The Penguins continued to take steps toward finalizing their roster ahead of Wednesday’s season opener against the Flyers.
Forward Bill Zonnon, defenseman Harrison Brunicke and goalie Joel Blomqvist were assigned to the Baby Pens.
Four other players, forwards Justin Brazeau, Ben Kindel and Blake Lizotte, and defenseman Ryan Graves were placed on IR to open the season. Brazeau and Kindel are week-to-week with lower-body ailments. Lizotte (upper-body) is listed as day-to-day. Graves (lower-body) is out indefinitely.
Tristan Broz and Bryan Rust are being evaluated for injuries sustained in Saturday afternoon’s victory over the Sabres.
Here’s a list of the 25 players currently on the roster, including Broz, Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko (away on leave). Two more players will need to be pared from the roster before the opener.
FORWARDS (16)
Broz, Chinakhov, Crosby, Dewar, Gustafsson, Hållander, Koivunen, Kuzmenko, Lapierre, Malkin, McGroarty, Novak, Rakell, Robertson, Rust, Söderblom
DEFENSEMEN (7)
Carlile, Girard, Karlsson, Korczak, Letang, Solovyov, van Riemsdyk
GOALIES (2)
Murashov, Šilovs
Just a few stats from the preseason for you Rick,
Sv%: Blomqvist 0.909, Murashov 0.897, Silovs 0.830
HDSV%: Blomqvist 1.000, Silovs 0.727, Murashov 0.714.
Rush Attempts Against/60: Blomqvist 4.07, Murashov 0.67, Silovs 0.50
Rebound Attempts Against/60: Silovs 6.00, Murashov 4.70, Blomqvist 2.03
5-on-5 numbers
Sv%: Blomqvist 1.000, Murashov 0.893, Silovs 0.886
HDSV%: Blomqvist 1.000, Murashov 0.714. Silovs 0.706
Rush Attempts Against/60: Blomqvist 2.67, Silovs 0.62, Murashov 0.00,
Rebound Attempts Against/60: Murashov 4.92, Silovs 4.34, Blomqvist 2.67
Blomqvist may have only gotten a half of game but in comparison to his team mates he didn’t stink out loud like Silovs did in his first outing, nor have an off game like Murashov had in his second outing.
This is the 3rd year in the row that Joel Blomqvist performed best in preseason games and the 3rd year in a row that the team chose to banish him to the minors. The debacle that has been the Toronto Maple Leafs over the most recent years was in fact in part due to Kyle Dubas. He hasn’t a clue what a Goalie or Defenseman is.
This is just one more reason why I have no respect or confidence in our HoHO and his “Plan”. He is as bad as Sullivan.
For the Kid’s sake and the sake of his career, I really wish that Dubas in his infinite folly when it comes to Goalies and Defensemen would trade Blomqvist to a team that understands what Goaltending is.
I saw on the athletic, that basically blomqvist did not play well in the AHL playoffs last season and that’s why Murashev is favored.
We will see what happens, but if someone is hurt, I’m glad to have blomqvist available.
That is very interesting Keeger. I say that because if you did read that in the Athletic, someone at the Athletic is an extremely poor reporter; Blomqvist didn’t play a single playoff game last season – it is a matter of record. Look it up. In fact, there was a big discussion as WBS fell behind in the series questioning whether the team was doing the right thing in not letting Blomqvist give Murashov a little rest between starts.
Also, during the regular season, Blomqvist was barely given any playing time, only a little over 1/3 of the games (26 of 72 Games) even though his Sv% was nearly identical to Murashov’s.
No, Blomqvist has and is being totally disrespected by this organization. He has played the best out of all Penguins Goalies every preseason and has been religated to third fiddle at best, not even second fiddle for all of his efforts.
I would love to see him get his due, here in Pgh, but reality says he will not – there is significant history to evidence this. Therefore, failing to give Blomqvist the playing time he keeps earning every preseason, I keep hoping that the team trades him so that his prime years are not wasted and he gets to have a career.