Training Camp is about to open........cannot wait!
Simon Despres.....can he make the leap from juniors to the big club a la Jordan Staal 2006?
Eric "Big Dog" Tangradi-Can he make the big club as top six forward and replace Guerin as the net front prescence on the power play?
Dustin Jeffrey-Another young kid who will put the heat on guys like Talbot and Kennedy this season.
This training camp should be a very interesting camp for the Pens. The Pens have 13 forwards on one way contracts this season, and plenty of NHL experience at this position. That said there is still a lot up in the air with regard to the wingers on the top 2 lines. Will Staal move up to center the second line with Malkin on the wing? Will Comrie be a top six winger, or 3rd line center? Will Asham play on a third or fourth line? Can Eric Tangradi make the jump from the AHL to the big club and in what capacity? Will he play the Ryan Malone on the second line, or toil on the 3rd or 4th lines to earn his spurs? Can Tyler Kennedy impress enough to keep the young guns like Mark Letestu and Dustin Jeffrey from taking his spot? What about Mad Max? In June of 2009 Ray Shero said that every team who wins the Stanley Cup has a Max Talbot. After an injury plagued 2009-2010 campaign and another solid season from Craig Adams, Talbot finds himself potentially expendable. At the same time, Malkin likes playing with Max, and if Talbot is healthy he could find himself skating on the second line, the fourth line or even in another city before this season ends. This organization, though lacking in top six wingers, is not lacking in 3rd and 4th line types who could come up to the big club and contribute.
As intriguing to me is the defense. As noted in an earlier post, the top 4 defensemen on this club could rival most, and the fifth, Goligoski, has solid offensive upside. After that, the battle for the 6th and 7th spot on the defense gets interesting. The number six spot has been assumed to be available for Ben Lovejoy to take, and he fits the mold of being a capable puck moving defenseman with good size. Some say that Derek Engellend, a more physical player could steal that spot in camp due to his ability to hit in the mold of Brooks Orpik. Simon Despres is supposed to be a star in the making, and maybe a year away from making the big club, BUT some think he can leap right from the Q to the NHL and make an impact. His puck carrying skills, speed, offensive instincts and size make him a potential addition to the big club. In addition, the organization is high on Brian Strait, Robert Bortuzzo, and Carl Sneep, though it seems as if they are more likely to make a big push next season. This is a great problem to have on the blue line. Finally, the Pens could decide to bring in a vet on a league minimum type contract right before the season starts, as there are likely to be some available at a price that is cap friendly to the Pens who have about 1.2M left to spend.
The goaltending situation, barring injury is set with Fleury and Brent Johnson taking care of business...........
Hey, every season takes on a life of its own, and you cannot predict injuries, or even players having a down year. From where I sit, I love this Pens team and its chances to take back the hardware. I fully expect Malkin and Fleury to rebound from sub par seasons last year, and I think that Crosby will be Crosby, and that Jordan Staal will embrace his shot at greater offensive responsibility. In addition, I like the new make up of our defense, and the general balance and grit of the forwards. If you add the competition for roster spots and ice time to the mix, you should see a very motivated group of players that make up the supporting cast to the core of stars the Pens have. Get ready for an exciting season as the 2010-2011 version of the Pittsburgh Penguins attempts to take back the Conference and Lord Stanleys cup!
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