Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects Thread

[Peat]

What's up with the HF Pens page? It looks like it hasn't been updated in two years.

Was Mike Johnston is charge or something?

They don't upkeep the main site anymore. Shame because I always found it quite useful.


Baby Pens watchers - did any of the guys down there look like they might force their way up here next season?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

It probably hasn't been. That portion of the site was closed a while ago. Most of it's still up, but it's essentially an archive now. All that's left are the boards.

Yes, Hockey's Future is just a message board at this point in time...sadly.

 

[WayneSid9987]

They don't upkeep the main site anymore. Shame because I always found it quite useful.


Baby Pens watchers - did any of the guys down there look like they might force their way up here next season?

The usual suspects:

Sunny - up and down year. dealt with injuries again that slowed him down imo.
Bleuger - he gains a step more explosiveness and he could hold his own at the next level imo.
Sprong - didn't play a WB game this year but yea, obvious one.
Pouliot - not totally giving up on him. All thats left in his development is being a stable defender at the next level and he'll stick.
And of course Archy. NHL speed already. Loves to compete/get his nose dirty.
ETA: Forgot Corrado. He could easily push for a spot. pooh and him are rfa's.
Might as well put Jarry here too with his strong season.
I'll put Simon with this group too but his defensive prowess isn't up there with the Sunny's and Bleuger's.

Guys i'm curious about:

ZAR and if he was healthy...Bengtsson. Really hope Bengt's can get past his illness and see what he fully brings.

Guys with speed and some smarts:

Josephs and if he signs, Tiffels. Need to see them play more at the A level.

And i'll get a better read on Taylor/Zink next season.
Whether they can push themselves up with the other names or not.

Prow improved this season but i dunno if he'll push himself to the next level or be AHL only.

 

[froods]

The usual suspects:

Sunny - up and down year. dealt with injuries again that slowed him down imo.
Bleuger - he gains a step more explosiveness and he could hold his own at the next level imo.
Sprong - didn't play a WB game this year but yea, obvious one.
Pouliot - not totally giving up on him. All thats left in his development is being a stable defender at the next level and he'll stick.
And of course Archy. NHL speed already. Loves to compete/get his nose dirty.
ETA: Forgot Corrado. He could easily push for a spot. pooh and him are rfa's.
Might as well put Jarry here too with his strong season.
I'll put Simon with this group too but his defensive prowess isn't up there with the Sunny's and Bleuger's.

Guys i'm curious about:

ZAR and if he was healthy...Bengtsson. Really hope Bengt's can get past his illness and see what he fully brings.

Guys with speed and some smarts:

Josephs and if he signs, Tiffels. Need to see them play more at the A level.

And i'll get a better read on Taylor/Zink next season.
Whether they can push themselves up with the other names or not.

Prow improved this season but i dunno if he'll push himself to the next level or be AHL only.

What about DiPauli?

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

What about DiPauli?

Like Bengtsson he didn't play much so we will find out more next year.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Like Bengtsson he didn't play much so we will find out more next year.

Forgot to mention DiPauli, yea, Jimmy's correct.
He's small but his battle and speed level are good.
Really have to wait and see how he develops. Not enough games this season to get into a groove.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I feel bad for Bengtsson. My sister's got Lyme disease and that **** can be crippling.

Hope he can sort that out. Not even in terms of playing, but dealing with the effects moving forward.

 

[clefty]

It wasn't Lyme, it turned out to be some other type of weirdo disease the name of which I don't remember.

Anyway, Blaine Byron has two months now to decide whether or not he's an idiot. I mean, how messed up do you have to be to be a Penguins prospect right now to look at the organization and say, "Nope, not for me." Hope he understands he has a hell of a lot more to lose than we do.

 

[66-30-33]

It wasn't Lyme, it turned out to be some other type of weirdo disease the name of which I don't remember.

Anyway, Blaine Byron has two months now to decide whether or not he's an idiot. I mean, how messed up do you have to be to be a Penguins prospect right now to look at the organization and say, "Nope, not for me." Hope he understands he has a hell of a lot more to lose than we do.

I wonder if back to back cups will change his mind? if not then ohwell, wont be our loss at all. Maybe he just wants to sign with whatever his favourite team is, i'd rather go to a team that had back to back cups and will be looking for a few more within the next 5 years with the window we got.

 

[Peat]

I wonder if back to back cups will change his mind? if not then ohwell, wont be our loss at all. Maybe he just wants to sign with whatever his favourite team is, i'd rather go to a team that had back to back cups and will be looking for a few more within the next 5 years with the window we got.

It's not even the back to back cups, it's the fact this organisation has specialised in taking unheralded College prospects with wheels and turning them into NHLers over the last few years. I'd have thought we were the ideal landing spot for him and his abilities. I guess maybe he thinks the pipeline is too crowded? We'll see. Part of me wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't sign with the Pens, looks around free agency, then signs with us anyway.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

It's not even the back to back cups, it's the fact this organisation has specialised in taking unheralded College prospects with wheels and turning them into NHLers over the last few years. I'd have thought we were the ideal landing spot for him and his abilities. I guess maybe he thinks the pipeline is too crowded? We'll see. Part of me wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't sign with the Pens, looks around free agency, then signs with us anyway.

Even if it is too crowded...him seeing how well guys are doing when called up should be enough incentive to sign. We can't keep every one... Will let some walk thru FA and trade. He should want to play in the AHL for a couple years (wbs has done great at developing as well) and wait for his chance. Does well when called up and he can have a spot, or at worst...get his name out there for other teams.

I'd rather take that route(even its longer) and have a better probability at success.

 

[Peat]

Googling Byron to see what people thought of him currently, found a list of top 100 NHL prospects in the NCAA. Going through to see which of our boys are on it.

Pavylchev is 100 - http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/201...ncaa-96-100-zuhlsdorf-shine-kerfoot-pavlychev

Byron is 90 - http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/201...-in-the-ncaa-86-90-byron-johnson-gates-davies

Taylor at 83 - http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/201...caa-85-81-eyssimont-wall-louis-stewart-taylor

Aston-Reese in at 30 - http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/201...-26-30-gambrell-poehling-fox-woll-aston-reese

And that's our guys on that list.

And nice profile on Smirnov here - http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2017/5/23/15676074/denis-smirnov-2017-nhl-draft-profile - seen one of the mock drafts have us take him in the 5th

Even if it is too crowded...him seeing how well guys are doing when called up should be enough incentive to sign. We can't keep every one... Will let some walk thru FA and trade. He should want to play in the AHL for a couple years (wbs has done great at developing as well) and wait for his chance. Does well when called up and he can have a spot, or at worst...get his name out there for other teams.

I'd rather take that route(even its longer) and have a better probability at success.

Depends a bit whether he's playing wing or centre. If he's playing centre then it's a wasteland... it he's playing wing, there's already Sprong, Simon, Aston-Reese and Di Pauli ahead of him gunning for that call up at WBS alone.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

He plays a heavy game and he is consistently strong on pucks. He has four shorthanded goals this season. One of them, earlier in the season, he did great work along the wall to win a battle, killing time if nothing else. But, then he came away with the puck and scored.

The question some NHL teams will have is how heavy is game can be at the pro level when he's having to go up and down the sheet at the pace of pro hockey for 12-14 minutes a game.

At the next level, he's going to have to be a bottom six player, and all indications point to him being able to do just that. A lot of his goals have come off tip-ins, rebounds or looks in the slot where he's found a seam in the defense and received a good pass. Very few of his plays are of the highlight reel variety.

While he doesn't have the hands or elite speed to be a top six player, he can be a bottom six forward that does a good job in his own zone taking away time and space, and winning puck battles along the wall. He can cycle well down low, be a puck hound in all three zones, and push possession while he's out there. He can kill penalties and chip in offensively from time to time


Thats what's said about ZAR. Can see why he's compared to Hornqvist/Kunitz. They say he doesn't have the hands but if he can get those dirty goals around the net and add physicality (what JR wants and could be referring ZAR ) to the lineup then he'd be a great fit. Doesn't really matter if its in our bottom 6, with the way we use our lines. And he will start there but I don't buy that he can't be a top 6 guy because he doesn't get those highlight reel goals. Maybe for teams with a less skilled top 6, but playing with Crosby or Malkin we could have a Hornqvist clone. He's already produced everywhere he played.

 

[Vujtek]

Filip Gustavsson has signed ELC with the Penguins, according to CapFriendly.

 

[Asuna]

Filip Gustavsson has signed ELC with the Penguins, according to CapFriendly.

does that mean he's going to play in the ahl next season?

 

[Vujtek]

does that mean he's going to play in the ahl next season?

He still has one year remaining in his contract with the Swedish club so I'd say most likely he'll be loaned back there for next year. But he could now also play in AHL, so that's another possibility.

I think it would be best for his development to stay in Sweden for one more year, assuming he'd have a good chance to compete for #1 spot there. He's still eligible for U20 WJC and has a good chance to be starter for Sweden.

Edit. Well the Penguins' press release answers this question:

The deal will kick into effect when Gustavsson begins playing in North America. He will spend the 2017-18 season playing in his native Sweden.

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pens-sign-gustavsson/c-289956282

 

[chethejet]

Pens draft this year is still the start of the need to rebuild the farm especially on defense. Goalie depth is still good, but D is simply in need of more higher end prospects.

 

[#66]

Who gets credit for all the good changes to Jarry last season? Obviously Jarry for being so receptive but he looked like a totally different goalie.

Any word on when the Pens will hold prospect camp?

 

[WayneSid9987]

Who gets credit for all the good changes to Jarry last season? Obviously Jarry for being so receptive but he looked like a totally different goalie.

Any word on when the Pens will hold prospect camp?

I'd point to Mike Buckley. The guy they just promoted to head G coach and squeezed out Bales. Even made DeSmith a legit AHL starter.

No dates yet on Prospect Camp. Last years was June.29-July.2.
Maybe they go a little later after a 2nd consecutive short summer.

 

[#66]

I'd point to Mike Buckley. The guy they just promoted to head G coach and squeezed out Bales. Even made DeSmith a legit AHL starter.

No dates yet on Prospect Camp. Last years was June.29-July.2.
Maybe they go a little later after a 2nd consecutive short summer.

Thanks...

Yeah I went to UPMC over the weekend and they didnt know. I come from NJ but love coming to Pittsburgh over the summer... So Im always looking.

Im hoping they go back to a 5 on 5 game after last years 3 on 3 games.

Hoping to see Brendan Crawley.

 

[Jacob]

Who gets credit for all the good changes to Jarry last season? Obviously Jarry for being so receptive but he looked like a totally different goalie.

He did look better. Not nearly as deep in the crease and looked much bigger and taller in the butterfly.

 

[#66]

Seem like the prospects game is set for next weekend. Good time to get prospects sold on the city.

 

[deakka]

No surprise. But i saw a few dags ago Gustavsson is on the WJC camp roster. Its usually pretty close to the final team. Maybe a few chances at most.

He was a lock anyway. Lets hope he doesnt get passed by some of the other goalies. Gustavsson did play a game last year som age and experience will make it a att real chance he will be the starter unless he falls of a cliff.

 

[DegenX]

Seem like the prospects game is set for next weekend. Good time to get prospects sold on the city.

They've posted the schedule in an article on pens.com. Link

 

[jmelm]

Just watched the interview with Sexton (and Allvin) on the Pens' site discussing the draft picks. At the end, Sexton had a highly emphatic statement that Niclas Almari is going to play in Pittsburgh. That was a bit of a surprising statement for me and hopefully he's right about that, since probably few of us assumed he was a legitimate prospect. Fingers crossed.


Between him, Connor Hall, and all of the other D we drafted this year (all of whom are lefties, save for Reilly in the 7th round), we do have to start getting a couple of legit right-shooting D prospects though.