Pens Recall defensemen Corey Potter and Steve Wagner...Kris Letang out tonight?

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 10:39 AM EDT

From the Pens twitter:

#Pens recall defensemen Corey Potter & Steve Wagner from WBS: http://bit.ly/i8DuHa

One call up was expected, since defenseman Matt Niskanen remains ill and will not play tonight versus the Ottawa Senators. However, bringing up the second player might mean that Kris Letang is out tonight as well. Letang did not practice yesterday and saw a doctor, as result of a hit from Edmonton's Gilbert Brule. Brule was penalized two minutes late in the game when he hit Letang high and late, Letang would not return to the game.

Potter, a former New York Rangers pick, has appeared in 8 NHL games, all coming with the Rangers. He's having a solid season in Wilkes-Barre and also played well during training camp this fall in Pittsburgh.

Wagner also has some NHL experience, with 46 games played with the St Louis Blues.

The Pens are in Ottawa tonight and then will be off until Sunday, perhaps a good time to rest Letang. However, it remains to be seen if the second call up is just for insurance if Letang can't go.

Letang is one of two players who have appeared in all 70 of the Penguins games this year. If he is out tonight, Max Talbot will become the only player to suit up for each game.

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Oooh, I was this close. A winner is you, Hooks.

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by JustinM on Mar 15, 2011 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

I’ll summarize my feelings as briefly as possible:

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

by illbottleya on Mar 15, 2011 10:47 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Took the word right out of my mouth

by LastSonOfKrypton on Mar 15, 2011 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

allow me to add aslakjjdsl;jadl;fja;ldkfjalfkaio;iIEiejfimeoi;!!!!!

"The inches we need are everywhere around us."

by PensAreYourDaddy on Mar 15, 2011 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

And one more thing:

/FacePalm

i might be an idiot.

by PopRocks on Mar 15, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Noooooo, I have tickets to this game and I really wanted to see Tanger! Bah

by dolly71 on Mar 15, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I hear he’ll be playing tonight

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by GoPenguins on Mar 15, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Letang bell was rung pretty hard.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Letang, has at least a headache, yesterday. I hope is not another concussion. At the same time, we are running out of D men.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Mar 15, 2011 10:52 AM EDT reply actions

Probably best to rest him and really make sure he’s OK. The Penguins have had much too much trouble with head injuries this season.

"This would have been a goal if it went in."--Paul Steigerwald, 2/10/11

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by GreenEyedLilo on Mar 15, 2011 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, that sucks....

I expected the league to look at Brule’s hit. Between his and Chara’s hit, I’d say Brule’s was the more damnable one.

s.zielinski

by steve_z on Mar 15, 2011 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

Brule did get his forearm up, but he was just finishing a check. Really it looked like Letang wasn’t prepared for the contact to me.

That’s no excuse to contact a player’s head, but to me that’s no more than a 2 minute penalty.

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by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Agree with you Hooks, I was just mentioning the fact that he was oozy or a while on the ice, and couldn’t get up.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Mar 15, 2011 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope it's not serious and just precautionary

Considering how Kris gets very bad migraines they may want to sit him out to play it safe that it doesn’t trigger one. I hope it’s not a concussion or any head injury.

Kris Letang and his hair are magical.

by biscuitsandgrady on Mar 15, 2011 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

I didn’t think of the migraines, but excellent point there.

"This would have been a goal if it went in."--Paul Steigerwald, 2/10/11

Cocktails with the Penguins

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by GreenEyedLilo on Mar 15, 2011 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I hate this so much, but thank you for sharing the news anyway.

"This would have been a goal if it went in."--Paul Steigerwald, 2/10/11

Cocktails with the Penguins

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by GreenEyedLilo on Mar 15, 2011 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

I did wonder about Letang’s history with migraines and I wonder if they would be even extra careful with him regarding a head injury.

by tmpens on Mar 15, 2011 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

Sam Kasan said that Martin is not at the morning skate. He didn’t mention Letang at all.

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by JustinM on Mar 15, 2011 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

Seems to imply Letang is out there then.

I’m not too troubled by Martin’s absence. We’ll see what happens, but missing a gameday skate doesn’t necessarily mean he’s out, especially at this time of year.

..But that the Pens called up 2 defensemen sure does indicate they must have had questions about someone who played on Sunday.

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"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Exactly what I’m thinking. Martin missing the skate seems to make him a more likely candidate.

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by JustinM on Mar 15, 2011 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe Martin practiced yesterday though…

This is speculation but maybe he caught the sickness that Niskanen has (assuming MN2 is actually ill and not injured).

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"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions

According to PG+, Letang is skating with no apparent problems. It seems that second d-man is insurance. You have to wonder why Martin would miss a morning skate, but it could be that he did catch whatever is going around. It’s a good thing these guys have a long stretch between games to get healthy.

by tmpens on Mar 15, 2011 12:18 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe a rest, because he has been playing a lot of minutes, o he maybe feeling sick. Remember Niskie had flu symptoms last week.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Mar 15, 2011 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Any Crosby news today?

I was wondering how he felt after skating yesterday, and if he went out on the ice today. Don’t seem to find anything from the usual sources.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Mar 15, 2011 12:50 PM EDT reply actions

Apparently he felt no symptoms yesterday evening, which is of course a good sign. No word on today yet.

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by JustinM on Mar 15, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

There’s news and it’s encouraging.

There’s no way anyone should pencil him in a lineup anytime soon, but the fact that he’s now able to skate and workout a little more without re-triggering symptoms is a huge step forward.

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"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Of course not, but it is very good news tat he had no symptoms, I hope he keeps progressing.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Mar 15, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely. Much better than the alternative.

SB Nation PIttsburgh

"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Martin, Letang, and Potter

Are expected in the lineup tonight.

phew

by illbottleya on Mar 15, 2011 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

Gah, I always forget that, I mean to put asterisks around a word then I accidentally make it bold.

by illbottleya on Mar 15, 2011 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Quick report on Potter/Wagner from WBS

Potter led the AHL in +/- and has been a pretty solid two way defenseman for the WBS Pens this season. Better defensively than offensively IMO

Wagner is more gifted offensively and less reliable defensively IMO than what you get from Potter IMO and especially less than what you saw from Strait who is a defense-first guy.

Both were ahead of Hutchinson for many reasons. I had previously talked about my disappointment in Hutchinson in previous reports on here and clearly I’m not the only one who is down on him.

While Hutchinson is better offensively than both of the guys called up ahead of him he has become a liability defensively, as far as +/- is concerned.

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by TonyAndrock on Mar 15, 2011 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

I thought Hutchinson looked downright poor when he was up early in the year.

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by JustinM on Mar 15, 2011 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Really? I thought the opposite. Liked how he didn’t treat the puck like a grenade and his willingness and ability to jump up in the play in the O zone.

Obviously he got some really sheltered minutes, and I’m glad we don’t have to see him play in the NHL every night, but I didn’t think he was out of place in the limited looks he got.

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"Game's the same. Just got more fierce."

by Hooks Orpik on Mar 15, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Not sure why I can't get the link to work...

Am I not putting the link in right in my profile?

Just launched my new blog: HIGHLAND PARK HOCKEY

Season Goal: 62% complete: I'm more than halfway there now! - Follow me on Twitter

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by TonyAndrock on Mar 15, 2011 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

nvm

It worked when I refreshed it haha. But yea Justin after Hutch got hurt he lost a bit IMO. hasn’t been the same since

Just launched my new blog: HIGHLAND PARK HOCKEY

Season Goal: 62% complete: I'm more than halfway there now! - Follow me on Twitter

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by TonyAndrock on Mar 15, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

facepalm

by stoopidtom on Mar 15, 2011 4:16 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Potter/Wagner in their last five games

Potter: 0 points, -2, 9 shots, 2 PIM
Wagner: 0 points, -2, 7 shots, 2 PIM

not strong their last five. hopefully this call up will give them a boost of confidence for the AHL playoffs. Or at least get them playing against better opponents and more coaching advice from a different perspective.

Just launched my new blog: HIGHLAND PARK HOCKEY

Season Goal: 62% complete: I'm more than halfway there now! - Follow me on Twitter

I'm currently writing articles about the NFL and NCAA for www.draftnasty.com and some AHL and NHL type stories here at PensBurgh.

by TonyAndrock on Mar 15, 2011 4:34 PM EDT reply actions