Penguins/NHL
Monday’s Penguins Buzz
The Pittsburgh Penguins losing out in the Jimmy Vesey sweepstakes was an expected development as the team went into their sales pitch a major longshot to land the coveted free agent.
Vesey went into the meetings last week leaning towards three particular teams, the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks.
He came out of the meetings still leaning towards the Rangers and signed with New York on Friday afternoon. Rangers GM Jeff Gorton is earning praise around the league for a bit of retooling with his forward group in adding Mika Zibanejad, Jimmy Vesey, Michael Grabner, and Nathan Gerbe.
The Rangers have got quicker in their bottom-6 and Zibanejad at 23 years old brings a blend of speed, size and skill that will better suit the Rangers down the middle to matchup against the likes of the Penguins for the present and future.
If Gorton can somehow find a way to add a Kevin Shattenkirk and address the biggest black hole on the roster, New York’s blueline, the Rangers could re-emerge as a Cup Contender.
On the Vesey front, the Penguins never had much of a chance. Sources close to the situation say the Penguins even getting a meeting with Vesey was more about the agents being intrigued about Pittsburgh as an option than Vesey having a genuine interest in playing for the Penguins.
While the Penguins made a professional presentation, that included a phone call from Sidney Crosby and Penguin officials making it clear an opportunity would be there to win a spot on Crosby’s left wing, a prime opportunity for Vesey to do well on a second contract, a source close to the player said Vesey left the meeting feeling Pittsburgh’s interest was more about an opportunity to add another asset for nothing than believing they needed him.
For teams that lost out on Vesey, some attention is now turning towards [hide] winger Jiri Hudler on the free agency front.
A league source says calls on Hudler immediately picked up over the weekend after the Rangers signed Vesey with four calls coming from teams that also met with Vesey. New Jersey is one of the teams that circled back. Sabres and Islanders also interested among the pack that didn’t land Vesey.
Penguin scouts are big fans of Hudler who was a trade target of the Penguins prior to the Phil Kessel acquisition.
However, as of Saturday there’s been no contact from the Penguins end this summer.
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford insists the Penguins are done adding to the NHL club after missing out on Vesey and resigning Matt Cullen.
Pittsburgh’s left wing situation continues to be a position that has its share of question marks outside of Carl Hagelin.
Conor Sheary will go into the season being counted on for a top-6 role. There’s been flashes from Sheary in pressure situations but can he hold up?
Over 67 combined games last season (regular season/playoffs), Sheary produced 11 goals and 9 assists. The Penguins believe there is 17-20 potential in him if he can hold up physically.
Chris Kunitz turns 37 in September. Can he replicate a 17 goal, 40 point, +29 season? Kunitz found a fountain of youth in in the post-season but he obviously enters the season as a question mark on what the Penguins will get out of him due to his age and starting to lose his hands.
In Tom Kuhnhackl, his offensive ceiling should be in the 8-10 goal range, which would be a win for a 4th line player who is a factor on the penalty kill. In 66 combined games in 2015-2016, Kuhnhackl had 7 goals and 20 points.
The intriguing player going into the season will be Scott Wilson. From college to the American Hockey League, the 24 year old has been the most productive goal scorer among the group of Wilkes Barre players who moved into full-time roles last season.
Wilson averaged 0.46 goals per game in his first two professional seasons in the AHL and scored four goals in a five game stretch with the Penguins before fracturing his ankle.
Penguins coaches love the knack Wilson has to find the soft spots around the net.
Top 10 Goaltenders Ranked
NHL Network ranked the top-10 goaltenders over the weekend that has been met with criticism. Marc Andre Fleury came in at No. 9.
1. Braden Holtby
2. Carey Price
3. Jonathan Quick
4. Ben Bishop
5. Cory Schneider
6. Henrik Lundqvist
7. Corey Crawford
8. Martin Jones
9. Marc Andre Fleury
10. Pekka Rinne
[/hide]
