Waived: [PIT] Emil Bemstrom, Nate Clurman, Jonathan Gruden, Joona Koppanen, Filip Kral, John Ludvig (claimed), and Sam Poulin waived by the Penguins

Michael Farkas

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Poulin officially a bust? Does he have bottom six upside?
He'd have to re-image his game some more to become a physical 4th line winger or something. Kuhnhackl did it for Pittsburgh a number of years ago and it got him some NHL checks for a while. Poulin doesn't really have an angle right now. There's no hook. Even in his draft year, checking my notes, I wrote that I wasn't impressed by his transferable skill level. He had a bit of a plus shot, but his playmaking didn't seem like it would hold. I didn't trust that he'd be a center as a pro either.

He just isn't that much better than he was as a junior. He had some jam in the Q, he has some jam now...he lacked puck protection ability in the Q, he lacks it now...he kinda had a shot then, he kinda has a shot now...but he never looked like much to me and he hasn't progressed very much. If he was in the league last year, he'd be in it this year...but he wasn't, so he's not. It's more or less one of those indiscernible 13th forward types...
 

SomeDude

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Mar 6, 2006
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Gruden is probably the best NHL player on that list from the Pens and he already cleared waivers last year. He would be fine as a 4th liner. Good motor.
 
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Dead Coyote

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A little surprised they let Bemstrom go for nothing, wouldn't be shocked to see him pick things up with another team. He clearly has some NHL talent.
 

Michael Farkas

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A little surprised they let Bemstrom go for nothing, wouldn't be shocked to see him pick things up with another team. He clearly has some NHL talent.
He's been waived at least once each of the last three years. In the midst of that, he was traded for a minor leaguer. He has an NHL shot (a plus NHL shot at that) and nothing else. With Hayes added to the lineup, it makes Bemstrom unnecessary. Puustinen offers more than Bemstrom too, even if the shot is just a touch under Bemstrom's. If one of those guys goes down, Bemstrom will come back up probably.

If some club is missing a wrist shot down their lineup and want to try to catch...hmmm, not lightning but like...ya know when you put tin foil in microwave...? If they want to try to catch that for a dozen games before waiving him themselves, go nuts for donuts...
 

Luigi Lemieux

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Could see someone picking up Poulin. No longer waiver exempt but not good enough to make the squad
 

Big McLargehuge

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I'd be surprised if Poulin clears just because of his draft pedigree, though I don't think he's ready to be much of anything beyond a generic fourth liner at the NHL level at this point in time. There's been so much lost development time that he just needs more minutes. Big minutes in the AHL would be better for him than a limited role in the bottom six, but the rules don't care for lost time so it is what it is.

Bemstrom showed very, very little as a Penguin last season and has been on waivers multiple times before. Gruden is the best of that group from an NHL standpoint, but Ludvig getting claimed wouldn't surprise me either.
 
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CheckingLineCenter

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Poulin wasn’t a bad player but playing as little as he did from his draft due to injuries and mental health, doing it in a weak league… did a guy like him (no truly elite traits) no favors
 
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SEALBound

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Poulin could likely benefit from a change of scenery.
Maybe. The problem is that every team has a Poulin-level player on the roster.

He might get claimed but I can't see him sticking with anyone. There are plenty of bottom 6 players on rosters and better ones available as UFAs. Poulins just in a tough spot right now where he needs more AHL time.
 

Jacob

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Maybe. The problem is that every team has a Poulin-level player on the roster.

He might get claimed but I can't see him sticking with anyone. There are plenty of bottom 6 players on rosters and better ones available as UFAs. Poulins just in a tough spot right now where he needs more AHL time.
I don’t think he does. He’s a complete player at the AHL level. He just needs a team that can give him 15-20 games to get comfy in the NHL. Like Sundqvist needed.
 

SEALBound

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I don’t think he does. He’s a complete player at the AHL level. He just needs a team that can give him 15-20 games to get comfy in the NHL. Like Sundqvist needed.
Maybe? Lofty ask when you're the 14/15th best player just on the Penguins...
 

Mase

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if Ludvig got claimed, he’d smash his head into a pillar trying to walk into the airport or something. I’ve never seen a guy inflict so much damage on himself while trying to hit others.
I was not happy that he got exposed and claimed, I really liked him as a player even if his ceiling is probably 6th or 7th D.
 

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