As we approach the halfway point of the season, it seemed a good time to check on our ex-Penguins. Stats reflect games played through Tuesday, January 18.
The Blues’ David Perron missed some time due to an upper-body injury and relinquished his long-standing lead in the former Pens scoring parade. Phil Kessel (Arizona) has taken over the top spot with 26 points. “The Thrill” isn’t finding the back of the net much these days (only five goals) but he’s piled up 21 assists.
A player who is tickling the twine? Making the most of his wicked shot and lightning quick release, Seattle’s Jared McCann has 15 goals in just 33 games…a 30-plus goal pace for a full season. Perhaps GM Ron Hextall’s one clunker so far. Prospect Filip Hallander (a paltry three goals with the Baby Pens) is a poor return for McCann, but I digress.
Feisty fellow Kraken Brandon Tanev likewise was in the midst of a breakout season (nine goals) until he tore an ACL on December 18. Elsewhere, with 10 goals and 19 points in 31 games, Conor Sheary is enjoying a solid campaign for the Capitals. Patric Hornqvist (Florida) has rebounded from an ice-cold start in the Sunshine State. Ditto goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whose numbers have steadily improved (.916 save percentage) following a horrific 1-7 debut for the Blackhawks. Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) continues to pace the expatriate blueliners with 21 points. “Go Go’s” tops overall with a plus-15.
In the “scoring lists make for strange bedfellows” department, former HBK Liners Nick Bonino (Sharks) and Carl Hagelin (Caps) are joined at the hip with seven points apiece. Each has played 38 games. The toughest guys on the block…Ryan Reaves of the Rangers and Calgary’s Erik Gudbranson…have six assists each.
A feel-good story worth noting. After serving a long apprenticeship in the minors and in Europe, one-time Pens hopeful Ethan Prow made his NHL debut with Buffalo on December 29 and scored on his first shot on goal. A talented if undersized defenseman with a flair for offense, Prow struck for 18 goals and 50 points for the Baby Pens in 2018-19. Although a coveted right-handed shot, the 29-year-old Minnesota native could never crack the black-and-gold lineup. Foot speed, or a lack of, was rumored to be the stumbling block, although Prow possesses a high hockey IQ and competes hard.
Congratulations to Ethan for fulfilling a dream and making it to the “show!”
|
SCORING |
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|
Player |
Team |
Pos |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
+/- |
Corsi |
|
|
Phil Kessel |
ARI |
RW |
37 |
5 |
21 |
26 |
16 |
-7 |
49.7 |
|
|
Jared McCann |
SEA |
C |
33 |
15 |
8 |
23 |
10 |
-11 |
52.6 |
|
|
Alex Goligoski |
MIN |
D |
30 |
2 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
15 |
50.1 |
|
|
David Perron |
STL |
LW |
26 |
8 |
12 |
20 |
16 |
-4 |
54.3 |
|
|
Conor Sheary |
WSH |
LW |
31 |
10 |
9 |
19 |
4 |
0 |
51.0 |
|
|
Patric Hornqvist |
FLA |
RW |
37 |
7 |
11 |
18 |
11 |
2 |
57.8 |
|
|
Tanner Pearson |
VAN |
LW |
39 |
6 |
10 |
16 |
28 |
2 |
52.2 |
|
|
Brandon Tanev |
SEA |
LW |
30 |
9 |
6 |
15 |
13 |
4 |
48.5 |
|
|
Daniel Sprong |
WSH |
RW |
34 |
6 |
5 |
11 |
4 |
2 |
51.4 |
|
|
Derick Brassard |
PHI |
C |
19 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
6 |
7 |
46.2 |
|
|
Frederick Gaudreau |
MIN |
C |
29 |
2 |
9 |
11 |
4 |
-1 |
49.5 |
|
|
* Jake Muzzin |
TOR |
D |
35 |
1 |
10 |
11 |
10 |
-2 |
50.5 |
|
|
Jamie Oleksiak |
SEA |
D |
37 |
1 |
10 |
11 |
34 |
1 |
50.4 |
|
|
Jordan Staal |
CAR |
C |
34 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
-2 |
55.2 |
|
|
Cody Ceci |
EDM |
D |
31 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
4 |
-6 |
50.8 |
|
|
Derek Grant |
ANA |
C |
35 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
23 |
-9 |
44.4 |
|
|
Justin Schultz |
WSH |
D |
35 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
52.3 |
|
|
Nick Bonino |
SJS |
C |
38 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
12 |
-7 |
42.6 |
|
|
Carl Hagelin |
WSH |
LW |
38 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
18 |
5 |
51.1 |
|
|
Ian Cole |
CAR |
D |
34 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
43 |
8 |
56.7 |
|
|
Jack Johnson |
COL |
D |
32 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
30 |
4 |
47.0 |
|
|
Oskar Sundqvist |
STL |
C |
23 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
5 |
44.2 |
|
|
Erik Gudbranson |
CGY |
D |
35 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
35 |
-3 |
55.6 |
|
|
Ryan Reaves |
NYR |
RW |
32 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
22 |
-6 |
35.0 |
|
|
Nick Bjugstad |
MIN |
C |
28 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
-5 |
46.4 |
|
|
Colton Sceviour |
EDM |
C |
26 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
24 |
-4 |
48.6 |
|
|
Riley Sheahan |
SEA |
C |
25 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
47.7 |
|
|
James Neal |
STL |
LW |
19 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
-1 |
50.5 |
|
|
Carter Rowney |
DET |
RW |
22 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
-3 |
41.9 |
|
|
Alex Galchenyuk |
ARI |
C |
17 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
-8 |
42.8 |
|
|
Mark Jankowski |
BUF |
C |
9 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
49.7 |
|
|
Jayson Megna |
COL |
C |
20 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
-2 |
47.8 |
|
|
Robert Bortuzzo |
STL |
D |
32 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
20 |
0 |
47.6 |
|
|
Olli Maatta |
LAK |
D |
25 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
49.7 |
|
|
Sam Lafferty |
PIT-CHI |
LW/C |
13 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
1 |
55.4 |
|
|
Greg McKegg |
NYR |
C |
19 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
-5 |
34.9 |
|
|
* Calen Addison |
MIN |
D |
8 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
-2 |
61.6 |
|
|
Blake Comeau |
DAL |
RW |
6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
-1 |
48.9 |
|
|
* Ethan Prow |
BUF |
D |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
-1 |
46.4 |
|
|
Scott Harrington |
CBJ |
D |
7 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
-4 |
35.2 |
|
|
Andrew Agozzino |
OTT |
LW |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
66.7 |
|
|
Marc-Andre Fleury |
CHI |
G |
27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
|
Thomas Greiss |
DET |
G |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
* Filip Gustavsson |
OTT |
G |
11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
Maxime Lagace |
TBL |
G |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
Matt Murray |
OTT |
G |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
GOALTENDING |
||||||||||
|
Player |
Team |
GP |
GA |
SH |
AVE |
SV% |
QS% |
W-L-OT |
||
|
Marc-Andre Fleury |
CHI |
27 |
71 |
3 |
2.69 |
.916 |
.593 |
13-11-3 |
||
|
Matt Murray |
OTT |
9 |
30 |
0 |
3.41 |
.892 |
.444 |
2-6-0 |
||
|
Thomas Greiss |
DET |
16 |
46 |
0 |
3.36 |
.894 |
.467 |
6-7-1 |
||
|
* Filip Gustavsson |
OTT |
11 |
40 |
0 |
3.78 |
.893 |
.400 |
3-7-1 |
||
|
Maxime Lagace |
TBL |
2 |
10 |
0 |
6.11 |
.828 |
.000 |
1-1-0 |
||
|
Italics—Draft pick or free agent who began his NHL career with the Penguins |
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|
Asterisk—Draft pick who didn’t appear in a regular season or postseason game for the Penguins |
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Hey Rick,
No offense but that is good news.
Matheson has played better than I feared but he still is nowhere near worth his contract. When you look at his opposition WOW, the most common Forwards he has had to watch are, in Order of most TOI against to Least TOI Against 5-on-5 (Goals/60 rank in parentheses); Artturi Lehkonen (248), Nick Suzuki (397), Cole Caufield (404), Matt Nieto (330), Blake Coleman (111), Derick Brassard (149), Nick Bonino (305), Jonathan Drouin (158), Zack MacEwen (407), Troy Terry (41). You have to go all the way down to the 10th most common forward to find 1-player ranked in the top 100 for G/60 5 on 5, Troy Terry.
Not a lot of high end talent there, non?
Two of those 10 most popular Forward fall in the top 100 hitters group.
Matheson is playing better than I expected and I did like that stretch pass to Boyle the other game, but again, not really getting tested.
Not as angry as I once was but still not impressed.
Hey Rick,
Thanks for the legwork on this Rick. I look forward to seeing what is up for Pens Alum.
Quick update though, Reaves had 2 Goals last night in the Rangers-come-from-behind win.
Gustavsson was playing really well for a minute and has fallen apart. I guess it doesn’t help playing in Ottawa right now.
Just to stir the pot a little – Simon 1G, 6A, 7Pnts. -1 vs Sprong 6G, 5A, 11Pnts, +2
Cole +8, Corsi 56.7%, way to go Ian!!!
Ceci: -6, Corsi 50.8% Hmm…. Contributor to cause or victim?
More Pot stirring – Letang 34GP, 3G, 30Pnts, +17, Corsi 51.9 vs Goligoski 30GP, 2G, 21Pts, +15, Corsi 50.1. If this is Letang a his best? Hmmm Not that impressed. He is 2 years younger than Gogo and gets twice as much PP time.
McCann is getting top line minutes, Crosby didn’t want him – nuff’ said.
Thanks Other Rick … 🙂
I just saw Jason Zucker was returned to IR. Sheesh!
A great article over on Pensburgh by Gretz (really like the way he writes) about Mike Matheson. Apparently, he and Ruhwedel are a really solid tandem according to a host of metrics. Gretz also delves into why the Pens have had so much success ‘fixing’ reclamation projects like Matheson, Ceci and Schultz among others. A very worthwhile read.
Rick