Rookie Camp: Day 1 and 2...

by Nicole Tracey

The Pens’ Rookie Camp started Tuesday afternoon in front of a decent crowd at Southpointe. A handful of defensemen were the first to appear on the ice for a power skating session with Marianne Watkins. Alex Grant was the stand out of the group. The kid nailed every drill they did and his footwork wasn‘t too bad either. Meanwhile, coach Meloche had Brad Thiessen and Patrick Killeen doing a few drills. Playing the puck behind the net was a big one and both net minders did very well.

After about 25 minutes, the guys went back into the locker room to allow the zamboni to clean the ice for the rest of the rest of the evening. As soon as the zamboni made its final pass, the rest of the rookies stepped out onto the ice. After some skating drills, we finally got some pucks on the ice. If you’ve never seen Zach Sill take a slap shot, you should. Sill was the most impressive when it came to taking a shot on Tuesday. Coach Reirden then instructed some 2-on-1 drills. The defensemen who were impressive in the 2-on-1 drills were Brian Strait, Simon Despres, and Alex Grant.

Straiter was very quick on his feet, the fastest I’ve seen him. He looked very comfortable in what he was doing, not tense at all. He worked well with cutting off any passes.

Simon Despres is a big man, though he was using his body, I’d like to see him use it more. He did a fairly decent job of working his man off the puck.

Alex Grant was the smoothest skating dman at camp on Tuesday. He had great stick work as well, poking the puck off the forwards stick.

The forwards who were impressive in the 2-on-1 drills were Nick Peterson, Zach Sill, Joey Haddad.

When watching rookies practice you tend to notice sometime they change they way they skate when handling the puck, but that wasn’t the case with Nick Peterson. Nick managed the puck very well when it was his turn to take it down ice.

Zach Sill has been outstanding at camp. A heavy wrister, that at times, you almost felt bad for Thiessen and Killeen having to stop them.

Joey Haddad has been the surprise at camp, in my opinion. I got the chance to watch him play in Wilkes Barre this past season and he has much improved. His foot work has gotten better, not to mention a wicked shot.

Next came the shootout, the White team versus the Black team, if all the players on either team scored, that team got the point for the day. Despres won it for the Black with a nice little drag to roof the puck on Killeen.

No, I didn’t forget about the netminders. Killeen and Thiessen have both looked very sharp. Brad especially has been quick with the glove, a few stops were stunning. Coach Meloche has been really working with these guys and it’s showing for sure.

DAY 1 Standouts:

Zach Sill

Nick Peterson

Brian Strait

Simon Despres

Patrick Killeen

Brad Thiessen

Joey Haddad

Day 1 Concerns:

Brad Thiessen had a scary moment during a drill when winger Alex Smigelski slapped a heavy shot that hit Thiessen under the mask in the side of the neck. Brad was down for a few minutes but was okay and finished practice, strong might I add.

All and all a great first day for the Rookies.

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No rest for the weary come day 2. Though Ekbom, Modig, D’Agostino and Bathgate were not dressed. Marianne Watkins had a handful of forwards today in a power skate session. The forwards learned a couple techniques on how to improve their acceleration from a stand still position. Meanwhile the net minders were working on front net presence, posting up and stacking the pads.

We get our Zamboni “intermission” before the rest of the guys make their way onto the ice. At this point in the practice the rookies get a chance to loosen up their wrists and take some shots as they skate around. It didn’t take long for Alex Smigelski to show off his wrister. The kid is literally a spitfire, very aggressive to the puck, throws a decent check and doesn’t hold back on his shot.

Coach Reirden then barks out orders for 2-on-1 drills. Throughout the 2 days I’ve been at camp the defensemen have been impressive and they didn’t let me down on this drill. Out of the dmen, Grant, Strait, Roglaski were the most consistent. Rogalski, the Pens’ 6th round draft pick, looked much more comfortable out on the ice Wednesday. He kept better communication with his fellow defensemen as well. It seemed that Thiessen and Killeen hadn’t skipped a beat since day 1, flashing the glove from time to time.

Afterwards Coach Bylsma took the forwards and Coach Reirden and Fitzy took the defensemen. The dmen worked on neutral zone passing as well as one timers from the blueline. Brady Lamb stood out the most when it came to the shot from the blueline though Grant and Despres weren’t very far behind. Grant also showed off his stellar skating during the neutral zone drill.

DB had the forwards working on the down low cycle. Thiessen was put to the test first going up against the front net presence of the forwards and he stood tall. The goalies switch ends of the ice, now Killeen gets the front net presence and Thiessen gets the slappers from the blueline. Beau Bennett gets a chance to show Pat Killeen he is quite handsy and much to the crowds delight, scores a very pretty goal going top shelf.

After a group rest and a pep from the coaches, the prospects participate in on a 3-on-3 scrimmage. Black versus White, both teams broken down into lines. The lines consisted of:

BLACK TEAM:

Eric Tangradi - Keven Veilleux - Alex Smigelski

Ben Hanowski - Zach Sill - Paul Thompson

Kenneth Agostino

Brian Strait - Alex Grant

Alex Velischek - Brady Lamb

Brad Thiessen

WHITE TEAM:

Dustin Jeffrey - Casey Pierro-Zabotel - Beau Bennett

Joey Haddad - Brian Gibbons - Tom Kuehnhackl

Nick Petersen

Simon Despres - Robert Bortuzzo

Reid McNeill - Carl Sneep

Joe Rogalski

Patrick Killeen

Right off the bat we see Bennett and Tangradi working hard against the boards. Though Tangradi is considerably larger than Bennett, Beau held his ground. Nick Peterson steps in for the white team, but Thiessen makes a nice stop on him, it’s not 2 seconds later that the Black team go up by a goal off the nice work of Kevin Veilluex, it was surely a garbage goal but he’ll take it. Nice work by Smigelski to get the puck down low to Veilleux.

The Haddad line gets their chance for the White team but Velischek shut them down. Haddad and Velischek both gave their fair share of hard check to each other. Great work by both players. Velischek is a little undersized but his physical presence makes up for it.

Simon Despres catches Thiessen snoozing and ties up the game, but it didn’t take long for Ben Hanowksi to go top shelf on Killeen to win the game for the Black team.

Black Team 2 - White Team 0

Day 2 Stand Outs:

Beau Bennett

Joey Haddad

Alex Smigelski

Brad Thiessen

Day 2 Concerns:

Reid McNeill went hard in to the net and ended up having his ankle rolled up on. He seemed to be okay after he was able to get up and skate it off.

After Camp on I was able to speak with a few a the guys regarding on how they thought the first 2 days of camp have gone for them.

“It’s good to be back with all the guys and to be able to get on the ice. It’s a lot of fun to get back into the swing of things” - Brad Thiessen

I also asked Brad about his puck to the neck moment on Tuesday he said, “Yeah, took a puck to the neck, it’s okay now but I have the bruises to show for it.”

“The first two days have gone pretty well. First time back on the ice is always a little tough but the fitness and workouts have been going pretty good. It’s just good to get back out there on the ice with everyone.” - Dustin Jeffrey

Though we didn’t really talk to Tangradi about camp, he did said, “All the hype is motivation.”

Check out some video Sam and our friend Kayla took of the 3-on-3 scrimmage. In this video you get to see Thiessen's nice glove save and Haddad and Velischek going at it.

This video is about 5 minutes long and gives you an idea on how hard these rookies are actually working.

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Pens Universe Interviews Eric Tangradi

The Pittsburgh Penguins top prospect [Eric Tangradi] was gracious enough to answer some questions for me to share with Pens Universe. For those who don't know he came over in the Kunitz/Whitney trade we made with the Ducks before the trade deadline last year and is currently playing for our AHL affiliate, the [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins]. 

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PU: Who was your hockey idol growing up? Did he influence your style of play, if so why? And if not, what player or players do you most likely compare your style to?

ET: When I was growing up I was a huge Keith Primeau fan. He was a Flyer and I really got an opportunity to learn and study his game which I believe helped me tremendously. We both carry a big frame and I tried to adapt his style of play in my minor hockey days.


PU: Everybody’s heard about the Sidney Crosby story of shooting pucks into the dryer; growing up did you have any "unique ways" of practicing?


ET: No, I didn't really do anything like that. I just thank my parents for some good genes.


PU: It’s almost been about 5 months since your wrist injury, how is the wrist holding up for you? Any problems?


ET: I'm doing well now after a long summer I finally feel like I'm back to 100%. No problems with mobility, the only setback is that I don't have any feeling in my thumb, but I'm not too worried about it.


PU: How was your experience at Pens training camp? As a “new guy” were you subjected to any practical jokes or hazing?


ET: A few jokes here and there but the guys are great in Pittsburgh and training camp was a great experience for me.


PU: Though it was only pre-season, how was it like being alongside Sid and Geno?

ET: It was unbelievable. I mean I had an opportunity to play with 2 of the best players in the world which was a ton of fun. I remember being nervous in the beginning but after that it was just hockey.


PU: What has the transition been like coming from OHL to the AHL? Differences? Similarities?

ET: The biggest difference is that I'm playing against men now instead of teenagers in junior. Previously I could get by just using my size but now its important for me to use all my tools every shift to be effective. The similarities would have to be the guys. Every day at the rink is a always a great time and that has helped me with the transition.


PU: With a new season getting under way in Wilkes Barre, what are your expectations for yourself as well as your team?

ET: I'm just going to play my game every night and try to contribute as much as I can here. We have such a good balance of players and our expectations are high in Wilkes-Barre so it should make for a great season.

A big thanks to Mr. Eric Tangradi for allowing us to steal some of his time!!

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Restocking the Baby Pens

This afternoon your Pittsburgh Penguins trimmed down the roster down to 29 players and restocked the Baby Pens at the same time. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton received soon to be fan favorites Nick Johnson, Eric Tangradi, and Luca Cuputi. Also Fowards Wade Brookbank, Konstantin Pushkarev, Wyatt Smith, Joe Vitale, Tim Wallace were sent down. Defensemen Robert Bortuzzo, Jonathan D’Aversa, Chris Lee and goaltender Brad Thiessen joined the club.

The best part of a returning Stanley Cup Champion team loaded with talent is that young up and coming superstars like Tangradi, Johnson and Cuputi get lots of experience in the minors. While these players will start with the Baby Pens, you will most certainly see them with the big boys during the tough NHL schedule.

Another roster move announced by the Penguins sent 2009 first round pick Simon Despres Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

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Receive scouting reports on all the newest Baby Pens from our own Andy Rummel!!!

Read Here!!!

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Attack Hockey

The three games for the Penguins prospects went pretty well. Even though the Pens fell to the Ottawa squad in the first game, they continued to outwork and outperform their opponents. Many chances went unfinished, which is not all that much of a concern considering that it’s the beginning of the season and not many players have been on the ice shooting and stick handling yet. But the forecheck pressure on the opposing team’s defensemen was undeniably effective.

The Penguins then proceeded to beat a very solid Toronto team, applying constant pressure and keeping a very high tempo. The Penguins ended up with a 4-1 win, with solid skating and action throughout. Luca Caputi had a couple assists, with goals from Nathan Moon, Dustin Jeffrey, Robert Bortuzzo, and camp invite Justin Dowling.

The final game against Boston saw the Penguins out shooting the Bruins 49-20, and winning on the score board 3-2. The Bruins had been 2-0 in the tournament, but the Penguins swarmed over them and took the victory. The game could have been much worse. Casey PierroZabotel, Andy Bathgate, and Kevin Veilleux scored for the Penguins, with Jonathan D’Aversa and Lane Caffaro each picking up a couple assists.

Joe Vitale and Robert Bortuzzo showed up with strong play in the beginning of the tournament, and are considered as the top two players to enhance their stature in the Penguins organization.

Eric Tangradi began to show his upside as the games progressed. He really seemed to start becoming acclimated to the Penguin system, and clearly was a leader on the ice. His play improved the entire time, and was a real force in and around the net. Very curious to see if he continues his progress in camp: the Penguins definitely want to have him spend the year in the AHL, but Mr. Tangradi seems set on making his performance speak for itself. He certainly raised his level enough that the Penguins might consider him as a dark horse for that open spot on Malkin’s line. He definitely has all of the tools and work ethic to do it.

Number one pick Simon Depres looked solid and played well, giving the Penguins what they were hoping for in his performance. He is to attend Penguins training camp (which starts today by the way), but his return to his Junior team is imminent after camp ends.

Luca Caputi and Dustin Jeffrey provided the team with the expected ‘solid play’, and Kevin Veilleux quietly played effective two-way hockey. I think the Penguins would have wanted to see more from him, but he did not hurt his stock by his play.

The team as a whole performed well, and it was neat to see the Penguin prospects continue to play the ‘attack hockey’ system that was taught during the prospect camp earlier in the summer. Coach Dan Bylsma has said on record that the Penguins will play the same brand of hockey throughout the organization, and the prospects have certainly acquitted themselves quite well to so far. Look for Mr. Byslma to further add to the system this training camp, and maybe even make the style of play more aggressive.

We will have some more for you tomorrow after the first practice!

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Pens Universe Preseason Top 20

Utilizing a formula that includes talent, intensity/grit, and probability to make an impact in the NHL, we have decided on these 20 players as the tops in the Penguins organization. More merit will be given to players that are closer to making the big club because, well, that’s what matters.

1. Eric Tangradi (LW) – Just watch his highlight reel. He’s a bull. Loves to go to the front of the net, and at 220lbs., you can’t get him from in front of the crease. A leader. Has great hands for deflections. He won’t let himself be a failure. Will be on Crosby’s or Malkin’s line at some point in 2010/11 season
2. Luca Caputi (LW) – With 45 pts in 66 games for the Baby Pens, he’s only 20. Put on 10 pounds to 202. His head in the right place. Intense and competitive, with a good wrist shot to pick the corners. Needs to increase his speed, but he definitely has the skills to put the puck in the net.
3. Nick Johnson (RW) – A late bloomer, he has a lot of speed, intensity, plays big, and can put the puck in the net. Once, people wondered if he would ever make the NHL. Now, people are wondering how much of an impact he will make on either one of the Pens top two lines. No matter what, it looks like he will play in the NHL.
4. Ben Lovejoy (D) – Because he will start playing consistently on the big club this year. He’s not going to take over the world, but he will play for the Pens for a while. As a plus 42 in with the Baby Pens, nothing left to prove in the minors.
5. Dustin Jeffrey (C) – Intensity, work ethic, speed, and some skill intermingled. Will make a very solid third line player. Could maybe do more, but certainly would be happy as a very above average 3rd line guy. Could make the team this year out of camp. Probably equal to Johnson as of right now, but Johnson has better upside.
6. Alex Grant (D) – A very offensively talented defenseman, he has tremendous upside. Starting to fill out his frame, and will only get better. Good skater. Great shot. Needs to keep filling out and growing into himself. Only 20.
7. Kevin Veilleux (C/RW) – This player is all upside. He’s either going to be a really good winger on the first two lines, or a maybe a bust. Currently a Center. He isn’t the type of player you put on the lower lines. Great hands, and makes goalies look silly on breakaways. At 6’5” and only 205, the knock on his play has been lack of intensity and explosiveness. But he’s young, and there’s plenty of time to correct that. Big scorer in Juniors.
8. Simon Depres (D) – Look very solid defensively during prospect camp. Large body and a surprisingly fluid skater. Years away from the NHL, but has very solid upside. Listed below Grant because of an evident lack of offensive prowess, though some think he may develop some of this.
9. Joe Vitale (C) – A solid player with speed. Could make an impact as a solid 3rd or 4th liner of the future. Very gritty and is consistently called a fierce competitor. Also has some offensive touch as well.
10. Brian Strait (D) – Came out after his junior year at BU. Was going to be the captain, so he clearly has good leadership ability. Played on their top D pairing. Solid in all aspects of the game, with no one clear cut strength. Simple, solid game.
11. Ben Hanowski (LW) – Gets rated this high because of his potential. Clearly has ggood hands and a really solid shot. At 18, the sky is the limit. Needs to improve on skating and filling out. Highest scoring player in Minn high school history.
12. Nathan Moon (C) – a smallish player with 3rd or 4th line potential. Behind many other Penguin prospects who are slotted for the same type of position. Good shot, but needs to add some size. Good first step, but not high end speed or skating ability.
13. Casey Pierro-Zaobotel (C) – He is a solid kid with a good scoring touch. Has scored a lot of points at every level up until this point. Definitely needs to add to his skating ability and compete level. Does not have awesome playmaking abilities and has played with other really good players throughout his career, and he certainly capitalizes when that happens. Needs to become more explosive to make it to the NHL. Top line kind of talent, so it’s make or break it on the top lines. Would not be a good 3rd or 4th liner. That’s why he’s listed lower than others (chance of making it to NHL).
14. Carl Sneep (D) – He has all of the physical tools you could ask for, and tested among the best at this year’s Penguin’s prospect camp. Very raw. Needs to add consistency to his camp, but had shown that he has good upside. Need to keep showing improvement.
15. Alex Velischek (D) – If there are complaints, it is all about his defensive zone work. Great offensive abilities for a defenseman. Smooth skater, passer, shooter. If he becomes smarter in his own zone, he could grow into a solid NHL defenseman. High on his ability, just a ways away from NHL as of now.
16. John Curry (G) – a solid goaltending prospect, who will possibly make the Pens next year (this year with an injury). Solid at everything, but upside is limited. Not very big in the net.
17. Jonathon D’Aversa (D) – At 23, the Penguins view him as a late bloomer. Inside the organization, it was thought that he was possibly the most improved. Solid 2 way defesneman.
18. Robert Bortzzo (D) – has good size to him and needs to mature and develop. At 6’3” and 200, he definitely has strength to put on. But at only 20, there is plenty of time for him to develop. Would not be surprised if he grows into a 5-8 NHL defenseman.
19. Brad Thiessen (G) – Very quick and solid goaltender. Very good lateral movement, and covers the bottom of the net very well. Need to see more of him, but would not be surprised if he overtakes Curry by the end of this upcoming year.
20. Nicholas D’Augustino (D) – Looked very much like a lot of the other Penguin prospects on defense (i.e. D’Aversa, Bortuzzo). Tall and lanky, with need to put on muscle. Solid on many aspects of his game, but still needs to mature. At 19, still going to college at Cornell.

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Prospect Camp - Defensemen and Goalies

::DEFENSEMEN::

Alex Grant – Didn’t stand out or impress in the drills portion, but was much better at the end of the week and especially in the scrimmage. Ranked by many as the best defensive prospect in the Penguins organization, he made several end-to-end rushes that showed his upside talent. Above average shots (both slap and wrister), and a fairly decent skater. His overall game still needs to improve, but the skills are definitely there. A young player at 20, he still has a lot of time to progress and be a solid contributor to the Penguins blue line.

Simon Desres – Very much in the same category as Alex Grant: didn’t stand out in drills in the early part of the week, but became very noticeable during the one on ones and scrimmage on the last day. Big solid guy who can skate well for his size and played a calm dependable game. During the early part of the week, I thought he was 4 years away from having a chance on the team. Watching the scrimmage made me reconsider that prognosis. Looking forward to seeing how he progresses during this upcoming year. All of the tools are there.

Jonathan D'Aversa – Big solid defenseman who is a pretty good skater. Had a memorable moment during shootout of scrimmage. He took a wickedly hard shot from the top of the face-off circle and beat goaltender Theissen. The water bottle rocketed into the air about 10 feet – can’t say that I’ve seen that on a shot from distance before. Not going to be an upper tier defenseman, but could develop into a very serviceable 5-6 guy. He’s 23, so the next 3 years are critical for him to take his game to the next level.

Carl Sneep – Seemed very inconsistent. Would make a really solid play that would stand out, and get burned on the very next drill. Tested really well in the skating events, but does not stand out as being that great of a skater during the scrimmages and one on ones. He made some great plays in pinching or making passes from the point (led to Johnson’s goal on the doorstep from a shot pass from Sneep at the left point). So, he did show glimpses of solid talent this week. Needs to play more consistent hockey and to play a little more within himself. Decent prospect.

Brian Strait – Very competitive in the corners and on the puck. Wasn’t overwhelmed with his skills, but he is making the transition to the AHL this year. His level of play could increase dramatically in that case. He played very consistent hockey as the stay at home dman for Matt Gilroy on the National Champion BU team this year. We’ll see how is able to convert that type of play to the Baby Pens.

Robert Bortuzzo – What is going to sound redundant thought throughout many of the evaluations, Mr. Bortuzzo fits the mold of many of the Penguin defensemen in this camp. He’s big, and has decent skills across the board. But he rarely did anything that made him stand out on either the plus or negative side.

Lane Caffaro – Wasn’t very noticeable all week. Very big guy and physically dominant at times, he just didn’t stick out one way or another to me. Not necessarily a bad thing: if if isn’t making great plays, at least there aren’t egregious errors to go along with it. He’s getting older, so he better get it going this year in the AHL.

Nick D'Agostino – Steigy told me that he was the most improved player in the eyes of the Penguins staff. To me, he was fairly non noticeable, but that’s not always a bad thing for a 19 year old kid. Needs to get bigger, stronger, faster. Again, many years away, but has potential.

Alex Velischek – Not sure whether it was because I didn’t know much about him, or he was just that good, but Alex stood out to me all week. His fluid skating and his stick handling abilities were standouts during the drilling sessions earlier in the week. Though he’s not as big as the rest of the defensemen, he knew how to play the body and cut forwards off when they’re trying to make a move on him. Didn’t over commit on the puck. Could be a good prospect as an offensive minded Dman. Looked calm and cool during the scrimmage, and while making several great plays in the offensive zone, made couple bad turn overs while trying to make things happen. He’ll get better with his decision making as he gains experience.

::GOALIES::

Patrick Killeen – young, and it showed especially during the first couple practice sessions. Had trouble making saved with the glove hand on day one, and that didn’t change day two of camp after he suffered a bloody injury to a finger on his glove hand. Bigger variety of goalie, so he looks like he takes up more of the net than Theissen. Poor lateral motion in drills. The final two days of camp were much better for him, and he made some big saves. He fills out the net well with his big size, and looked under control and calm during the scrimmage. Could be considered one of the stars of the game. Could have some solid potential with more work on his lateral movement and glove hand.

Brad Thiessen – He plays a solid though not flashy game. Has very good lateral movement and protects the bottom of the net very well. Probably goes down too early and leaves the top part of the net wide open. Has a decent glove hand, but not good enough to make up for the open space left. Played better than Killeen most of the week, and made the solid though not spectacular saves.

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Final Two Days of Camp - The Forwards

Notes and conclusions after the final two days of 'prospect camp'...

Nick Johnson – Overall camp, he was the most consistently prominent. Period. The next to the last day, he definitely stood out in all good categories. It’s really hard to find something not to like. And in the abbreviated 3-on-3 scrimmage at the end of practice, he scored both the regular time goal and the shootout goal to lead his side to victory. In the final day of practice (5-on-5 scrimmage), he was readily apparent. I think he’ll need a playmaker on his line in the NHL for him to be a ‘scoring’ winger, but he was very impressive. With his speed, size, and intensity, and his skill set, he could go from being a grinder on the 3rd or 4th line to being a scoring winger for Malkin or Crosby. I would think he will be on the Penguins at some point this year, and next year for a full season for sure.

Luca Caputi - Someone described Luca Caputi as being like Fedotenko. I have to say that right now, that looks like where he is in that player caliber. Not that it’s a bad thing, but just last year Caputi was hailed as one of the Penguin’s best prospects, so placing him as Feds level is not all that encouraging. The key to Luca really centers along his maturation moving forward. I think his scoring touch has improved every year, and his wrist shot around he net is really solid. His skating right now is average though and not overwhelmingly explosive. Definitely an area for improvement, but it’s adequate as it stands now. And who is to say how much more weight he is going to put on? At 6’3” and 202, he’s still really just starting to bulk up. He’s only 20, you never know where he could end up physically. I certainly like his progression to date. I’d say he’ll be a solid scoring 3rd liner for sure, and maybe higher. Simply put, he has to get either bigger or faster to make it to the top lines (but I could see it happening). He has the hands and the hockey aptitude to do it. Just a matter of the other physical tools. He was the best player on the ice during the scrimmage, with his line of Kevin Veilleux and Joe Vitale getting numerous chances. That same line was predominantly the best line on the ice for the entire scrimmage. With his work ethic and his intensity, he could become a very recognizable player on the top lines.

Kevin Veilleux - Continues to impress with his potential. Again, he clearly has the most scoring talent and best hands. But his speed and explosiveness continue to be a concern. I've read where people said his skating has improved greatly this year from last - it's makes me cringe to think of where he was last year. I was not impressed with top line speed or explosiveness. I certainly have a tough time finding intensity during the practices, but he definitely showed up for the scrimmage. When he plays like that, you can see that he could be a top-level player. Time will tell I suppose on all accounts - he could be a very, very good NHL player, or one of the most frustrating players to watch (since you can easily see the talent, but he floats sometimes). If you base everything on practice, you might say that he will not amount to his potential. But during scrimmages, he impressed with he touch and physical skills. He had an assist on the first goal, a deflection goal, and scored his team’s first shootout goal with a low wrist shot from in close. That goal made him 6-6 on SO goals for the camp. That’s a little ridiculous. With his size (6’5”), he kind of looks like Lemieux. And with his loping style of skating to boot…he even has the ‘floating’ technique down, just kind of skating around the ice at times waiting for an opportunity.

Eric Tangradi – He had a few more beautiful tip in’s during the 3rd practice on the ice. Not much to say other than ‘Big kid, good skater, good hands, great tip in’s. Mentally tough and ready’. He and Nick Johnson strike me as the players who are closest to being called ‘guaranteed’ NHLers (those prospects who have not already played in the NHL). His shooting though is clearly affected by his off-season surgery, and I look forward to seeing it in person after he has healed. His shots look pretty good in his highlight videos, and he doesn’t look nearly as good now. Once that is sorted out, I think he’ll be good to go. Had a nice penalty shot goal to tie the game, but was stuffed by Killeen on the final shot of the shootout. His line during the scrimmage kind of reminded me of Bobby Ryan’s line in Anaheim.

Dustin Jeffrey – Because of his experience from last year and his time already spent in the minors, I would think he is the closest to being NHL ready. Part of this is because of Penguin ‘needs’ at this point in time. Also, he never looked out of place during his 14 game stint with the Penguins last year. Above average across the board, but no one attribute stands out and being better than the next. Just a very solid player.

Casey Pierro-Zabotel – After watching his shot in and around the net, one can see how he put up a lot of points in Juniors. But watching his overall game as a whole is a bit disconcerting. Played on a line with Hanowski and Longpre, and that was dominated by the Tangradi/Johnson/Jeffrey line. To be fair, they were going against a line that could be a 3rd or 4th line on many teams in NHL. All of that being said, CPZ has a long way to go simply because of his skating. The game is about time and space, and he certainly isn’t going to create any of that for himself.

Joe Vitale – a little bit smaller, but is really quick with a great work rate. Always sticking his nose in everything. Definitely one of those energy guys, a third or fourth line gritty forward. Pens are starting to have a ton of those guys in their system. Vitale separates himself with his speed and energy. Would love to see him put on some weight.

Nathan Moon – A good solid player. Nothing really jumps out with you skill set wise, but he is an above average player for the AHL. He could make it to the NHL as a 3rd or 4th line player. But with the Penguins so deep in that area, it might be a while.

Zack Sill – See above. Played bigger than Nathan Moon and has a harder shot, though not as accurate. Solid player, but another 3rd or 4th line type of guy.

Nicholas Petersen – Flashes of good things with his hands, but could be invisible the next second. Decent size and skating ability, but neither sticks out as above average. Good shot and good hands during the drills, but couldn’t seem to get anything going during the scrimmage. Looked overmatched.

Ben Hanowski – Really like what I saw from his scoring ability. Very nice shot, great hands in and around the net. Would disappear at times during the scrimmage because he was overmatched, but I think age and growth will cure that. Just needs to play against better competition than high school at this point. If his speed and size catch up to his hands and his offensive creativity, Penguins could have a steal with this year’s past 3rd round choice.

Andy Bathgate – Decent skills, but young and small. Definitely looked like a boy among men during the drills. Just needs to develop physically before the Penguins can decide what they have in him.

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As Advertised…

Penguins have a lot of talent in their camp this week. From the first two days, here’s what we know about the forwards:

Eric Tangradi - The 6’4” 220-pound winger definitely is the real deal. He has a good skating ability for a man of his size, and has really good hands around the net. He had three deflection goals in his day two practice, so it is pretty clear he has really good hand eye coordination. And with his size and balance on his skates, he’ll be really hard to move from in front of the net. He looked like a man among boys on his junior team, and his size will allow him to transition well to the pro game. His shot wasn’t overwhelmingly impressive, partially due to scar tissue build up from a surgery earlier this summer. An impending follow up surgery on his hand will happen after this camp to remove the that scar tissue, and he should be ready to go for training camp. No doubt, he is going to be good. Will fit in on the top two lines of the Penguins within the next year and a half, maybe sooner.

Luca Caputi – He put on nine pounds of muscle during the off season to put him over the two hundred pound mark, and that added weight should suit him well to make it with the big club. He was able to pick the corners on his shots more than any other player on the ice. Good skater, pretty good wrist shot. It appears that it is just a matter of time until he sticks with the Penguins.

Kevin Veilleux – the most talented player of the prospects. He is normally a center, but the Penguins are more than likely going to move him to wing this year. At 6’5”, he’s more noticeable than most simply by default. Through the two days, he has converted on all five of his breakaway attempts. Great hands. Above average shot. Good skater, but needs to be more explosive. Also needs to be more aggressive and intense, a knock that has been on his game for a while. He certainly has done nothing to dispel that notion during this camp. He is probably the most talented of the Penguins prospects, and could be a bona fide star if he would get his head together and work harder. The upside is clearly there.

Nick Johnson – Originally drafted in 2004, Nick is commonly referred to as a late bloomer. Decent shot, but he’s sneaky fast and is solid on his skates. Quick release. Certainly made a good impression during this camp. 6’2” and 200, he could be on the team at some point during the year. I think the Penguins would like him to get a season under his belt at the AHL level, but I would think he has a really good chance to get on the NHL version of the Penguins next year. He’s a 3rd or 4th line talent in the NHL for now, but could move even higher.

Dustin Jeffrey – 6th round pick of 2007, he stands 6’1” and weighs 210. Gritty forward who sticks out with his quickness and his high compete level. Made a very solid showing with the Penguins this past year in 12 games, with a goal and 2 assists and a +4 rating. Wasn’t overwhelmed by his shot, but he has a decent one. Perfect 3rd or 4th line guy, and could earn a spot on the Penguins this training camp.

Nathan Moon – Drafted in 4th round of 2008. Really good shot. Skating is pretty average. Listed as 5’11” and 179 lbs., he definitely looks smaller on the ice when compared to a lot of the other forwards.

Casey Pierro-Zabotel – A high scoring player in Juniors, CPZ has really good hands and good vision on the ice. Very solid wrist shot. Definitely needs to get bigger and more explosive if he is ever to play in the NHL, but the tools are there.

Going back to camp today and tomorrow for some more'scouting'. I'll have more on the defensemen and goalies, along with some other notes about players already mentioned.

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Little Update

You probably just saw this pop up on the toolbar notification on the bottom, but some only follow Pens Universe in readers.

As such, our very own Andy Rummel will be visiting the Pens Prospect Camp today and should have a little something for us all come tomorrow. As we all know this camp is certainly a chance for us Penguin fans to really see what the future of our club could look like.

We're looking for Tangradi, Caputi, Strait, and Zabotel to show us what they got.

More on all of this tomorrow.

Also, stay tuned for Malkin Vs. Jagr Part II later this week.

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This 'n' That

• Penguins Prospect Camp is coming up, starting on July 20th and running through the 26th. PensUniverse will be there to give you updates on the action.

• Chris Minard signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers yesterday. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Signed by the Penguins on July 12th of 2007, the 27-year-old center played in 20 games for the Penguins last season and registered a goal and two assists. He played the rest of the season in Wilkes-Barre, where he had team-high 34 goals to go along with 23 assists. After averaging almost a point per game in his two seasons with the Baby Pens, we hope that he is able to succeed in garnering significant playing time with the Oilers. With the influx of young talent to the Penguins, it was clear that his opportunities were going to be limited in Pittsburgh. Good luck Chris!

• Official News Release from the Baby Pens Today
  

‘WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed center Zack Sill to an American Hockey League contract, it was announced on Tuesday.Sill, 21, appeared in 58 games for the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) last season, posting 24 points (9+15) and 78 penalty minutes. The native of Truro, Nova Scotia posted 50 points (27+23) and 173 penalty minutes in 124 career games with the Wildcats.’

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