Ex-Penguins Update: March 10, 2019

1. Hey all,

   In the “I don’t get it part deux” department, can someone explain to me why Dallas would make a deal for Jamie Oleksiak and not give him any quality ice time? They’re basically doing to him what they did before we acquired him last season.

   It’s not like the “Big Rig’s” a stiff. In 83 games for us…pretty much a full season…he had eight goals and 25 points…highly respectable…to go with 235 hits, 90 blocked shots and a plus-18. He played the left and right side with equal ability and, when push came to shove, handled himself very well in fights, the borderline mugging from Tom Wilson being the lone exception.

   I’m obviously very happy with Gudbranson. But can someone explain to me in clear, concise English what’s not to like about Oleksiak, too?

   Rick

   1. Possible problems relating to his concussion? I though Oleksiak was great.

      There are a lot of people not liking Sullivan’s decisions on who he plays, then you watch the players go to another team and are benched and/or given poor minutes. Coincidence?

      On a side note, Ron Hainsey +36. Is it possible he was more important to the Pens second Cup with Letang out than he was given credit?

      1. Hey Phil,

         Sometimes when fate deals what seems to be a mortal blow (Letang’s neck injury), it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. We had to stand and defend so much that spring…especially against the Capitals. If JR hadn’t acquired Hainsey as a hedge against Letang’s injury, I don’t think we win that second Cup.

         Too bad we couldn’t have signed him afterwards. He’d still look good wearing the black and gold.

         Rick

2. Hey Rick,

   Thanks for the leg work on this.
   I always love to keep an eye on former Penguins.

   I still like Fleury, Olekesiak, Bonino, Cole, Reaves and Sundqvist.

   I also still have an interest in Kapanen, Goligoski, Niskanen, Sprong, Pouliot, Hagelin, and Kuhnhackl out of curiosity.

3. Hey Rick, I see a trend with most of the guys Rutherford traded away this year.

   Sprong -16
   Pearson -18
   Brassard -16
   Sheahan -12

   1. Hey Phil,

      Absolutely. It isn’t that Rutherford doesn’t make mistakes. But he’s got an uncanny knack for correcting them. I wrote in my “We Have a Hockey Team” article that he’s done a good job of stripping the passengers from the lineup, and when you look at those plus/minus numbers you see what I mean.

      With few exceptions (Simon and occasionally your namesake) all the guys presently on the team look invested and dialed in. That in and of itself is huge.

      Rick

   2. Hey Phil,

      Not to poke a whole in your theory but both Sheahan and Sprong have done a much better job defensively since escaping Sullivan and his inept defensemen.

      When Sprong was in Pgh he was on the ice for 4.4 GA/60, with Anaheim his GA/60 has dropped all the way down to 2.9.

      Sheahan’s numbers aren’t quite as pronounced, he was on the ice for 3.7 GA/60 in Pgh and that number has dropped to 3.3.

      Pearson’s numbers are relatively equal; 2.5 in Pgh to 2.6 in Van, While only Brassard has fallen on tough times, jumping from 2.5 in Pgh to 3.9 in Fla and back down to 2.8 in Col.

      Offensively Sprong is doing a hair better up from 2.2 GF/60 skating with Pittsburgh’s bottom feeding 4th line to 2.4 in Anaheim whose team is offensively inept.

      Sheahn is up from 1.7 to 1.9, Brassard has remained consistent at 2.4 in Pgh and Fla and 2.2 in Col. Only Pearson has struggled offensively outside of Pgh being on the ice for 0.3 GF in LAK but jumping up to 2.3 in Pgh and back down to 1.3 in Van.

      1. Hey tOR,

         Not a theory. Just a numbers trend.

         Worst regular playing Penguins defenseman is a -3. LOL. Pens got rid of their defensive liabilities.

         Sprong 1 goal 0 assists in last 12 games -6 plus minus and was a healthy scratch 5 games mixed in those 12. He’s the greatest, that was the worst trade ever. Fire Sullivan and get rid of Rutherford.

         1. No Sprong isn’t the greatest. Never said he was. All I said is there were worse players on the team in terms of skill. As for the Pens -3 worst D man lets remember that +/- is not truly a defensive number just a balancing act. When a team is blessed with Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, and Guentzel, players that get to skate with them can balance out their minuses with pluses that those 4 get them, while players that are saddled with lesser players don’t get those freebies. Since Sprong has never gotten that chance his +/- is more a factor of a poor offensive supporting cast around him and him not being able to carry them.

            As I noted above, Sprong’s GA/60min is 2.9 in Anaheim

            Chad Ruhwedel 3.9 significantly higher
            Jack Johnson’s is 3.3 higher
            Kris Letang’s 3.2 Higher
            Brian Dumoulin 3.0 a hair higher
            Olli Maatta 2.8 a hair lower
            Jaimie Oleksiak 2.7 a little lower
            Jusso Riikola 1.8 significantly lower

            This number is irrespective of offense, it only reflects defense. I didn’t list Schultz or Pettersson since Schultz was only there for a handful of games and Pettersson none. So even without Sprong in their lineup 4 of the 7 D men on the roster at the time Sprong was here have GA/60 higher than Sprong – they are worse defensively. Any benefit in +/- they have is due to playing on a strong offensive team.

            Interesting to note Oleksiak’s went down to 1.9 with Dal

            Yes Sullivan needs fired and despite some good trades so does JR need fired for putting up with Sullivan or at least not slapping him down.

            Sullivan is one of the biggest passengers on this bus. Out of his own mouth Sullivan said, in an interview, that he wasn’t even trying to help Malkin out of his slump but relying on Malkin’s creativity to do the trick; the same thing Disco Dan relied on. And that is why Sully’s name is never mentioned for the Jack Adams, he doesn’t coach. Maybe not literally but effectively he just throws the pucks on the ice and tells the players to skate.

            Yes by all means LOL, LOL as L as possible. Sully’s “D” if you can call it that is tied for 4th worse in the league in SOG against. Only Matt Murray is keeping Sully his job.

            1. LOL

4. Rick – Appreciate the pub in your last article – Lol

   Sheary needs to find away to put up (9) more points so
   the Pens draft pick approves to a 3rd rounder.

   1. Maybe that’s why they let him score two on us the other day. lol

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