Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. mbizzle

   Jul 16, 06:57 PM

   @ MB,

   It’s John Tavares, not Tavarez. It’s not like he’s former Bucco great Julian Tavarez’s cousin or something. Nor is he Daddy Yankee’s bodyguard.

   Just kidding with you, but yeah that first game already will be a nasty affair with Mr. Avery and Brashear coming to town. And that game vs. Scuds and the Kings will be especially weird. Look out for the Hawks, they will be very scaaaary.

   But Jan 31st will be the preview of next year’s cup final IMO. It’s the safe way to go.

2. bag o' pucks

   Jul 16, 07:11 PM

   If you haven’t already, yous guys must go to the Pensblog and check out the vid Osgood After Penguins. Hilarious stuff.

   http://thepensblog.com/

3. mbizzle

   Jul 16, 07:55 PM

   Nice link Bag 0, pretty funny.

   At first I thought it was actually going to be Ozzy miced up, it turned out funnier.

   A couple good signings by Carolina so far: Alberts and Kostopoulos. Their 4th line was terrible or even non-existent in the series vs. the Pens. Bayda/Ryan/Dwyer are all dumps. Kosts will be a nice depth player to have. And seeing that Seidenberg is likely not re-signing, Alberts will add some nasty to that backend. More importantly for Carolina, LaRose will be back.

   Do you guys see Lovejoy happy being the 7th dmen? I’d rather have him play in the minors rather than sit in the bigs.

4. bag o' pucks

   Jul 16, 08:31 PM

   I think there’s as much of a chance of Lovejoy being in the starting lineup on Oct 2 as there is him being sent to WB/S. With Eaton, McKee & Sarge in the top six, getting older, and the propensity for injuries, there will be plenty of playing time for Lovejoy.

5. bag o' pucks

   Jul 17, 03:01 AM

   Sykora has some resentment and harsh words for HCDB. Part of a Sykora interview in a Czech newspaper, translation courtesy of LGP:

   “No. My agent talked to the management, and I won’t be back. When the coach does not want Sykora, nothing can be done.

   Incredibly. I think I had two excellent years there, scored 59 goals, and persuaded the previous coach Therrien about my qualities. But this is business, nobody cares about feelings. I’m pissed off; but on the other hand, it gives me more fuel to prove they had made a mistake.

   It’s never a good thing when you are coached by a former teammate. On top of that, he used to be a player who drifted around as a fourth-liner. I was younger than him, played on the top line, scored goals, was the little star. Now the roles got reversed, and from the first moment I had a feeling that he let me ‘eat it.’ I honestly say that I have not had liked him even as a teammate. Which does not happen to me often…”

   Sykora was Malkin’s best friend on the team. I wonder if this bitterness on the part of his pal will have any impact on Malkin’s relationship with Bylsma.

6. DaBich

   Jul 17, 06:38 AM

   Pucks, interesting stuff. I sure hope it doesn’t affect Malkin’s play.

7. Moq

   Jul 17, 08:21 AM

   I don’t think the source for the Sykora story is that reliable, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a little animosity lingering in Sykora’s mind. There are also financial and roster structural components to the question of bringing Sykora back. Whether Shero asked Bylsma if he should try to create room for Sykora, and Bylsma answered no, is difficult to know for certain.

   Personally, I don’t think the Sykora situation will have any impact on Malkin’s performance. Most players understand the business of hockey quite well.

8. bag o' pucks

   Jul 17, 08:36 PM

   Well, along with Sykora, Pesonen and Thomas are already gone. Letang’s a core player, he’s not going anywhere.

9. bag o' pucks

   Jul 17, 10:00 PM

   Just when you think the guy can’t get any more idiotic…

10. bag o' pucks

    Jul 18, 12:02 AM

    As opposed to argument devoid of reason, eh, Tommy?

11. Nate

    Jul 18, 10:09 AM

    @Tom
    If I throw a stick, will you go away?

12. Moq

    Jul 18, 10:40 AM

    Rumours of the sort: “Players only leave because they’re disliked/hated by the coach” or “Players accumulate every single snub until a permanent grudge emerges”, don’t really lend themselves to reasoning. At least not reasoning that lead to anything remotely worthwhile. The usually baseless rumours of animosity always appear when players come and go. Just look at this time last year when eveything negative had Therrien as the center.

    Management makes decisions based on the qualities of the player; his skill, character, role, and how he fits with the rest of the team, not predecided by personal like/dislike. Those decisions are also limited by financial cirsumstances.

13. Dabich

    Jul 18, 11:11 AM

    Eh…word was that HCMT and Orpik disliked each other as well. Where is Orpik?
    Ya gotta take that stuff with a grain of salt.

14. bag o' pucks

    Jul 18, 01:57 PM

    I hear Letang’s agent wants him out, too. He thinks the terrorists will strike Pittsburgh because they hate ketchup.

15. bag o' pucks

    Jul 18, 09:22 PM

    Tom, most folks have stopped trying to have “reasoned arguments” with you because the vast majority of the odious fantasies you concoct in whatever you’re using for a brain aren’t deserving of a discussion. From your curious and unrelenting fetish for fringe players like Joey Mormina and Janne Pesonen to your ill-conceived notion of defensive resposibilities and now to your obsession with these perceived slights to Kris Letang and the idea that he wants to be (how could you possibly know that?) and possesses the ability to be the “second coming” of Bobby Orr (no, Tom, sorry, Letang himself would laugh at you for the suggestion).

    And it’s not like people haven’t tried to talk some sense into you. It just does no good, because you just come back with an even more ludicrous hypothesis. I say bring it on, I like a good laugh, but I’m also not above taking a good potshot. So, consider yourself so advised.

16. pensjc

    Jul 18, 11:17 PM

    @Bag O’Pucks Thanks. I was starting to worry after reading Tom’s comments, then realized they don’t make sense. I think the coaches and management are not slighting Letang, but developing him as a young talented defenseman and getting him to realize his potential. Bylsma sure seems to be on the right track with him because he is showing vast improvements and has proven himself to be part of the core. To repeat a rumor that the coach does not like him (or any other player) is not necessary, especially when there is nothing to substantiate it. Everything I have seen and read, especially during the playoff run, Byslma and even Lemieux have shown support and confidence in Letang, which he actually stated in an on ice interview after winning the cup.

17. Malk

    Jul 19, 01:31 PM

    What is Tom talking about? Anyway…

    Hey Matt, first time poster on this site, what do you think about the Pens inviting a vetern backup, to compete with Curry, to camp instead of signing one now? I think Curry is capable and I’m pretty sure you can do that. Thanks

18. Moq

    Jul 19, 01:49 PM

    Regardless of any lingering Letang animosity, which can neither be proved or disproved, he’ll become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights after this season. One can speculate about offer sheets, but as I’ve mentioned before, they’re few and far between. The “Dustin Penner” example and the general economic climate has discouraged their use to some extent. Even potentially interesting and inexpensive players are left alone. One reason is that the offers would probably be matched and add unnecessary inter-team animosity.

    All in all, I can’t see someone throwing an offer sheet at Letang that he would be willing to sign. Mainly because I think he’s valued higher in Pittsburgh compared to other teams. Most teams would probably estimate Letang to be good, perhaps with very good potential, but not exceptional, unique or superior in any shape or form. If someone were to offer $4+M for his services, we should – in my opinion – wish him all the best and walk away with the picks.

    But it’s much too early for that kind of speculation.

19. bag o' pucks

    Jul 19, 02:09 PM

    @Pensjc, Malk. Tom is like your crazy Uncle Remus. Shows up at reunions with goofy stories you just know aren’t true but you still let him ramble on, you humor him a little, then he hits you up for a loan before leaving. Look at it this way, at least you don’t have to give Tom any money.

20. bag o' pucks

    Jul 19, 05:39 PM

    Oh, fellas, I neglected to mention that Remus is fabulous with salary projections, too. He was really close in estimating Scuderi’s value at $1.5M per season. Spot on, Tom! To quote the great Janosz Poha, “Everything you are doing is bad. I want you to know this.” Including definitions. Odious also means arousing or deserving of hatred or repugnance. So, your posts are quite odious. (And it’s fun to say, too!!)

21. Malk

    Jul 19, 06:47 PM

    I see what you mean Bags. haha!

22. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jul 19, 07:33 PM

    @Malk, welcome to FF! Please don’t be a stranger!

    To me, it would seem extremely logical to sign a veteran backup not only to compete with Curry, but to provide organizational depth, should Fleury suffer an injury. We need not look back further than 2007-08, when Ty Conklin stepped in and stole the show for a few months as Fleury sat out due to a high ankle sprain.

    What originally struck me as surprising was that Shero didn’t sign such a goalie within the first two weeks of free agency. Since then, though, I’ve studied the free agent list and have realized that Shero very well may be waiting to add one or two veterans to the training camp rosters on a tryout basis. This is something he has done in the past — Adam Hall comes to mind — and would be a smart idea for a backup goalie.

    For starters, he’d have the option of bringing in two goalies if he desires, as there would be no commitment to either until a formal contract is offered. Additionally, it would give Shero an opportunity to evaluate more players and have a larger pool to choose from. And, finally, it would give them a compliment of four NHL-caliber goaltenders in camp, leaving Theissen to report to AHL camp as a rookie.

23. bag o' pucks

    Jul 19, 08:11 PM

    Prior to that post, you also said, and I’m admittedly paraphrasing here, that you thought $1.5M should be sufficient for a defenseman of Scuderi’s ability.

    “I believe the Kings overpaid greatly for him given his flaws:)”

    Here’s a news flash: Pro athletes are overpaid. Every. Single. One of them. Welcome to the world of pro sports. Keep throwing crap at the wall, Tom, something’s bound to stick eventually. You’re like FF’s version of Eklund, only less accurate…

24. bag o' pucks

    Jul 19, 08:37 PM

    @Matt. All still available: Manny Fernandez, Manny Legace, Martin Gerber, Brent Johnson, Joey MacDonald, Curtis Sanford, Martin Biron, Kevin Weekes, among others. Shero can afford to be patient, every day that goes by drives the market down a little bit more. Maybe waiting until camp and inviting someone is a good idea. We’ll just have wait and see how many remain available in the next few weeks.

    One think to consider is the Pens want someone to compete with and push Curry. Some of these guys may well just beat him out for the job.

25. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jul 19, 11:16 PM

    @Pucks, no matter what precedent you show, what examples you present, what methods you use, some people simply can’t/won’t listen. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s best just to ignore and move on.

    With regard to the goalies, there would be nothing wrong with a veteran beating out Curry, in my opinion. Let him start in WBS and hone his game even more. If he can’t beat out a fringe NHL backup, such as Sanford, MacDonald or Weekes, well, he shouldn’t be in the NHL.

    I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a situation arise that had him lose the backup job to a veteran, go to the AHL and start, then have a few scheduled promotions during extended road trips or something similar, giving him more NHL experience for a stronger push in 2010-11.

    This would seem to be a parallel to what is happening with Lovejoy. He’s almost definitively out of the top-six defenders at this point, but will earn a decent amount of NHL icetime as the seventh defender (either as the first AHL call-up or as healthy scratch NHLer). Then, with his experience from this season, he’ll be ready to step into a top-six role next year, when McKee, Eaton, and possibly Gonchar become free agents.

26. Malk

    Jul 19, 11:44 PM

    Thanks Matt, thats exactly what I meant. The Pens can’t lose in that situation if they invite a goalie or two to camp. I hope Curry wins the job.

27. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jul 19, 11:56 PM

    @Malk, no problem. I too would like to see Curry in the NHL. But your sentence utilizes a key word: “win.” He needs to win the job, not be handed the job.

28. bag o' pucks

    Jul 19, 11:59 PM

    @Matt. Actually, I was having a bit of fun, it’s the dog days of summer and with no real news to discuss why not amuse myself. We’re all well aware of Tom’s tendencies. Cheers to your restraint, though. =)

    And, don’t misunderstand, I have no problem with Curry getting beaten out for the two spot. While still under Pens’ employ, Chuck Fletcher said ideally he’d like to have five goalies under NHL contracts. If Curry’s ends up the three and, presumably, Thiessen the four, that’s pretty solid depth. It would reduce the necessity for another goalie on an NHL deal and, possibly, allow a fifth to be retained on a two-way AHL deal, such as Berkhoel was last season. If Curry wins the two job, that’s a bit of a less proven entity, and carrying five might make more sense, as it may provide more options should Curry falter.

29. Albert

    Jul 20, 11:32 PM

    What a great blend of hockey commentary, absurd notions (verging on odious), and comedy!

    One thing I cannot stand, however, is that the Penguins let Mormina get away. Fire Ray Shero!

    I see his mother is still posting here under the alias “Tom.” Her son’s move to Philtadelphia seems to have destablized her senses. Poor woman.

30. Moq

    Jul 21, 10:27 AM

    In my mind there are two main approaches to the goaltender question.

    1) We expect Fleury to play 70+ games this season, and we’re not particularly worried about how the backup handles whatever remains. Then we might as well use Curry, and hope that Fleury can handle the workload without dips in performance and injuries. That doesn’t preclude inviting competition or signing an extra goaltender, but the onus is on internal development for AHL and NHL before drastic measures.

    2) We’re reluctant to increase the workload of Fleury for various reasons, hence feel obligated to find an alternative capable of playing approx. twenty games at a high level, ie. giving the team a reasonable chance of winning the majority. That could still be Curry, but we want someone with a proven NHL resume to measure him against. Regardless of the eventual winner, the loser will strengthen WB/S and provide a safety net in case of short-term injury.

    Of course, the above alternatives are not discrete cases that cannot overlap, I was just trying to exemplify a difference in attitude. Personally, I’m not in favour of increasing Fleury’s workload which means that a experienced NHL goalie should be added. I have my own favourites, but it doesn’t necessarily matter all that much who it’ll be. We’re interested in a NHL yardstick.

31. Moq

    Jul 21, 02:54 PM

    With the Penguins signing of Brent Johnson, one of my free agency wishes came through. I think this is a really good choice as a backup to Fleury. Of course, one shouldn’t completely discount the possibility of Curry taking that spot. But it won’t be easy.

32. Malk

    Jul 21, 03:11 PM

    Since I assume it’s a one-way deal, Curry has little or no chance to win the job out of camp? I am a little nervous with Johnson having injury problems last year, but as with McKee, I guess the plan is if they do get hurt then Lovejoy and Curry can step in. But, does Curry resign now? Hmm…

33. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jul 21, 03:41 PM

    @Moq, Johnson was one of my favorites as well. A friend of mine dated his cousin and met him on several occasions. He’s had nothing but positive words to say about Johnson as a person. Hard not to cheer for a good guy.

    @Malk, your assumption is correct. Johnson signed a one-way deal worth $525,000; however, that doesn’t necessarily rule out Curry. My guess is there will be an open competition in training camp and the best goalie will win.

    I suppose you can look at this signing in one of two ways. First, this could mean the Penguins want Curry to work for a job and are more than comfortable with him spending another year developing in the AHL if need-be. Or, they may see contract negotiations going downhill with him and thus wanted a veteran who is capable of being the backup. Only time will tell.

    As for injuries, they’re always a risk, but that oftentimes is how you get players on the cheap. If Johnson is playing what they would hope for, injuries almost certainly won’t be a problem. But, if he ends up playing more than, say 15-20 games, injuries certainly become more likely. With regard to McKee, he’s been relatively healthy — aside from minor injuries stemming from shot-blocking and whatnot — since his first season in St. Louis. I’m not too worried about him at this point.

Commenting is closed for this article.