STOCK UP FROM PENGUINS 4-2 LOSS TO BLUE JACKETS
Daniel Sprong | Playing much together competition than Tuesday night, putting Sprong in the lineup to face a physical Blue Jackets’ team was a great chance to evaluate him for the Penguins coaching staff. Sprong did not disappoint and he was one of the Penguins leaders in creating scoring chances and had 5 shots on goal, all coming at even strength.
“I think it was a huge step for me,” Sprong said of his performance against the Blue Jackets. “If you look at that Columbus lineup, it was almost their whole NHL team. Matching up with Foligno and (Brandon) Saad or Johansen’s line, it was a pretty good taste for me of what NHL quality is.”
Mike Johnston was gushing afterwards about how good Sprong looked against the Blue Jackets.
“Sprong for me has been a pleasant surprise because he’s a difference maker in games,” Johnston said. “He goes out on the ice to make a difference. Some guys play the game, he makes a difference…..Almost every game, every practice, I see him getting better,” Johnston said. “As an 18-year-old kid, you look at him and say, ‘Boy’, how much can he improve over the next little while and how much can he improve through this season? He’s a bright light for us on the wing. I just like when he hits the ice he tries to make a difference.”
A key quote from Johnston was this:
“He just has to give myself and coaching staff confidence that he’s not going to be a defensive liability like a lot of young players,” Johnston said of Sprong.
Solution to that — Put him on the third line to start the season with Nick Bonino and Pascal Dupuis, two forwards who play their own end well and see where it goes. —
There is nothing to lose with a nine game tryout for Sprong and as written a few days ago, some in the know believe it will be great for his development.
Adam Clendening | Readers of the site can’t be surprised that Clendening is making some noise in camp. Four games into the preseason, others are starting to realize the Penguins have a player here. [hide]
Clendening had another strong showing vs Blue Jackets and what continues to stand out with him as a Penguins source said yesterday, “he makes the simple play.”
Right now it’s not a stretch to say he’s their fourth best defenseman and bonus is he’s 22 years old with upside.
After being paired with Ian Cole on Tuesday, Clendening was paired with Olli Maatta on Saturday. If the Penguins want to put him on waivers to keep someone like Sergei Gonchar around, then good luck to them.
Sidney Crosby/Phil Kessel Chemistry | Any concerns about these two struggling to develop chemistry need to be put to rest. The main reason it’s been such a smooth transition for Crosby and Kessel playing together is because of the pace both play at. Such a natural fit.
Kessel 6 shots, 7 shot attempts vs Blue Jackets. Sidney Crosby 6 shots, 10 shot attempts.
Sergei Plotnikov | Expectations need to be lowered for Sergei Plotnikov, at least when it comes to putting the puck in the net for those thinking he’s going to be a 20 goal scorer. A 15 goal season might be a stretch. However, Plotnikov’s third preseason game gave a glimpse of what he can bring to the table and what he does well.
Put him on the fourth line and let him go out and crash, be a force down low on the cycle. That should be the Penguins plan with him to start to start the season and he’s someone where you give him spot shifts throughout a game with one of the top two lines but his main role needs to be in the bottom-6. That’s where the biggest impact will be.
Plotnikov is type of bottom-6 player the Penguins have needed for years. Looks like a nice parting gift from Tom Fitzgerald who spotted Plotnikov at the World Championships.
J.S. Dea | No player might be rising the organizational depth chart more than J.S. Dea. “I think we might have something here,” a Penguins source said of Dea. Dea see’s the ice at an NHL level and that’s helped him off-set a size issue. Did a nice job against the Blue Jackets at creating offense and where the Penguins are very high on his game is offensive zone entries. He’s getting the attention of the staff.
Tom Sestito | Sestito has no business earning a one-way contract with the Penguins but with the coaching staff and management team wanting to have a hard nosed/tough player as the extra forward, Sestito remains in the mix.
After Olli Maatta was ran by Brett Gallant in the first period on a delayed whistle, during the next face-off Sestito gave Cam Atkinson a few whacks and then the next stoppage Sestito had some words with Brandon Dubinsky in the face-off circle that led to Dubinsky slashing Sestito and Sestito immediately dropped the gloves, delivering a round of punches as Dubinsky turtled.
The incident put the Penguins behind and Columbus would score twice on the power play but Sestito earned a lot of respect from his teammates in that room for initiating contact with the Columbus’ top players.
Most importantly for Sestito’s prospects of sticking around, Johnston didn’t have a problem with it.
“He can’t take the extra penalties, but you need guys that are going to stand up for their teammates,” Johnston said of Sestito. ”
“I like that he went out and took charge of it anyway”[/hide]
[…] ideal scenario for Daniel Sprong if he makes the team out of camp is to play him with Pascal Dupuis and Nick Bonino on the third line in putting two solid defensive players around […]
Any one else notice how Plotnikov has been penciled in for Malkin’s wing in the pre-season? I wonder if this is Geno’s decision or if the coaching staff is trying to force chemistry there. I suppose Perron gets the 3rd line duty because I see he is playing with Bonino.
George Carlin must be laughing his ass off at the new censorship going on here. Like the seven dirty words all over again.
Cool the site master must have a search and replace going high tech D…..psss a three letter word the description of a back side is not a dirty word except in Naziville
Some in the know think Sprong playing much together competition
Leafs cut t seto an glencross form the tryout. 2 clowns that some of you were drooling about this last few years about. Last I checked same said those 2 are a waste and washed up
They were probably deemed expendable after they signed Franson, a signing you also called. On a roll Sammy!!
Sestito did the right thing. If Crosby wants him around so be it. Yes smart play is the overall answer but if you have no one to answer the bell then players like Chris Neil etc will start trouble even if you score 5 power play goals. This is the NHL so expect the worse.
And they’re going to continue to do it with Sestito on the roster, having Sestito in the lineup yesterday didn’t stop Gallant from running Maata. Guys like Neal get paid to run stars (how sad is that) and they’re going to continue doing it regardless of what Sestito does after the fact. The smart teams don’t get caught up in the nonsense and continue to just win games as opposed to losing games worrying about revenge, somehow Chicago’s stars seem to get by just fine without goons defending them.
It’s completely accurate to say that Clendening is the fourth best defenseman at the moment. I think Dumoulin had a better game yesterday than he did against Carolina. Beyond that, no one has made much of a case yet that they ought to stick. Pouliot doesn’t look ready at all and should be headed back to the AHL. Gonchar… the wheels have come off. Even at veteran minimum, this is a roster spot they don’t need to give away. Lovejoy and Scuderi will likely fill out the roster just because of the contract situations. I know it’s been discussed, but… Read more »
The organization was not ready to hand positions to Pouliott and Dumoulin. They saw enough last year’s playoffs to know they needed better depth. That is why they brought in Clendening, Erixon and Warfosky.
If Gonchar makes this team it means this team is in deep troubles. With habs he was 8th defenseman. Now with pens if he makes the teams this will be something to shake your head about and worry about pens season
Pipe down, chubby
Right back at’cha….
Sprong needs to play with the big club
Kunitz crosby kessel, perron malkin hornqvist, dupuis bonino sprong, Bennet fehr plotnikov, cullen as 13th. That’s a nhl 16 stacked roster.
Maata is the ideal partner for letang but due to the lack of talent on d pairings, might need to split them up. Letang cole, maata Clending, lovejoy scuderi gonchar
I’ve thought that for awhile. Would rather see Lovejoy and Dumoulin on the bottom pair. Scuds and Gonch need to go fly a kite.
Sestito did EXACTLY what you’d want your 4th line physical winger to do. He went after Dubinsky. And against the Flyers I hope it Giroux etc. that’s the answer. How many times did Maatta get run after that display of retaliation?
I wouldn’t want him as my 6th line winger. Maatta no longer got checked cleanly! And it only cost them three goals! What a trade!
Not one Penguin on the ice stood up for Matta when he was run way after the play. That spoke volumes about this team.
I love seeing a huge minus under your comment. It makes me feel good.
Not sure what game you were watching but Maata got hit plenty after Sestito went after Dubinsky and why would they run players after that? Sestito spotted them a 3 goal lead so there was no reason for them to continue agitating the stars, it was an effect of them having a huge lead not the fear of Sestito who was no longer in the game at that point to retaliate. Come on King, you’re smarter than that post.
jaydogg1974: Matta wasn’t hit late rest of game. He didn’t spot them a 3 goal lead Zshit did.
Everybody shut up, listen to Jaydogg. He knows better than you. People in the know go to him for advice.
Would rather keep Olesky around for the sake of having a goon. At least he can play hockey. And he’s still a better option than Gonchar or Scuds.
Zack77: Couldn’t stop a bullet at a strip club. IN OTHER WORDS ZSHIT Sucked.
Sestito! Give me a break. Is,this article written by kingpuck?
People in the know