I'll admit, when I watched Medvedev in the pre season, I got excited about his skill level. I thought he could make an impact. For a handful of games, he did. Otherwise, he was very inconsistent, not at all good away from the puck, and didn't have the trust of his coach to play him. It was worth a shot, but it just didn't work out. The KHL is a better place for him than the NHL.
- MJL

I agree with all of this but on the flip side, I think he deserved more rope. Vinny, Brayden and Luke, it seemed like the only player to get out of Hakstol's doghouse was Brayden who had to play out of his mind to redeem himself.

And we all know the players I named are far from perfect but still NHLers.

I think you said it best 2 days ago. Pre season isn't much in comparison to regular season.

I agree with all of this but on the flip side, I think he deserved more rope. Vinny, Brayden and Luke, it seemed like the only player to get out of Hakstol's doghouse was Brayden who had to play out of his mind to redeem himself.

And we all know the players I named are far from perfect but still NHLers.

I think you said it best 2 days ago. Pre season isn't much in comparison to regular season.
- roenick97

I don't beleive that Brayden Schenn was ever in Hakstol's doghouse.

I don't beleive that Brayden Schenn was ever in Hakstol's doghouse.
- MJL

That 5th line stuff during camp I thought was a pretty good indication of how highly he thought of a top 6 forward, matched up with players who clearly were bubble players.

That 5th line stuff during camp I thought was a pretty good indication of how highly he thought of a top 6 forward, matched up with players who clearly were bubble players.
- roenick97

Nothing but simple motivation and or looking at different combinations. Are you seriously going to tell me that a new coach who has never coached any of those players is going to come into training camp and place a player he really doesn't know, in his doghouse? If you think that was about placing a player in the coaches doghouse, I think you misread that situation in my opinion.

Game 1 of the season, only Giroux, Couturier, and Voracek played more minutes among forwards, than Schenn.

Really? No Phil Kessel? WTF! I wasn't paying attention, obviously. But I just assumed...
- WhirlingDervish

After years of producing on the league's worst team to basically being the Pens best player and winning a Stanly Cup in the playoffs, how is this guy still criminally underrated?

Nothing but simple motivation and or looking at different combinations. Are you seriously going to tell me that a new coach who has never coached any of those players is going to come into training camp and place a player he really doesn't know, in his doghouse? If you think that was about placing a player in the coaches doghouse, I think you misread that situation in my opinion.

Game 1 of the season, only Giroux, Couturier, and Voracek played more minutes among forwards, than Schenn.
- MJL

I think a lot of players including his boy Chris Vandevelde is over utilized, while others get sat one game later by making a basic mistake. Luke Schenn was far from perfect but I felt he improved from the season prior but Luke was more so the victim of the direction the team is headed in. I say this of course with the understanding that both Grossmann and Schenn are currently unemployed.

Speaking of which, I think I'll be more comfortable with the direction of the team after our young defense all come up.

MacDonald played okay at the end of last season. There's an off chance he worked hard this summer, becomes a consistent player, and gets a team to send us a 2nd round pick and take at least $3.5 mil of his contract.

MacDonald played okay at the end of last season. There's an off chance he worked hard this summer, becomes a consistent player, and gets a team to send us a 2nd round pick and take at least $3.5 mil of his contract.
- MountainHockey

There's also an off chance Led Zeppelin will get back together.