If you’ve been reading PenguinPoop over the summer, you’ve no doubt picked up on the fact that I’ve had issues with much of Kyle Dubas’ recent work.
Chief among them, the way he overstocked the team up front. Indeed, no fewer than 19 forwards who played at least one NHL last season will be attending training camp. Enough for six forward lines, with a spare skater to boot.
Perhaps our POHO/GM intended (and still intends) to trade off a forward or two. Veteran top-sixers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are most often mentioned as players Dubas might be amenable to moving, provided the return is favorable. However, nothing appears imminent at the present.
To this observer, it seems Dubas has been trying to walk a tightrope while serving two masters. Namely, keeping the team reasonably competitive (or at least creating the illusion of doing so) for the sake of Sidney Crosby and other members of the veteran core, not mention the new owners and the fan base. All the while furthering the development of the Penguins’ growing stable of prospects. A stable, to Dubas’ credit, he’s largely responsible for procuring.
In the Bible, Jesus himself states, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one despise the other.”
The good Lord could easily have been referring to the current state of our Pens.
Due to the logjam of forwards, there’s almost no room for the kids to advance. The lone opening appears to be right wing on the fourth line, Noel Acciari’s old slot. As it stands now, no fewer than five players, including Justin Brazeau, newly acquired Hendrix Lapierre, Elmer Söderblom and kids Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty (pictured) figure to vie for that spot.
On the flip side, to Dubas’ credit, he did leave some wiggle room on left defense, where former first-rounder Owen Pickering and collegiate free-agent Jake Livanavage could conceivably play their way into the picture. Same in goal, where wunderkind Sergei Murashov is slated for regular duty alongside incumbent Arturs Šilovs. Perhaps Joel Blomqvist, too.
Still, the lack of apparent opportunities up front for the youngsters to earn playing time is perplexing to say the least. In addition to Hayes and McGroarty, the poster child for the Twilight Zone-ish setup is kid forward Ville Koivunen, signed to a lavish $32 million dollar contract with no promise of a roster spot.
Talk about your cross purposes! Makes you wonder if Dubie’s been smokin’ doobies.
Signing Kuzmenko a Mistake
The mind-boggling Koivunen pact aside, Dubas’ biggest mistake this off-season was signing journeyman forward Andrei Kuzmenko. Granted, it’s only a one-year deal (for a cool $5 mil). And in all likelihood, the much-travelled winger will once more be on the move at the trade deadline a la Anthony Beauvillier and Cody Glass a couple of seasons back.
However, Kuzmenko’s presence has basically usurped a roster spot that coulda (and shoulda) been left open for a kid like McGroarty or Koivunen.
PP colleague Other Rick often laments young players being left to rot on the vine at Wilkes-Barre. You only hope that won’t be the case for McGroarty, Koivunen and Hayes, to say nothing of fellow forward hopeful Tristan Broz, who seems to be perpetually positioned behind the eight-ball despite solid numbers with the Baby Pens and a well-documented knack for producing in the clutch.
The same applies to hard-luck Filip Hållander, who performed ably for the Pens before a blood clot ruined his season, only to be facing what appears to be a closed door to advancement.
I am reminded that injuries do occur, which should provide at least some opportunities for the youngsters. We also need to trust that Dubas and his staff have a pretty good handle on where the kids are on the development curve.
Still, at least at the present, there’s no room at the inn.
Rick,
From the person who told me that Brady Tkachuk was going to Fla way back last summer, he is saying that Dubas is still trying to swing for the fences but isn’t naming names. I am holding my breath though, everything I see him do now seems to be burying this team deeper than JR and RH combined. I do not have any faith in him let alone the faith to which you desperately cling. What little good he did last season looks to be unraveling fast, but then again when he is placing most of his trust on reclamation projects from some other teams rejects, like the Pens of the 70s and early 80s failed with I don’t expect much more than what we are getting.
Now I am hearing noise to the affect of which I mused about last season, that many of the team’s prospects are really getting at least frustrated, if not down right p!$$3d off at the way they are being ignored. From what I have heard McGroarty has improved his skating greatly and is looking the best of his short tenure here but that his morale has been flushed down the proverbial.