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

[Empoleon8771]

I disagree. I think Poehling is geared toward replacing TB as the 4th line center and penalty killer. Zohorna was never gona be that

Uh, that's basically exactly what Zohorna was projected to be.

He's Brian Boyle 2.0. That player type being a defensive 4C is exactly the correct role for that kind of guy.

 

[Darren McCord]

Uh, that's basically exactly what Zohorna was projected to be.

He's Brian Boyle 2.0. That player type being a defensive 4C is exactly the correct role for that kind of guy.

This org never used him that way. He played wing almost exclusively when he was in the nhl and never pked

 

[Peat]

I think he is best at center. So realistically this is the pecking order for the Centers.

Sid
Malkin
Carter
TB
Poehling
DOC
Poulin

Unless Poulin blows the doors off at a ppg he isnt coming up anytime soon. DOC has been a PPG in the AHL and will be the first call up. I bet Hallander is next

I agree he's best at C and that's the current depth chart.

I think there's a good chance Poulin blows the doors and starts hitting ppg in the AHL soon. I think that given Sully has said DOC is more suited to W at the NHL level, Poulin can overtake him. I don't think that one's a particularly hard target if he keeps improving at the rate he's been doing this calender year.

From there the question is whether he can persuade Sully he'd rather use Poehling as a wing and get Poulin involved when there's injuries other than at C. That one might be more difficult and partly reliant on what Poehling does.

But I would stress this is about Poulin's seeming steep development incline as much as where he is today. In January he was beginning to look a bit busty. In April he was beginning to look like an interesting prospect again. He's now looking like a guy who more NHL attributes than non-NHL attributes. Where is he going to be next January?

Nearly everyone else he is up against for an NHL spot has either seemingly plateaued or doesn't have as much raw attributes to work with. He can blast past them; it's up for him to do it. I know you said unless he goes ppg, but we should be projecting possible futures where he does that. And I wasn't doing that last season.

 

[Peat]

Also Hextall is a crazy reserved GM, is he not? He doesn't want to waste assets and is stingy, correct?

So there's no chance he risks losing Poehling right after Big Z. Archibald was given a spot long ago unless he breaks his pact but i don't see that.

So now Hextall is trying to trade POJ. Can't do it. He won't lose him for nothing. So this creates a chain of events that would mean Smith starts in WBS.

Then he has to choose between Ruh or Friedman as to which is less appealing. I'd lean Friedman due to the fact that Sully has deployed Ruh for like 7 years.

All this run around could've been easier to avoid if Blue was traded. But that time is past and here we are.

Is he?

I don't think we know a great deal about Hextall so far. He's had one and a bit seasons here, a lot of which has been handcuffed by Rutherford's roster. I'm not sure how many here know his Flyers record well, I know I don't.

We know he's been unwilling to spend many futures because he wants to rebuild the pipeline and has been patient with trades seeking value.

We know he walked the wire on getting good contracts for the core coming back... but has been fairly aggressive in signing McGinn, Carter, Rakell, and Rutta.

And walking into the season with a roster that needs to be 22 man to be cap compliant without injuries is not reserved.

We don't really know how he feels about depth pieces and depth. I think he used a 22 man roster for a good bit of last season, but I don't know how long he'd run one last season. He has signed an absurd amount of depth across the entire roster but we don't know how highly he values keeping that depth.

Me, I think we're about to find out some stuff about Hextall. I don't think we've got the answers here.

 

[Empoleon8771]

This org never used him that way. He played wing almost exclusively when he was in the nhl and never pked

He was used pretty much exclusively at center in preseason and it was very clear they viewed him as a center going forward.

If Zohorna was only viewed as a winger by the team, why does anyone give a damn that he wasn't retained? The only way he really has value going forward was as a Brian Boyle type of 4C. If he was just a winger, who cares if they lost him? They're ultra deep on the wing to begin with and depth wingers are super easy to find.

I was disappointed to lose Zohorna because he was more of a center in my eyes. If he's not a center, I genuinely couldn't care less about losing him.

 

[Gurglesons]

Is he?

I don't think we know a great deal about Hextall so far. He's had one and a bit seasons here, a lot of which has been handcuffed by Rutherford's roster. I'm not sure how many here know his Flyers record well, I know I don't.

We know he's been unwilling to spend many futures because he wants to rebuild the pipeline and has been patient with trades seeking value.

We know he walked the wire on getting good contracts for the core coming back... but has been fairly aggressive in signing McGinn, Carter, Rakell, and Rutta.

And walking into the season with a roster that needs to be 22 man to be cap compliant without injuries is not reserved.

We don't really know how he feels about depth pieces and depth. I think he used a 22 man roster for a good bit of last season, but I don't know how long he'd run one last season. He has signed an absurd amount of depth across the entire roster but we don't know how highly he values keeping that depth.

Me, I think we're about to find out some stuff about Hextall. I don't think we've got the answers here.

Hextall seems like a GM that wants cap flexibility or cap troubles by his own accord.

His moves in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are very similar in that regard in terms of taking on bad cap that he has acquired versus forced into. And most times he’s getting value back for those deals.

Hartnell-> Umberger
Schenn -> picks and Lehtera
Vinny and Schenn -> Weal and 3rd
McCann and Tanev -> McGinn and Hallander
Marino and Matheson -> Petry, Smith and Poehling plus an upgrade on the pick.

 

[Peat]

He was used pretty much exclusively at center in preseason and it was very clear they viewed him as a center going forward.

If Zohorna was only viewed as a winger by the team, why does anyone give a damn that he wasn't retained? The only way he really has value going forward was as a Brian Boyle type of 4C. If he was just a winger, who cares if they lost him? They're ultra deep on the wing to begin with and depth wingers are super easy to find.

I was disappointed to lose Zohorna because he was more of a center in my eyes. If he's not a center, I genuinely couldn't care less about losing him.

But this is about the first they showed interest in him as a C at the NHL level, and he's been getting the scoring line reps while Poehling got the checking line reps.

And they've never showed an interest in him as a PKer.

I make Darren right about what the org has believed about him tbh. They don't see Brian Boyle, they see budget Nick Bjugstad. At least that's how his record looked.

 

[Josey Wales]

Poulin's Progression Can Be Measured in "Light Years" | Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are reallypleased with the way 2019 first-round draft pick Sam Poulin has been growing and developing as a player since he turned professional last September."I think he's light-years ahead of where he was a year ago," Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan said.

www.nhl.com

 

[Empoleon8771]

But this is about the first they showed interest in him as a C at the NHL level, and he's been getting the scoring line reps while Poehling got the checking line reps.

And they've never showed an interest in him as a PKer.

I make Darren right about what the org has believed about him tbh. They don't see Brian Boyle, they see budget Nick Bjugstad. At least that's how his record looked.

Then I'm entirely perplexed why anyone cares they lost Zohorna

 

[Gurglesons]

Then I'm entirely perplexed why anyone cares they lost Zohorna

Because his metrics were really good and Archibald’s aren’t and people are parroting Twitter takes for the most part.

Same thing that’s happened here forever, but then when we get someone that has good metrics and plays for a long time and doesn’t score they get the ZAR and Simon take although ZAR was a selke candidate by a bunch of dorks so people act like he has value on Pens Twitter.

 

[Darren McCord]

He was used pretty much exclusively at center in preseason and it was very clear they viewed him as a center going forward.

If Zohorna was only viewed as a winger by the team, why does anyone give a damn that he wasn't retained? The only way he really has value going forward was as a Brian Boyle type of 4C. If he was just a winger, who cares if they lost him? They're ultra deep on the wing to begin with and depth wingers are super easy to find.

I was disappointed to lose Zohorna because he was more of a center in my eyes. If he's not a center, I genuinely couldn't care less about losing him.

Ok sure but they haven't once in a regular season. So you have no idea what would actually happen.

Zohorna played 0min on the PK at the NHL level and has only played wing. Not one second on the PK. He was never used like Boyle. He was used more like Heinen as a skilled 3rd line winger.

Then I'm entirely perplexed why anyone cares they lost Zohorna

anyways i dont care about him. I just think comparing him to Boyle is a terrible comparison. All I said was they didnt have faith in them which is why they brought in Archibald, Poehling and Caggiula

 

[Peat]

Then I'm entirely perplexed why anyone cares they lost Zohorna

Because he had good NHL results. Plus fan emotion of losing free stuff/anything that confirms the org does actually like Archibald.

That said, take away the emotion, and I also don't see a lot of point in getting that vexed either. I'd have rather kept him, I think he could have been a useful piece but I think we've got a bunch of potentially similarly useful pieces, regardless of whether he's going to be Boyle or Bjugstad. The only reason to get bugged is if he turns out to be the clear best of them.

And even if he had he might have walked in UFA anyway.

 

[Gurglesons]

Because he had good NHL results. Plus fan emotion of losing free stuff/anything that confirms the org does actually like Archibald.

That said, take away the emotion, and I also don't see a lot of point in getting that vexed either. I'd have rather kept him, I think he could have been a useful piece but I think we've got a bunch of potentially similarly useful pieces, regardless of whether he's going to be Boyle or Bjugstad. The only reason to get bugged is if he turns out to be the clear best of them.

And even if he had he might have walked in UFA anyway.

I think the biggest win in losing Zohorna is it means they are more than likely comfortable bringing up DOC, Poulin, Hallander or Big Puusy. Which I’m fine with and I can’t wait until Caggs is called up and none of them are.

 

[Peat]

I think the biggest win in losing Zohorna is it means they are more than likely comfortable bringing up DOC, Poulin, Hallander or Big Puusy. Which I’m fine with and I can’t wait until Caggs is called up and none of them are.

Agreed. It mightn't play out that way, but it could 100% be a win for us there.

 

[Darren McCord]

Which I’m fine with and I can’t wait until Caggs is called up and none of them are.

This is what annoys me about the situation tho. You know he is already the first call up. I wish they would have only brought in him or Archibald. I would rather see hallander get some chances on the 4th line when one of them goes down. Bring up Puus, Poulin or DOC if someone in the top 9 goes down.

 

[Gurglesons]

This is what annoys me about the situation tho. You know he is already the first call up. I wish they would have only brought in him or Archibald. I would rather see hallander get some chances on the 4th line when one of them goes down. Bring up Puus, Poulin or DOC if someone in the top 9 goes down.

I don’t know that. And we have yet to see what they are doing with Poehling.

 

[Peat]

This is what annoys me about the situation tho. You know he is already the first call up. I wish they would have only brought in him or Archibald. I would rather see hallander get some chances on the 4th line when one of them goes down. Bring up Puus, Poulin or DOC if someone in the top 9 goes down.

You might know that, I don't. I think he had a great camp and might well be in line but we don't know how that'll play out. Very easy for someone else to be a better fit, or in better form, or just plain healthy when he's not. Or for there to be so many injuries that he's up with a few kids.

 

[Pens x]

I think Poulin's mostly up so he can get into more preseason games, but you absolutely have to admit he's looked excellent all training camp and preseason. With Zohorna gone, I think it really opens up opportunities for Poulin going forward.

The 3rd line will have Poulin on it at some point this year and he'll stick IMO.

Only if/when we have injuries…I don’t think Sleepy watches Wbs games.

 

[Darren McCord]

I don’t know that. And we have yet to see what they are doing with Poehling.

I hope Poehling stays in when healthy.

 

[Pens x]

Yeah same, but they'd need to waive a forward and I'm not sure they'd waive Archibald.

You need a career plug at all times, man. He isn’t going anywhere.

 

[Coastal Kev]

For real, no matter how sour I am about coaching or player development, I always want this team to win the cup, year after year, world without end, amen.

Call me "Big Picture, Reality", that's the world I currently reside in.

 

[Darren McCord]

Call me "Big Picture, Reality", that's the world I currently reside in.

That is the lamest reality to reside in. I imagine its all old time greyscale and boring as hell lol

 

[eXile3]

Like Hextall didn’t back himself into a corner. I’ve been saying all summer they simply don’t care about Z and POJ. Why are people acting like or organization still thinks these guys have value?

In that sense agreed. It does appear he has no idea how to get under the cap and still ice the team they want. Maybe I’m wrong

 

[Flying Dego]

Bruh...if my Fandom was that bleak and s*** I'd not be watching.

Life's too short. If a sport actually makes you feel outright negative 24/7 take up knitting.

 

[Coastal Kev]

In that sense agreed. It does appear he has no idea how to get under the cap and still ice the team they want. Maybe I’m wrong

If anyone can make sense to this past offseason, I would love to hear it in detail how this team is better. They're different in a weirder non sensical sense, that's about it.

sully is still a meathead as well