In an effort to at least not start off this post with any negativity let’s talk Pittsburgh Penguins’ Prospects. There are Penguins in this organization out there playing real live games, not just meaningless preseason games. The European Leagues are about 1 month into their schedule and the Canadian Juniors have started up for a couple games.
For me, the most exciting thing this season is seeing that Kirill Tankov is back on the ice. If any of you follow the Penguins Prospects as closely as I do, you will remember that Tankov was the 3rd of 3 – 7th round draft picks our Penguins had in 2021 out of Khanty-Mansiysk Russia.
Now, don’t assume that means he is/was really a serious limited talent project. His low draft positioning could be more of a reflection of the difficulty in getting players out of Russia and into the NHL is no easy feat. Tankov has/had both decent size and skill; he is 6’-2”, 196lbs.
I has/had because again, if you remember is Tankov was seriously injured in his first game last season, when he was hit from behind and drilled into the boards. He ended up missing the rest of the season.
The good news is that he is back playing, and he started the season off with a very strong 6 Points (Pnts) in his 1st 6 games, but his production has fallen off the last 4 games. I am very hopeful for the young Russian. I don’t want to see another Penguins’ Prospect felled before he could really display his talent in Pittsburgh like Jordy Bellerive (Although Bellerive’s injury was off the ice not on like Tankov)
| Name | Po | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- |
| Björkqvist, Kasper | LW | Kärpät | Liiga | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Collins, Nolan | RD | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Foster, Cooper | C | Ottawa 67’s | OHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Hållander, Filip | C | Timrå | SHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -6 |
| Ilyin, Mikail Ye. | F | Severstal Cherepoverts | KHL | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | -1 |
| Järventie, Emil | LW | Ilves U20 | U20 SM – Sarja | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 |
| Järventie, Emil | LW | Koovee )Loan) | Liiga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 |
| Järventie, Emil | LW | Finland U20 | International Jr | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | – |
| Kangas, Kalle | LD | Jokerit U20 | U20 SM – Sarja | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Kangas, Kalle | LD | Jokerit | Liiga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| Kangas, Kalle | LD | Finland U20 | International Jr | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | – |
| Plante, Zam | C | Fargo Force | USHL | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Tankov, Kirill | C | SKA-Neva St. Petersburg | VHL | 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Yager, Brayden | F | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Pieniniemi, Emil | LD | Kärpät U20 | U20 SM – Sarja | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| Pieniniemi, Emil | LD | Kärpät (Loan) | Liiga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Pieniniemi, Emil | LD | Finland U20 | International Jr | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | – |
This season’s 1st round pick, Brayden Yager, also started the year off on fire, notching 5 points in his first 2 games. Perhaps his first taste of the pros whetted his appetite. He has 3 Goals (G) and 2 Assists (A) in his first 2 games back with his junior team.
Mikail Ye. Ilyin, this past draft’s 5th round pick, has 5 Pnts. in 11 Games Played (GP). What makes those numbers interesting to me is that Ilyin is only 18 and he is playing in Russia’s top professional league, the KHL.
Zam Plante and Kasper Björkqvist both have 4 Pnts; Plante 3 G and 1 A in 3 GP and Björkqvist 2 G and 2 A in 6 GP.
However, don’t get too excited at some of these kids’ good starts, they are way too young for our resident archaeologist and head coach, Mike Sullivan, to have any interest in them. Björkqvist is the only one old enough for Sullivan’s “Character”. However, after the way he was treated here, even if he keeps playing this well, I doubt he would want to come back to our Coach.
| Name | Po | Team | League | GP | GAA | Sv% | SO | W | L | T |
| Linberg, Filip | G | TPS | Liiga | 6 | 1.81 | 0.913 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Murashov, Sergei | G | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 6 | 2.34 | 0.912 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
In Goal, Sergei Murashov has already pitched 2 Shutouts (SO) but he is not having anywhere near the year he had last season. His numbers are good but last season he had a microscopic Goals Against Average (GAA) of 1.53 with an astronomical Save Percentage (Sv%) of 0.948. Filip Lindberg is also having a pretty good start with a GAA of 1.81. By the way Kyle Dubas has wasted $5.3745 million on Tristan Jarry a good and cheap Goalie would help greatly.
Unfortunately, is in Russia, so getting him over to the US anytime soon, like Tankov, will be a trick.
As for Lindberg, don’t look for him to be too amenable to return to North America, either; not after Sullivan and Wilkes Barre – Scranton’s Head Coach J.D. Forrest, in their infinite uselessness, buried him behind journeyman Goalies Louis Domingue and Dustin Tokarski. It seems that neither Coach understands that inherent to the term Coach is teacher. Neither Coach seems to want to show kids how to play the game. No wonder Penguins’ Prospects wither on the vine.
Odds and Sods
Over the las couple of days, I just can’t help but remember the old Jeff Foxworthy Comedy Skit about “You might be a Redneck.”
The years of serious asset mismanagement over the past several years could finally come to roost and have our team potentially fighting for a top 5 pick. Since this is a post about prospects, I figure a quick look at the current top 5 Draft eligible kids. (It is early so rankings may change.)
It is early. It is only preseason. However, I have seen this show before. It is in syndication all ready. The reruns are trite and burned out. There doesn’t seem to be a new script idea anywhere. They’ve changed the cast and it is still hackneyed. It is time to get new writers (Coaches) on this show.
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Hey Other Rick,
Thanks so much for the great early look at the kids. Remarkable given the nature and severity of his injury that Tankov is not only playing but thriving.
Great to see Yager doing so well out of the blocks. I'm sure after dealing with the speed of the pro game, the ice looks wide open in junior by comparison. Let's hope he continues to develop. We desperately need a kid who has the talent to step in and make a difference. I also have high hopes for Pieniniemi, who seems to do everything at least reasonably well, and to a lesser degree, Kangas, a big, physical defenseman. It would be great if Murashov could pan out as well.
Hallander appears to be struggling out of the gate. Honestly, I was never that high on him. Don't think he would've been able to keep up with the pro game.
Rick