Comments on: The Final Cut, Staal Letang, Welch, Goalies…

By: kamullia

kamullia — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 15:41:14 +0000

As expected, Dani Sabourin did not clear waivers on opening day and was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks.

That means that the Penguins top of the depth chart at goaltender is now Fleury, Thibault, and Andrew Penner.

The Canucks, who had always had goaltending issues, now look fairly solid at the position with Luongo, Flaherty, and Sabourin.

With the move, the Penguins went from having decent depth and plenty of choices at goaltender last year, to simply running a bare bones goaltending project. I think picking Thorburn was justified, but Shero better hope that Stewart is more than worth it, because now he has to re-inforce the organization's goaltending.

By: kamullia

kamullia — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:26:35 +0000

I completely agree with you in Ouellet’s worth. He is not much more than an AHLer because of his skating. But keep in mind that GMs do not necesarily agree with either of us and many times think that a change in environment/instruction will pan out for the player. Who would be interested in Ouellet? Obviously someone who is looking for more offense, probably in the power play, and thinks Ouellet will be effective enough in their system. And from our point of view, trading Ouellet would be worth it. I also have been told that Shero has been inquired about Ouellet already, and personally I was hoping for an exchange back then. But Shero obviously does not agree with me either, or the return was not of his liking. I would have been happy that someone was inquiring and a pick would have been enough for me to let Ouellet go.

By: OldGoalie

OldGoalie — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:27:31 +0000

I don’t know that there would have been a huge amount of interest in trading for Ouellet even when he was playing at his best last year. He’s basically a power play specialist…of his 16 goals, 11 came on the power play. At even strength, he scored only 5…and none of his 16 total goals were game winning or tying. I think what you’ve basically got in Ouellet is a guy who’s skating is enough of a liability that he’s not effective at even strength, and because of that, he doesn’t get used when the game is on the line. If I’m another GM, why would I trade for that?

By: kamullia

kamullia — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 07:11:54 +0000

I think Sabourin is done with the Penguins. He might get through waivers, only because it is the beginning of the season and everyone just got done submitting rosters and they probably do not want to deviate from their goaltending (although JFJ would be dumb not to pick him up, because I feel he is much better than Seabass).

But if Sabourin does get through waivers and later gets called up by Pittsburgh, especially if it is a bit into the season where teams are starting to second guess their goaltending decisions and depth, Sabourin is gone via re-entry waivers and to add insult to injury the Penguins would have to pay half his salary and carry half his cap hit for the entire season.

As far as the call on Sabourin, do not thank me, I simply passed on what my friends closer to management shared with me.

By: cups_n_burgh

cups_n_burgh — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 22:07:25 +0000

That was a good call on Sabourin. Its a shame that the team politics trump camp performances. That must be hard on the players to realize that draft pick number determines who makes the cut. Sabourin should have been rewarded for his hard work. I highly doubt T-bone would have been claimed off of waivers but I get the feeling Sabourin will get a call this week and be on a plane.

By: kamullia

kamullia — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:31:20 +0000

It has been no secret Therrien’s love for Ouellet ever since the lockout year. As far as Shero stepping in, I think he will eventually have to, and I question why did he not step in already to begin with. Ouellet finished last year with a bad showing, and he has done nothing this year. No reason to have him on this team, unless it is for trading purposes, but if he doesn’t score some goals any possible interest in Ouellet will diminish so keeping him in Pittsburgh might be futile.

By: kamullia

kamullia — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:28:10 +0000

I like this pickup MUCH better than Stewart. In fact, I would have picked him up and placed Stewart on waivers, instead of Sabourin. It makes no sense to me that they went through the roster and sent several players down that should have made the team in part to keep three goaltenders, and that Shero values Sabourin less than Stewart, and Melichar for that matter.

I like the pickup. Hate the way Shero went about it. My sources were definitely right about Sabourin being the odd-man out soon, although I doubt they foresaw he would leave from the Pens picking someone on the waiver wire.

By: BruMagnus

BruMagnus — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 13:20:28 +0000

You can add forward Chris Thorburn whom the Penguins claimed off waivers from the Sabres.

I'm liking all the steals Shero's making.

By: BruMagnus

BruMagnus — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 13:19:03 +0000

kamullia,

dave molinari from p-p-g said that Terrien really likes Ouellet (from previous seasons out of NHL) and would keep him even if it cost someone else, like Pivko, a spot. Dave said that Shero may step in if Michel was using heart over head.

By: kamullia

kamullia — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:36:50 +0000

Let me tell you, I am very concerned about how the Penguins are going about their goaltending. For one, the fact that they are starting Fleury is simply a cheap way to hope he gets back on-track on his own. I am convinced that Therrien's comments and the move to start him on Thursday are all designed to boost his confidence and hope that such boost will put him back on track. These are moves that Therrien is well known for, appealing to the player's emotions for reaction, of which I have never been too fund of. I know demoting him would be damaging to his psyche, but do they not run the a bigger risk by potentially having him get blasted away in the NHL?

This group of defensemen will change by year's end and then I believe they have the potential of being much better, but presently they are not the best unit to minimize shots on a goaltender who is presently obviously struggling. Sabourin had an amazing show against Buffalo, but he had to do it by facing 46 shots, and that does not count the shootout. I can not picture what the damage would have been if Fleury would have been on goal, not to the team or the score, but to his confidence.

On top of it all, I have it on good account that Sabourin, even though the best man thus far, is very probably soon to be the odd-man out. And for a goaltender who has had a good showing thus far, plus was voted best AHL goaltender last year, you can bet someone will take a chance on him and will be picked up via waivers. Trading him (which I am told is the aim of management), I do not see how it would garner a better goaltender to fix the present situation or the future at goaltending, but I hope I am wrong at that.

Meloche is not what I was expecting as full-time goaltending coach either. And by the show of this group, he has not done much either. Fleury has taken a step back, Thibault is better than last year, but my grandmother with a bad hip can be better than him last year, and he is not #1 goaltender material from his showing thus far. Sabourin has come to his present standing without intervention from Meloche, but rather on his own. I was skeptical on Shero's decision to hire Meloche back when he did so, and I am even more skeptical now. One thing is certain. It is time for Meloche to earn his money, and in a real hurry!

I apologize if my frustration on how things have been handled by management shows through, but I will venture to say some of you can sympathize.