Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Stockpiling the Cabinet

Leave a comment Posted by on July 11, 2011

Announced today that Pens defenseman Joey Mormina will be back in the fold for 2011-2012.

Wilkes-Barre is now stacked at the defenseman position. Thinking from top to bottom, the defensive depth chart looks something like this in my mind:

Alexandre Picard
Boris Valabik
Robert Bortuzzo
Brian Strait
Joey Mormina
Carl Sneep
Simon Despres
Alex Grant
Philip Samuelsson

Picard in my mind can stay up all season for all I care. Mormina never really put up flashy numbers from a points perspective (2-9-11 last season) but boasts a nice +/- (+17 this past season, +37 in 2008-09) so it is a quality re-signing. Also, Alex Grant and Philip Samuelsson would probably do well in Wheeling if Picard were to come down. I do not foresee Simon Despres being sent to Wheeling.

Elsewhere:

Washington / Hershey:

  • Patrick Wellar and Julien Brouillette. Wellar is a re-signing, but was a key member of that Hershey blueline. Brouillette is a non-vet defenseman from Lake Erie.
  • Christian Hanson. There was a grass roots effort here in Wilkes-Barre to sign Hanson, a Pittsburgh native and a center. Since everyone here in Wilkes-Barre wanted him and Hershey signed him, stings a little.
Ottawa / Binghamton:
  • Lee Sweatt. Defenseman from the Vancouver organization from last year. Bingo has defensemen leaving like rats to a sinking ship, so bodies on the blueline are a necessity.
  • Tim Conboy. Another defenseman. Played with Portland last season. Before that was with Carolina / Albany (when they were the River Rats)

As noted earlier, Pens prospect camp opens tomorrow. I have a list of players attending and brief thoughts on Eric Tangradi, Keven Veilleux, Nick Petersen and Simon Despres. Scott Stuccio is there and will be updating the masses. If an interesting tidbit arises, I will have thoughts here.

The AHL, WBS

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