It is now less than a week and only 1 game before the 2019-2020 Hockey Season begins for our Pittsburgh Penguins. Perhaps some may think it still too early to review the team’s preseason, but I think I still will. A couple of days and 1 game can’t change it that much.
The Good
Defense
I was one of the team defense’s biggest critics last season. Among my biggest complaints was the ridiculous number of shots they gave up per 60 minutes. Our favorite flightless fowl rarely were able to contain opponents to less than 30 shots. So far, this preseason that previously maligned Corps has managed to contain opponent’s shots in the 20s for 3 of their 5 preseason games. Justin Schultz and Marcus Pettersson have looked very good so far as has prospect John Marino. Brian Dumoulin has appeared to be his usual solid self.
Jake Guentzel
The Penguins’ young gun has only played 2 games so far this preseason but looks like he is in midseason form. Guentzel has 1 Goal (G) and 2 Assists (A) and is a +3 in those 2 games. More importantly, the team picked up its only 2 wins in those games.
Matt Murray
The 2-time Cup winning net minder struggled early on last season (Injuries?) but returned to form after December. Like Guentzel, he has only played 2 games, but he too appears to be on top of his game. From what I have seen so far, he is radiating that calm surety that carried the team to their back-to-back titles. And again, like Guentzel, it comes as no surprise the team won the only 2 games Murray has played in.
The Prospects
Since our Penguins have been on top of the league for so long, every year the teams prospect pool seems to carry question marks. Outside of Guentzel, no other forwards really rivaled the way Kasper Björkqvist, Sam Lafferty, and Nathan Legare distinguished themselves, especially when they skated together. Waiting at least another year for Legare is only logical but I wouldn’t be all that upset to see a scenario where Björkqvist or Lafferty get at least some NHL ice time.
The problems;
Strength of the preseason schedule
After pointing out some of the good things this preseason has shown us Penguins’ fans and before digging any deeper into other limitations I saw, I must address the fact that our Penguins really haven’t played any of the tougher teams in the league. A quick look at what the odds makers give the chances of the Black-n-Gold’s opponents to win the Cup we find the Buffalo Sabres 80/1, the Columbus Blue Jackets 100/1, and the Detroit Red Wings 200/1. So how much of the Defense’s or any of the other success I saw was due to weak opponents?
Cap Restrictions
We are only days away from the team having to get in under the Cap. They are only $331,625 over the Cap, but they have very limited options. I think most fans would love to see Jack Johnson get moved but Chad Ruhwedel may be the most likely candidate for a new home, whether by trade or claimed off waivers.
I read a recent post where one of our local Penguins’ bloggers was dreaming up ways for the team to shed the Jack Johnson issue. That blogger talked about several teams needing Defenseman due to injuries and whatever (Dustin Byfuglien) Unfortunately most of those teams are looking for Right Handed Defensemen (RHD) Perhaps more importantly, let’s face it, with his contract, in a league where most teams are themselves up against the Cap and our Penguins vulnerably, teetering from self-inflicted wounds, other teams know all they have to do is wait and the Penguins will have to make a Defenseman available on waivers (Ruhwedel?).
In the end, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team forced to lose a player to waivers rather than a trade. And, I could make a case that it may be best to let that scenario play out, rather than pay a higher price to try and trade a player when the opponents are holding all the cards.
It certainly will be interesting to see how it all play out.
Dominik Kahun
I was excited when the Penguins traded Olli Määttä for Kahun. From what little we Metropolitan Division team fans got to see of Kahun and after reading scouting reports I was hoping for more out of the newly acquired wing. Unfortunately, for what ever reason, chemistry with line mates, other situational issues or overly elevated expectations on my part, I have been disappointed. Other than the fact that he has a 1-way contract, I don’t see any benefit of seeing him on the roster over a Laffery or Björkqvist. I am not going to argue that freeing up Cap space in the trade was a good thing. I am just saying a am a bit disappointed so far in Kahun.
Jack Johnson
Perhaps the biggest reason we have been treated to better defense this September, than we saw all last year may really be attributed to a lack of ice-time given to Jack Johnson. (Kris Letang has also seen little ice-time – just saying). Unfortunately, as I noted above, I am not as confident as some that the team get out from under this contract – short of a buyout.
Injuries
Alex Galchenyuk has been hobbled by some injuries limiting his ice-time. Along with Galchenyuk, Adam Johnson, John Marino, and Zach Trotman have been limited by injuries. Galchenyuk’s Johnson’s and Marino’s injuries seem to be minor injuries in comparison to Trotman’s injury. I have seen reports where his is describe as more long term.
Galchenyuk’s injury may be the more problematic of the injuries. Galchenyuk has big skates to fill. He was brought in for Phil Kessel, a player that hasn’t missed a game since the 8th grade picnic and who had picked up a point at a pace of around 1 per game.
Buffalo Sabre’s Saturday!
Let’s go Pens!!!!
