Another year, and the injuries keep mounting

[nossagog]

Well its another year, and it seems its the same old story for the Pens.  Man games lost piling up again, Vokoun, Bennet, Neal, Scuderi, Kobasew out now.  Testing the depth of the team just 10 games into the system.

 

 

[fishbulb]

If anyone's got the depth to deal with injuries, it's you guys.

 

As long as nothing happens to malkin or sid, you guys'll be fine.

[nossagog]

Gets hard to watch though, Malkin's line's a mess, he's lost Neal and Bennet, now Kobasew.   He's going through wingers left and right. Crosby can play with two planks of wood, but Malkin still needs skill to play with.

[fishbulb]

Crosby...playing with wood... come on Nos... you can't set me up like that!!

[Polaris922]

Haha! Problem is secondary scoring suffers. Malkin is struggling badly right now. Jokinen shows flashes but if other lines don't pick it up, we can't expect Crosby's line to do it all for the entire season.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Polaris922

[B21]

Well its another year, and it seems its the same old story for the Pens.  Man games lost piling up again, Vokoun, Bennet, Neal, Scuderi, Kobasew out now.  Testing the depth of the team just 10 games into the system.

 

Mike Tomlin is right when he talks about "next man up".  He's just talking about the wrong Pittsburgh team.

 

Exhibit 38: Jayson Megna.

[Samifan]

Mike Tomlin is right when he talks about "next man up".  He's just talking about the wrong Pittsburgh team.

 

Exhibit 38: Jayson Megna.

 

Pens problems are nothing compared to the **** going on with the Flyers.

[nossagog]

Looks like Rob Scuderi is close to returning(broken ankle). He's start to skate prior to practice with the conditioning coach.   Maybe a week or two away.

.

[Polaris922]

Scuds returning is good news. Orpik and Glass skating too, though I dunno if I want Glass back. He's been having a good season this year though ill give him that.

[nossagog]

Scuds returning is good news. Orpik and Glass skating too, though I dunno if I want Glass back. He's been having a good season this year though ill give him that.

 

I wouldn't read anything into Brooks skating.  Apparently he went out, skated around a couple of time, and went back in.   Glass and Scuds were doing condition, Brooks was just go see how it feels.

[nossagog]

The Pens just put Letang on the IR.  

 

So now our top 4 defenseman(Letang,Martin,Scuderi and Orpik) are on the IR, and number 6 is up for a suspension on Wed(Engelland).

Tonights lineup of defense against the Leafs will be:

Niskanen(27 years old) The vet

Matta(19 years old, 34 nhl games)

Bortuzzo(24 years old, 39 nhl games)

Despres(22 yeards old, 60 nhl games)

Doumulin(24 years old, 1 nhl game)

Samuallson(22 years, 0 nhl games

 

Add to that our whole second line of Neal-Malkin-Bennet will also be out of the lineur

 

Hope no one gets injured during the warmups.

[B21]

The Pens just put Letang on the IR.  

 

So now our top 4 defenseman(Letang,Martin,Scuderi and Orpik) are on the IR, and number 6 is up for a suspension on Wed(Engelland).

Tonights lineup of defense against the Leafs will be:

Niskanen(27 years old) The vet

Matta(19 years old, 34 nhl games)

Bortuzzo(24 years old, 39 nhl games)

Despres(22 yeards old, 60 nhl games)

Doumulin(24 years old, 1 nhl game)

Samuallson(22 years, 0 nhl games

 

Add to that our whole second line of Neal-Malkin-Bennet will also be out of the lineur

 

Hope no one gets injured during the warmups.

 

Total cap hit for that D: $6,093,334.

 

Out healthy forwards for tonight? Crosby, Kunitz, Dupuis, Jokkinen, Sutter, Adams, Vitale, Megna, Kobasew, Conner, Sill and Harry Z (just recalled). $24,716,667.

 

In other words, over 50% of our cap space is out tonight and it would appear the next 2-3 games.

[Polaris922]

But we keep on winning...

And some folks don't consider them a top squad in the NHL... Beating the Sharks with half an AHL lineup.

[B21]

But we keep on winning...

And some folks don't consider them a top squad in the NHL... Beating the Sharks with half an AHL lineup.

 

Certainly helps that Fleury is having a career year this point, too.  Granted - only the regular season but it's somewhat reassuring after the playoffs last year.

 

Pens fans have to love what they see from the AHLers.  The Sills and Conners and Megnas project out as nothing more than 3rd or 4th liners (if that) but...they are filling those roles as if they have years of experience. And that's what the Pens need in their pipeline since 5 of our top 6 forwards are all signed for at least another 3 seasons.

 

Maatta, Dumoulin and now even Depres are making good decisions with the puck and are showing a lot of composure under pressure...especially Maatta.  We've gone 11 deep on D this year and Harrington still hasn't gotten his cup of coffee in the NHL.

[Polaris922]

Certainly helps that Fleury is having a career year this point, too. Granted - only the regular season but it's somewhat reassuring after the playoffs last year.

Pens fans have to love what they see from the AHLers. The Sills and Conners and Megnas project out as nothing more than 3rd or 4th liners (if that) but...they are filling those roles as if they have years of experience. And that's what the Pens need in their pipeline since 5 of our top 6 forwards are all signed for at least another 3 seasons.

Maatta, Dumoulin and now even Depres are making good decisions with the puck and are showing a lot of composure under pressure...especially Maatta. We've gone 11 deep on D this year and Harrington still hasn't gotten his cup of coffee in the NHL.

The defense is extremely encouraging, with youth and talent deep into the pipeline it affords the luxury of cap space for scoring talent up front.

[B21]

The defense is extremely encouraging, with youth and talent deep into the pipeline it affords the luxury of cap space for scoring talent up front.

 

Bingo.  I'd like to think this is all part of Sheros's master plan.  Ink the forwards long term. Stock the system with defencemen.  Next few drafts - stock the system with forwards. 

 

Lathers, rinse and repeat.

 

Don't look past the depth in the net, either.  Small sample but Zatkoff could prove to be a capable back-up.  Tristan Jarry has a 2.05 GAA and .923 SV% with 4 SO with Edmonton in the WHL.  Hartzell is at 2.00/.923/2 SO with the Baby Pens.

[nossagog]

Megna out with a lower body injury for the Rags on Wednesday.  when with the first wheeling player make it into the lineup.

[nossagog]

Malking also out for Wednesday's game against the Rangers.   Tonight's lineup for the Pens:

 

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Zolnierczyk-Jokinen-Gibbons
Conner-Sutter-Vitale
Adams-Sill-Kobasew

Niskanen-Maatta
Dumoulin-Bortuzzo
Samuelsson-Despres

Definitely not something that strikes fear into  the hearts of opponents.  

[Polaris922]

Malking also out for Wednesday's game against the Rangers. Tonight's lineup for the Pens:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis

Zolnierczyk-Jokinen-Gibbons

Conner-Sutter-Vitale

Adams-Sill-Kobasew

Niskanen-Maatta

Dumoulin-Bortuzzo

Samuelsson-Despres

Definitely not something that strikes fear into the hearts of opponents.

True... But they just beat Toronto with pretty much the same lineup. Toronto always plays us tough and just crushed the Hawks too. I'll take it and see if we can keep the Rags' woes going!

[jammer2]

@Polaris922  What is amazing is not all the injuries, but how significant they all are, it's what....10 guys on IR now...unreal. The fact they are (for the most part) not skipping a beat is an amazing testament to Shero and how he keeps this team stacked. 

[Polaris922]

@Polaris922 What is amazing is not all the injuries, but how significant they all are, it's what....10 guys on IR now...unreal. The fact they are (for the most part) not skipping a beat is an amazing testament to Shero and how he keeps this team stacked.

I have to say I'm most impressed with the young defense. The forwards aren't tearing up the scoresheet but they're fast and putting pressure on opponents keeping them focused on stopping our speed more than scoring. But the defense has been stellar. Young kids way ahead of their development curve right now it looks. The future is bright at the blue line.

[nossagog]

I have to say I'm most impressed with the young defense. The forwards aren't tearing up the scoresheet but they're fast and putting pressure on opponents keeping them focused on stopping our speed more than scoring. But the defense has been stellar. Young kids way ahead of their development curve right now it looks. The future is bright at the blue line.

 

Polaris, tonight we were pretty lucky that it was the Rangers tha twe were playing. The inexperience of some of the defenders showed tonight, but we didn't get burned by it.  I think that for the next week, the Pens are going to see a hard forecheck pressure.  Samuelsona and Doumolin were specific a little shaky when pressured.

 

Granted, they ARE mostly just 23(our less) years old, and shows what with futher time, they will just keep getting better, but tossing them all in there at once is quite unnerving at times.

[jammer2]

@nossagog  Doumolin was shaky when under pressure, but I saw a lot of positives also, I think this kid could be a real solid contributor down the road.

[mojo1917]

The no name 3rd and 4th lines did just fine in keeping the Rags off the score sheet,  there appears to be no room and little time in the Penguin defensive zone. Good for those young guys, they looked good, hopefully the pressure of having to carry the scoring load doesn't weigh on the Crosby line too much.

[nossagog]

@nossagog  Doumolin was shaky when under pressure, but I saw a lot of positives also, I think this kid could be a real solid contributor down the road.

Don't get me wrong, thrown into this situation, I KNOW they are going to look shaky, but am very happy on how they are playing.   Doesn't make me feel good about it as I'm watching it.  There were alot of positives from all of them.