Penguins Update: Some Loose-Leaf Thoughts for Christmas

Before I begin, I want to wish all our faithful PenguinPoop readers and commenters a heartfelt Merry Christmas. May you and your loved ones be truly blessed this holiday season.

##########

As the Penguins head into the holidays…and with training camp a short hop away, I thought I’d share a few thoughts and observations.

General Manager Jim Rutherford missed a golden opportunity to upgrade his third line…and perhaps turn the Pens into a legit contender…when he failed to make any sort of play for center Erik Haula. The 29-year-old Finn inked a very affordable one-year deal with Nashville yesterday for $1.75 million…well below his market value.

Yes, it would’ve required some creative financing on JR’s part, and perhaps burying a player or two in the minors. But it would’ve given the Pens a speedy, consistent scoring threat to team with Jared McCann on the third line. One who might have helped the Stratford, Ontario native take the next step in his development.

Lest we forget, Haula scored 29 goals for Vegas in 2017-18 and he’s strong on draws (54.1 percent last season). He would’ve significantly upgraded our depth down the middle.

Somehow, I don’t see Mark Jankowski (28 assists in 208 games) or Evan Rodrigues having the same impact.

Too, JR’s absolute refusal to try and improve the team following his early (and largely lackluster) offseason moves is baffling. It’s as if there’s a giant “Closed for Business” sign hanging on his office door.

Legare Coming to Camp

Due to all the travel restrictions established by the Canadian government, a certain bewhiskered figure in a red felt suit and black boots may not be coming to town to deliver presents to the kiddos this holiday season.

Fortunately, the bureaucratic red tape won’t affect the arrival of Pens prospect Nathan Legare. The fiery right wing with the blistering release and a bomb of shot will be attending the black-and-gold training camp.

Legare plays with the emotion, drive and spit-in-your-eye intensity we could sorely use, especially with Patric Hornqvist departing for the sunny climes of Florida. In fact, it isn’t a stretch to compare Legare to the bombastic Swede in terms of style and competitive fire.

From clips I’ve seen, the Montreal native rarely waits for opponents to initiate contact. To the contrary, the stocky 6’0” 208-pounder employs a first-strike mentality to great effect. He truly seems to relish contact and confrontation.

I’m sure he’s a long shot to stick. But with those intangibles and that shot?

A guy can dream…

Lines Set?

Just as Rutherford seems far too set on his early personnel moves, coach Mike Sullivan appears similarly entrenched concerning his top two line combinations. It’s almost as if the Jake Guentzel–Sidney Crosby–Kasperi Kapanen and Jason Zucker–Evgeni Malkin–Bryan Rust combos are cast in quick-drying cement without ever having touched the ice.

Of course Guentzel and Crosby have blended like Forrest Gump’s peas and carrots in the past. Then again, so did “Jake the Snake” and “Geno” when they skated together last season. In fact, they were a particularly lethal duo during Sid’s absence.

Know who didn’t show much chemistry when they skated together? Zucker and Malkin. Like oil and water.

I’ll take it a step further. One of the faint criticisms of Kapanen is a tendency to be less effective on the cycle than on the rush. Understandable, given his blazing speed.

Sid loves to work off the cycle. Malkin, on the other hand, likes to get the puck to open ice.

Before all is said and done, could we be looking at Zucker-Crosby-Rust and Guentzel-Malkin-Kapanen?

Brotherly Shove

The Pens will open the season with a pair of games against the Flyers in the unfriendly confines of the Wells Fargo Center before returning to the ‘Burgh to take on Washington.

The Caps will feature no fewer than four former Pens…forwards Carl Hagelin, Conor Sheary and Daniel Sprong and defenseman Justin Schultz.