Agree - it's almost as if ZAR thinks his spot is secure. I liked DiPauli's game, too. The only other thing I'll add to this and Rino is that Riikola is once again both good and bad and Warsofsky is meh at best. They are really thin at RD so I don't know why they are wasting time and a roster spot with Warsofsky at LD.
- Hockey66

Warsofsky is a decent AHL offensive dman. I'm sure they signed him with the intention of largely helping the baby Pens get some production from the back end. It's a pretty green group and Addison was sent to back to juniors. It's encouraging that Marino looks fairly skilled.

I can't stand WarSOFsky either, but our system is so thin in the PMD department.

Warsofsky is a decent AHL offensive dman. I'm sure they signed him with the intention of largely helping the baby Pens get some production from the back end. It's a pretty green group and Addison was sent to back to juniors. It's encouraging that Marino looks fairly skilled.

I can't stand WarSOFsky either, but our system is so thin in the PMD department.
- madmike71

I suspect Warsofsky is a nod to WBS, who don’t want to miss the playoffs again

Honestly I’m pretty happy with the kids showing so far. Right where I thought they’d be. Decent prospects with a lot of work ahead of them.

It’s the guys that were considered locks that have concerned me the most. Kahun plays like a mouse and ZAR has been complacent.

He seems like a Neal type. Which is good if he has the right line mates.
- Thorny87

Does he have random violent outbursts like Neal? I fully supported the Neal trade but not so accidentally kneeing Marchand in the back of his head pretty much endeared Neal to me forever. To bad Marchand was injured permanently from it.

Vensel- John Marino and Sam Lafferty are both playing tomorrow, too, which means all four #Penguins preseason games so far. FWIW, Juuso Riikola played all six last year and made the team.

Don't know about making the team, though I'm starting to give Lafferty a chance to replace ZAR, but those are the guys that are impressing
- Tojo.

Lafferty >> ZAR

I don’t get where the roster space is for Marino. I’ve been impressed by him, but I still think a year in the AHL will serve him well.

Agree - it's almost as if ZAR thinks his spot is secure. I liked DiPauli's game, too. The only other thing I'll add to this and Rino is that Riikola is once again both good and bad and Warsofsky is meh at best. They are really thin at RD so I don't know why they are wasting time and a roster spot with Warsofsky at LD.
- Hockey66

I see a lot of potential in Riikola, but he sometimes makes such boneheaded decisions. If he can learn to think the game faster he could be effective.

I thought this paragraph from Dom on Dzingel was a good explanation of the need to balance the ability to drive play with scoring ability. Canes tend to drive play but struggle to finish while the Pens and more so the Caps consistently outperform their analytics with their elite scoring talent. Thought it fits with a guy like Galchenyuk who'd be similar to Dzingel.

Dzingel is significantly more porous defensively and would be a risky signing on any team but this one. He’s projected to be Carolina’s worst defensive forward, but that should easily be masked on a well-structured team with the best defensive depth in the league. He makes up for it in providing a skill set the team is short on. He’s another finisher who has performed well above expectations over the past two seasons. In that span, he has 37 goals, over 12 more than expected off a 15.6 percent shooting percentage. The ratio between his goal rate and his expected goal rate is the 15th-best over the past two seasons. Dzingel is a second-line-caliber scorer and a savvy signing if the other warts in his game can be mitigated in the new system.

Mike DeFabo
@MikeDeFabo
·
3h
Sidney Crosby, who skated on his own yesterday, is on the ice in Cranberry for this morning's team practice. Coach Mike Sullivan said yesterday that there is no injury to manage. The team is simply managing his workload during camp.

This sounds so suspicious to me.

This sounds so suspicious to me.
- Rinosaur

I agree. Seems odd they'd be managing his workload before the season even starts

I agree. Seems odd they'd be managing his workload before the season even starts
- Thorny87

Maybe just a nod to age? Steelers have done that for a while with certain players like Ben to keep them fresh all year. Still, glad he's back at practice today.

Maybe just a nod to age? Steelers have done that for a while with certain players like Ben to keep them fresh all year. Still, glad he's back at practice today.
- Tojo.

Hopefully. He obviously doesn't need to prove anything but you'd think that whomever they have slotted to play the right side would want some preseason time with their line before the season starts.

I'm fearing the Penguins usual timeline of events:

No injury - Day to Day - Week to Week - Out indefinitely.

I agree. Seems odd they'd be managing his workload before the season even starts
- Thorny87

Wouldn't say that, he was already in fantastic shape before training camp - imo. just wise to take it easy on him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ-KatipL3o

Wouldn't say that, he was already in fantastic shape before training camp - imo. just wise to take it easy on him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ-KatipL3o
- VeryModernMan

Marino facing his biggest challenge yet... he's being paired with Johnson.

Marino facing his biggest challenge yet... he's being paired with Johnson.
- Rinosaur

If he has another strong game he should make the team then!

If he has another strong game he should make the team then!
- Tojo.

I don't really see the roster space. Don't Ruhwedel and Riikola have one-way contracts?

I don't really see the roster space. Don't Ruhwedel and Riikola have one-way contracts?
- Rinosaur

I was being sarcastic, I agree. I wouldn't want Marino to be on the roster unless he's starting anyways, and the right side is set with Letang, Schultz, and Gudbranson for now.

If I were Ruhwedel though, I'd be worried. With Marino and Trotman behind him, and Riikola playing a little on the right, he might be the cap casualty. The 23 guys everyone expects on the team don't quite fit.

Nice goal

I was being sarcastic, I agree. I wouldn't want Marino to be on the roster unless he's starting anyways, and the right side is set with Letang, Schultz, and Gudbranson for now.

If I were Ruhwedel though, I'd be worried. With Marino and Trotman behind him, and Riikola playing a little on the right, he might be the cap casualty. The 23 guys everyone expects on the team don't quite fit.
- Tojo.

It's going to be interesting to see how things shake out as the season goes on.

Early, but ZAR looks more interested in earning a spot.

And how about Dumoulin jumping up while playing his off-side!

Early, but ZAR looks more interested in earning a spot.

And how about Dumoulin jumping up while playing his off-side!
- Tojo.

Seriously? Obviously I'm his toughest critic here, but I thought he's looked no different.

Seriously? Obviously I'm his toughest critic here, but I thought he's looked no different.
- Rinosaur

The big hit that set up the goal hasn't been there. He needs to bring that and show up on the score sheet. He's not going to outskate the other forwards, but he does have better size and hands than the guys chasing him for a spot.

The big hit that set up the goal hasn't been there. He needs to bring that and show up on the score sheet. He's not going to outskate the other forwards, but he does have better size and hands than the guys chasing him for a spot.
- Tojo.

Yes, that hit set things up, but that's not going to work for him all the time. I'll just stop lol

Simon and Blueger have both looked good so far. Rusty still invisible for the most part.

I don't really see the roster space. Don't Ruhwedel and Riikola have one-way contracts?
- Rinosaur

They can be demoted to the AHL anyways, just get higher paychecks.

In other news, we signed Poulin today, which brings us exactly into the 50/50 contract limit.