Ben Lovejoy and Luca Caputi sent back down to WBS, Brent Johnson practices

by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 11:45 AM EST in Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects

The Pens reassigned both Ben Lovejoy and Luca Caputi to WBS today.

Last week Hooks asked us, "Is Ben Lovejoy here to stay?" While he definitely laid out solid points as to why the Pens might keep a guy like Lovejoy on board, the real clincher came with the realization that this decision was up to GM Ray Shero and HC Dan Bylsma to decide. This may ultimately have more to do with the possibility that Brooks Orpik is hoping to return to the lineup tomorrow night. I don't think this is the last we'll see of Lovejoy.

As for Caputi, there was some speculation around these parts that he somehow found himself in the coach's doghouse. How he got there and why he stayed there is the real question, if it happened at all. Caputi looked like he was ready to fire out of the gate his first two games with the Pens. Then it was almost like his drive sort of tapered off a bit. Sure, maybe he was nursing an injury of sorts, but Dan Bylsma started by cutting his ice time and then ultimately scratching him from the lineup. If anyone knows what's up with Caputi it would be Bylsma. He coached the kid last year and probably has a better understanding of what keeps the kid ticking.

And finally, on a more positive note, Brent Johnson practiced with the Pens today and will most likely get the start tomorrow night against the Islanders. According to the Trib-Review, Marc-Andre Fleury did not practice today and remains out with a broken finger.

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Good news about Johnson. While he’s no Fleury, he’s solid and depnedable, and you could do with a lot worse with the Caps coming up this week.

by SlayerGhaleon on Jan 18, 2010 12:20 PM EST reply actions

He’s had a pretty good show in practically every outing this season. The Pens offense just has to play around him. They have a tendency of not really putting up any numbers when Johnson gets the start. Plus BJ used to play for the Caps, so maybe that gives him a little edge on some of the shooters. Maybe.

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by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe I am confused..

but wasn’t there talk about Lovejoy having to pass through waivers?

by xaryss on Jan 18, 2010 1:02 PM EST reply actions

WAS HE SENT DOWN TO AVOID WAIVERS?

by Ulf Murphy on Jan 18, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions

Possibly, I believe Lovejoy’s injury was deemed an emergency recall (due to Orpik’s injury) but if he would have played 10+ games or stayed up 30+ days then he would have have to pass through waivers.

Likely Lovejoy got sent down because there are 6 better defensemen in Pittsburgh (Gonchar, Letang, Goligoski, Orpik, McKee and Eaton). No sense in sitting him.

Pensburgh.com

"I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two." -- Alexandre Daigle

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 18, 2010 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

I thought he had to go through waivers to be sent back down to Wilkes-Barre..guess not.

by xaryss on Jan 18, 2010 2:30 PM EST reply actions

I think he signed two-way contract in the summer. I dont think you have to pass through waivers on a 2 way deal.

by genomachine-O on Jan 18, 2010 2:59 PM EST up reply actions

I could be wrong, but I cant imagine Lovejoy would have cleared waivers at this point.

by genomachine-O on Jan 18, 2010 3:00 PM EST up reply actions

That is incorrect, players on two-way contracts do have to pass through waivers.

Waivers are determined by a player’s age and total NHL games played.

Pensburgh.com

"I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two." -- Alexandre Daigle

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 18, 2010 4:23 PM EST up reply actions

so Hooks, did he go through waivers to be reassigned?

by xaryss on Jan 18, 2010 7:33 PM EST up reply actions

No mention of him on waivers, I don’t believe he was.

As I said above, Lovejoy was likely an “emergency re-call” (for the Orpik injury) so that means, for a limited time, he doesn’t have to pass through waivers.

John Curry (to replace Brent Johnson) is in the same ship.

Pensburgh.com

"I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two." -- Alexandre Daigle

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 18, 2010 8:02 PM EST up reply actions

oh okay, that makes a little more sense. I did not realize that they would not have to go through waivers if they did not stay up for a certain period of time.

by xaryss on Jan 19, 2010 8:21 AM EST up reply actions

I figured Lovejoy would have a 2-way contract, but for some reason I thought I remember seeing somewhere on pensburgh where he would have to pass through waivers. Who knows.

by xaryss on Jan 18, 2010 3:45 PM EST reply actions

A fracture by another name

A fracture is a break, a broken finger is a fractured finger!

by whoownthechiefs on Jan 18, 2010 4:25 PM EST reply actions

Good point.

(Frank’s not going to med school anytime soon).

Pensburgh.com

"I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two." -- Alexandre Daigle

by Hooks Orpik on Jan 18, 2010 4:27 PM EST up reply actions

I live

for stuff like this. LOL!!! Go Pens!

by CGNC on Jan 18, 2010 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for the input. But on that note, if something is labeled a “minor fracture” then isn’t it a “minor break,” whereby it wouldn’t matter much because it’s “still broken?”

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by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions

If it ain't broke...

by Ulf Murphy on Jan 18, 2010 9:12 PM EST up reply actions

I’m reading this with interest because my doctor just told me that I may have fractured a bone in my foot (x-ray scheduled for tomorrow) and, being ignorant of medical stuff, I thought that meant it wasn’t as bad as breaking a bone… then I click my favorite Penguins blog and realize it might be the same thing. Ooops.

by Cari on Jan 18, 2010 8:15 PM EST up reply actions

I think I remember someone telling me the same thing once before, that a fracture was a break. I googled it, like any curious person would do, and that does seem to be the case. But I fractured my nose once though and was told “Well, it’s not broken, just a slight fracture,” so now I think I might have to reconsider the qualifications of my doctor.

But, like Hooks said, I’m definitely not gearing up for med school of any kind. This, for the sake of all, is a good thing.

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by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 10:22 PM EST up reply actions

There is only cartilage in your nose, no bones. When I broke mine (and once since) the doctor told me I fractured it and I asked how. I remember him telling me the cartilage was fractured but broken only referred to bones. Not very technical, but I was 13 the first time it happened.

Did you ever see a skull? only a hole for the nose, nothing protruding. The cartilage decompaoses like skin.

by Ulf Murphy on Jan 18, 2010 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

ah, so the doc wasn’t wrong in my diagnosis. I unfortunately just used that as a living example of a difference between broken and fractured. Figures. Thankfully I’ve never broken a bone in my body, but if anyone ever needs a lesson on ankle sprains I gotcha covered.

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by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 10:44 PM EST up reply actions

Hello...this is totally off topic...but I had a question.

With all the other “stuff” the Canucks have been dealing with before and after our game with the Pens on Sat….there has been too much of a "s#!%strom to really bring it up too much.

But I wanted to ask, and I am not trolling…does Malkin do that stuff all the time? Get frustrated in a game he is down and run someone from behind into the boards? It looked like he got pissed that Sid wasn’t going to be getting the pass to him when he had some space in front, and after Mitchell took the puck, he just said… Meh…its over anyhow…and ran him

I love his talent, and think he is a great player, even though he was slumping before that “artistic masterpiece” against Luongo.. ;-)

Just wondering…

BTW…Lovejoy played pretty well in that game…well, considering the score…a solid young defenseman you guys have there…

His repeated use of this sentence suggests he thinks it’s more pithy, profound and powerful than it actually is. I’m not sure exactly what it means: "I’m being insulted because I was clear"? "I appeared to be insulting Burrows but actually I was just being clear"?

Greek to me. He may as well have said "Turnips are the price of sincerity." Or "Vaseline is the price of getting *****ed."

by vancitydan on Jan 18, 2010 10:44 PM EST reply actions

Hey there.

Malkin gets a lot of crap for stuff like that. It’s not normal per se but he’s done it a time or two before. It’s just that every time he does it’s blown so far out of proportion by media and blogs that it would seem like he does it every other game. No, I wouldn’t say he does it a lot but if I were a Canucks fan I can see how it would look like he did it on purpose. It’s hard to say because he can play a physical game (and it’s something I wish he’d do more of, frankly), so when he does use his body you can really be taken back by how far a guy can fly.

Malkin was going to hit Mitchell regardless. The puck, if I remember, was at Mitchell’s feet. So one could argue that Malkin was trying to knock him off the puck. It also looked as if Mitchell was losing his footing just as Malkin hit him and the ending resulted in a glassy-eyed Mitchell and 2 minutes in the box. I don’t think he goes out there with the intent to hurt. But his frustrations have been mounting as of late so if his goal-scoring touch is a bit out of character I guess there’s a possibility he’ll be out of character elsewhere as well.

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by FrankD on Jan 18, 2010 10:48 PM EST up reply actions

2 minutes in the box by yourself. You feel shame…Then u get free.

by stoopidtom on Jan 19, 2010 12:04 AM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Well…and THX BTW, I thought so, in regards to Geno, he seems to hit with ill will sometimes.

I don’t have a problem with that at all. In this case though, he hit the guy in the numbers, his back was to Geno. It looked like frustration to me, because it was a time where he had some space that Mitchell had just vacated, and then when Willie took the puck, it wasn’t as much to get it, as it was to take out some angst.

But that is hockey semantics 101…fans look at it from their own POV…totally OK with that too.

Don’t forget though Frank, that a penalty was called immediately because of the hit. The only reason it was 4-4 is that Glass took a gloved punch to Malkin’s face to even it up.

Not that there is anything wrong with that!

"Insult is the price of clarity"

Greek to me. He may as well have said "Turnips are the price of sincerity." Or "Vaseline is the price of getting *****ed."

by vancitydan on Jan 18, 2010 10:54 PM EST reply actions