Pens Select Defenseman Joe Morrow 23rd Overall

by Hooks Orpik on Jun 24, 2011 10:35 PM EDT

Amongst a flurry of trades in the 2011 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins elected to hold tight with their 23rd pick and select defenseman Joe Morrow.

Morrow, from the Western Hockey League, has good size, is an excellent skater and could develop into a puck moving NHL defenseman. In this wide open draft he was ranked by most services in this area, but the Pens did pass up forwards like Brandon Saad (Gibsonia), Nicklas Jensen, Matt Puempel and Ty Rattie.

When many thought the Pens might draft a forward, Ray Shero listened to his scouts and took the defenseman in Morrow. Shero’s earlier management job, as an assistant in Nashville saw them take many defensemen high like Dan Hamhuis, Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Ryan Parent and Kevin Klein.

Choosing Morrow goes in that mold, several goal scoring forwards were on the board but the Pens went a different route. Morrow will need a few years of development, but his addition to the Pens offers one more blue chip prospect to the team’s portfolio.

As we’ve seen with Ryan Whitney and Alex Goligoski, the Pens aren’t afraid to trade a good defenseman for forwards, so the idea to draft the best player available always works out at the NHL. Now it’s just a matter of time to see how Morrow develops.

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And the reason to pass on Puempel, Saad and Jensen would be? To stock an already relatively deep defensive core? Morrow doesn’t bring a huge offensive game which the Pens D-prospects lack. They have long shots in Bennett, Veilleux, Hanowski. So why not draft a pure goal scorer rather than another defenseman? Don’t let Morrow’s point totals fool you, he is a defensive minded player. I’m not happy. This draft wasn’t deep, but there were goal scoring wingers to be had late in the 1st round, and we didn’t select the obvious choice.

by Geno McFleury on Jun 24, 2011 10:43 PM EDT reply actions

Puempel has a bad hip, Saad and Jensen are inconsistent.

I don’t know if this was the right pick, but there’s not a lot of evidence it’s a wrong pick.

A lot of people (myself included) didn’t get the Despres pick and by now that by far seems to be the best thing they could have done at the time.

SB Nation PIttsburgh

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

by Hooks Orpik on Jun 24, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions

How didn’t you get the Despres pick? He was once projected top 15 just like Saad and Puempel were once. After the 1st round there were hardly any good offensive prospects you could choose. Morin? Klinberg? Tatar? Kruger?

With the Pens choosing “bang or bust” prospects lately, why not select an actual goal scoring prospect that has a brighter future than crappy HS prospect Hanowski has? Or Bennett who played in the BCHL? How’s Turris doing?

Puempel was the winger we needed. A pure goal scorer who does damage on the PP or how about Jensen who can play in all situations, or Saad who could move up and down the lines and be successful and still put up 20 goals.

I’m all for taking the BPA but there is an organizational need that has been poorly addressed the last couple of years but whatever I guess this draft was so shallow anyway Saad, Puempel, and Jensen may turn out to be nothing, but so may Morrow…I just really up Veilleux reaches his potential.

by Geno McFleury on Jun 24, 2011 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions

in 2009 Despres was the best player available for the 30th pick and by far imo. I was surprised he slid that much, but he was a player the Penguins shouldn’t and didn’t pass on.

In my impression this year that was not the case with Morrow. So I’m backing McFleury here in preferring to have drafted a goal-scoring forward.

Anyway, we’ll see how the rest of the draft goes today and than see what happens in the future.

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Jun 25, 2011 4:21 AM EDT up reply actions

He’s a 2 -way dman, not just defense. Probably more offensive than despres

by AronV on Jun 24, 2011 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep

Compared to Coffey and Cam Fowler in the vid on the Pens site, noted his exceptional skating. 20 points in 21 playoff games… 18 point improvement over last year.

I also was in favor of picking a winger, and think McFleury is making a good point. However, IN SHERO I TRUST. The Pens know what they are doing, I am confident. Hell, maybe there is something in the works we don’t even know about that may address these very concerns!

I wouldn’t start panicking just yet…

by LastSonOfKrypton on Jun 24, 2011 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome to the team Joe.

Is it October yet?

by Lindas1st on Jun 24, 2011 10:44 PM EDT reply actions

JoMo

I really wanted Biggs but Toronto swept in and got him. Jurco was another guy I would have like as well. Surprised they went with a defensiveman but he was ranked 12th by Central scouting in the final rankings so the Pens got good value there. Geno if a guy who is supposedly defensive minded like you say he is puts up that many points then that is a plus. He was second among all defensiveman in the playoff scoring so I really don’t know where you are getting that he isn’t an offensive defensiveman?

Sorry Hooks but I’m glad the Pens didn’t select the munchkin Grimaldi in the first. There is a reason why 5’6" players rarely succeed in the NHL. The odds are stacked against him no matter how skilled he is. Now I wouldn’t mind if they took a gamble on him if he is sitting there later though but I feel a number one pick would have been way to high for him.

Proud fan of Pittsburgh's professional sports teams and the Pirates too.

by Black&GoldTrain on Jun 24, 2011 11:10 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Well put, Black&Gold!

Agree on everything stated here.

by LastSonOfKrypton on Jun 24, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I for one am thrilled Biggs was picked by Toronto. His upside is 3rd line winger… No thanks. I’d love for the pens to move up tomorrow and grab Rattie or Grimaldi.

by AronV on Jun 24, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions

The top 4 teams passing up on Adam Larsson shows just how great this pick is. Having a surplus of defensemen is much better than having a surplus of forwards because they’re more rare and harder to develop. Develop them all, keep the best ones, trade the others for solid forwards who have proven they can produce offensively. The Gogo for Neal trade is a perfect example of that. Plus people need to keep in mind guys like Martin, Michalek, and Orpik aren’t exactly young anymore. By the time they get to the end of their careers, the ones in WBS and juniors will be prime top 4 defensemen.

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 3:27 AM EDT reply actions

maybe there’s little doubt that puck-moving defensemen have better trade value, so this would make it a good “trader’s” pick. Of course the ultimate goal is to make the line-up as competitive as possible and that requires good business/trade moves.

Still I think it’s more enjoyable and satisfying to develop a player for your team and have more of your own draftees playing for the organization in the long-term. At least I’ve always found it a lot easier to root for the Pens’ own players that came through the system and stayed.

So that’s why I don’t like this pick if we all agree that it’s just a great trading chip that we’re getting… but hey, maybe that’s just me being too sentimental…

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Jun 25, 2011 4:31 AM EDT up reply actions

No one should be thinking of him as a future trading piece. No one drafts based on that. Shero learned in Nashville, the best defensive developing team in the league, so he’s gonna stick to that theory. His goal is to always go defense first, and there’s a good chance that at least two of the top 4 in Strait, Bortuzzo, Sneep, or Samuelsson don’t develop into starting NHL defensemen.

Shero is always gonna try to build offense from free agency and trades because more to pick from, and less of a risk.

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

I hope Morrow was the best player available

The Pens have two scoring champions and they still have a shallow offense.

s.zielinski

by steve_z on Jun 25, 2011 8:37 AM EDT reply actions

Is this kid any relation to

the former Miracle-on-Ice and Islander defenseman Ken?

"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway

by SubLime on Jun 25, 2011 8:49 AM EDT reply actions

I think in their minds, he was the best player available. This young man is going to take a few years to develop, and by then many of our present defensive corp will be gone. Defensemen take a longer time to develop, and don’t be fool by stats in the junior leagues, it all depends how the coach plays the kid. Welcome to the Pens Joe.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Jun 25, 2011 9:23 AM EDT reply actions

3-4 yr wait!

When you draft as high from #15-30 usually these players take 3-4yrs anyways before they even sniff the NHL so in reality taking the best player available, no matter what the position makes the most sense. Guys like Joe Morrow and Depres will be replacing guys like Martin and Orpik. They wont be hard on the wallet and the pens will save money, money that can be used for a scoring winger. If Joe Morrow was the best player available then this was a good draft pick!

by MrChadysPens on Jun 25, 2011 9:24 AM EDT reply actions

Also Joe Morrow is a cool hockey name lol

by MrChadysPens on Jun 25, 2011 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

generic

Is it October yet?

by Lindas1st on Jun 25, 2011 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

ROUND 2 AND PENS PICK....

another defenseman…..really?

by edro on Jun 25, 2011 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

and out of the blue… guess they have their own plan that has nothing to do with central scouting…

You have to see it for yourself...

by Bla Razor on Jun 25, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

I would HOPE they trade someone…only thing i can think of for drafting more D

by edro on Jun 25, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

???

He was ranked 12th among NA skaters, and had moved up significantly since his midterm rank. I wouldn’t say it’s outta the blue…

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh my bad. I just realized you guys were talking about round 2. hahaha

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes this one baffles me a little

by MrChadysPens on Jun 25, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

You can never have enough.

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

i guess not

by edro on Jun 25, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Reading up on the history of the Penguins second rounders...

Want one of the biggest reasons to hate Craig Patrick?

2003 Entry Draft

Penguins pick Ryan Stone 32 overall
Bruins pick future Cup winning top six forward Patrice Bergeron 45 overall
Predators pick future Norris Trophy finalist Shea Weber 49 overall
Blues pick multiseason-30 goal scoring power forward David Backes

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 12:32 PM EDT reply actions

Backes 62 overall

Let's grind these bitches down!

by lostprophetRJX on Jun 25, 2011 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

even better...

Ryan Stone-32nd
Loui Erikkson-33rd

by stoopidtom on Jun 25, 2011 12:36 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Every team has draft misses like that. If anyone knew David Backes or Shea Weber would become, they wouldn’t have lasted so long. Even the Preds picked 3 people ahead of Weber (including Konstantin Glazachev).

Patrick did well to dig up Letang, Kennedy, Goligoski, Talbot, Orpik and Scuderi…Pens don’t win the Cup without all those pieces (And those Fleury, Crosby and Malkin guys too).

SB Nation PIttsburgh

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

by Hooks Orpik on Jun 25, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Craig Patrick did get Kris Letang in the 2005 draft at 62nd overall – either Patrick was really smart or really lucky.

by tmpens on Jun 25, 2011 12:37 PM EDT reply actions

yeah, and he also consummated the greatest trade in the history of the NHL, snagging Ron Francis and Ulfie Samuelsson from Hartford, which led to back-to-back Cups.

that Craig Patrick, he’s hateful.

by Diomedes7 on Jun 25, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

5th round

a Center!

by edro on Jun 25, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

I think he wll be Crosbys replacement lol

by MrChadysPens on Jun 25, 2011 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

When you think about it all it is , is for a young guy to have an opportunity with a club to show what they can do. The rankings prior to the draft are based on opinions formed watching this guys in a few games. It doesn’t matter which round you are drafted. There are only 4 or 5 outstanding players, that separate themselves very clearly from the rest.

The Hockey Dr.

by Outcast on Jun 25, 2011 2:24 PM EDT reply actions