Line Combos: Pens 2022-2023 Training Camp thread: Its happenings

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I tend to agree and it's hard not to notice. But he's been a favorite of mine in his time here and sometimes it's hard to see the value a guy like Dumo brings because it's often more subtle. I keep hoping that this is all nagging injury stuff and that he can turn the corner. But I dunno. It's hard to deny that when players like Dumo bottom out... they bottom out hard and fast.

That's really all guys who live on the whole "you don't notice all the exceptional, little plays" style.

You don't notice 'em until you do, and when you do, it's not gonna be for good reasons.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Well you could ask the same thing about Detroits' too. Little Caesars? It's f***in awful

I mean for a $5 medium pepperoni can we really complain? It tastes better than a few places in my area too.

Also...LC has my eternal gratitude for their cheesy crazy bread. Literally better than any appetizer I've had in Greater Vancouver.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's really all guys who live on the whole "you don't notice all the exceptional, little plays" style.

True and usually I roll my eyes hard at the "little things" crowd because like 8/10 times it's just a blanket term thrown on mostly-awful players that people want to prop up for whatever reason. But Dumo at his best really was good at the subtle art of being a shutdown guy who could skate with and compliment a player like Letang.

But his skating has never really recovered from injuries, age is catching up and I notice a ton more indecisiveness/tentativeness in his game in recent years. Lots of just... drifting slowly towards his own net backwards. Lots of surrendering vast swaths of ice. Ya know... Scuderi style.

I mean for a $5 medium pepperoni can we really complain? It tastes better than a few places in my area too.

Also...LC has my eternal gratitude for their cheesy crazy bread. Literally better than any appetizer I've had in Greater Vancouver.

Hot and Readies are 100% passable especially considering the price range. Just eat them like... immediately and never try to reheat them.

 

[Jacob]

Dumo isn't really a core guy, we're not lacking on LD (nor is the rest of the league) and he's not really aging gracefully IMO so I don't see any reason to re-sign him. Maybe reach out and see what his price is but unless he's willing to take a short cheap deal I'd just let him walk. If POJ or Smith establishes themselves as a 3rd pairing LD then they could be ready for 2nd pairing in a year. Plus there's Rutta who can play the left.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sounds like DOC didn’t make the team

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I like DOC but I think he made that decision a little too easy for the team.

 

[Jacob]

Being not-waiver eligible I think it wouldn't have mattered how he played.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Dumo isn't really a core guy, we're not lacking on LD (nor is the rest of the league) and he's not really aging gracefully IMO so I don't see any reason to re-sign him. Maybe reach out and see what his price is but unless he's willing to take a short cheap deal I'd just let him walk. If POJ or Smith establishes themselves as a 3rd pairing LD then they could be ready for 2nd pairing in a year. Plus there's Rutta who can play the left.

I just don’t see what the advantage is to keeping him around even on a huge discount if his play is in decline. (And I think his play is definitely spiraling down.)

 

[Gurglesons]

Being not-waiver eligible I think it wouldn't have mattered how he played.

Smith made it. So.. I don’t agree. DOC just kind looked mid.

So basically we have

Jake - Crosby - Rakell
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Heinen - Carter - Kappy
X - Blueger - McGinn

Dumo - Letang
Petts - Petry
X - Rutta

F extras - Z, Poehling, Archibald
D extras - Smith, POJ, Friedman, Ruhwedel

 

[HandshakeLine]

Oh no, not Luca Caputi!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I just don’t see what the advantage is to keeping him around even on a huge discount if his play is in decline. (And I think his play is definitely spiraling down.)

I just worry that they get him on a so-called deal at his current rate or maybe even one of these discounts over the course of like six years and then have to quickly come to terms with justifying playing a near-shot 3.5M dollar "bargain" on the third pairing every night. Out of the JJ and into the Scuderi 2.0 and all that.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Smith made it. So.. I don’t agree. DOC just kind looked mid.

So basically we have

Jake - Crosby - Rakell
Zucker - Malkin - Rust
Heinen - Carter - Kappy
X - Blueger - McGinn

Dumo - Letang
Petts - Petry
X - Rutta

F extras - Z, Poehling Caggs, Archibald
D extras - Smith, POJ, Friedman - Ruhwedel

In the Back of My Caggiula is in WB/S camp, no?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Of course Frasca's hurt. Like that 6-2 to the C team wasn't unpleasant enough.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'll never not read Caggiula as Caligula.

As for Dumo, I'm expecting him to be re-signed with the whole familiarity thing driving the decision, and the fact that the cap's projected to rise a ton in the next few years--the organization probably just shrugs and says "f*** it." That's kinda their thing lately.

 

[chethejet]

Writer in DK sports was not exactly complementary on Dumo and his play. No question injuries to his body have had a significant impact and maybe he can hang in there for one more year. For me, he is not close to a top pairing D man so the question is what will sully finally be forced to do. He may have to move Rutta up and Ruhwedel is 3rd pairing RD. One of the best D men in his prime and under rated. But contractually he is done here and best for him to retire.

 

[Al Smith]

Sounds like DOC didn’t make the team

Pickering siting?

 

[Zirakzigil]

Hot and Readies are 100% passable especially considering the price range. Just eat them like... immediately and never try to reheat them.

They are acceptable the next day cold for breakfast as well. Also, Little Caesars crazy bread is delicious.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Pickering siting?

Injured, I thought.

 

[Al Smith]

Injured, I thought.

He seems to be present and rotating, if you read all the way to the bottom of the tweet. I assumed his injury was debilitating and permanent given he had put a Pens jersey on at the draft.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Dumo isn't really a core guy, we're not lacking on LD (nor is the rest of the league) and he's not really aging gracefully IMO so I don't see any reason to re-sign him. Maybe reach out and see what his price is but unless he's willing to take a short cheap deal I'd just let him walk. If POJ or Smith establishes themselves as a 3rd pairing LD then they could be ready for 2nd pairing in a year. Plus there's Rutta who can play the left.

We're not lacking on LD?? That's literally the Achilles heel we've been discussing most of this summer. Questioning if Petts can even handle 2nd duty pairs...

I mean for a $5 medium pepperoni can we really complain? It tastes better than a few places in my area too.

Also...LC has my eternal gratitude for their cheesy crazy bread. Literally better than any appetizer I've had in Greater Vancouver.

My issue is that they charge you more than $5 at the arena

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Smith made it.

No, not yet.

 

[Gurglesons]

No, not yet.

Lol

In the Back of My Caggiula is in WB/S camp, no?

Sorry you are correct

 

[SEALBound]

The only puzzling move is Archibald really. I can't see him being kept over Biz or Poehling though so...

There's still a lot of time in pre-season left.

That said, you can sit Archibald for 82 games and not care. Probably doing more a disservice to Z or Poehling or DOC if you did that so...I'm sure there's that consideration - not unlike Rudwedel on defense.

 

[Peat]

Pickering has a wrist injury and is skating non contact while doing rehab

 

[Flying Dego]

We're not lacking on LD?? That's literally the Achilles heel we've been discussing most of this summer. Questioning if Petts can even handle 2nd duty pairs...

The nauseating thought is that Petts is likely our best LD...

And that right there is a Yuge issue.