Prospect Info: Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread: 2023-2024 Edition

[Ulf5]

I was being sarcastic. Sutter was awful.

I'm not at all dunking on Yager. I guess I'm just closer to Gurg's opinion, here. This team hasn't developed jack for many years and I'm generally not that bullish on players picked where Yager was picked. Especially teams that have proven to not be able to draft and develop very well.

I'm sure he's a better pick than Pouliot, though!

Gotcha, skimmed right past the really pump his tires line.

 

[SomeDude]

But if you are using the 2003 NHL draft as an example the 5-10 players in that draft class were like Carter, Vanek, Brown, and Parise.

Most of those guys were 60ish point guys for the majority of their career.

Parise had the two big years and Carter and Vanek hit 70 a few times, but I think you're just having wildly out of realm expectations for him.

Benson, Bedard, Leo, and Fantilli are without question better prospects.

Michkov, Leonard, and Dvorsky are all above Yager IMO too. And I don't even think anyone out of those 7 outside of Bedard is a PPG player guaranteed.

Look at the scoring between now and then. A 60-70 pt player in 2007 is likely a PPG player now.

 

[HandshakeLine]

The 2003 draft was a landmark deep draft? Am I crazy for not thinking it was?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

He missed the MM/RR meet and greet and the Dejan key party, so he's a failure for local media.

Seravalli over here fuming that Pickering has missed like two years-worth of media scrums in a row. Bust.

Gotcha, skimmed right past the really pump his tires line.

OTOH I'm an idiot fan. Yager might well blow up as soon as this season and never look back. I'm just hedging my bets based on odds and this team being neck deep in stupidity in recent years.

 

[Gurglesons]

Look at the scoring between now and then. A 60-70 pt player in 2007 is likely a PPG player now.

There were 28 PPG players in 2007 just like there were 28 this year. (Using 60GP)

The 2003 draft was a landmark deep draft? Am I crazy for not thinking it was?

It's wildly thought of as the best NHL draft in modern history.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

For Penguins fans... the 2003 draft is the one where they got Marc-Andre Fleury.

<3 <3 <3

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Yall act like getting an NHL-regular outside of the Top-10 is some sort of disappointment. A 20-40 guy at 14th overall is pretty good value if that's what he tops out at.

Wasn't the rumor we wanted Benson right before he got snagged?

 

[SomeDude]

There were 28 PPG players in 2007 just like there were 28 this year. (Using 60GP)

And the gpg average in 2007 was 2.7 compared to 3.2 now so there would be a lot more than 28 PPG players if you account for how the game has changed.

 

[Gurglesons]

And the gpg average in 2007 was 2.7 compared to 3.2 now so there would be a lot more than 28 PPG players if you account for how the game has changed.

lol what?

There are literally the same amount of PPG players. How would there be a lot more when we can literally see it?

Yall act like getting an NHL-regular outside of the Top-10 is some sort of disappointment. A 20-40 guy at 14th overall is pretty good value if that's what he tops out at.

Wasn't the rumor we wanted Benson right before he got snagged?

I'd be extremely happy if Yager is a top six forward. There are a lot of areas of concern with his game.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Exactly.

 

[HandshakeLine]

There were 28 PPG players in 2007 just like there were 28 this year. (Using 60GP)



It's wildly thought of as the best NHL draft in modern history.

Guess I haven't really thought about it in 20 years, but, it also corresponds with another major expansion in the league. So, I dunno. I stopped hanging out at the history of hockey forum years ago when I realized they were all on government watch lists.

 

[Gurglesons]

Guess I haven't really thought about it in 20 years, but, it also corresponds with another major expansion in the league. So, I dunno. I stopped hanging out at the history of hockey forum years ago when I realized they were all on government watch lists.

Probably like 10-15 HHOF players in that draft.

 

[MrBurghundy]

It always strikes me as odd how most fanbases on here extremely overrate their prospects and we seem to try to find ways to tear ours down.

Because some people have been bitching and complaining on here for so long that's all they know how to do.

 

[SomeDude]

lol what?

There are literally the same amount of PPG players. How would there be a lot more when we can literally see it?

If you don’t think essentially adding a half a goal to every game in an NHL season would bump up numbers pretty drastically then I don’t know what to tell you.

Guess I haven't really thought about it in 20 years, but, it also corresponds with another major expansion in the league. So, I dunno. I stopped hanging out at the history of hockey forum years ago when I realized they were all on government watch lists.

If you look back on the best players drafted every year it’s actually kind of shocking how fast you start seeing mediocre names. 2003 was absolutely stacked when compared to just about every draft.

 

[Andy99]

Mercer just had 33 points.



So you think Yager is going to be what a 40 goal, 80 point scorer?

So
Yeah, it was a down year for Mercer with all of NJ’s injuries. I’d bank on him being better next year

 

[Ulf5]

Seravalli over here fuming that Pickering has missed like two years-worth of media scrums in a row. Bust.



OTOH I'm an idiot fan. Yager might well blow up as soon as this season and never look back. I'm just hedging my bets based on odds and this team being neck deep in stupidity in recent years.

The Pens' history of developing prospects outside the top 10, top 5 really, definitely brings out the pessimist in me. But Yager's hockey iq and willingness to constantly evolve his game and try to improve gives me a glimmer of hope. Along with that lethal shot.

 

[Gurglesons]

If you don’t think essentially adding a half a goal to every game in an NHL season would bump up numbers pretty drastically then I don’t know what to tell you.

It literally didn't. These are facts. There were 28 PPG players in both years.

 

[SomeDude]

It literally didn't. These are facts. There were 28 PPG players in both years.

You know these aren’t the same players playing in the league now, right?

 

[Gurglesons]

You know these aren’t the same players playing in the league now, right?

I honestly have no idea what your argument is.

You are saying there would be more PPG than in 2007 this year because of the amount of scoring.

But that isn't true. We can see the amount of PPG players. It's the same.

The Pens' history of developing prospects outside the top 10, top 5 really, definitely brings out the pessimist in me. But Yager's hockey iq and willingness to constantly evolve his game and try to improve gives me a glimmer of hope. Along with that lethal shot.

Why?

From 2007 to 2018, Pittsburgh’s amateur scouting department had the least draft capital to work with, owning both the lowest total picks and the fewest selections in the first two rounds.

The Penguins responded encouragingly by drafting an NHL player projected for 200-plus games on nearly 30 percent of their picks.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Given the Pens needs, I thInk 3C is a bad outcome…we need to have drafted either a top six center or wing, someone as good as Jarvis or Mercer

We will see. I feel confident Yager plays just not sure what he’s gonna be. A lot of different outcomes feel plausible.

 

[The Old Master]

I'd be extremely happy if Yager is a top six forward. There are a lot of areas of concern with his game.

lots of areas?????? the only thing that concerns me is his strength. what else do you see?

 

[Gurglesons]

lots of areas?????? the only thing that concerns me is his strength. what else do you see?

Size, strength, skating, consistency, lack of going to high danger areas, not a big time possession guy, doesn't drive play.

His play style sometimes reminds me of a Mike Hoffman.

 

[The Old Master]

Size, strength, skating, consistency, lack of going to high danger areas, not a big time possession guy, doesn't drive play.

His play style sometimes reminds me of a Mike Hoffman.

size; 6-0 too small ?
strength; yes
skating; doesn't have any problem blowing by the defense man. and uses his edges well cutting through the middle.
big time of possession; he's not a puck hog, he uses his teammates well.
doesn't drive play; has had no problem in the play-offs, could be his defensive responsibility's keep him from doing more.
edit;

Scott Wheeler - The Athletic - June 5th: "Yager plays a threatening, attacking, puck-dominant game with skill in straight lines and in cutting sequences in transition. He’s got smooth skating mechanics.
Corey Pronman - The Athletic - May 30th: "He plays with a lot of speed and energy, showing the ability to carry pucks up the ice and make skilled plays with pace. He’s not the biggest center, but Yager plays hard, showing a commitment to making plays without the puck and winning a lot of battles even though he's not overly physical."

Chris Peters - Flo Hockey - June 1st: "His offensive tools are without question as Yager has good hands, a terrific shot and an offensive sense that rivals many players in this class. He has one-on-one skill, knows how to create time and space for himself and can make those around him better."

 

[Gurglesons]

size; 6-0 too small ?
strength; yes
skating; doesn't have any problem blowing by the defense man. and uses his edges well cutting through the middle.
big time of possession; he's not a puck hog, he uses his teammates well.
doesn't drive play; has had no problem in the play-offs, could be his defensive responsibility's keep him from doing more.

6, but weigh less than Guentzel.

He's not a great skater. He's not a bad skater, but it's not a top skill. Big difference between outskating WHL defensemen and AHL or NHL players.

Possession and playdriving are essential to success in today's NHL. He doesn't score in the dirty areas. He's offensive attack is very perimeter. Goes well in the WHL when you have Firkus and Savoie and Mateychuk helping out.

 

[SEALBound]

Yager turning into a 30-30 guy would be a major win for us. A 30-30 2C would be an absolute homerun. There were only 19 centers in the league last year that had 30 or more, 18 with 60 or more points.

In the next 5 years, a 20-20 guy would be major help. I just want them to nuture his shooting talents and offensive instincts more than anything. Don't turn him into the 3RW who's only priority is to not get scored on and PK.