Pens make final cuts; Joe Morrow sent back to WHL
by Hooks Orpik on Oct 3, 2011 12:48 PM EDT
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From the team
The Pittsburgh Penguins reduced their active roster to 23 players, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Forward Jason Williams and defensemen Alexandre Picard and Brian Strait were re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). Defenseman Joseph Morrow was returned to his junior team, the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Williams and Picard will have to clear waivers by Tuesday at noon before joining WBS.Pittsburgh also placed forwards Sidney Crosby, Dustin Jeffrey and Nick Petersen and defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Boris Valabik on injured reserve.
The team leaves for Vancouver tomorrow, so today as the day to get under the 23 man roster limit.
What today's cuts mean:
- Congrats to Joe Vitale for making the NHL team out of camp.
- Also, perhaps it's only due to Jeffrey injury, but Richard Park beat Jason Williams out for a job.
- Looks like Brooks Orpik will be ready to play early in the season. That's the sign for the team sending Strait down and Morrow away seem to indicate that. Hard to imagine the team would go on a west coast trip with only six healthy defensemen.
- At the end of the day, no real surprise Morrow didn't stick. Though he did have impressive moments, the Pens NHL blueline is pretty stacked. And developmentally, there's nothing wrong with going back to the WHL to play a much larger role than he'd have in the NHL. Also, it's one thing to look good in the pre-season, the regular season is a different beast. Not often do 18 year old defensemen play in the NHL, and even fewer play very well.
And, after the jump the expected lines to start the year:
James Neal - Evgeni Malkin - Steve Sullivan
Chris Kunitz - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy
Matt Cooke - Mark Letestu - Pascal Dupuis
Arron Asham - Joe Vitale - Craig Adams
Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Matt Niskanen - Ben Lovejoy
Marc-Andre Fleury
Brent Johnson
(Richard Park, Steve MacIntyre, Deryk Engelland scratched)
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idk, on NHL 12 they’ve got Adams on the 2nd line alongside Geno. Can you really ask for a more reliable source than the “Best Lines” button? They also have Sid and Geno on the PK. Genius!
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by Chez on Oct 3, 2011 1:00 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Sid and Geno would be excellent on PK. The only reasons not to is injury and workload. Still, quite a few coaches go by the “best players on the ice in the most important situations” principle for good reason. Not that I disagree with Bylsma’s decision.
As for Adams, everyone knows he’s a 30+ goal scorer waiting to happen. He was just lulling the NHL into a false sense of security with that 0 goal season.
yea, i don’t think you want your two superstars blocking shots. unless geno wears two sets of shinpads and crosby’s got a helmet over top of a helmet
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Glad to see Park stay
He looked like a guy who’ll fit well with the system—he hustles to loose pucks and plays a north-south game. Think Chris Conner with slightly less wheels, slightly better hands and more experience.
Vitale looked good at the end of last season, and I think he’s ready for a regular 4th line/PK unit role. Vitale and Craig Adams should spend about 80% of their ice time together.
I think the surprise of the first half of the season will be the productivity of the 3rd line. Cooke/Letestu/Dupuis will not be a huge drop-off from Cooke/Staal/Kennedy. Letestu’s shown his ability to center the third line in the past, and his wingers are in the right role. This will all change due to injuries, of course (Dupuis probably moving up first), but Asham can play effective 3rd line minutes, as will Jeffrey upon his return.
On the backend, no surprises. Just nice to see the depth in pre-season. Joe Morrow, wow, what a breakout pass on that kid.
DUE TO THE LENGTH OF NHL HOCKEY
SKATE ELECTRIC WILL NOT BE SEEN
Line Combo
I really am scared this year for the Pens. I just am not sold on Letestu playing as well as Staal has in the third line center role. Even MORE scared at the proposition that Kennedy is being viewed as a top 6 forward. Granted, we don’t have much else, but Kennedy is a “try hard” guy, not a “do well” guy.
I am surprised you have a 37 year old Sullivan on the top line. Maybe the Pens ride him early while healthy and hope Sid and Co can carry the team later in the year.
This team looks like it has the same problem as they had at the end of last year. They are overstocked on “try hard (Bylsma)” guys.
Keep in mind, with regard to the 3rd line center role, Staal is likely to end up back down there when Crosby returns. As far as Kennedy goes, he is basically switching spots with Dupuis. I doubt Kennedy will be a drop off from Dupuis in the top 6, and he has the potential to outproduce him.
The “try hard” guys at the end of last year actually did a reasonably good job. Add back in a healthy Malkin, at some point a healthy Crosby, and give Neal time to adjust to the system and they should be fine from a skill perspective. You can’t have the top-4 defensive core and two elite centers that the Pens have and expect to have “skill” players populating the entire rest of the line up.
Also, I’m not totally convinced that Kennedy is just a “try hard” guy. He certainly was 2 years ago, but it’s possible some of that trying will begin to pay off with some doing. I’m not exactly sold on him as a top-6 guy, but I do think we saw a marked improvement in his game through the year last year. It will be interesting to see if he manages to stick in the top 6 this time around.
Jagr? I don't even know 'er.
Richard Park is “average” on faceoffs. so the only way he helps on faceoffs is if he’s not allowing Craig Adams to take them. He also shoots like his stick is made of foam, why am I even surprised that Pensburgh LOVES HIM!
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