So, our Pittsburgh Penguins rookie camp opened up. I guess there are some part time fans out there who maybe yawning right now, waiting for December or January before really tuning in to our favorite flightless fowl. but don’t count me as one of them. I may not have been writing much, but I have been watching and doing my homework all summer.

Others may not really be interested in the prospects. I get it. With poor draft positioning, gutted top picks, thrown away on aging veterans and what may be weak organizational problem in developing players, the talent pool in prospects hasn’t been all that deep – more like a kiddie pool.

However, I am always interested in all facets of the organization and I am very excited, and have been chomping at the bit in anticipation, like waiting for the Heinz ketchup to come out of the bottle (thank you Carly Simon and who ever the Ad man was that tied you together), for this day.

The Good

Légaré

Any long-term reader will know I have been keeping my eyes on Nathan Légaré. Well, he came into camp 10 lbs lighter but more muscular. He worked on his skating through the summer. I like this kid. He keeps trying to improve. That doesn’t mean I would simply hand him a roster spot like certain Coaches like to do for their little favorites. Every player, rookie and veteran, must earn their keep in my book.

Unfortunately for Légaré, although the team doesn’t have any Jaromir Jagr s or Jean Pronovost s or Mark Recchi s on the starboard wing, they do have enough talent there to make it hard on any kid coming up on that side. Now, if he were a Left Wing, Légaré may not have as many roadblocks. After Jake Guentzel there is a serious drop off in efficacy.

Poulin

Many of the talking heads have suggested that this is may be a make or break year for former Penguins 1^st round draft pick (2019), Sam Poulin, or at least pretty close to one. The talk has been that everyone drafted ahead of him has already made their debuts and many behind him, even 2^nd round picks have gotten NHL TOI. Maybe Poulin is trying to put those critics behind him; there was some buzz, yesterday, over Poulin’s eye-to-hand coordination from a goal the Forward batted into the net.

Švejkovský and Hanus

Lukáš Švejkovský and Clay Hanus also made the highlight reel for Day 1 of Rookie Camp. Švejkovský out turned Valterri Puustenin to control the puck long enough to find Hanus all alone behind the Defense and the unsigned FA who was invited to camp pulled off a between his own legs move to the net to get a shot on goal.

Now neither the Švejkovský and Hanus or the Poulin Goal may mean much in the grand scheme of the coming season, but they certainly were fun to watch (highlights – I wasn’t there. I am not that lucky – yet).

Lindberg

Last year, I thought Filip Lindberg had the best camp of any of the Penguins Goalies, but he was demoted to Wilkes Barre – Scranton where he got injured early on (an ankle injury). Although he was held out of the Prospects Camp right after the NHL Entry Draft, he is fully cleared and apparently healthy. When questioned he said “(My ankle) works as it should”, and ““I’ve been working out all summer on the ice”.

The Bad

Pickering

Under the heading of please don’t let me be right, AGAIN, Ron Hextall’s first, first round pick as our Penguins’ GM, Owen Pickering was at Camp yesterday but not on the ice. He is being evaluated for an upper body injury. I have mentioned on a couple of occasions in comments on these boards that I fear for this lanky kid. He is to physically immature to have wasted a 1^st round pick on. To illustrate my feelings, I related an incident of what I witnessed at Pickering’s appearance at the Pittsburgh Fire Academy’s photo op and workout during the Prospect Camp, just after being drafted. The Penguins’ top draft pick almost hurt himself there.

To beat an over-chewed subject, several years back, I did not want our Penguins to flip their first round pick in the 2017 draft and a Center for the St. Louis Blues‘ 2^nd round pick and an enforcer that the team would never use. I wanted them to draft Nicolas Hague, they thought that Zach Lauzon was just as good. Hague has been playing a couple of seasons now for the Vegas Knights, Lauzon, like so many other draft picks of the Mike Sullivan era is gone. He is out of hockey because of concussion issues.

For the sake of the team and us fans, I certainly hope I am not right here. I wanted Maverick Lamoureux, Hextall wanted Pickering. However, I will be keeping an eye on both these picks and will eat crow if I have to and love it, but also will issue another I told you so, if that turns out.

St. Ivany

Jack St. Ivany certainly is big, particularly for a Penguins defenseman; he is 75”, 200lbs. However, after his first day, if this what I saw in the camp highlights was St. Ivany’s Sunday best to get his new Coach’s attention, I can see why the Philadelphia Flyers opted to not sign him. It is still too early for final judgements, but I am wondering if Hextall should have offered that contract Clayton Philips, a player to which we had the rights rather than looking for greener grass elsewhere.

The Punch Line

Let’s wait and see how this all comes together against the Boston Bruins. This was just day 1 of Rookie Camp. For some it was a good start and let’s hope they can build on it. For others, not so much. First impressions are passed but there is still time to get it together. Most of these kids will not only be here for the Rookie Camp but next week for Training Camp.

I wish we were playing more than 1 game in this Prospects tournament.

Welcome back Pens!