Trending Up/Trending down v.3
by Hooks Orpik on Mar 17, 2010 11:01 AM EDT
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We haven't done this in a while, but before the current three games in four days, let's take a look at some players going in the right and wrong direction.
Trending Up:
Pascal Dupuis: 7 points in the 7 post-Olympic games (including a 5 game point streak). He's clawed his way into a valuable role with the Penguins and is three goals away from tying a personal season best.
Jordan Staal: Also has seven points in the last seven games. Considering the Pens have scored 22 as a team over this period, that's an incredible contribution from a guy who's asked to do a lot defensively.
Sergei Gonchar: 2 goals, 4 assists post-Olympics, but more importantly is how they're coming. The Pens have 7 power play goals in the last seven games, and Gonchar's figured in on six of the scores.
Jordan Leopold: The Pens have given up 12 goals in the past five games, but Leopold hasn't been on the ice when a goal has gone in against. Leopold has an assist and is a +6 over this stretch, and how about this: he only has taken 1 minor penalty in the calendar year of 2010 (a stretch of 27 games for him). Quietly, this might shape up to be one of Ray Shero's best trade-deadline pickups ever. And given who he's brought in over the years, that's no small compliment.
Marc-Andre Fleury: .934 save percentage in his last three outings. Mr. March (and beyond) is heating up right on cue.
Trending Down:
Max Talbot: Pointless in the first six post-Olympic games and a healthy scratch in the seventh. It's shaping up to be a truly lost year for Talbot.
Tyler Kennedy: Hasn't scored a goal in 17 games (dating back to January 14th) and his place in the lineup could be in jeopary. He's recently been getting time at center, will that help turn things around?
Ruslan Fedotenko: Playing almost exclusively on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Alexei Ponikarovsky, Fedotenko's In Lou We Trustnow on a five game pointless streak and looking like an anchor at times out there. How much longer can he get top 6 minutes with zero production?
Matt Cooke: At the Olympic break Cooke was looking like a must re-sign as a valuable 3rd liner, top PK'er and reasonable point contributor. But after his dastardly hit on Marc Savard dropped his reputation very low (even having teammates say his actions should have merited a suspension), how will that affect his signability this summer? Also, not for nothing, Cooke's only got 5 points (2g, 3a) in his last 16 games and a big-time target on his back tomorrow night in Boston.
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I still think Cooke is a “must have back” next season, for the right price. He is great at killing penalties and can score semi-regularly… Feds is as good as gone, and i’m not really impressed with Poni-Boy yet. Maybe it’s because Feds is sucking so badly, but I just don’t see the skill yet. Big body yes, goal scoring, no.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Penguins can look past Cooke’s transgressions and if they will sign him again, basically endorsing him and his style of play.
I get the feeling he doesn’t have too much support from management these days
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
by Hooks Orpik on Mar 17, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
IDK about that. If Cooke keeps playing the way hes played all year, I dont see how a hit, that he didnt get suspended for, would change managements mind. They love 99% of what Cooke brings to the team, they knew what that 1% was all about before they signed him, its not a surprise.
When everyone is healthy, Dupuis has to go on the second line. They cant just put Fedotenko there because of what he did last year only. Fed’s is too far off his point production from last year, but he was playing a real solid game at this time last year and starting to find his groove. Lately he has been absolutely killing the second line. They cant keep any O zone time with the way hes been playing. Hes losing most of the battles for the puck, making bad turnovers and not scoring. I dont know how anyone can justify him getting a chance in the top six ahead of Duper.
by genomachine-O on Mar 17, 2010 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Feds
Feds has been playing really hard lately. He is all over the ice and is hitting like crazy. Both he and Geno are down in point production and in shot percentage this year. Both are taking tons of shots, just nothing is going in. Not hating on Geno, but he has not been as notable this season either. So, how much of Feds problem is Geno and visa versa?
So, how much of Feds problem is Geno and visa versa?
Malkin still has 67 points in 62 games. That’s a down year for him, but that’s still excellent production.
Fedotenko, despite playing almost exclusively with Malkin at even strength has 9 goals and 16 assists in 67 games.
I’d say it’s easy to spot the anchor.
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
I agree. We definitely need him back. His forechecking and penalty killing go unnoticed by many because they are too busy looking for other things. He’s having a great year. What’s interesting is that he’s never in the conversation when it comes to healthy scratches (except to spare the Carnage in Boston on Thursday, but Disco pretty much guaranteed he would be in the lineup).
by eurydice_krg on Mar 17, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
The problem with the way he’s played all year (while it has been good), is that it also includes 2 headshots and a suspension.
Daymond Langkow, November 2007 — concussion (hit from behind into boards)
James Wisniewski, November 2007 — concussion, face stitches (hit from behind into boards)
Petteri Nummelin, November 2007 — concussion, broken nose (hit from behind into boards)
Vincent Lecavalier, March 2008 —torn shoulder
Scott Walker, January 2009 — concussion
Zach Bogosian, March 2009 — knee
Eric Cole, May 2009 — knee
Shean Donovan, November 2009 — torn ACL
Artem Anisimov, November 2009 — "bell rung"
This is all before Marc Savard, March 2010, and I doubt it’s exhaustive
Is that something you want to reward with a contract? And given that body of work, obviously there’s going to be more questionable plays in the future.
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
You are forgetting that 4 of those were pre-Penguins… They signed him knowing that was his style of play. There are no boarding type infractions since joining the team. I don’t feel at all that management is unhappy with him. That’s my opinion, that’s all.
BTW, do they teach players in Washington how to shove people into the boards ala Cooke and Ovie?
I don’t feel at all that management is unhappy with him.
We’ll see. When Cooke doesn’t cross the line there’s no doubt he’s playing his role to a T. I can’t see the questionable stuff endearing himself to management.
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
by Hooks Orpik on Mar 17, 2010 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
But they gave him a contract in the first place knowing this is the kind of stuff that comes with him. Hes a aggitator and dirty, but they were well aware of that before they signed him. The Pens could survive with out him, but I still think they will try to resign him, probably with a salary cut. Your wording just made it seem like the Pens didnt expect anything like that to happen, when they did
by genomachine-O on Mar 17, 2010 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Better to have Cooke doing that to the Opposition
Seriously, if I’m a Penguin, I want him on my team — not, say, the Devils or the Caps or the Flyers.
The NHL has been pretty clear about hits from behind into the boards and you he’s stopped.
The NHL is going to be clear about “head shots” and I believe that Cooke will adjust his game.
He’s good on the PK and the forecheck and has great chemistry w/ Staal and TK.
Re-Sign him. Please.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5reSOp5LCV8
I could easily say none of these were “late hits” In all cases the player had gotten rid of the puck within 1 second of the hit. And he didn’t charge or skate into them, he glided.
From the list above..
I can’t bring to mind all of the plays listed above, but the one that gets the most notoriety is the Lecavalier hit. Although I will agree that it was interference, it was hardly dirty. Don Cherry in his rant made the comment that he was clearly going for his head. It was shoulder on shoulder! From Cooke’s perspective, it looked as if the puck was going to come to Vinnie. He just misjudged the timing.
The Bogosian hit was clean (It’s interesting which video feed you watch on that one. The Pittsburgh feed shows a much better angle). The Donovan hit was clean (body on body, no stuck out knee). The Cole hit was clean (just because legs collide, doesn’t make it dirty).
I can’t speak to anything he did in Vancouver. I’ve not seen anything. But I think much of what gets labeled “dirty” by Cooke is not.
by eurydice_krg on Mar 17, 2010 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions
The whole "Cooke Rift" thing is a bunch of hot air
There has been speculation by the media and fans about a supposed rift growing amongst Cooke and his teammates based solely on Billy Guerin’s comments about the hit. One can be critical of one’s teammates without burning any bridges. This is a very tight nit group that won a Cup together and much of their success is based on team chemistry.
From their play on the ice, there certainly doesn’t seem to be any rift. I attended the practice yesterday at Southpointe and they didn’t seem to be putting Cookie in a corner. They were laughing and interacting as they always do.
I agree Guerins comments arent going to cause a rift at all. A lot of them have spoken out against headshots in general, not specifically at Matt Cooke. I dont think Billy G really said anything that bad anyway, he was just being honest. It just gave the something for talk radio to make a big deal about.
by genomachine-O on Mar 17, 2010 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think there’s a rift at all.
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
by Hooks Orpik on Mar 17, 2010 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Tonights game
Will the game be on FSN Pitt tonight? It’s not listed on Yahoo as one of the TV stations covering the game. Its not one of those games on VS is it?
I have it as scheduled on FSN Pittsburgh (and well as MSG for the Devils feed)
Wayne Gretzky had it wrong: 100% of the shots Gary Roberts doesn't take DO go in.
by Hooks Orpik on Mar 17, 2010 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok thanks. I put my first post on your other article on Godzilla back. Just wanted you to know you do a great job with all the penguins news! And I talked about a wbs player noone on here talks about……Chris Conner
by TonyAndrock on Mar 17, 2010 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Nice to see Leopold get some props for quietly doing his thing,on the other hand,I think the Cooke thing is getting way outta hand,he’s always walked a fine line.Perhaps this was a little too close to the edge for most because of Savard’s injury,but there was NO SUSPENSION,the rest will be sorted out on Thursday.
you're forgetting a valuable stat...
Talbot leads the team in Cereal boxes this year, though I would be surprised if Sid gets a Wheaties box soon
Sorry, did you mean to say “wouldn’t be surprised”?
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 17, 2010 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Sergei Gonchar: 2 goals, 4 assists post-Olympics, but more importantly is how they’re coming. The Pens have 7 power play goals in the last seven games, and Gonchar’s figured in on six of the scores.
That doesn’t make me giddy thinking about the post-Gonchar era.
by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 17, 2010 5:39 PM EDT reply actions
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