Dupuis, Fedotenko Injured...
Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins
Jan 7, 10:34 AM | Hype this story!
As those who watched last night’s win against the Atlanta Thrashers likely know, Ruslan Fedotenko left the game early after a fight with Colby Armstrong and Pascal Dupuis followed his lead in the second period.
There is no update yet on the injuries of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first and second line left wingers, but if either injury requires a lengthy amount of healing time, the Penguins could have a nice opportunity to see how a few players fit into the mix.
There’s a (mostly) great conversation going on over at the LetsGoPens.com message board. I recommend reading it, and other discussions.
There are two tidbits I picked up from this conversation that I agree with 100 percent.
First, if both of these wingers are injured for any amount of time, Luca Caputi should be next in line for a call-up. I don’t expect him to be able to stick with the team, but he has a bright future, and a “cup of coffee” NHL stint may put a little more fire in his belly.
It’s important to note, though, that if just one of Fedotenko or Dupuis is hurt and the other returns to action, there is no need to make a roster move. In other words, the Penguins simply can and likely will just slip Tim Wallace back into the lineup.
Second, if one or both of these wingers are out for any amount of time, Jordan Staal should be given a chance on Sidney Crosby’s left wing.
Staal has found himself a whipping boy of sorts over the last two seasons, following his 29-goal rookie campaign at age 18. What many forget is that Staal is just 20 years old, and since he’s not (and never was touted to be) an elite talent like Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, his development could take a few additional years and might have some bumps in the road.
But last night, the big man was shifted to Crosby’s wing and held his own quite nicely. We’ve seen him play with Malkin, but he’s never had a chance with Crosby.
Now’s the time.
That leads me to the following.
If Dupuis misses any time, I want to see Staal and Tyler Kennedy play as Crosby’s wings. These two youngsters made up two-thirds of the team’s most consistent line during their hot stretch of games in November, and might be just what the doctor ordered for Crosby.
Staal can stick to his defensive game and fill the big body in front of the net role, allowing Crosby to focus his efforts more on offense. Kennedy is a ball of energy who never gives up and creates a ton of space for Crosby. Neither has shown a great scoring touch this season, but neither has spent time receiving passes from Crosby, either.
Maybe it will work. Maybe it won’t. Either way, it’s worth a shot.
Comments
Steve
Jan 7, 11:15 AM
With Fedotenko possibly out for a month or so (assuming it is a broken hand), I like the idea of Staal-Crosby-Kennedy for the reasons you mentioned. Kennedy can at least keep up with Sid (Staal’s no snail either) and those two would help control/retrieve the puck along the boards. Neither are pure scorers for sure, but it’s not like the Pens have too many of those guys sitting around…
I’d also like to see the Satan-Malkin-Sykora line stick together for at least a few games to see if it will generate chances like it did at times last night. If Satan won’t be playing with Sid, MT should give him a go with Malkin & Sykora. I know it’s not a great combo in theory, but sometimes lines click unexpectedly. They looked decent enough yesterday, so give a chance together. Not to mention that if the Prince of Darkness isn’t playing on a scoring line, it’s pointless to have him in the lineup, as he’s certainly not going to contribute in any other role.
I guess that leaves a messy collection to fill out the last two lines. Cooke-Talbot-Dupuis could be a nice checking line, but I doubt it would put many points on the board. The 4th line is the real hodge-podge unit with really nothing more than AHLers to fill it out. I don’t like the idea of only using three lines regularly, so a guy like Taffe may have to be recalled, especially is Dupuis will miss time. Losing Zigomanis really hurts here, although Jeffrey has played his role reasonably well. I noticed that MT apparently trusts him enough to give him some PK duty.
Calling up Caputi for a “cup of coffee” might not be a bad idea, but if he came up I doubt he would play much, which to me makes it mostly pointless. I’d probably rather see one of older guys from WBS come back, as they should have a better understanding of how things work — in other words, we need you now, but only to play 8 minutes a night… nothing personal. I’d hate to see a kid who is not ready for the big leagues come up, sit the bench and lose confidence. However, it would be nice if the Penguins could have a green rookie exceed expectations (ala Sbisa, Wheeler, Versteeg), but they can’t do that unless they get the chance.
Enough rambling from me…
Greg
Jan 7, 11:46 AM
All the talk about Satan is how he cant skate with Sid – I dont see how having Staal there would help, although I agree he needs a long term look there especially if they are looking to resign him. His role will have to increase and be productive for them to pass up on more offensively-producing players in the offseason to keep him around.
Is there anyone on the waiver wire?
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 7, 11:53 AM
Steve, a few quick responses here, as I need to get to work on comparing last year’s Pens to their current replacements…
First, if the top two lines gel, the third line really doesn’t have to score much. Controlling the puck and eating the clock are just as important. And I think that third line is capable of handling such a role.
Second, I actually like a fourth line of Wallace, Jeffrey and Godard as a punishing fourth line — in theory. What they can do together obviously can’t be determined until they are given an opportunity together. But Wallace is a Matt Cooke lite, while Jeffrey is tenacious. Neither seems out of place in the NHL.
Third, regarding Caputi, you might recall last season when Goligoski got recalled and played very little. The idea was to acquaint him with the players in the NHL and to show him what the day in the life of an NHLer is like. Clearly it worked, as he went back down and tore up the AHL. I think the same is possible for Caputi.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 7, 11:59 AM
Greg, Staal is a deceivingly fast and good skater. His long legs and stride often give the impression that he isn’t hustling or isn’t skating fast, but he has shown through his shorthanded goals in his rookie year that he can separate himself from defenders, which indicates good skating ability.
I think Satan’s biggest problem is his unwillingness to get hit, make a hit, or go anywhere that would require physical contact (ie, the front of the net). Staal may not have Satan’s hands, but he’s willing to muck it up as evidenced by his 63 hits prior to last night’s game — good for third on the team.
He might actually surprise some fans if given a shot on that top line. And Greg, again, let’s not forget that we’re talking about a 20-year-old. Most 20-year-old hockey players are still in college/juniors or playing their first season in the ECHL or AHL. Staal’s development is far from finished, and it would be a bad idea to write off Staal in favor of signing a near-30 scoring winger whose career is soon to be on the decline.
Greg
Jan 7, 12:33 PM
The thing about Staal that I think needs the most work is his ability to handle the puck and skate with it. He has a long stride, but seems to always have it leave his stick. Also, he did show that breakaway speed in his rookie year, but has seemed to not have that burst since. Maybe the overall speed in the NHL has increased?
I would like to see him on the top line, but knowing MT it will only last for a shift or 2.
I dont know too much about Captuti, but I dont think they should rush his development and get his feet wet in the NHL at this point – I am sure he has enough pressure on him to be “the winger” the team is looking for. Not all youngsters can handle that pressure. Looking at his performance in the AHL this year (9G 13A), this may not be the time to experiment. I would rather see someone like Minard who’s near the top of the AHL in scoring, to get that chance with Sid if needed.
nick
Jan 7, 12:44 PM
Janne Pesonen we picked him up for a reason.
Dave
Jan 7, 01:22 PM
I was there last night and decided two things. One, never sit in front of four drunk 20-something children of wealthy parents. Two, when Crosby skates to the blue line and then across, his linemates have no idea what he’s going to do.
There were only a few occasions all night when Crosby and his wings crossed the line smoothly with speed and looked like they had a chance to do something. Much more typical was Crosby skating it in 1 on (1,2,3,4) and losing it, dumping it in, chasing it and either losing it or trying a blind pass, trying a pass that got intercepted, skating it in and doing a spinning pass to some unsuspecting winger, or going offside. This is in contrast to Malkin, where the situation was just the opposite. Most of the time they crossed the line smoothly and at least began to get something started. Hence Sykora’s goal.
I don’t know the answer to this, but when was the last time Crosby scored a 5 on 5 goal when he wasn’t playing with Malkin?
Maybe Stahl would be a good choice to play with Crosby — but the talent that Crosby’s wings need most in mind-reading. Then digging out pucks in the corner, going to the net, having a great finishing shot, etc. Does it seem odd that other than Hossa, who was already a great player, nobody has looked good on Crosby’s wing? They’ve probably tried 15 guys up there and they’re all bad? They all look better playing with Malkin or Stahl? I thought one of the characteristics of great players was that they elevate their teammates’ game….
nick
Jan 7, 01:42 PM
Crosby has not had another quality forward to play with him besides Hossa. Palffy,Dupuis,Satan,Rex,Leclair,Kennedy,
Armstrong,Christensen, and i dont even remember who else. Not one of those guys can score like Hossa. Not to mention 2 of those guys retired in the middle of the year. He needs someone who can put the puck in the net. Via the Sedin’s,Kovlackuck, Jagr, Horton,Cheechoo, Spezza,Heatley,hell even Antropov or Ponakravoski.
TK Penguin
Jan 7, 01:44 PM
I’ve got a great solution to it. Put a couple of wingers with Crosby and LEAVE THEM. You can’t learn a player’s tendencies until you actually get time with them. Honestly, Satan only played a total of like 15 games next to Crosby. Staal…0. Sykora…2. Dupuis…20. Talbot…5. Kennedy…3. Fedotenko…5. Malkin…6. Anyone noticing a trend? The wingers can’t get used to him, and he can’t get used to them.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 7, 01:50 PM
Dave, valid points, but consider this: Crosby has had 63, 84, 48 (injury-shortened), and 35 (this season) assists in his first four seasons. Yes, superstars should make their wingers look better, but they also can’t be expected to make garbage look like gold.
Crosby is a difficult player to play with, but Lemieux had his fair share of wingers who flopped with him throughout his career — Rob Rob is the exception, not the rule.
Nick, I think we all have to get used to the fact that this team will never have Kovalchuk, Jagr, Spezza, Heatley or any other superstar playing wing. When nearly $18 million is tied up in two centers, the wings are going to take a hit. Period. The way to get solid wingers is through the draft and internal development, with the occasional free agency signing. Don’t believe me? Look at Detroit and New Jersey, two of the most consistent teams in recent NHL history.
TK, good points, as well. But Satan and Dupuis have seen much time there with little success. Sometimes it’s blatantly obvious when things won’t work out, sometimes it takes time. I’m fine with the line juggling, as it clearly didn’t hinder the Penguins’ last season, when they went to the Stanley Cup finals.
Dave
Jan 7, 02:09 PM
Matt, I realize that my last post came on a bit strong. Crosby is incredibily talented, he’s got an excellent attitude and a strong work ethic. He has led the league in scoring — obviously he’s a great player, it’s not like he’s a liability. My only point is that he doesn’t make it easy for his wingers, and I think it’s something of a cop out to alway say that the only problem is that he needs better players around him. Maybe he can’t make garbage look like gold, but he should be able to clean it up a bit and make it look presentable. He could make things easier for his linemates — and I think that he will as he gets older.
I was kind of surprised, actually, when Shero said he was ready to offer Hossa a big money long-term contract this apst summer. That would have really gotten them over the barrel salary cap-wise, with Stahl yet to come. I really wonder if the Penguins can afford three big time centers, and if that’s a good use of their money if they can. I wonder how far apart the Penguins and Stahl are.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 7, 02:20 PM
Dave, I understand the sentiment, and I must say, he has turned Pascal Dupuis into a decent winger. Satan is another story. But, then again, when a player is completely set against physical contact of any sort or going in areas where contact may occur, it makes it difficult for the center.
I agree that Crosby needs to simplify his game so-as to make things more presentable to his wingers and thus help “shine them up.” He’ll learn this, I’m sure.
As for the Hossa comment, I agree. I’m not sure how it would have worked, but I can say with certainty, we wouldn’t have Brooks Orpik punishing opposing forwards, and we likely wouldn’t have Fedotenko and Satan, either.
I truly hope Staal can find his groove on Crosby’s wing, as it would eliminate the need for an external top-line winger. Bring back Sykora and Fedotenko next year and seek another $2 million winger to go with Staal and Crosby, and the team is set.
My guess is Staal realizes he will get upwards of $3 (and possibly as much as $4 or $5) million as a restricted free agent. As ridiculous as that sounds, he’s 20 and has shown a lot of upside in his three years in the NHL. Teams will be lining up to sign him away from the Penguins. I’d also guess the Penguins are looking to spend no more than $3 million on him and started low.
Steve
Jan 7, 05:10 PM
Good points in response to my post, Matt. I like that 4th line in that role as well, but I worry that they’d only get a few shifts/gm, which might be OK if they were the type of players who could contribute on special teams. If the 4th liners only play 4 or 5 minutes, it takes a toll on the rest of the team. And 4 or 5 is what I think MT would give them…
Real good point about Goligoski last year. I hadn’t thought of that. I’d still like to see Caputi (or Pesonen for that matter)get a legitimate shot on a scoring line if need be. At least Caputi could contribute in a 3rd/4th line role due to his size, so maybe he should get the “cup of coffee” call-up.
One more thing I forgot to say earlier regarding Staal on the wing. I find it disconcerting that he has no problem saying he doesn’t like to play on the wing. Maybe it’s just him being honest, but I’d like to think he would keep his mouth shut and do what’s best for the team — if it is indeed the best thing for team.
TheOneAndOnlySurge
Jan 8, 09:37 AM
Apparently this is a mute point, as the Pens website is projecting that Dupuis and Fedotenko will both be in the lineup tonight.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 8, 09:38 AM
Dupuis made the trip, Fedotenko did not.
PP.com (typically) posts the previous game’s lineup on their preview page for an early preview of the game, then change it once the morning skate has taken place.
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