Penguins Sleepers & Busts: From a Fantasy Perspective
Sleepers (Goalie):
If Tomas Vokoun is a sleeper in the traditional sense to you after 14 NHL campaigns, you probably should pick a pastime other than fantasy hockey. That said, his role in Pittsburgh could pay big dividends. Marc-Andre Fleury is the starter but the organization brought Vokoun in on a two-year contract to challenge the Flower. GM Ray Shero said after the season that Fleury likely played too many regular season games, even though he won a career-high 42 contests. As a result, Vokoun figures to start 25 or so games in a perfect world. If Fleury struggles again -- as he did the last three weeks of 2011-12 – then Vokoun could see extended runs for weeks at a time. At 36, Vokoun presents an injury risk of his own, but fantasy owners which pick Vokoun up on the cheap could be in for a nice return.
Sleepers (Center):
When you’ve got Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as your top two centers, potential sleepers aren’t likely to come from the center spot. Rookie centerman Joe Vitale added grit and performed adequately in the faceoff circle last year, but he totaled 14 points in 68 games.
With Jordan Staal gone to Carolina, Brandon Sutter takes over as the team’s number three center. Sutter might not have the offensive upside Staal does, but he’s averaged 34 points in three full seasons and is still just 23. Sutter has registered only 16 power-play points in his career but is expected to see time on the Pens’ second unit.
Sleeper (Winger):
The eternal prospect, Eric Tangradi, is still just 23 years-old. The Penguins asked him to lose weight and improve his skating over the summer and reports have him doing both. He’s in line for a potential top-six forward spot so long as the team doesn’t use its newfound salary cap space. It would be surprising to see Pittsburgh stick with the same roster all season long, but Tangradi could have a say in the dealings with a strong camp.
California native, Beau Bennett, is the team’s other top sleeper prospect, but he’s more of the long-term variety. Bennett turned pro over the summer after suiting up for just 13 games at the University of Denver in 2011-12. Pens coach Dan Bylsma mentioned him as a possible winger for Sidney Crosby out of training camp, but that was before Bennett admitted his surgically-repaired wrist might still not be 100 percent healthy during the team’s developmental camp. He is the Pens’ top offensive prospect.
Sleepers (Defensemen):
Pittsburgh traded away one of its top-four blueliners (Zbynek Michalek) during the NHL draft and employs the offensively-challenged Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik, meaning that there is plenty of room for a defenseman or two to step up with increased playing time in 2012-13. Simon Despres, the organization’s number-one pick in 2009, seems primed for a regular shift after getting his feet wet with 18 games last season.
Despres scored only five goals and 15 points in 44 AHL games before collecting four points (1G, 3A) with the Pens, but it’s important to remember that 2011-12 was his first pro season. He scored 41 points (13G, 28G) in 47 QMJHL games two years ago.
Joe Morrow will get his first taste of pro action in the fall of 2012. Morrow nearly made the Pens out of camp a year ago. He can run a power play and isn’t afraid to mix things up. With the WHL Portland Winterhawks in 2011-12, the 19-year-old scored 64 points (17G, 47A) in 62 games. Most likely, Morrow will begin the year with AHL Wilkes-Barre, but he could prove useful as an ins-season callup. He may even be more valuable than Despres in keeper leagues.
Career-Year Bust:
Pascal Dupuis fantasy owners likely profited handsomely in 2011-12. At 33 years of age, the winger broke the 50-point barrier for the first time in his 11 NHL seasons. Dupuis potted 25 goals and 59 points despite seeing mostly third-line action with little power-play time. Considering he averaged just under 16 goals in his first three seasons with Pittsburgh, expecting another 25 out of the penalty-killing specialist might be expecting too much.
Situational Bust:
Matt Cooke took advantage of a two-week run as Sidney Crosby’s linemate, contributing with seven goals in one six-game span. Cooke collected a career-high 19 goals in his 13th NHL campaign. While he was able to reform his on-ice persona – his PIMs dropped from 129 to 44 – it would be unwise to bank on another 19 goal season.
Merit Bust:
Paul Martin has averaged 26 points in two seasons with Pittsburgh and has never scored more than six goals in any of his eight NHL campaigns. His game is puck movement and he excels in transition. Unfortunately, Pens GM Ray Shero thought he was getting a player who could serve on a power-play point but instead signed a blueliner whose slap shot is feared by no one. Martin’s name in fantasy drafts is annually called before his offensive production warrants.
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The Penguins’ Web site features a meaningful article entitled
Vitale, Cooke Inspired by Trip to Haiti.
Mission work is always so important. Some of you may remember the trip Zdeno Chara took to Africa. What’s interesting is the lack of mention of Jordan Staal in the headline, even though he’s front and center in the photo.
Staal might as well change his name to Fredo.
Fredo, you’re nothing to me now. You’re not a brother, you’re not a friend. I don’t want to know you or what you do. I don’t want to see you at the hotels, I don’t want you near my house. When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won’t be there. You understand? “ … You’re dead to me.
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Sidney Crosby hockey footage from a summer camp in Los Angeles, thanks to
Yahoo! Puck Daddy.
Great to see Crosby skating in traffic. Actually, it’s great just to see Crosby skating.
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Simon Despres and Max Talbot at a
hockey boot camp in Quebec.
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NHL 13 Eastern Conference player ratings, for your perusal, can be found
here.
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Washington Capitals goalie, Michal Neuvirth, spoke his mind over the summer while he was back in his Czech Republic home, according to
CBS Sports.
Neuvirth called his competition in goal, Braden Holtby, the weakest it’s been, that Tomas Vokoun and Sergei Varlamov were both better.
I'm definitely not saying that he (Holtby) is bad, not at all. I actually like the way he plays. But he is the worst of them three, that's all.
Neuvirth says that Alexander Ovechkin is a good teammate that smiles a lot, but …
He isn't what he used to be, that's for sure. And if a team like ours wants to have a chance in Stanley Cup, we need Ovi to be the best. We all expect that from him; he has to be the real leader. But it's hard you know, he achieved everything as a player. He was on absolute top, and then one can only fall down. I just hope that Ovi will stop falling and instead stops and maybe tries to get back on top.
Neuvirth also applauded Alexander Semin and then criticized him.
I see the leaving of Semin as a huge minus for the team, but then again I think it may do some good. He didn't have the best work ethic. Maybe now when Ovi will be without him, he will put more into hockey. I think it's nothing that isn't well known. If Semin wanted to, he could have been the best player in the world, but he doesn't want to every day. And that's wrong.
My take out of the interview? At least Neuvirth believes that Tomas Vokoun is a better goalie than Braden Holtby.
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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