PHN Blog: Penguins Narratives & Realities, Mike Sullivan Won’t Play Kids?

DETROIT — The Pittsburgh Penguins organization and the WBS Penguins team lost Radim Zohorna on waivers Monday, as the Calgary Flames snapped up the 6-foot-6 Czechian forward with 10 points in 25 career NHL games over two seasons.

Cue the Mike Sullivan hates young players narrative.

Please ignore that Jake Guentzel, Marcus Pettersson, John Marino, and Teddy Blueger earned consistent NHL sweaters in the past few years despite being under 25. Drew O’Connor, Zohorna, and P.O Joseph have received significant playing time and chances to earn more. In this camp, Ty Smith, 22, has been given a prime chance to win the third-pairing position.

Broom all of that under the rug. It doesn’t fit the anger that the Penguins let another young fan favorite slip through their fingers or put him in the AHL.

Just play them! They need playing time!

I hear it nearly every day, “If only they would play the kids, they would get better. The Pittsburgh Penguins would be better .. and Fun Dip would sprinkle from the ceilings.”

Ok, I added the Fun Dip part.

But that would be cool.

Those who throw this anti-prospect narrative are missing one vital piece of information — the players are still playing hockey, even if they’re not in Pittsburgh. Just because we don’t see them every day, don’t be fooled into thinking the organization doesn’t have close eyes on them.

And, there are far more things considered than potential when putting together an NHL team.

Look, there’s no denying Radim Zohorna, Drew O’Connor, and Drake Caggiula had better training camps and preseasons than Josh Archibald. The significant difference between Archibald and Zohorna, as it directly concerns the Penguins lineup, is penalty killing.

I’m at a little bit of a loss to explain Caggiula, but he’s 28-years-old.

Working against Zohorna was the primary factor that he doesn’t kill penalties and didn’t show a North American game until this preseason. Until a few weeks ago, his tape showed a perimeter player who could get pushed off the puck too easily. Zohorna was not hard to play against. He made great strides over the last few weeks, but the Penguins’ bottom six is short on penalty killers and long on players who can chip in 10 goals.

You didn’t expect them to waive Danton Heinen for Zohorna, did you?

You don’t really believe that Sullivan looks first at a player’s birth certificate before deciding on opportunity and playing time?

Like everyone, including Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving, I was impressed with Zohorna. He wasn’t a game changer or show stopper, but if the Penguins needed a center or third-line winger, Zohorna showed he could fit the role.

But he’s not a better NHL center than Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jeff Carter, or Teddy Blueger. He may not be better than Drew O’Connor. Ryan Poehling has also begun to show he could flourish in Mike Sullivan’s system.

Sam Poulin is also readying himself quickly, too.

Poulin and O’Connor are still waivers exempt and can be recalled as needed (or as the salary cap permits).

It was a numbers game. Zohorna showed he could play in the NHL and was getting better, but he wasn’t one of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ best 13 options. Maybe No. 14?

That’s why Calgary snagged him. They need some middle-six talent to go with their summer additions or a fourth-line center. And Zohorna might fill either role.

Or neither.

We don’t know if he’ll continue to improve or if we saw his best.

But only the WBS Penguins will be different after losing Zohorna.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the stubborn narrative remain unchanged.