Powerful Roster Selections Loom as Penguins Defeat Crimson Wings in Preseason Matchup

For Monday night time’s sport in opposition to a predominantly NHL Detroit Crimson Wings lineup, the Pittsburgh Penguins iced a prospect-heavy lineup filled with gamers seemingly destined for the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2024-25.

And after tonight, there are some very powerful selections for Penguins’ administration on the horizon.

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Regardless of the roster drawback, the Penguins defeated the Crimson Wings, 5-1, in fairly convincing style. Goaltender Joel Blomqvist stood tall in aid of an injured Alex Nedeljkovic. Noel Acciari netted two objectives, Lars Eller potted a shorthanded breakaway tally, Drew O’Connor scored an early objective, and Vasily Ponomarev sealed it off with an empty-net objective on the finish.

The Penguins had been the higher staff for many of the night time. That a lot was evident. However, maybe, much more evident was the legitimacy of the expertise that the Penguins have by way of the blokes combating for spots on the NHL roster.

With the common season just a little greater than per week away – and, actually, vital roster cuts coming very quickly – I do not envy head coach Mike Sullivan and GM and POHO Kyle Dubas. They should put collectively the ultimate NHL roster for Oct. 9, and, truthfully, I do not assume there are straightforward solutions.

Listed here are some notes and observations from tonight’s sport:

– At the start, Nedeljkovic was injured early on within the sport, seemingly when the web was dislodged. Sullivan stated that he’s being evaluated for a lower-body damage and that they’d have extra info Tuesday.

Blomqvist relieved Nedeljkovic, and boy, was he good on this sport. He stopped all however one Detroit shot and made just a few top-notch saves. His lateral motion is loopy quick. And he regarded snug and locked in in opposition to a lineup filled with NHL gamers.

My daring prediction for this season was that Blomqvist can be the beginning goaltender by the tip of it. I stand by that prediction. This man is de facto, actually good, and he confirmed it final season within the AHL (not less than, in the course of the common season).

If Nedeljkovic misses any prolonged time, Blomqvist will begin the season within the NHL. And if he performs something like he did tonight, beginning goaltender Tristan Jarry’s leash goes to be very brief.

– Acciari had two objectives tonight. That is the sort of participant I envisioned the Penguins had been getting final offseason: somebody who might nonetheless contribute on offense however carry the defensive load for the bottom-six.

His entire line was the perfect by far tonight. McGroarty was locked in and confirmed excellent offensive zone consciousness. He made a ravishing move from under the objective line to Acciari within the slot for his first objective. He had three prime scoring alternatives within the first interval alone and a number of other in a while.

Related: Penguins’ Top Prospect Slated to Start in Back-to-Back Preseason Games

Puljujarvi, once more, confirmed why he has greater than earned a spot on this roster (which, I believe is all however a lock at this level). He had an impressive shift within the offensive zone previous to Acciari’s second objective, forechecking like a menace and displaying off the skating potential that, I believe, seems to be higher than it did pre-double-hip surgical procedure.

This line was an issue all night time for Detroit. And, once more, they had been a largely NHL lineup. Spectacular stuff from them.

– On that word, I do know a number of people are clamoring for the Penguins to commerce Acciari. I’m not one among them.

This man has worth to the Penguins. He is the sort of participant you need to have round come playoff time. He isn’t going to “wow” you, however he goes on the market and does his job. And he does his job very, very nicely.

It might be good to see youthful guys get a shot within the lineup, however the ahead depth the Penguins now possess is one thing that hasn’t been there in a protracted, very long time. That is solely a great factor.

There will probably be accidents. There will probably be alternatives for youthful guys to fit in. However Acciari does not must go to ensure that that to occur.

In reality, I doubt any trades occur earlier than the season at this level, whether or not they need to or not. And truthfully? I believe that is okay.

– Ponomarev continues to impress me, particularly on the penalty kill (which we acquired to see a complete lot of tonight). His defensive zone consciousness is so superior. He pushes guys to the perimeter, makes nice reads, shows nice stick work, and cuts off angles like clockwork. He’s additionally persistently deployed on the highest PK unit alongside Acciari, which has been the case for a lot of camp.

Related: Will Vasily Ponomarev push for a roster spot?

And, other than the PK, the “motor” that Sullivan has referred to on just a few events was on show once more. He is quick. He is tenacious. He wins puck battles. He seemingly does not run out of gasoline. Even Detroit’s broadcast staff was totally impressed together with his physique of labor tonight.

He might slot within the Penguins’ bottom-six instantly and make an influence. That is the precise sort of “vitality man” with bonus versatility that the staff wants in its bottom-six.

Even when he does not make the NHL roster out of camp, I believe he is the primary man they name on from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

– I assumed Ryan Graves performed a strong sport tonight. He made just a few good defensive performs in entrance of his personal internet, acquired the puck out of hazard on just a few events, and he did not look a contact out of sync with Jack St. Ivany, who has been his accomplice all through camp.

I believe the Penguins can be sensible to maintain that pairing intact, if doable. Consistency might be the perfect factor for Graves, and St. Ivany is a legitimately good defensive accomplice.

– Two different guys that impressed tonight had been O’Connor and Valtteri Puustinen. O’Connor is not actually a shock at this level. His pace and forechecking potential had been on full show.

However Puustinen wanted a efficiency like this. He confirmed nice endurance and smarts on O’Connor’s first interval energy play objective, holding the puck simply lengthy sufficient to make Crimson Wings defenseman Michael Rasmussen overcommit earlier than discovering O’Connor’s stick for the tap-in.

He was a well-known participant for many of this sport, and that familiarity was a great factor. It is powerful to say whether or not or not this efficiency will probably be sufficient to lock down a roster spot, particularly given the spectacular camp from Puljujarvi.

However Puustinen got here by means of for himself and his staff when he wanted to tonight.

– The Detroit broadcast saved displaying replays of Detroit scoring probabilities in the course of sport motion when the Penguins had been within the offensive zone.

It was weird, and I used to be not a fan.

– The Penguins scored one other energy play objective tonight, they usually used a low bumper to do it. That is three objectives in two video games.

Do not look now, however I do discover some tiny structural modifications, they usually’re getting some early returns. Possibly, simply MAYBE, this could possibly be an indication of issues to come back this season.

– There are about one million issues I need to write about this sport, and I am already being long-winded right here. However to circle again to the start, I don’t know what Sullivan, Dubas, and firm are going to do when it comes time for ultimate cuts.

Related: Penguins’ Morning Skate: Notes and Observations Ahead of Monday Matchup v. Detroit

Damage conditions will definitely play a big position. Erik Karlsson nonetheless is not skating. Blake Lizotte had a health care provider’s appointment at this time to guage an obvious facial damage. Nedeljkovic can be being evaluated.

So, because it stands, there may be an damage at each positional group. What appeared like practically a given roster-wise lower than per week in the past will not be so sure anymore.

Fringe guys like Puustinen, Puljujarvi, and Glass are taking part in laborious and stepping up. Some younger guys – like McGroarty, Ponomarev, Harrison Brunicke, Owen Pickering, and Blomqvist – are making a powerful case to stay round. Veterans like Acciari, Eller, O’Connor, and Kevin Hayes are getting the job executed.

Tomorrow night time’s sport will characteristic a wholesome mixture of veterans and prospects, and a number of guys seemingly within the combine to make the roster will probably be dressing. So it will likely be yet one more alternative for some guys to separate themselves.

Waiver exemption would possibly play a job right here, however there are nonetheless some non-exempt gamers who will definitely get lower. That is simply how the mathematics is including up, and there is not likely going to be a approach round that. The one factor to contemplate is that each staff is deciding on ultimate rosters and waiving gamers presently of yr, so many gamers undergo untouched anyway.

In any case – on the finish of the day – there needs to be some cause for optimism with this group of gamers. As talked about earlier than, there may be legit expertise knocking on the door for the primary time shortly, and I’ve not seen a extra aggressive coaching camp in fairly a while.

Related: Here’s What the Final Penguins’ Roster Will Probably Look Like