Pittsburgh Penguins prospect camp closed out yesterday afternoon.  I meant to toss this post up later in the evening, but I didn't want to bump down Alex Sitch's take on the prospects game.  I figured with the flow of stories and information this offseason (especially this time of year) we could afford to wait one more day on this.

With that said, let's take a look at some of the prospects who were turning heads over the final weekend of camp.

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Yesterday we took a look at some of the prospects making names for themselves in Penguins prospect camp, among them Philip Samuelsson, Rob Madore and Andre Blazek.  Today we'll take a little look at a few others who are turning some heads in camp.

Tom Kuhnhackl is a name that was thrown around a bit in some of the comments on yesterday's post.  I guess one thing I didn't really consider with Kuhnhackl's presence in camp is his adjustment to the rink.  After all, the international rink is much bigger, inviting the use of long passes, breakout plays and slow momentum.  Now, in camp, the Tribune-Review's Annie Maroon writes:

If Kuhnhackl had a hard time adjusting, it doesn't show in his statistics. He finished the year with 39 goals and 29 assists for 68 points in 63 games. In the postseason, when the Spitfires lost in the OHL's Western Conference Finals, he led the team with 23 points in 18 games.

Trib-Review

The Pens selected Kuhnhackl 110th overall in the 2010 Draft, so his presence in camp is at least a good sign that they're keeping him in the team's plans.

Defenseman Simon Despres, taking 30th overall in 2009, is another prospect worthy of consideration in camp this season.  We all had a chance to watch him play in the preseason last season, and a few lucky ones even had the opportunity to watch him lend a hand in leading the QMJHL's St. John Sea Dogs to a record-setting 58 wins en route to the Memorial Cup victory.

Despres immediate future is still a question mark, but there's no doubt he's going somewhere in the right direction within the Penguins' organization:

"Winning the Memorial Cup finished off a very good junior career, and I think I'm ready to take on my pro career," Despres said. "I really don't know what to think. I'm going into camp thinking I want to make the team and I want to work hard to do that, but if I have to go to Wilkes-Barre (of the AHL) I will work that much harder just to get to the NHL."

TSN.CA

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Shelly Anderson tossed up an article geared toward the progress of prospect Kevin Veilleux.  At 6-foot-5, you'd expect that kind of frame to be locked somewhere in the defensive end.  But Veilleux is making it work as a forward.  Based on his willingness to drop the mitts (122 penalty minutes) on top of potting a few goals(12g, 24a last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), I can't help but draw the comparison to a young Ryan Malone.  Stick that big body in front of the net, screen a few goalies and if the defenseman gets a lil scrappy then watch him drop the gloves and knock some teeth out.  There are plenty of options for Dan Bylsma to work with when it comes to a player like that.

It's funny.  Years ago fans of the Penguins looked at prospect camp as an opportunity to see which guys would, in all likelihood, play of a majority of their games with the parent club before the season was through.  There were of course a number of reasons behind this: lack of money, lack of depth and generally just an overall young club looking to gain some valuable, hard-earned experience.

These days, as you can imagine, that is hardly the case.  That's not to say a center joining camp doesn't have a future to look ahead to, but let's be honest: unless fans witness a season like last year again (please Lord Stanley, no) then it's not the easiest of positions for a youngin to crack.

With that said, there's been some pretty good pieces circulating out there on the Internets with regards to some of the newer faces surrounding Penguins prospect camp.  I'm particularly stoked to see Philip Samuelsson, son of former Pen Ulf, getting some time with the coaches.  The Penguins' official site did a pretty good write up on him.  I had a chance to meet and interview both him and his dad at the 2009 NHL Draft.  Each felt it would take about two years or so before he really started to develop into the sort of player the Penguins might be interested in, so now's as good a time as any for him to hit the ice with the Pens. 

Interview with Ulf Samuelsson | Interview with Philip Samuelsson

The Tribune-Review took a deeper look at some of the prospects, mainly those form the surrounding Pittsburgh areas such as Rob Madore and Andrew Blazek.  Those guys are the sort of players who know space is kind of limited on the Pittsburgh club, but know that leaving a good impression doesn't go unnoticed in the eyes of Ray Shero and company.

And yet while we take a look at some of these new faces, some of whom have been invited to their first Pens prospect camp, we're also left to look at one of the players who continues to draw support in both Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh.  This, of course, is Eric Tangradi.

I think the best way to sum up the Tangradi Train of Fandom around these parts is to break it down into two categories: you're either with him, or you're against him.  From what little we saw last season - one goal and two assists in 15 games - I think it's safe to say we all left wanting more.  The unfortunate part is he probably would've had it too given the number of injuries to the team had he not been injured himself in that charade of a game on Feb. 11 against the New York Islanders.

Shelly Anderson writes in the Post-Gazette:

Still, the budding power forward is digging being in a comfortable, familiar setting this week. Not only that, but he also is something of the big man on campus at the club's annual development camp as the only one who has played in the NHL.

Post-Gaz

I can't determine if that's a good thing or not.  I'm not here to dissect Anderson's words or anything, but I find a special kind of analysis deriving from that description.  Can a 22-year-old, going on 23 in February, still be considering "budding?"  If he does have NHL experience, is he forced to play down to his fellow classmen while in camp?

It's good that the Pens' front office is still working him into the early plans.  The fact he's in camp is testament to the fact that they are not just dismissing him as another NHL-ready forward who's earned his keep.  But let's also not forget he suffered a concussion last season.  Unlike the highly-documented one that affected the captain of the team, Tangradi's was not given nearly as much press.  With that said, perhaps this is the team's way of testing out his progress since the injury.  Either way, if Tangradi is expected to be on the starting roster next season, then it looks good on him for joining camp and gives us plenty of reason to cut him some slack until he has his chance to prove otherwise.

Also remember, our boy Tony is keeping an eye on some of the WBS signings on his blog Highland Park Hockey.  So check it out to see what he has to say about the re-signings of Dustin Jeffrey, Joey Mormina and Ryan Schnell, to name a few.

I know keeping an eye on prospect camp can be kind of hit or miss, but who do you guys have your eyes on as top considerations coming out?  Anyone potentially NHL-ready that we don't know about?

Chat it up.  Floor is yours.

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins agreed to terms with Mattias Modig to a two-year entry level contract after acquiring the goaltender from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2010 sixth-round draft pick, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Modig, 23, played the last four seasons with his hometown team Lulea HF of the Swedish Elite League. He has carried the bulk of the netminding duties in the last two years, playing 74 games and posting a 2.35 goals-against average with a .913 save percentage and six shutouts.

The 6-foot, 163-pound goaltender was originally drafted by Anaheim in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

The Penguins traded a sixth-round pick to Anaheim, which was obtained from Montreal. Pittsburgh now has seven draft picks remaining in 2010 with a first-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, two sixth- and a seventh-round selection.

As reader AronV points out, this may not hold good news for goalie John Curry.

If you're keeping track at home, Pittsburgh has two NHL goalies under contract next season (Marc-Andre Fleury and Brent Johnson), and a bunch of minor leaguers (Curry, Brad Thiessen, prospect Patrick Killeen and now Modig).  The plan may be to start the two rookies in Wheeling of the ECHL, but it seems unlikely Modig would leave the Swedish Elite League to come play in such a low American minor league. 

Given Curry's disastrous one game performance in the NHL this season, and the fact that Thiessen took his starting job in the AHL by season's end, this could very well be the beginning of the end for Curry's stint with the Penguins organization.

Modig is interesting, he's posted decent numbers in Europe, where like it or not a lot of great goalies are coming from these days.  It's unknown if that will translate to the North American professional leagues, but for a 6th round pick, it's well worth the risk.  Kind of like if you found a dollar on the street and purchased a lottery ticket.  Maybe you won't win the jackpot, but at least you have a chance to have something good happen.

Interestingly, as the team points out, they received a 6th round pick in 2010 for Montreal in exchange for a 7th round pick last year (the last pick of the draft) where the Habs apparently just had to have Finnish goalie Petteri Simila.  It remains to be seen if either Modig or this Simila character ever pan out, but Pittsburgh is the only team in the trade to already sign a relatively established goalie, so we'll take it and see where it goes.

Here's the last look t the prospects from early November.

Andy Bathgate [5th round pick, 2009] - Belleville's slumping through the season, but Bathgate's on his way to double his point production from last season.

Luca Caputi [4th round pick, 2007]- Caputi looked decent in his cup of coffee in the NHL, but it's tough for a rookie to crack the defending Stanley Cup lineup in a Top 6 role.  Caputi continues to improve and develop in the AHL: his points/game has gone from 0.68 to 0.83 and his shots/game has gone from 1.8 last season to 3.3.  Caputi's already topped his goals from last season and he's closing in on assists and points.

The rest of the young forwards after the jump..

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It's been since early November since we took a peak at how the prospects are doing, so let's take a look.

Goaltenders

John Curry [undrafted] - Aside from the poor outing in his only NHL action so far, Curry's had a tough season.  His save percentage was .915% and .916% in his first two seasons in the AHL is down.  His GAA has risen from 2.23 to 2.38 to 2.79 in the three seasons.  In the summer months many were wondering if Curry was ready for the full-time jump to be the backup goalie in the NHL.  From his performance, it seems GM Ray Shero was wise to pick up veteran Brent Johnson.  Curry is still signed for the 2010-11 season, so perhaps he'll have the time to turn it around.

Patrick Killeen [6th round pick, 2008] - Killeen remains the starter for the Brampton Battalion, playing the lionshare of the games.  His numbers seem solid, if not spectacular for a team that's about middle of the road as well.  Killeen's playing for a professional contract and it remains to be seen if the Penguins will bring him along to the next level.

The rest of the prospects after the jump..

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Every penny counts under the salary cap for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but you have to wonder if Mark Letestu is breaking the budget for the hired cars they use to make the trips.

Still, Letestu probably gets 'trooper of the year' for his attitude about the current situation he's in, as he said to Jonathan Bombulie of the Wilkes-Barre Citizen's Voice:

"I'll take it. Anyway to get up," he said. "If this is the way it's gotta be for the next 10 years of my life, I don't care. I'll do it. It's great to be up. But it wears. I don't think I've had a real practice in two weeks now. I'm just finding different ways to get ready for games."

If you're not keeping track at home, here's what his wire log of transactions looks like this season.  Of course, a possible demotion might come today, but with Maxime Talbot seemingly shut-down through the Olympic break, Letestu might be right back in Pittsburgh in time for Friday night's game against the Nashville Predators.

We all remember three and half weeks ago when Alexander Pechurskiy was thrust into the scene in a game against Vancouver.  The 19 year old acquitted himself very well, making 12 saves on 13 shots and stopping an embarassing game from getting any worse.

So how's the youngster (who only got to North America in December with the Russian WJC team) doing back at the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League?

Perhaps running off of adreline from his big league experience, Pechurskiy gave up 2, 0, 3, 0 and 2 goals against in his first five games back in junior.  His record would only be 3-2 over that stretch, but just from the numbers it looked like he played well, posted some strong save percentages.  His last game though, AP gave up three goals on eight shots in the games first 12 minutes and got a hook.

Pechurskiy is getting a lot of playing time for the Americans, who are in first place in the Western Conference.  Here's his stat line:

(more updates on the Penguin prospects, like we did earlier in November here and here during the Olympic break)