, Martin-Scuderi with everyone healthy. . . The Pens are so set on D, it's silly. There really isn't a reason a trade can't be made to improve our forward depth by the trade deadline.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

BS. Top pairing minutes is north of 20 regularly, and he's cracked 20 minutes once, and come close a couple other times.

I don't dispute this kid has 1/2 uppside, but he's playing the typical 3/4 D-man minutes.

How any of you can support top pairing minutes is super stretching it. He's getting those extra minutes via injuries. He has impressed, but he's still being sheltered somewhat, and I'm a huge fan of his, much more than Despres, or Pouliot. Despres has had a couple stellar games thus far, but interms of these guys taking over the top duties on team will start leaving sour tastes in your mouths because, these guys haven't felt the full weight of being top pairing minute munchers here yet. That to me is playing anywhere from 22 to 30 minutes a game in all situations.

Sorry.

You are taking a stat and not paying attention to the match ups nor understanding what the term "top pairing minutes" means. It's the time he is spending agt the other teams best fwds.

Minute munching blueliners add significant minutes on the PK and PP, and he is well south of what a top pairing blueliner would play on both units regularly, so naturally his accrued TOI will be lower.

If you actually watch the ES match ups, he is playing top pairing minutes against the other teams best lines.

It isn't about length of accrued TOI. It is the ES TOI he is spending defending agt the top two lines of the opponent, which is exactly what he has been doing the last couple of weeks.

Despres had more TOI last game I believe, than Maatta. However, it was far from top pairing minutes like Maatta has been playing.

So once again the silly question was asked how would Maatta do agt other teams best fwds, when the reality is he HAS been playing top pairing minutes agt these lines for weeks now.

 

[Gurglesons]

So once again the silly question was asked how would Maatta do agt other teams best fwds, when the reality is he HAS been playing top pairing minutes agt these lines for weeks now.

For weeks? So Martin and Letang logging over 25 minutes on average is just a mystery against lower lines?

Watch Maatta. He's on the second pairing PK and PP. He had a couple of terrible give aways in the Toronto game along with Despres that directly lead to goals. The kid is great and clearly showing us that he could be a great 3rd or 4th d-man, but to jump and say he has first or second dman potential is ridiculous.

He's playing the same minutes Letang played during our first cup run, which are sheltered minutes. Our main pairing has been Orpik and Martin. When was Maatta every used to replace either of those players on a defense line?

Expectations are a funny thing. Letang has looked great on our penalty kill. Look at the stats between when he was out and since he's back in. We expect Letang to put up points, but when he has a solid part of his game like that everyone ignores it. Maatta has looked great in key situations, and also made disastrous rookie defenseman mistakes. Look at all of our young defenseman in the Toronto game. The first two goals were directly their fault. Despres taking a poor penalty, Maatta with a poor give away. We're lucky our defense man are playing as well as they are especially with the injuries, but this is why I think we are crazy to entertain the idea of trading a player like Letang or Orpik.

 

[IcedCapp]

For weeks? So Martin and Letang logging over 25 minutes on average is just a mystery against lower lines?

Watch Maatta. He's on the second pairing PK and PP. He had a couple of terrible give aways in the Toronto game along with Despres that directly lead to goals. The kid is great and clearly showing us that he could be a great 3rd or 4th d-man, but to jump and say he has first or second dman potential is ridiculous.

He's playing the same minutes Letang played during our first cup run, which are sheltered minutes. Our main pairing has been Orpik and Martin. When was Maatta every used to replace either of those players on a defense line?

Expectations are a funny thing. Letang has looked great on our penalty kill. Look at the stats between when he was out and since he's back in. We expect Letang to put up points, but when he has a solid part of his game like that everyone ignores it. Maatta has looked great in key situations, and also made disastrous rookie defenseman mistakes. Look at all of our young defenseman in the Toronto game. The first two goals were directly their fault. Despres taking a poor penalty, Maatta with a poor give away. We're lucky our defense man are playing as well as they are especially with the injuries, but this is why I think we are crazy to entertain the idea of trading a player like Letang or Orpik.

Despres had no turnovers that lead to goals against Toronto or Tampa. I'm not sure of Maatta, but I don't recall any of his turnovers leading to goals, either. Care to give examples?

 

[Ogrezilla]

For weeks? So Martin and Letang logging over 25 minutes on average is just a mystery against lower lines?

Watch Maatta. He's on the second pairing PK and PP. He had a couple of terrible give aways in the Toronto game along with Despres that directly lead to goals. The kid is great and clearly showing us that he could be a great 3rd or 4th d-man, but to jump and say he has first or second dman potential is ridiculous.

He's playing the same minutes Letang played during our first cup run, which are sheltered minutes. Our main pairing has been Orpik and Martin. When was Maatta every used to replace either of those players on a defense line?

Expectations are a funny thing. Letang has looked great on our penalty kill. Look at the stats between when he was out and since he's back in. We expect Letang to put up points, but when he has a solid part of his game like that everyone ignores it. Maatta has looked great in key situations, and also made disastrous rookie defenseman mistakes. Look at all of our young defenseman in the Toronto game. The first two goals were directly their fault. Despres taking a poor penalty, Maatta with a poor give away. We're lucky our defense man are playing as well as they are especially with the injuries, but this is why I think we are crazy to entertain the idea of trading a player like Letang or Orpik.

Despres took a penalty, ya. And then Orpik and Letang simultaneously made two awful plays on the PK. Orpik screwed up a super easy clear and turned the puck over without getting it out. Letang straight up didn't play defense and let JVR go to the net all alone. Letang and Orpik make way more mistakes on a nightly basis than Despres or Maatta make.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Despres had no turnovers that lead to goals against Toronto or Tampa. I'm not sure of Maatta, but I don't recall any of his turnovers leading to goals, either. Care to give examples?

Maatta's giveaway was here in Montreal last Saturday night. Led to Pacioretty's first goal. Bad giveaway. Ugly goal to give up by Fleury, though. He had to have that one. But it was Maatta's most egregious play so far in his young career.

Against Toronto, it wasn't a giveaway per se. It was that he forgot to jump onto the ice, creating a 3-on-1 against us with only Engelland back. It was Kadri's goal. No chance for Fleury. Bad mistake by the kid. But also, where is the recognition by the rest of the bench (and the coaches???) that we were down a man and our left defenseman was missing? lol

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

For weeks? So Martin and Letang logging over 25 minutes on average is just a mystery against lower lines?

Watch Maatta. He's on the second pairing PK and PP. He had a couple of terrible give aways in the Toronto game along with Despres that directly lead to goals. The kid is great and clearly showing us that he could be a great 3rd or 4th d-man, but to jump and say he has first or second dman potential is ridiculous.

He's playing the same minutes Letang played during our first cup run, which are sheltered minutes. Our main pairing has been Orpik and Martin. When was Maatta every used to replace either of those players on a defense line?

Expectations are a funny thing. Letang has looked great on our penalty kill. Look at the stats between when he was out and since he's back in. We expect Letang to put up points, but when he has a solid part of his game like that everyone ignores it. Maatta has looked great in key situations, and also made disastrous rookie defenseman mistakes. Look at all of our young defenseman in the Toronto game. The first two goals were directly their fault. Despres taking a poor penalty, Maatta with a poor give away. We're lucky our defense man are playing as well as they are especially with the injuries, but this is why I think we are crazy to entertain the idea of trading a player like Letang or Orpik.

I have watched Maatta. And since he started playing top pairing minutes in the Philly game, I'd say that constitutes "a couple of weeks".

He WAS getting sheltered minutes, he no longer is. Every blueliner has turnovers, including Orpik, Martin, Nisky and Scuds. If you expect Maatta to never make mistakes, that's ridiculous.

I never said he looks like a 1 or a 2. I'm waiting to see how he progresses.

But to say he hasn't played agt the other teams top lines is blatantly false. You said "let's see how he does when other teams offensive lines are poised to go at him". Which makes zero sense because he has been playing agt them FOR WEEKS.

He stopped getting sheltered minutes Nov 12th and hasn't looked out of place in the top four.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Watch Maatta. He's on the second pairing PK and PP. He had a couple of terrible give aways in the Toronto game along with Despres that directly lead to goals. The kid is great and clearly showing us that he could be a great 3rd or 4th d-man, but to jump and say he has first or second dman potential is ridiculous.

I could be wrong, although I'm pretty sure I'm not, but Despres hasn't even been on the ice for a goal against, let alone having a giveaway that directly led to a goal.

 

[penguins2946*]

Despres has not been on the ice for a goal against yet. Saying he had a prime giveaway that led to a goal is blatantly wrong.

 

[jmelm]

You are taking a stat and not paying attention to the match ups nor understanding what the term "top pairing minutes" means. It's the time he is spending agt the other teams best fwds.

Minute munching blueliners add significant minutes on the PK and PP, and he is well south of what a top pairing blueliner would play on both units regularly, so naturally his accrued TOI will be lower.

If you actually watch the ES match ups, he is playing top pairing minutes against the other teams best lines.

It isn't about length of accrued TOI. It is the ES TOI he is spending defending agt the top two lines of the opponent, which is exactly what he has been doing the last couple of weeks.

Despres had more TOI last game I believe, than Maatta. However, it was far from top pairing minutes like Maatta has been playing.

So once again the silly question was asked how would Maatta do agt other teams best fwds, when the reality is he HAS been playing top pairing minutes agt these lines for weeks now.

That's a great call right there. See the bolded, people. The reason why Maatta is "only" getting fewer than 20 mins/game is because he is not seeing much time at all on the PP because of us primarily playing 4 forwards.

And yet, he has been getting some PK time recently and has looked good every time. Conversely, earlier in the season when he was not getting much PK time and getting more PP time, he looked very good in that role, as well. And when he's been put up against top lines 5-on-5, he's never looked out of place.

Let's face it: I've seen a Sh**load of Maatta in juniors over the past 2 years and every game this year. Sure, we might be protecting his minutes a little bit, which is a perfectly judicious move for a young player even though it hasn't necessarily been warranted by his play and is more a prudent coaching decision, but he has excelled in every situation at various times throughout the season; and while he has made the odd mistake, they're quite few and far between. This guy has top-pairing Dman written all over him. Whether he's a #1 or a #2 remains to be seen, but this is a guy who will be able to play 25+ minutes/night, play on both special teams, against the best players, can be out there in the last minute when we're down by a goal or in the last minute when we're trying to protect a lead.

But in the meantime, if we evaluate him as he is now, there is nothing more you could ask from this player and he has exceeded all expectations and timelines for what we thought he could be and for his age. He is easily, IMO, our clear-cut #1 prospect among all of our deep stable of young Dmen.

 

[Hophog]

As much as I like Matta and am excited about his future with this team I don't feel like other teams have focused on what he does poorly like they have done against Letang. I'm guessing once there gets to be more tape on the guy and other teams start seeing him as a factor they may look to attack any weaknesses they might find and then we'll get to see how good he really is. I'm not sure what his weaknesses are at this point. So far he looks really solid but I haven't really noticed other teams going out of their way to hit him and wear him down, like they do Letang, either.

 

[Shady Machine]

Despres is the best dman in the world

 

[IcedCapp]

Despres is the best dman in the world

Yes.

 

[Hophog]

Despres is the best dman in the world

I love the guy. Does anyone know what the percentage of games is that we've won with him in the lineup? I feel like its 90% or 95%. I don't have it in me to do the work to figure it out.

Obviously it's not all on him whether they win or lose but if I'm the coach I'd play him merely as a good luck charm if for no other reason.

 

[IcedCapp]

I love the guy. Does anyone know what the percentage of games is that we've won with him in the lineup? I feel like its 90% or 95%. I don't have it in me to do the work to figure it out.

Obviously it's not all on him whether they win or lose but if I'm the coach I'd play him merely as a good luck charm if for no other reason.

Check Yohe's twitter history, pretty sure he tweeted last year's record with him last year last week (that is going into the sentence hall of fame).

It's a ridiculously good record with him in the lineup