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

[SEALBound]

Savoie and Mateychuk are much better prospects and they played in the WHL this year when they were drafted in 2022.

Yager at his size could easily get demolished in the AHL.

I lean towards trying to bring Yager in as an AHL player, but to say there is no benefits seems a little rash.

Savoie has played three seasons, Mateychuk four. Yager four.

He was on their top line playing with other top WHL players. He was the 2nd leading scorer at the WJC for Canada. His level of play was very consistent throughout the entire year.

There are plenty of guys in the AHL shorter, lighter, and smaller than him that do just fine. Remember Jake Guentzel? He seemed okay-ish, yes?

 

[Gurglesons]

Savoie has played three seasons, Mateychuk four. Yager four.

He was on their top line playing with other top WHL players. He was the 2nd leading scorer at the WJC for Canada. His level of play was very consistent throughout the entire year.

There are plenty of guys in the AHL shorter, lighter, and smaller than him that do just fine. Remember Jake Guentzel? He seemed okay-ish, yes?

Guentzel weighed almost 20 more pounds than Yager when he entered the AHL.

He also was 23, not 19 going on 20.

 

[SEALBound]

Guentzel weighed almost 20 more pounds than Yager when he entered the AHL.

He also was 23, not 19 going on 20.

Jake was 21-22 and was 5'11 180lb. Yager is 20 and is 5'11, 170lbs.

It's not the major gap you think it is.

 

[Ryder71]

Jake was 21 and was 5'11 180lb. Yager is 20 and is 5'11, 170lbs.

It's not the major gap you think it is.

Agreed,

He's a year away, as is Koivunen I believe. Both in theory should be able to forge their way to PIT either late next season, or more likely 25-26 when the Dinosaurs have more in the way of supporting roles. We're still gonna need some big time guys to come in. Yager and Koivunen are two nice pieces, but we're gonna have to bring in the ''centerpiece'' via the draft or Free agency. This is a several year process unless we get lucky with some good free agents with fantastic chemistry here right off the hop. Like Bunting times two. That was another good piece. If you can get Reinhart you might have a playoff team. #qualityoverquantity

 

[SEALBound]

Agreed, ONE more year of seasoning and he might make the team in 25-26.

In the AHL, yes.

In the WHL, no. That is foolish to stunt his development there. There just comes a time when there's a "what else does he learn there vs a new development path in the AHL" argument that no has any good answer for. "Seasoning" isn't an answer.

 

[Ryder71]

In the AHL, yes.

In the WHL, no. That is foolish to stunt his development there.

Agree again, but is he AHL eligible? That seems murky, but I'd definitely go for the ''A'' if it's an option.

 

[Gurglesons]

Jake was 21-22 and was 5'11 180lb. Yager is 20 and is 5'11, 170lbs.

It's not the major gap you think it is.

You're right he was 22. He played 11 games in the AHL at 21, which is much different than a full season like you are asking. Yager was listed at 166 and now is at 170 so you are right there.

I dunno. I don't see the need to rush Yager to the AHL and we may not even be able to do it unless they grant him exception.

In the AHL, yes.

In the WHL, no. That is foolish to stunt his development there. There just comes a time when there's a "what else does he learn there vs a new development path in the AHL" argument that no has any good answer for. "Seasoning" isn't an answer.

No players were hurt playing longer in junior. If anything the opposite is way more frequent.

 

[chethejet]

Returning to juniors with most of his talented guys gone, he now is the lead dog and that will help his maturing and development. Dubas has some nice pieces here to add to the mix in a couple years. But no question this rebuild/retool is a 3 to 5 year endeavor.
St Ivany 24
Ludvig 25
POJ 25
Petts 26
So add a couple young RD in the draft and whatever you get back from Karlsson and Rust and whoever.

 

[Gurglesons]

Returning to juniors with most of his talented guys gone, he now is the lead dog and that will help his maturing and development. Dubas has some nice pieces here to add to the mix in a couple years. But no question this rebuild/retool is a 3 to 5 year endeavor.
St Ivany 24
Ludvig 25
POJ 25
Petts 26
So add a couple young RD in the draft and whatever you get back from Karlsson and Rust and whoever.

What exactly are Ludvig and POJ doing here lol.. St. Ivany even...

 

[Ryder71]

Returning to juniors with most of his talented guys gone, he now is the lead dog and that will help his maturing and development. Dubas has some nice pieces here to add to the mix in a couple years. But no question this rebuild/retool is a 3 to 5 year endeavor.
St Ivany 24
Ludvig 25
POJ 25
Petts 26
So add a couple young RD in the draft and whatever you get back from Karlsson and Rust and whoever.

Our void is at skilled forwards, Defense is a crap shoot. We really need to build up our top six at center. It'll take a few years but that's the area we need to focus on. All things being equal you go Center, oh yes!

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Have him apply to an ivy league school as Yaden Brager or something. Name still works and that'd be the most ideal fit for the upcoming season.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Wyatt Johnston played in the NHL at 19, supported by quality veterans. Matthew Poitras played in the NHL at 19, supported by quality veterans.

Why would Yager not be able to do the same? All are right-shooting centers who played in the WHL. I would argue Yager has been playing in the toughest of the three junior leagues in canada, if not the best. Hard to argue against the OHL after the start of the Mem Cup, but in terms of tough leagues for a young player, the WHL is tough.

And we have the quality veterans to support Yager. We don't have a lot of things right now, but THAT we do have.

We can't send Yager to the AHL, and after reaching the Mem Cup, there really isn't much left to do in junior hockey. You don't want to stagnate him mentally. You want to continue to challenge him. Getting a legitimate shot at staying beyond 9 games is important. Ponomarev and Poulin are good, healthy competition for him. Lars Eller is a roadblock. If the latter is still here, then we all know the kids will only get fourth-line forward minutes at best. Eller is to the three young centers (I leave Broz out, but you never know) what Ruhwedel was to St. Ivany. Had Dubas not traded Ruh, we may not know right now what we have in St. Ivany. Stuff like that has been at the root of what has held this team back in the post-'17 era.

We need to make room, and we need to give the kid a legit shot. It happens with other teams, it can happen here.

 

[Darren McCord]

Wyatt Johnston played in the NHL at 19, supported by quality veterans. Matthew Poitras played in the NHL at 19, supported by quality veterans.

Why would Yager not be able to do the same? All are right-shooting centers who played in the WHL. I would argue Yager has been playing in the toughest of the three junior leagues in canada, if not the best. Hard to argue against the OHL after the start of the Mem Cup, but in terms of tough leagues for a young player, the WHL is tough.

And we have the quality veterans to support Yager. We don't have a lot of things right now, but THAT we do have.

We can't send Yager to the AHL, and after reaching the Mem Cup, there really isn't much left to do in junior hockey. You don't want to stagnate him mentally. You want to continue to challenge him. Getting a legitimate shot at staying beyond 9 games is important. Ponomarev and Poulin are good, healthy competition for him. Lars Eller is a roadblock. If the latter is still here, then we all know the kids will only get fourth-line forward minutes at best. Eller is to the three young centers (I leave Broz out, but you never know) what Ruhwedel was to St. Ivany. Had Dubas not traded Ruh, we may not know right now what we have in St. Ivany. Stuff like that has been at the root of what has held this team back in the post-'17 era.

We need to make room, and we need to give the kid a legit shot. It happens with other teams, it can happen here.

Because how can he play in a league where an 18 year old juggernaut (5'10 170lbs) Zach Benson played. He needs to be shorter to allow to play.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Wyatt Johnston was listed at 6-1, 185 in his rookie season. Yager doesn't compare.

Matthew Poitras is listed at 5-11, 180. Very close to Yager.

Except Poitras was injured midway through the regular season and missed the rest of the year. Not sure that's a great indicator for Yager's ability to withstand the rigors of the NHL at his size.

 

[Darren McCord]

Wyatt Johnston was listed at 6-1, 185 in his rookie season. Yager doesn't compare.

Matthew Poitras is listed at 5-11, 180. Very close to Yager.

Except Poitras was injured midway through the regular season and missed the rest of the year. Not sure that's a great indicator for Yager's ability to withstand the rigors of the NHL at his size.

And Benson is smaller than all of them, while just playing a full season. If a player is ready he is ready. No reason Yager shouldn't get a look

 

[Ryder71]

And Benson is smaller than all of them, while just playing a full season. If a player is ready he is ready. No reason Yager shouldn't get a look

It's really a non-issue, it's just that many here are bored. It's a ridiculous premise. And it really doesn't matter regardless because he's not NHL ready for at least a year anyhow.

 

[Gurglesons]

And Benson is smaller than all of them, while just playing a full season. If a player is ready he is ready. No reason Yager shouldn't get a look

Benson is also a better prospect than Yager.

And Benson is smaller than all of them, while just playing a full season. If a player is ready he is ready. No reason Yager shouldn't get a look

Yager isn't ready. That's the thing.

Find me a single person saying Yager is ready outside of HFPens.

 

[Darren McCord]

Benson is also a better prospect than Yager.



Yager isn't ready. That's the thing.

Find me a single person saying Yager is ready outside of HFPens.

I didn’t mean to say he was ready. But he should have every chance in the fall to prove he is or isn’t. No reason no to give him a 9 game look if he looks fine in camp.

Writing him off because of size right now is dumb.

And who besides Pittsburgh media would even be talking about pens prospects in june

 

[SEALBound]

Using height and weight to predict how a player will do is dumb. A complete fools errand.

 

[Gurglesons]

I didn’t mean to say he was ready. But he should have every chance in the fall to prove he is or isn’t. No reason no to give him a 9 game look if he looks fine in camp.

Writing him off because of size right now is dumb.

And who besides Pittsburgh media would even be talking about pens prospects in june

The Athletic has a podcast every week about prospects.

The whole conversation is about how Yager going back to the WHL to be "the guy" on the roster will have no long term effect on his career.

Using height and weight to predict how a player will do is dumb. A complete fools errand.

Not really. As was already pointed out previously in this discussion about Yager. 4 NHL players played more than 50 games at a weight under 170 last season.

 

[The Old Master]

Returning to juniors with most of his talented guys gone, he now is the lead dog and that will help his maturing and development.

if he returns there is a better chance they trade him to a better team

 

[Jacob]

Just tuned in but Yager’s making some awesome passes. 2 on the shift that led to a powerplay and 1 across the box to setup Firkus on the powerplay.

 

[Kasperi kapanen]

Find me a single person saying Yager is ready outside of HFPens.

To be fair, Dubas said he expects Yager to push for a roster spot next season. There’s really nothing else for him to accomplish at the junior level. I hope he can start in the AHL but i’m not familiar with the rules about that. Also, I’m pretty sure he is now closer to 180 rather than 170.

 

[Jacob]

We should make a deal with Hockey Canada, which I assume governs the CHL, that if they allow him to go to the AHL we promise to release him for the WJCs. I mean counting this as his 4th CHL season is hardly a technicality or loophole.

But keep him down the whole year. Make him earn PP time with good ES play. Maybe even sit him in 1 of the 3-in-3s and have him pound a couple ribeyes and hit the weights instead.

Unless he plays 10 NHL games his ELC would still slide a year.

 

[Kasperi kapanen]

1+2 for Yager tonight.