Penguins Blog: More on Puljujarvi, Prospects, & Persistence

The last three days have been a whirlwind of travel headaches, hockey games, and lessons. Not only did Pittsburgh Hockey Now cover the Pittsburgh Penguins’ back-to-back series with the New York Islanders, but we took advantage of a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins home game on Friday to make it a clean sweep, three-for-three weekend.

So, if I forgot which day it was or which city I was in for a few moments, please forgive me. The tediously long drives, the slushy weather, and the long days quickly took their toll. I’m quite sure the second of two large coffee pots in the press box was kept hot deep into the third period on Sunday for my benefit, long after the Five-Hour Energy wore off.

But we also got quite an education on the Penguins organization.

The Pittsburgh Penguins split their home-and-home series with New York, with a bad 6-3 loss on the road and then holding on for a 3-2 win Sunday.

Friday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins again vanquished their top rival in a testy game.

What We Learned from the Penguins

1. The Penguins Have Some Heart

The Penguins faced a few moments in which previous iterations of this team would have packed it in. The Penguins failed to control momentum in the first two months of the season; when it got away from them, they were black toast. As a small example, the Islanders got a couple of late goals, but the Penguins didn’t tense up or come apart at the seams.

Also, they began the game Sunday with a little anger. They weren’t happy with their performance Saturday, as Erik Karlsson said the team wasn’t “engaged emotionally or mentally.”

The following night, Karlsson led the team in blocked shots.

Sunday, the Penguins had an edge. They didn’t just attack in one of those jet-fuel-burning first-ten-minute attacks. They were very good for most of the game and reeled in the sloppiness.

The ability to rebound from a bad performance without letting it snowball, the ability to hold leads and not panic sets this team apart from its past self.

2. Depth Issues

Michael Bunting is red-hot, with five points in his last four games (1-4-5). Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Sidney Crosby were red-hot. The Penguins’ offense remains concentrated among a few players and largely one line.

The Penguins have depth-scoring issues–third-line center Cody Glass has only one goal. Philip Tomasino scored a power-play-aided goal Sunday, but the third line has otherwise been absent from the score sheet.

On Monday, the Penguins waived Jesse Puljujarvi despite the condemnation and consternation of the analytics crowd. The team likely needed a roster spot for another defenseman. Puljujarvi had eight points in 21 games but hasn’t played since Dec. 7 because he was not as well suited for the available bottom-line roles. Tomasino took the right-wing spot, and the organization committed to playing him when they acquired him.

If the forward group suffers some injuries to the top five players, they’re in deep trouble. The Penguins do not have anyone down the lineup able to step forward; there isn’t another scoring winger or center available (yet).

3. Prospects

A couple of kids are on the way. Tristan Broz and Rutger McGroarty are close right now. If the Penguins suffered injuries to the forwards group, it’s not a guarantee either would be called up. Pending the needed role, other players at the AHL level would be better fits, but if the team needed a middle-six forward, either would be a fun few games.

There are also a couple of defensemen with similar skill sets—Filip Kral and Mac Hollowell are the left- and right-handed puck-moving, skilled d-men with high-end skating.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are among the top teams in the AHL, and they’ve earned that status without clogging the roster with career minor-leaguers.

One-Timers

Penguins fans ascribed far more potential to Jesse Puljujarvi than he showed and overlooked the flaws. Tomasino is the reason Puljujarvi is out of the lineup–I thought most wanted to play the young players.

P.O Joseph is playing really well and battled as a right-side defenseman Sunday, but putting him there long term is not the best idea.

Goalies have learned Tomasino’s drag-and-shoot move, beginning with Juuse Saros in Nashville. Tomasino is telegraphing it, and goalies are jumping it.

Mike Sullivan is still a betting favorite to be the next coach fired at +245. I’d bet my bottom dollar that’s not going to happen.

Noel Acciari doesn’t get nearly the respect from the public that he deserves. He’s physical, a shot-blocking force, and a hard defender who is keeping goals off the board both on the PK and late in games.