Your 2008-2009 Penguins - how do they look?

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 8:43 AM EDT in News

Let on by nothing more than a hunch and the available cap space, I presume the Penguins are done (for now) with some transactions and signings.

With that in mind - how do they look? Consider the strong sides, the weak sides and even the overall areas that may need improvement.

Plus, everyone's favorite game: take a stab at your predicted starting lines.

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IMO, we’ve got a much better team for opening day 2008 than we did last year. Here is a link to a FoxSports blog that gives Shero an A for his work. I agree.

2008 Lines.

Line 1
Crosby – Satan – Fedotenko

Line 2
Malkin – Puck Finn – Sykora

Line 3
Staal – Dupuis – Kennedy

Line 4
Talbot – Goddard – Cookie Monster

I think it’s possible that they’d split up Fedo and Satan, and possible move Puck Finn to line 1. But that all depends on how he pans out, I don’t think he’ll be on line 1 on opening day.

Defensive Pairings (a stab in the dark)

D1
Gonchar – Gill

D2
Orpik – Whitney

D3
Scuderi – Eaton

D4
Letang – Sydor

That’s a complete guess. I’m not sure how you space those guys out.

Goalie
MAF

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 9:01 AM EDT 0 recs

Also, I think it’s entirely possible that Dupuis ends up on line one with Pesonen . . . but then they’d still have to split up Fedo and Satan. So maybe Dupuis on Line 2 and Pesonen to Line 3?? Anything’s possible.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 9:03 AM EDT up 0 recs

And here I was thinking you’d nominate Sabourin for the starting role…

The lines look pretty solid. Knowing Therrien he’ll juggle them around anyways, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see a Kennedy-Dupuis and Pesonen on an all-speed line. That would just be sick.

And defensive pairing – meh, they’re always up in the air. If anything I’d expect Letang closer to the D3 or D2 regime, whereas Orpik may make more of a D3 kinda guy. Who knows?

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 9:35 AM EDT up 0 recs

Goalie: Ok, Sabo is a servicable back up, but he can ride the pine.

O-Lines: Who would play center on a Kennedy, Dupuis, Pesonen line? Kennedy? That would be interesting, and it would result in some tired opponents.

D-Lines: The reason I moved Letang down is I wanted a Defensive D-Man with an Offensive D-Man (Gill with Gonchar, Orpik with Whitney) though I think I might flip-flop the D3 & D4 lines. Those were kinda guess and check for me anyway.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 10:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Valid point on the defensive end.

I guess on a Kennedy-Dupuis-Pesonen line Kennedy would play center. I don’t think the position is natural to him though and therefore probably not likely – unless it’s one of those lines that comes out in a line change and just kinda bastardizes itself on the ice yet works with some sick efficiency.

I think I’d like to see another offensive D-guy in the Penguins’ corps. I don’t think it will happen, and no one in particular comes to mind, but if Gonchar should go down (God willing) not a single one of those guys can fill his role. They’d probably just shift Malkin to the point on the PP till he got better and settle for a double defensive-minded stack.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 11:26 AM EDT up 0 recs

Isn’t GoGo an offensive D-Man? as is Whitney. I agree that they couldn’t fulfill Gonchar’s skates completely, but Whitney at very least would be a serviceable replacement.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 12:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

He failed to impress me last season. That give-and-go play Whitney had worked out with Sid last season was money but he hardly hit the mesh. I think Whitney played a very lazy game in 2007/08 and really has to step it up in October. Right now he just strikes me as a guy who is taking up a big chunk of valuable cap space.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 12:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Whitney needs to be moved to Right D

I think that would really help his game. I’m thinking JD has the lines how they should be.

As for the O-lines, Crosby-Pesonen-Satan, Malking-Fedotenko-Sykora, Staal – Cooke – Dupius, Talbot-Kennedy-Godard.

A line of Staal-Cooke-Dupuis is going to be a shut down defensive forwards line in my opinion.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Jul 9, 2008 1:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Interesting. You opted to split Satan and Fedotenko up . . . I’m on the fence on that one.

As for Pesonen on Line 1, I’m concerned about how good he really is; he skates around people in Finland but can he do that here? He would definitely add a lot of speed to that first line, so I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him on L1.

The Staal-Cooke-Dupuis line would be a tough one for other teams to score on, and Talbot-Kenned-Godard would be a pain in the ass for sure.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 2:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

I opted for Pesonen on line 1

because he wouldn’t have to skate around players with the puck on the Crosby line… he could use his speed to keep up with Crosby and cash in on some passes from Crosby.

I basically consider Kennedy a Talbot-lite and I think their energy could be good for a 4th line… I honestly don’t see Godard playing much.. I think he’ll be a healthy scratch more often than Laraque was for the Pen last season.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Jul 9, 2008 2:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

That was kinda what I was thinking with having Pesonen on L1. Fact is, Crosby can make a star out of anyone around him. Ryan Malone should kickback at least $2 mil from his contract to Sid (not that he needs it) just because his market value went up after last season.

Not gonna lie – forgot about Cooke in the grand mix of things. He’s going to break some faces this year, that’s fo sho.

Imagining Kennedy-Talbot and Pesonen on the same line is sexy enough to have a signature name like “The Lightning Line.” Those guys are crazy fast.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 2:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

I want to see a Kennedy-Pesonen race. Those guys are a league above Talbot in terms of speed, and he’s one fast dude.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 9, 2008 4:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Who's faster

Dupuis or Kennedy? or Crosby?

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Jul 9, 2008 5:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

Kennedy is faster than Dupuis, hands down. Sid is fast, but I think Kennedy may even be faster than him. The one thing Crosby can do better than anyone those is transition between gears as if there is only a 1 and a 5, nothing in between.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jul 9, 2008 5:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don’t see Talbot spending the season as the 4th line center. I think we’ll see him with significant time on the wing of a top three line.

Kennedy is ridiculously speedy. I like him on that line with Staal, they have a good balance, Staal’s reach and Kennedy’s speed.

I want to see Crosby and Pesonen together on a line, but I’m also like to see him with Satan. I wouldn’t be averse to spliting up Satan and Fedotenko.

by Dayna on Jul 9, 2008 7:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

I never really noticed Kennedy's speed

maybe you get to see it in person… but on the TV, he didn’t seem really that fast… at least not hands down faster than Dupuis. Maybe I just didn’t pay enough attention to him.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Jul 10, 2008 12:12 AM EDT up 0 recs