Penguins Update: Youth is Served…or Vice Versa

Why, it’s getting to be a regular routine. Each year around this time, the Penguins dip into their farm system and pluck out a youthful nugget or two to spice up the mix.

In 2016, they mined a veritable bonanza of kid forwards, not to mention goalie Matt Murray. Last season? Mid-season call-up Jake Guentzel lit up scoreboards around the league. This year Dominik Simon and Zach Aston-Reese are doing the honors.

Fellow PenguinPoop writer Other Rick, who’s championed playing the kids from the get-go (and provided inspiration for this article), must be pleased.

It’s a far cry from the late stages of the Ray Shero/Dan Bylsma era, when a steady stream of past-their-prime old timers such as Craig Adams, Chuck Kobasew and Taylor Pyatt held roster spots in lieu of kids. Not surprisingly, the well ran dry come playoff time, along with the team’s energy stores and enthusiasm.

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of reasons–sound ones–for playing a more experienced hand over a raw rookie. Mistakes, for one. By nature, kids tend to make more of ‘em, while veterans generally are more bomb-proof. No less a hockey icon than Hall-of-Fame coach Scotty Bowman hated playing rookies. He felt they couldn’t be trusted in key situations.

Too, while a youngster might be awed by his surroundings, grizzled vets usually evince a been-there-done-that mentality. There’s something to be said for being even keel…especially during the emotional cauldron of postseason play. Plus, you certainly don’t want to rush kids along and run the risk of hindering their development over the long haul.

Still, there’s certainly room for youth on a Stanley Cup team. In the early ‘90s, wunderkind Jaromir Jagr and kid defensemen Jim Paek and Paul Stanton played prominent roles in the Pens’ inaugural Cup triumphs. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin pacing a youthful and gifted core, the ’09 champs reaped the benefits of building through the draft. During our recent back-to-back Cups, coach Mike Sullivan showed uncommon trust in kids like Guentzel, Murray and Bryan Rust. His faith was amply rewarded.

Which brings me to this season’s crop. While there doesn’t appear to be a bona fide game-breaker in the bunch, the Pens have received a decided lift from Simon and Aston-Reese.

Coincidence or not, the Pens’ turnaround began roughly the same time Simon arrived from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 1. In addition to his high-end playmaking skills, the Czech import possesses the smarts and hockey sense to mesh with Crosby…no easy feat. His presence also enabled Sullivan to sort out his line combinations and cease the frenetic juggling that served to disrupt chemistry during the team’s disheveled first half.

Likewise, Aston-Reese has made a favorable impression. Although not a speedster like most of the Pens’ call-ups, the hard-nosed youngster plays a surprisingly mature game. He’s good along the boards and in traffic and compensates for his lack of foot speed by reading the play well. And, as he demonstrated with a two-goal effort last night, Zach knows where the net is.

Simon and Reese aren’t the only kids to show their wares this season. Scoring sensation Daniel Sprong potted a pair of goals during an eight-game cameo. Although more of a long shot, Jean-Sebastien Dea displayed good wheels and a nose for the net. Teddy Blueger’s being groomed for duty at third-line center.

That’s a fair amount of talent for an organization that’s traded off so many draft picks in recent years. It also underscores the importance securing talent through college programs (Aston-Reese, Guentzel, Rust and Conor Sheary) and Europe (Simon).

For now, the pipeline is flowing. Our Pens are reaping the benefits.

Puckpourri

The Penguins defeated Ottawa last night at PPG Paints Arena, 6-3, in a rematch of last spring’s Eastern Conference Final. Aston-Reese and Guentzel paced the Pens with two goals apiece. Malkin and Kris Letang were the other black-and-gold scorers.

Crosby registered a game-high three assists. With 65 points, Sid moves into a sixth-place tie with Malkin in the NHL scoring race, one point behind club leader Phil Kessel, who’s tied for third. On the blue line, Brian Dumoulin (plus-4) and Justin Schultz tallied two assists each.

The Pens are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind Washington.