BREAKING: Pens make 13 cuts, Eric Tangradi, Luca Caputi to Wilkes-Barre
by Hooks Orpik on Sep 23, 2009 11:26 AM EDT
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Eric Tangradi, who posted on twitter last night that he was jokingly embarassed about Pensburgh ribbing him about his interview skills, has just written on Twitter that he is "off to Wilkes-Barre".
The Penguins were expected to make cuts today, a day after back-to-back games in the past two nights gave them a chance to see nearly everyone still left in camp.
And from penguins.com:
Thirteen players have been assigned to the club’s top minor-league affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). They are forwards Wade Brookbank, Luca Caputi, Dustin Jeffrey, Nick Johnson, Konstantin Pushkarev, Wyatt Smith, Eric Tangradi, Joe Vitale and Tim Wallace, defensemen Robert Bortuzzo, Jonathan D’Aversa and Chris Lee and goaltender Brad Thiessen.
The Penguins have re-assigned 2009 first-round pick Simon Despres to Saint John of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
After the jump we take a look at who's left....
The moves leave the Penguins with 16 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders remaining in training camp. The updated roster is attached.
FORWARDS
Locks:
Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Bill Guerin
Ruslan Fedotenko-Evgeni Malkin-Tyler Kennedy
Matt Cooke-Jordan Staal-Pascal Dupuis
Mike Rupp, Eric Godard, Craig Adams
Forwards on the bubble (fighting for 1 or 2 spots): Ryan Bayda, Paul Bissonnette, Chris Conner
DEFENSE
Locks:
Brooks Orpik/Segei Gonchar
Mark Eaton/Kris Letang
Jay McKee/Alex Goligoski
Defensemen on the bubble (fighting for 1 or 2 spots): Nate Guenin, Ben Lovejoy, Deryk Engalland
Thoughts:
--Konsantin Pushkarev came to Pens camp on a tryout, will/has he agreed to go to Wilkes-Barre? Pushkarev could add some skill at some point, and given the lack of purely skilled wingers it'd be great for the organization if he doesn't bolt to Europe.
--The forwards still in the hunt (Bayda, Conner and Smith) all have a lot more NHL experience than the youngsters sent packing today (Caputi, Jeffrey, Johnson, Tangradi). It's clear the Pens want a vet for NHL depth and give the young guys a chance to develop by playing every night in the A rather than sitting in the press box in the NHL.
--Bissonnette was an unlikely player to make the NHL roster out of camp this year, and with Eric Godard AND Mike Rupp locked up he's even more unlikely to stick this season....But Biz Nasty's staying and a lot of his peers are again heading to the eastern part of the Commonwealth, he's surviving yet again.
--The Penguins don't list Deryk Engalland on their team page, but they didn't mention him getting cut and say there are 9 defensemen left, so I'm assuming he's still in play for an NHL job.
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he'll be back up this year
knew this was coming…but it was exciting to see him and sid play together…he didn’t look out of place at all
if he plays like he’s capable it’ll make it hard for the pens not to call him up sooner rather than later.
go pens!
by DREADS613 on Sep 23, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is clearly all my fault…
But in all honesty, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of him. I agree with dreads – he’ll make a few jumps this season. Next year with Guerin and Fedotenko off the books, there might be a prime spot open for ET.
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by FrankD on Sep 23, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I thought Tenks got a two year deal.
by PensFan024 on Sep 23, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nah, one year at $1.8 mill.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Sep 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have a feeling there is gonna be some roster turnover next year or the year after with som many talented young guys baning on the door. Pretty sure Godard and Rupp will probably be replaced with Biz Nasty. Dups, Adams, Kennedy, Talbot, Guerin, Tenks somethings got to give in this salary cap era.
by PensFan024 on Sep 23, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He’ll be better off getting primo Ice time in Wilkes Barre than he would skating on the 3rd or 4th line in Pittsburgh for 5 minutes a night, once a week or so.
by Max Powers on Sep 23, 2009 12:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. WB/S is the best place to develop, Tangradi’s only 20 as it is and the AHL should be good for his first season as a pro…To start it, at least.
In the past couple nights I thought Nick Johnson and Chris Conner (older more experienced guys) played very well and showed NHL level polish.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Sep 23, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Conner is fast as all hell.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Sep 23, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I think he’s my biggest surprise of the camp…I guess I didn’t expect much out of him, but he has some great wheels.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Sep 23, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
From NHL.com
WBS Penguins:
“Wade Brookbank, Luca Caputi, Dustin Jeffrey, Nick Johnson, Konstantin Pushkarev, Wyatt Smith, Eric Tangradi, Joe Vitale and Tim Wallace, defensemen Robert Bortuzzo, Jonathan D’Aversa and Chris Lee and goaltender Brad Thiessen.”
by Max Powers on Sep 23, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
WBS is gonna look a lot different this year. There’s still more cuts to come right?
by PensFan024 on Sep 23, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, 2-3 more forwards are gonna get cut and 1-2 more defensemen too, depending on in the Penguins want to go with 13 F/ 8 D or 14 F and 7 D.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Sep 23, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And:
“Simon Despres to Saint John of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)”
by Max Powers on Sep 23, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Is there a link to Tangradi’s Twitter.
by PensFan024 on Sep 23, 2009 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
http://www.twitter.com/erictangradi
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Sep 23, 2009 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks Frank. Glad to be back commenting again. I checked in most weekdays through the offseason, there just wasn’t much to talk about.
by PensFan024 on Sep 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No prob. Trust me, I don’t hold it against anyone for not commenting. Hooks and I had a hard enough time some days just finding something worth talking about. Glad to see everyone coming back around for the new season
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
by FrankD on Sep 23, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ll be in the minority here, but I don’t see the need in the post-lockout NHL to have an enforcer. I just don’t. Nobody uses them in the playoffs, why keep them in the regular season? I’m not saying there shouldn’t be fighting, but let the players who can bring both grit and skill do the fighting. Pretty much every Penguin on the team has shown that they’re more than willing to drop the gloves when need be. Why take up a spot or two on the 4th line that could be used by players who can put in a few goals.
In other words, I would have rather the Pens traded Godard and paid Sykora the paltry 1.something million he got from the Wild. Or bench Godard and give Caputi or Jeffrey a chance to get some NHL time. Same with Bissonnette.
by ipenguin67 on Sep 23, 2009 2:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The enforcer debate is a valid one. Personally, I think they’re best as a deterrent than anything else…This is strictly my opinion, but I believe Crosby/Malkin took a lot more physical abuse and post-whistle attention before the Pens traded for Georges Laraque (and then signed Godard when BGL left).
I would have rather the Pens traded Godard and paid Sykora the paltry 1.something million he got from the Wild.
I see your point, but the finances aren’t in line. Godard makes $750k, Sykora signed for $1.8 million. It’s a valid debate of roster usage, but it’s not like Eric Godard’s contract kept the Pens from being able to sign a better player.
I also think the Pens didn’t sign Mike Rupp to be an enforcer. He adds size and toughness naturally but I think they want to use him in a 4th line role as a “hockey player”, if you will, and not just a 3-4 minutes a night guy. Maybe a 7-9 minute a night guy.
Maybe Biz Nasty’s emergence is leading the Pens to consider shopping Godard though. I agree with you that no one really needs 2-3 “goons”— who let’s be honest — don’t have an NHL skill caliber.
Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*
*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night
by Hooks Orpik on Sep 23, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guenin and Guerin… when I’m watching games this year I’m going to be awfully confused.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are your Stanley Cup Champions!!
by jetpen89 on Sep 23, 2009 8:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Confusion
I’m thinking that, too, and for me, it sucks because I’m numeric-dyslexic and rely on being able to read names rather than numbers. I do wish sports teams would take their learning-disabled fans into account more, especially since there have been quite a few learning-disabled professional athletes.
"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007
by GreenEyedLilo on Sep 23, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I liked Tangradi lots, but it’s probably as well that he’s going to WBS just so he can develop experience and the Pens have a deeper well to draw from when needed. Conner’s impressed the hell out of me. I wouldn’t mind seeing him and/or Bayda make the cut.
As for Bissonette, well, maybe with Chris Pronger and Donald Brashear in the Atlantic Division, the Pens could use more nasty.
"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007
by GreenEyedLilo on Sep 23, 2009 10:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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