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

[Ryder71]

Is there anything more overrated than FO%? Crosby was terrible at FOs when he started and he still played as an 18-year-old. Nothing about FOs should be considered at all when deciding if this kid should play in the NHL next season…and neither should his height or weight lol

I think face offs are important, particularly in the defensive zone. And it's not just the fact he's losing them, he's losing them decisively which garners the opposition quality scoring chances. That will only be exacerbated when he makes the jump to the NHL. Honestly I'd start him on Wing and after a year or two move him back to center. He's defensively responsible but still needs work with his positioning. Good coaching moving forward will help. And who better than Sullivan?

 

[Andy99]

I think face offs are important, particularly in the defensive zone. And it's not just the fact he's losing them, he's losing them decisively which garners the opposition quality scoring chances. That will only be exacerbated when he makes the jump to the NHL. Honestly I'd start him on Wing and after a year or two move him back to center. He's defensively responsible but still needs work with his positioning. Good coaching moving forward will help. And who better than Sullivan?

Lol…just don’t play Yager in the D zone then to take a FO…worked for Geno lol

 

[The Old Master]

Lol…just don’t play Yager in the D zone then to take a FO…worked for Geno lol

put them both on the same line, and depending on what side of the ice your on let that decide who takes the face off.
edit; if yager is simply getting out muscled, then no coaching will help. imo

 

[lokomotiv15]

1. should improve as he adds strength.
2. from what I've seen, he seemed to win the important ones.


it just adds to the overall picture (shows he wants to be a complete player)

Haha obviously did well enough and won enough as a #1 center to get to the dance, which is good enough for me.

 

[WickedWrister]

Remember how bad rookie Malkin was at face-offs? Sub 40% lol

 

[Fordy]

Is there anything more overrated than FO%? Crosby was terrible at FOs when he started and he still played as an 18-year-old. Nothing about FOs should be considered at all when deciding if this kid should play in the NHL next season…and neither should his height or weight lol

every single center seems to get to transition to some sort of faceoff guru later in their careers. i don’t know why no one mentions that maybe they’re just being allowed to cheat more than whatever kid they’re goin up against

 

[Pancakes]

every single center seems to get to transition to some sort of faceoff guru later in their careers. i don’t know why no one mentions that maybe they’re just being allowed to cheat more than whatever kid they’re goin up against

Man strength also matters here. 18 year olds don't have that.

 

[Sideline]

Man strength also matters here. 18 year olds don't have that.

I bet linesmen and refs also have tendencies and tells that guy's pick up with enough reps.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Everything to do with Yager next fall should be determined by camp performance.

End of story.

Performance according to? Dubas?

Or Mike Sullivan?

I think face offs are important, particularly in the defensive zone. And it's not just the fact he's losing them, he's losing them decisively which garners the opposition quality scoring chances. That will only be exacerbated when he makes the jump to the NHL. Honestly I'd start him on Wing and after a year or two move him back to center. He's defensively responsible but still needs work with his positioning. Good coaching moving forward will help. And who better than Sullivan?

You don't keep a guy in junior hockey because he struggles on draws. You also don't move a center to wing because he struggles on draws. He has his entire career to work on draws.

He is a center through and through.

 

[cygnus47]

Remember how bad rookie Malkin was at face-offs? Sub 40% lol

He hasn’t improved that much. He’s only had a handful of seasons close to 50. Shows how important it is.

 

[The Old Master]

He is a center through and through.

i think that's how yager looks at it.

 

[Fordy]

Man strength also matters here. 18 year olds don't have that.

I bet linesmen and refs also have tendencies and tells that guy's pick up with enough reps.

and so ultimately, a rookie’s face off numbers shouldn’t matter. you better have a much stronger reason to hold them out

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Performance according to? Dubas?

Or Mike Sullivan?



You don't keep a guy in junior hockey because he struggles on draws. You also don't move a center to wing because he struggles on draws. He has his entire career to work on draws.

He is a center through and through.

Just performance.

If he shows promise in camp, hopefully he gets 9 games to see if he can contribute.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Just performance.

If he shows promise in camp, hopefully he gets 9 games to see if he can contribute.

I ask the question because there have been cases in the last several years when we thought a young player had a good camp. The coach did not see things the same way.

This is the same coach who thought Vinnie Hinostroza had potential last training camp and tried him as a top-six winger.

 

[Jacob]

Faceoffs are probably one of the skills that age-out the latest because it’s about forearm / grip strength, which peaks around 30, and extreme repitition.

Nothing I’ve seen concerns me about his FOs as a pro. Just needs to put in the work with a guy like Cullen. Probably won’t be a >50% guy right away, or for years.

The numbers are on WHL’s site but I’m pretty sure he’s above 50% the last 2 years, like 51% or 52%, while also taking a lot of them.

 

[Ryder71]

Performance according to? Dubas?

Or Mike Sullivan?



You don't keep a guy in junior hockey because he struggles on draws. You also don't move a center to wing because he struggles on draws. He has his entire career to work on draws.

He is a center through and through.

That may be, but when he moves up to the big time they may want to ease him in a bit. Wouldn't surprise me if he played wing early on. I agree he's a center, but he has a lot to learn there.

Also, I think in the World Juniors he did play some wing.

Remember how bad rookie Malkin was at face-offs? Sub 40% lol

Right, but he was so dynamic in other aspects that overshadowed his short comings. Don't see Yager that dynamic to overcome that. Start him on Wing.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I ask the question because there have been cases in the last several years when we thought a young player had a good camp. The coach did not see things the same way.

This is the same coach who thought Vinnie Hinostroza had potential last training camp and tried him as a top-six winger.

Youngsters who can contribute and aren't defensive liabilities can find roles here. Marino sure did. Sprong didn't.

But they have to also be demonstrably better than their veteran competition, otherwise they're back to a lower league and waiting for an opportunity.

 

[Gurglesons]

Youngsters who can contribute and aren't defensive liabilities can find roles here. Marino sure did. Sprong didn't.

But they have to also be demonstrably better than their veteran competition, otherwise they're back to a lower league and waiting for an opportunity.

It’s going to take a ton for Yager to make this roster. I’ll settle for someone like Poulin / Ponomarev making opening night.

 

[Ryder71]

It’s going to take a ton for Yager to make this roster. I’ll settle for someone like Poulin / Ponomarev making opening night.

Poulins a bust, give up! Pono will make the team barring injury. Yager a year away.

 

[Jacob]

Speaking of faceoffs Pono sometimes takes faceoffs right handed. Like reverses his stick so his forehand is facing backwards. I’ve only ever seen Haula do that in the NHL, and that’s also a guy I’ve compared him to.

 

[lokomotiv15]

Faceoffs are probably one of the skills that age-out the latest because it’s about forearm / grip strength, which peaks around 30, and extreme repitition.

Nothing I’ve seen concerns me about his FOs as a pro. Just needs to put in the work with a guy like Cullen. Probably won’t be a >50% guy right away, or for years.

The numbers are on WHL’s site but I’m pretty sure he’s above 50% the last 2 years, like 51% or 52%, while also taking a lot of them.

2023-24: 466 wins / 941 taken - 49.5%
2022-23 : 613 wins / 1169 taken - 52.4 %

Overall: 1079 wins / 2110 taken - 51.1 %

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I have zero issue with Ponomarev earning the third-line center job. I have been focused on Yager lately because a) he is currently still playing, and b) he has the most upside of any prospect we have had in a very long time.

That said, my whole point has always been that I want to see the three or four centers battling in camp for that No. 3 C role. Whether Yager wins the job or whether Poulin steps up or whether Ponomarev grabs it...all good to me.

In order for this to happen, Eller must be traded. Sullivan will NOT demote Eller to the fourth line as long as he is on the team.

 

[SEALBound]

It’s going to take a ton for Yager to make this roster. I’ll settle for someone like Poulin / Ponomarev making opening night.

I disagree but it comes with caveats. If the ONLY option is NHL or WHL AND Yager provides the same level of play as Poulin or Ponomarev, then you keep Yager on the roster. Poulin can be a HS while Pono can still be sent to WBS. Injuries happen frequently so it's not like Poulin is being scratched for 82 games. If he can go the AHL, all performances equal, you send him to the AHL.

But honestly, I don't see the roster being THAT full unless we make a couple other moves.

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunt-Geno-Raks
Yager-Pono-Puustinen/Koivunen
Poulin-Eller-Acciari

With there being about 10 different combos you can play with depending on how well some guys do.

 

[Gurglesons]

I disagree but it comes with caveats. If the ONLY option is NHL or WHL AND Yager provides the same level of play as Poulin or Ponomarev, then you keep Yager on the roster. Poulin can be a HS while Pono can still be sent to WBS. Injuries happen frequently so it's not like Poulin is being scratched for 82 games. If he can go the AHL, all performances equal, you send him to the AHL.

But honestly, I don't see the roster being THAT full unless we make a couple other moves.

DOC-Sid-Rust
Bunt-Geno-Raks
Yager-Pono-Puustinen/Koivunen
Poulin-Eller-Acciari

With there being about 10 different combos you can play with depending on how well some guys do.

Utilizing Yager for 6-9 minutes a night in a bottom six role is an easy way to ruin his development.

WHL is way more advantageous if it is that or NHL.

 

[SEALBound]

Utilizing Yager for 6-9 minutes a night in a bottom six role is an easy way to ruin his development.

WHL is way more advantageous if it is that or NHL.

Well gosh, what if it's 5-8 minutes? What then? What about 4-7 minutes! Egads, what about 3-6 minutes! We better resign Harkins, Carter, and see if Craig Adams still has the fire to do 25 minutes a night!