With our Penguins across the pond and off till Friday and not much stirring in the ol’ brain pan, I thought I’d take a quick glance at the Baby Pens and see what’s cookin’ in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
At the top of the scoring heap are two players no longer with the club. With five goals and 14 points in 10 games, veteran Danton Heinen was tied for the AHL scoring lead at the time of his recall. Likewise, youngster Ville Koivunen was tearing up the circuit to the tune of four goals and 11 points in six games. He, too, has since rejoined the Pens.
As an aside, and just to underscore the pronounced difference between the NHL and AHL, they’ve jointly collected two assists (both by Koivunen) in a combined 11 games since their recalls. Different roles, of course, but still…
As for the rest of the bunch, center Tristan Broz has tallied a very respectable seven goals and 11 points in 13 games. Sam Poulin (pictured) has also produced some solid numbers (five goals, 11 points in 13 games).
Personally, I’d much rather see Broz and Poulin skating with the big boys as opposed to Joona Koppanen and Kevin Hayes. But I get (sorta kinda) that Kyle Dubas is resisting the urge to totally gut the Baby Pens at this stage.
Valtteri Puustinen, at age 26 a grizzled AHL vet, has netted a pair of goals to go with seven points in eight games. Atley Calvert likewise has seven points, including six goals. He’s a former junior teammate of Brayden Yager. Who by the way, has two goals and six points in 12 games with the AHL Manitoba Moose.
Peppery Avery Hayes, currently on IR, has three goals and six points in 10 games. Rutger McGroarty is still on IR due to an upper-body injury and has yet to appear in a game.
With veteran Ryan Graves (seven points) back in the ‘Burgh, Owen Pickering paces the incumbent Baby Pens blueliners with five points, including a goal. A pair of rookies, puck-mover Finn Harding and rugged Chase Pietila, have four helpers apiece. Hulking ex-Cap Alexander Alexeyev leads the defense with two goals.
In net, rangy 6’5” rookie Maxim Pavlenko was promoted from Wheeling to fill the recently recalled Sergei Murashov’s pads. Through two games, he’s responded to the tune of a 0.62 goals against average and .973 save percentage, including a shutout.
Following a hot start, Filip Larsson’s numbers (2.92 GAA, .891 SV%) have sagged of late.
Team-wise, the Baby Pens have slipped a bit since their piping hot 7-0 start, going 2-3-1 in their past six. No doubt influenced by the recent spate of recalls. With 19 points, they currently hold second place in the Atlantic Division behind the 10-1 Providence Bruins.
One level down, the Wheeling Nailers are off to a 7-1 start, good for second place in the ECHL North. Tough-guy-turned-scorer Matthew Quercia leads the club with three goals and nine points in eight games. Equally rugged rookie Max Graham and Zach Urdahl have also potted three goals apiece.
Hey Rick,
What I find interesting about our Penguins’ prospects, Joona Koppanen, who is 27 and no longer a prospect, and who had scored 1 G and picked up 1 A for 2 Pts in 6 GP was summoned to Pgh during this injury bug time. Meantime, Sam Poulin who is still only 24 and who could still be considered a prospect has 7 G and 6 A in 14 GP, Tristan Broz who is 22 and who also has 7 G as well as 4 A in 14 GP and has shown that he can play PP and PK and Vlterri Puustinen who is still a year younger than Koppanen (26) but who has 2 G and 7 A in 9 GP were all left in WBS, while Koppanen, who had done nothing to earn a promotion, was summoned.
Daniel Laatsch, the first year pro Defenseman has the same amount of Pts as Koppanen and has played 2 less games, but again, Koopanen was summoned.
Broz, Poulin, Puustinen, and even Laatsch were brought into the organization under previous GMs, are out performing Koppanen, yet still toiling in the minors.
Also, let’s talk about Rafael Harvey-Pinard, the UFA that Dubas just had to sign to a contract, he has 2 G and 3 A in 12 GP. I am sooo glad our PoHO KD used one of his 50 contracts on this player.
The team has turned around so much with addition by subtraction of Mike Sullivan, it is very refreshing, but asset management is still a major, major concern.
Hey Other Rick,
I hear ya regarding Koppanen. Not that I’ve watched him all that closely, but Kyle Dubas seems to like him. In particular, he’s commented on how the big guy’s skating has improved since joining the Pens. It’s almost as he sees him as a poor man’s Justin Brazeau.
Recently, Dan Muse was also complementary about how Koppanen gets in on the forecheck, while suggesting there’s more upside to his game than meets the eye.
Perhaps. After all, Muse and the coaches work with the guy and see him every day. But to me, Koppanen just kind of takes up space.
Rick