Penguins Sign Defenseman Potter
As a 26-year-old who hasn't played more than a dozen games at the NHL level it isn't necessarily a big-time move, but it does potentially stock up the WBS squad if Shero is intent on promoting from within.
almost 2 years ago
FrankD
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Which ultimately stands as a question mark of sorts?
Engelland is an example of a player I always wanted to see do really well for no explainable reason. Kind of like how I used to feel about Alain Nasreddine. I wanted him to do well only because everyone else around him was. But at the same time, every time he got a call to the NHL club I was biting nails watching him look out of place.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
Go with Quantity over Quality ???
I Guess, Play Russian Roulette with the 7th D man
I think Shero is just re-energizing the minor league system. I’m not sure any of these guys have a legitimate shot at playing in the NHL next year.
Hockey Blogger at Pensburgh.com
& by the way
Why are supposed Pens Teaming Up Michalek & Martin as a 1st Pairing ?? I would Want it to be, Maichalek & Orpik so Orpik can play his Kasparaitis Type of Search & Destroy game that he can’t play while Teamed with Letang & Letang can’t Play his Game teamed with Orpik so Have him teamed with Martin
from prior post...
by Alighieri on Defensive Pairings
LEFT – RIGHT
Martin – Michalek
Orpik – Letang
GoGo – Lovejoy
each has a Lefty (on the left above) and a Righty (on the right above)
each has a puck mover — Martin, Letang, GoGo
each has a big body — Michalek, Orpik, Lovejoy
the Top 4 get pretty much equal minutes
w/ GoGo and Lovejoy the clear 3rd pairing
gogo/lovejoy...
scares the shit out of me. i don’t trust that pairing yet, lovejoy is a rookie and gogo is our weakest overall regular defensmen. i assume gogo improved during the off-season, and last year was an extremely valuable learning experience for him, but i wouldn’t put that pairing out there from day one. maybe in February but not now.
"Put 2 on, put 10 on WHAT DO YOU CARE IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE PAYIN' FOR 'EM!!!!?"
-Doug Heffernan, in regards to Arthur and his stamp needs
totally agree
Here’s how I would set it up…
Orpik-Letang
Michalek-Gogo
Martin-Lovejoy
#7-Strait
Gogo needs a strong defensive d-man and Michalek should fill that role and be able to develop his game with someone to fix his mistakes. Also, I would feel comfortable sending any of these lines out against another teams top line. Strait looks ready to see some time in the big club after an outstanding year in the AHL and could fill a #7 role cheaply.
by stoopidtom on Jul 17, 2010 9:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
so...
you’d give the team’s #1 free agent acquisition and highest-salaried defenceman (Martin @ $5M/year) 3rd pairing minutes?
ok well one of our 3+ million dollar d-men is going to end up playing on the 3rd pairing unless u want Gogo playing with lovejoy who has yet to play a full NHL season. Orpik and Letang have been good together so no need to break that up. Gogo will need a defensive minded d-man to clean up his mistakes, prefferably Michalek unless u think Martin should fill that hole, leaving one free agent signee on the 3rd pairing. Now I would love to have our top 4 be orpik, letang, michalek, and martin, but Gogo is too much of a defensive liability to be paired with a rookie defenseman. I know it doesn’t make sense to have our highest paid d-man on the third pairing but I think that to help Gogo’s development, that may be our best option. That’s my 2 cents.
by stoopidtom on Jul 17, 2010 11:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
please redefine good… because if Tanger/Orpik are considered good together, I’m gonna lose more than my lunch.
Besides, I think the collateral damage of having Lovejoy & Gogo on a pairing together can be limited by virtue of their reduced playing time & a more consistent Staalkin line in front of them. It’s collateral damage all the same but it’s not as bad as you’d think it’d be.
Besides, being tossed into the deep end is a great way to learn on the job. Look at me, I’m only halfway screwed up :P
Is it October yet?
Just so I never have to answer this again. I'm from Singapore so whenever you see me online, I'm either sleep deprived or just waking up.
Gogo-Lovejoy will not see as many minutes when we have 2 dominant sets of d-men…
That and you’re intentionally weakening our pairings for a parity that will get negate all the good work Shero did in getting us those pieces…
Go up, click on Diomede’s link and read the comments. We’ve had this argument before.
Is it October yet?
Just so I never have to answer this again. I'm from Singapore so whenever you see me online, I'm either sleep deprived or just waking up.
I’m surprised we came up to a conclusion at all… Other than adding equal parts of #inSherowetrust & #LetsWait&See into the bowl of the Stanley Cup and drinking it down with a cute little cocktail umbrella…
Is it October yet?
Just so I never have to answer this again. I'm from Singapore so whenever you see me online, I'm either sleep deprived or just waking up.
Again
Why would you Put Michalek with Martin???
Orpik is a Trainwreck in front of his own Net & Michalek can handle that Job & that Lets Orpik do what he does best, Search & Destroy missions
Oprik is a Big Body, BUT in front of the Net He plays Like Gogo
Agreed Dio.
"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."
by Hooks Orpik on Jul 17, 2010 10:27 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Not that I’m bashing Gogo but Free Candy’s our best defensive man by far last year… so saying he plays like Gogo is just weird…
That and think it’s been sufficiently explained above why these pairings are more balanced… I wouldn’t mind seeing Free Candy & Big Z on the PK together but this represents our best shot at some balance at even strength.
Sorry buddy, but you sound kind high…
Is it October yet?
Just so I never have to answer this again. I'm from Singapore so whenever you see me online, I'm either sleep deprived or just waking up.
Well that's Great to know
That you Think Orpik was the BEST D Man last season, Compared to Who??? Gonchar ?? Letang ?? Leopold?? Eaton??. Their is a Reason why in his draft year he fell all the way to where the Pens could draft him. It’s because he has the Hockey sense of a Puck, In other words NONE !! He is in the mold of Kasparaitis, Not good in front of his own net & a BIG hitter
I’m not sold on Orpik/Letang as a unit, they were out there on a lot of goals against for a so called “shut down unit”.
It’ll be interesting with 3 lefties and 3 righties (assuming, as it seems that Lovejoy makes the opening day lineup) if they break them up evenly.
I’d like to see Orpik/Martin as a pair, but that means 2 RH’s would be together. Perhaps it’s not a big deal if Letang/Michalek are the 2nd pair, I guess we’ll see.
An Orpik/Michalek shutdown pairing would be awesome, but that means we’d see Martin/Letang together and I doubt they have enough muscle and size to deal with NHL forwards if they puck goes into a corner.
"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."
by Hooks Orpik on Jul 17, 2010 10:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Actually, I can see Orpik & Michalek playing the PK together & Martin & Tanger on the PP… Having the pairs play together on ES would be nice but it’s not really that necessary…
Is it October yet?
Just so I never have to answer this again. I'm from Singapore so whenever you see me online, I'm either sleep deprived or just waking up.
When I Heard The Name Potter
Made me think he was related to Harry.
Hehehe
One Who Lives And Breathes All Things Penguins
by PensFanInDenver on Jul 17, 2010 5:23 PM EDT reply actions
i’m totally down with making “Harry” his Pensburgh nickname.
Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.
Potter is well schooled, comng from Hartford.
It seems clear the Pens have opened up a #7 competition btw Potter, Engelland, Hutchinson and maybe Wagner too.
Let the best man stay and the other 3 join Strait, Bortuzzo, Sneep and Grant in WB/S. Which is a pretty solid unit down there no matter how it shakes out.
"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."
by Hooks Orpik on Jul 17, 2010 10:26 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Yup. You don’t want a legitimate prospect sitting in the press box and they can’t afford to add a veteran at this point*, so having some mid-to-late 20 somethings battle for a spot on the roster is the best plan. It’s entirely possible the 7th D-man from camp will only get a few spot starts in the event of a minor injury/illness, with someone else getting the nod in the event of a long-term injury. Bottom line is, you don’t want prospects sitting in the press box.
- Don’t forget it’s entirely possible the Pens could add a veteran on a minimum contract late in the season or during camp (ala Skoula last year).
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