Ex-Penguins Update: All-Star Break ‘23

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• Hey all,

  An apology to all of you who are attempting to view this article on your phone for the unreadable condition of the table. It’ll read correctly if you view it on your PC.

  Again, my apologies. I’m working on it…

  Rick

• Hey Rick,

  Thanks again Rick for all the leg work on this. I do like to keep track of former players and it is nice to have them all in one place.

  Regarding E-Rod, adding to Mike's comment about money, it wasn't that long ago that E-Rod played here, so I do remember his time here, my memory isn't that of a fish (3s). E-Rod was only really effective at Center and filling in for Crosby or Malkin in a top 6 role. He marginal use as a Winger on Crosby's line and was down right horrible when Bozo Sullivan tried playing him in a 3rd or 4th line role. Also, just like Sheary, E-Rod may be able to produce with some degree of effectiveness on his new team because it is a size diverse team, not a team of smurfs. He routinely got tossed around like a rag doll here because there was no threatening presence any where in this Organization as Sullivan quickly dumps size and grit or banishes it to the press box or minors. If E-Rod was here he would languishing.

  Sprong's only problem was (maybe still is) attitude. He is an NHL calibre player when talking pure talent. My only problem was/is listening to Sullivan sycophants (or is that Psyco fans) who would to this day extoll the virtues of Dominik Simon and try and say Simon was the more talented player. That ersatz Winger has 2 G, 1 A, and is -6 in 22GP for HC Sparta Praha of the Czech league.

  I can't help but wonder if Addison would have even developed as far has he has under the Archeologist Sullivan's system. I wish him well. That Zucker trade was a win for Minnesota but, despite how well Zucker is playing now, a monumental failure, considering how little that winger contributed over the seasons he was here (only 1 productive season - if he stays healthy this year, and that season came when the team as a whole is in its death spiral).

  As I recall our Pens lost Noesen off waivers. Another case of poor asset management by this organization.

  But going down this roster, let's face it, with the way Crosby and Malkin are playing, top 2 Centers, we don't need. So as much I like McCann and you appear to want to moon over E-Rod, they would have no room on this roster. If I could fix the Coaching situation I would be thinking more in line of Gaudreau and Sundqvist.

  On the Wings I would also be looking at bottom 6 guys, if I were to want anyone back. Tanev and Lafferty would be my targets. As Mike has pointed out time and again, you don't play top 6 forwards in bottom 6 roles, they just don't have the skill set to be successful. I would really love a mulligan on the Seattle expansion draft and leave both Carter and Blueger unprotected and protect Tanev.

  But it is the Defense and Goalies that really needs a reboot.

  I am glad to see Murray getting himself back together and he certainly would be better than DeSmith, but at $6.5 million a year, he isn't worth it. The real problem in goal goes back to the Brassard debacle. I wanted Gustavsson to play in Pgh and as I wrote way back when the only player I would have traded him for in Ottawa was Pageau. Gustavsson would be my starter here.

  In a much better defensive system, I would love to have Oleksiak back. I also would not have let Pedan go back to the KHL (56 GP, 4 G, 14 A, 33PIM, +30) with those two mountains maybe one of the stalks of wheat on our LHD (POJ, or Pettersson) or midget (Smith) wouldn't look so bad. On the RHD if Letang and Rutta were healthy this side may not look so bad. (I still wonder if Letang may have been having TIAs all through the beginning of the season - which also makes me question his long term viability)

  In truth, although there are several players on this list that, under a different Coach, I would wish were still here, I wouldn't wish the hell of playing under the Coach we have, on any of them.

• Rick
  Couple of quick observations or former Pen's.
  1) With E-Rod from what I was hearing was looking for 3mil per year and by the time he realized
  that wasn't going to happen the Pen's were out of money. I give Hextall a pass on this one.
  2) What stands out to me is the production from Sheary, Sprong, Bjugstad, Lafferty, etc...etc...
  I've always felt like Sullivan's system restricted the scoring of our 3rd and 4th lines. Heck when
  he got the job Crosby and Malkin could score in any system.
  Hope all is well.

• Hi Rick,
  Great update and a serious reminder where all the former Pens players ended up. We all know the history of most of these players so i am not going to expand on that. What bothers me Rick is every time you do one of these excellent articles I can see another player who was stifled in Pittsburgh and they go else where and they do better.
  It seems that the brass only worries about the top 5 or 6 forwards and maybe 2 or 3 d men and nobody else has a chance to ever get to be a starting 6 forward or a top D pairing because of the Core and or the Coach,
  Which leads me to the million dollar question..Why would any young talent ever want to come to Pittsburgh if all you can be is a bottom 6 forward or bottom pairing on defense ??
  Living where i am i had the real pleasure to watch the greatest Hockey dynasty ever ,( according to the NHL,) which was the Montreal Canadians of the late 60's and 70's..( I was never a Habs fan but my Mom was.)
  What strikes me was that they were able to add young players to their roster,(Dryden,Robinson,La Fleur,Shutt) and others and they became the stars while the aging Super stars took lessor roles on the 3rd and 4th lines.Passing the Torch they called it.
  I don;t seeing that happening in Pittsburgh,,,,,
  Cheers
  JIM