Heard it this week.

I think Lintner’s biggest problem is defensive miscues and a little too much eagerness to start the rush without first clearing the zone. He may be able to develop a defensive style but from what I have seen, his speed, his puckhandling ability and his skill for creating space in the offensive zone would make him far more valuable at forward.

I would rather have Moran on the roster than Bergevin, not because of any ill will towards bergevin, but because I think Moran is more of a team player and he has an enthusiasm for the game that could really help the youngsters.

I think on D, it should look like this:

Orpik-Tarnstrom

Roszival-Melichar

Moran-Whitney

I think Orpik’s good puck movement ability will make him and tarnstrom a good fit, and I think that his physical presence will bolster that pairing.

Roszival and Melichar have good chemistry, there’s really not much more to it. Melichar is a hard-nosed, tough D-man and I think it would help roszival to be paired up with someone who possesses those traits.

I think Moran’s willingness to self-sacrifice will help Whitney to mature as an NHL D-man. That said, as much as I would like to see Whitney make the roster, I can easily see him choosing to finish out his college career and/or starting his pro career with a year of development in the AHL (although it is unlikely he will forego his final year in college just to play in the minors when he is guaranteed a spot on either WB or with the Pens when he completes college. He had a so-so year, getting off to a slow start but turning it around later in the season. I think he could benefit by waiting one more year, but at the same time, he is good enough to compete for a spot on this rebuilding team.

I think that as long as Abid is playing with decently talented forwards, he will do well. He was one of the few bright spots for the Coyote’s otherwise dismal year this past season.

Lefebvre would do well with Mario, he provides some amount of physicality on the ice and has good offensive instincts that can only be heightened by playing with lemieux.

I would really like to see Surovy on the roster, he has the ability to generate turnovers in the offensive zone, and to generate chances from those turnovers.

Think you could be wrong about beech, but you may also be proven correct. He has the skill, he needs the body, the guidance, and a healthy dose of confidence. He was able to gain some confidence, considering how well he did in just 40 AHL games. He finally displayed his abilities for the first time since he’s been with the penguins.

I agree that morozov will do well. He did well before his injury and I expect he will continue that, starting the season off OK, and improving as the season continues on. Hopefully he will finally establish himself as the player who was billed as the best talent not playing in the NHL when he was drafted. I applaud the penguins for sticking with him and I believe it will pay off.

My predictions:

25-40-6-11

MA won’t make the team

Edzo stays

Aubin goes

Kraft shows up

Suffering D will mature this year and come on strong next year.

I think this team could suprise a lot of other teams if they can play the up-tempo, hard-forecheck system that they are hoping to employ

A good season indeed.

I actually in some ways hope they finish last again so they can have a good chance of nabbing Alex Ovechkin this next year.

here’s my take on the Pens up coming season…

As far as goaltending goes, a lot will depend on MA’s showing…If he is sent back to Juniors he cannot be called up all season correct? Well I don’t see the Pens choosing to have him in WB if he’s not going to play, I think for the most part it is regarded better for a prospect to remain in juniors if they are not in the NHL correct? So, I think that if he is in WB, he will get some time this season, also, if he is in WB, one of the goaltenders has to be traded at some point.

Say he makes it, there are 4 goalies that can play in the NHL. You don’t want to see 2 of them in WB, and I don’t think you will. If MA makes the pens or baby pens, look for a goalie to be dealt early in the season. Either to a team who really has struggling goaltending out of the gates, in which case it would be Hedberg most likely, or to a team looking to solidify a back up in their system (or for injury), Aubin…

I don’t think it hurts the team to much to trade either of these guys, MA is obvioulsy the gaolie of the future, and saying he makes it, 4 goalies is too many if we could get something in return.

If LA ends up signing fedorov and cechmanek isn’t working out, they may pull the trigger for another goalie, I think their current back up would be the guy from france whose name I can’t recall….With so many draft picks this season, maybe LA would be willing to part with one of their older prospects/young nhlers. Could always bring Jason Crain back toward the burgh with a draft pick.

The defensive corps are very interesting….I don’t know what to think…

First of all, I think Lintner is awesome, I don’t really know where his huge defensive faults that everyoen talks about are?? I think he is super quick with the puck, and remember he doesn’t have much NHL experience, he’s only 25 I believe, he’s got lots of time…I am royally pissed about Craig’s position change suggestiion!!

That being said, from what I’ve read, Lintner will not be a Dman on the Pens, so I guess with him out it looks like this:

Tarnstrom and Bergevin are pretty much locks…

Ian moran would be a lock, but I think that is a bad move, don’t get me wrong, I love Ian, but it’s time for the young guys to step in…and adding ian would leave pretty much one spot…

Rozsival and Melichar should be partnered up…good dpartners in my mind…I think Melichar is very promising, I expect a HUGE step up season by him considering he stays healthy.

This leaves 2 spots for tons of guys….Last year’s pick ups in Focht and Dupont, Former draft picks, Orpik, Lupaschuk, Whitney…

Orpik I feel has to do what it tkeas to make the team, I think he’s ready, I think he will have a solid season, and prove to be more than just a physical presence.

From there I don’t know…I think lupaschuk has the least chance of all to make the team, because if CP doesn’t want Lintner back there, he sure won’t want Lupaschuk…personally that seems like more of an Edzo call to me, but so did the Lintner BS!

I’d like to see Whitney make the team, I think a sixth overall pick has gotta be NHL ready after a year (excluding goalies).

Oh the Offense…hmm…what a mess this will be.

I am actually really looking foward to this season, I think it is going to be very enjoyable to see who steps it up. I expect there to be tons of energy on this team, because with the surplus of fowards, you don’t perform with at least some desire, you should be sent down quickly! here are my predictions for line combinations opening night….

Abid – Lemeiux – Morozov

- this line might surprise some people, I think this is by far the best combination, I really expect a lot out of morozov and Abid this season, and if Mario centers either of them for any considerable amount of time, they should be doing quite fine…

*watch for Meloche or Lefebvre on that line instead of Abid, Mario has a thing for Lefebvre and Meloche caught my eye at the end of last year, as a possible mario line mate….

Straka – Kraft – Fata

Could be a solid combo…I see all these guys being on the roster no doubt

Surovy – Beech – Lefebvre

this line wouldn’t be to gritty of a third line, that’s for sure, I don’t like Beech being the leader of a line either, as far as experience, but I think these guys will be on the roster too…

Meloche – Holzinger – Murley

tons of *’s on ths one…

1…Lintner will be here on the 4th if he makes the team, unless mario falls in love with him, he’ll be #1 line, but if he isn’t on here, he’ll be in Slovakia, because he wants to be in the NHL or Europe, not the minors…

2…Steve Mckenna, damn he doesn’t fit into rebuilding, but he signed an extension, and will probably make the team…

3…Holzinger may be considered to old to be in the rebuilding process and be WB, but he may be considered a good veteran guy to have around…

4…I think Murley will be lights out in pre-season earning him a spot…

5…Meloche performs anything like the ned lf last year, I see it being very tough to turn him back to WB…

6…Hell anyone could be here….this roster is very up in the air, look for any number of guys, Koltsov, Sivek, Endicott especially to fight for one of these last spots…

I am upset at the releasing of Matthias Johansson, I really liked him, I thought he fit with the Pens will, and was looking forward to seeing him this season, although I’ve heard they might try to re-sign him…

…finally a breath….geeze….that’s a mouthful, hopefully this season will be that breathtaking…I am honestly excited to see these young guys finally have the FULL oppurtunity to show what they’ve got….

while I’m at it, why not make a prediction for the record…

I see the record being similar to that of the Flordia Panthers last year, LOTS of ties…I think this pens team will hang around in a lot of games, and force OT often, but struggle getting that push to get the w’s…

27-38-12-5

MA makes the team…

Edzo stays coach…

Aubin traded…

Breakout year Abid….

Finally comes around Kraft…

Morozov shows some good stuff…

Proves to be a bust–Beech…

Surprisingly decent D…

here’s to a good season

☼KRAFTSTER☼

I think roszival is on the soft side, but while he will never be regarding as a tought D-man, I think he can be at least somewhat of a physical presence, but will end up relying more on his finesse to make plays at both ends of the ice.

I agree that Surovy is a bit more of a goals scorer, but he also has good skill creating turnovers on the forecheck and is unselfish with the puck.

I think that when Beech’s body reaches an NHL-calibre level, he will make a big difference for the penguins’ offense. I think he will be the 2nd line center behind Kraft, once lemieux is gone.

Patrick wants lintner to be a forward, but Lintner adamantly claims to be a defenseman. I believe he would do well as a forward, far better than he would do as a D-man.

I would love to see Moran back. He’s a great lockerroomn presence and can help to lighten his team’s spirits as well as agitate opponents.

Perhaps the new coaching staff can work with Roszival and he can recover from his injuries. I realize the pain he was in, however each day players are in pain after the long grueling season. When a coaching staff labels you as not wanting to play through chickenshit injuries you get labeled as soft. He has.

I agree that Kostop. has a very spirited game. He definately has hop in his legs and the style of game he plays is exciting.

I think Surovy is more of a pure goal scorer than Sivek. IT wasn’t my opinion that he wasn’t going to be a top six forward, that was Craig Patrick’s after the Jagr trade was consummated. I haven’t seen enough of him to suggest that either way.

As far as Beech I believe we feel the same way. He just looks very overmatched in the NHL, especially physically. I hope that has changed and he is ready for camp, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t make the team out of camp.

I think one thing we have forgotten is that Patrick has said in a recent interview that he is going to try to get some mid-low level free agents into camp to push the younger players, so it is not going to be easy or automatic for them to make the team right out of camp. I have heard talks of Ian Moran coming back, Bergevin has already been traded back. So, those two right there takes two d-spots away.

I also heard that LInter may be move to forward or go back to play in Europe.