Nuggets from Penguins training camp
By Matt Gajtka
by Matt Gajtka
Penguins training camp officially began last Friday, with the team hitting the ice for formal practice sessions Saturday and Sunday. The weekend drills and scrimmages were open to the public at CONSOL Energy Center, and I was fortunate enough to be in town and able to attend.
The following are nuggets of information gleaned from my personal experience as well as various media reports as the Pens got back to work:
- To my eye, Steve Sullivan seems like an ideal fit for this team. The skill set he provides – slick hands, ability to get open in the offensive zone, good shot – is one that nearly every winger on this roster cannot match. His age and lack of size may have shielded him from excessive expectations, which may put him in a position to be a pleasant surprise this season.
- Sullivan, Tyler Kennedy and Evgeni Malkin skated together in the first intrasquad scrimmage of training camp, accounting for four of five goals scored by their “team.” If those results are indicative of future developments, the Penguins may have stumbled into the right combination for the Malkin line.
- Speaking of “Geno,” his trademark jump through the neutral zone was back from his first shift Saturday, giving the Pens perhaps the most encouraging news of the weekend. Since Sidney Crosby will likely miss some regular season action, the Malkin line could be leaned upon heavily in the opening weeks.
- How could Crosby not get his own bullet point? I had to leave before he took the ice Saturday but the fact that he skated all the drills at full speed is the best development for him yet. A source with knowledge of his treatment at UPMC told me Crosby’s equilibrium issues this summer arose when he had to turn his head and change direction rapidly, so if he’s weaving through traffic there is definite progress on that front.
- The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook penned a column about Brooks Orpik’s leadership qualities (no problem with that topic), but perhaps the most newsworthy item in the piece was regarding Malkin. Speaking about Evgeni’s knee injury and rehab, Orpik called it “maybe…a blessing in disguise.” The longest-tenured Penguin said Malkin “worked out like he used to” this summer and “he looks a lot stronger.” I wrote last month about the maturity that usually comes in a young man’s mid-20s; could an ACL tear have helped bring that to fruition in Malkin?
- On the defensive side, this year’s top two draft picks Joe Morrow and Scott Harrington didn’t look out of place skating with established NHL veterans. I was critical of GM Ray Shero adding more talent to the strongest position in the organizational depth chart, but value is value and these two have a legitimate look to them. On the other side of the coin, 2009 first rounder Simon Despres didn’t comport himself well; however, that judgement is based on one day of camp.
Finally, I highly suggest attending an open practice session this month. Many of the concessions are open, premium seating is plentiful, the true die-hard fans are there, and did I mention entry and parking are both free? A modest time investment can give you insight that watching preseason games on TV can’t. Check it out!