The Penguins need to bench Alexei Ponikarovsky

As an NHL coach, you never want to do something that makes your GM look bad.  Last year coach Dan Bylsma benched Miroslav Satan one of Ray Shero’s off season acquisitions because he just didn’t fit into the his up tempo system. This season Shero acquired Alexei Ponikarovsky at the trade deadline and after 17 games, it looks like he just doesn’t fit in with the team.

I’m sure Ponikarovsky wasn’t at the top of the list of players Shero was looking to add to the team before trade deadline and I do believe it was good idea giving him a shot as they definitely are in need of a prolific goal scoring winger. Unfortunately Shero is not allowed to test a player to see if he fits into the system before trading for him.

Ponikarovsky has the worst plus/minus per game than any other player on the team. I say that as “per game” because he has only been here 17 games, though in those 17 games he’s still managed to be 4th worst overall in plus/minus. He was brought in to help with the powerplay as he was one of the leading powerplay guys time wise on the Toronto Maple Leaf’s team, coach Bylsma tried him on the powerplay and decided against it.

What he doesn’t bring to the team is easier to list than what he does, so here is what he doesn’t bring to the team:

• Playoff experience. He hasn’t been in the playoffs in 7 years and in 24 playoff games including last night he has one goal.
• Forechecking. His lack of speed and overall awareness of where he should be on the ice has led to his team worse 5 times the giveaways as takeaways.
• Scoring. He has two goals in 17 games. That works out to be 9 goals in an 82 game season. ...
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2009 Pittsburgh Penguins Free Agents

Here is a current list of Pitttsburgh Penguin players who’s contracts are up and become free agents as of 12:01 pm, July 1st 2009.

Here is the 2010 list:  2010 Pittsburgh Penguins Free Agents

You can click on their name to see their lifetime stats.

Click here if you are looking for up to date salary cap numbers and upcoming free agents: 
Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 – 2010 Salary Cap Numbers

Unrestricted Free Agents:  On July 1st, 2009 any player not under contract who is 27 years or older or who has at least 7 years of experience in the NHL, is a Unrestricted Free agent.  Free to go where they want and take whatever pay the get offered.

Here is a list of Unrestricted Free Agents the Penguins have at the end of the Year, their age, their current salary level, and position: ...

2009 Entry Draft… Penguin Prediction 1st and 2nd round

The 2009 Entry Draft is this Friday and Saturday from the Bell Centre.

There are what seems to be a record number of detailed projections available.  Now what’s totally hilarious about almost all of these publications and websites offering the latest scoop is that they are almost the same. And while most of these services cost a few pennies they are about the same as the lists that can be found at  Hockey’s Future: The Hockey Prospects Resource which is free.

The MOCK Drafts that take place are also pretty funny as most every one of these are performed by media-types and/or wannabe hockey-scout fans who read publication after publication and make picks based on a lot of things determined by somebody that they really don’t know.  BTW, I’m no different… but,

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