Chirps from Center Ice

Three quarters of the season down on Sunday with the Pens taking a 32-18-2-5 mark good for second place in the East Division with 71 points.

After the bump, you will find the Grades. If you missed yesterday’s trade deadline aftermath, you will find it one post down.

In keeping with the First Quarter and Second Quarter Grades, anyone who skated this quarter gets a look. Here we go:

Forwards

Paul Thompson: Became more of a mainstay in the lineup this quarter. As a result the confidence is growing.  — Grade: B+

Colin McDonald: Will serve as a call-up to Pittsburgh in a pinch. Has 12 goals this year which is fifth best…on his own team. But leads team in assists and plus / minus. — Grade: A-

Bryan Lerg: Teams leading scorer. Presence was missed in Sunday’s loss to Norfolk. His 22 goals is the 11th most in the AHL. Can also be the teams most dangerous player. — Grade: A+

Brian Gibbons: Goal scoring has picked up a bit with three in the quarter. He’s emerging slowly, but looks more and more like a role player. — Grade: C+

Ryan Craig: The Captain of this team. The team works hard and it flows though Craig. While other teams captains fly off the handle and get suspended, Craig is as steady as it gets. — Grade: A

Nick Petersen: I have no idea what is up with Petersen. Hynes won’t lead on to there being turmoil with Nick. Most of the time is the scratch. When he does get in, finds himself stapled to the bench late in the game. Went to Wheeling and tore things up there. His future may not be so bright here in Wilkes-Barre. 8-8-16 not bad numbers for a rookie, but not great either. — Grade: C

Ben Street: Sometimes our best player. Sometimes invisible. Still a threat to score at any moment but has gone really cold. — Grade: B-

Geoff Walker: Bruising forward. He will grind you down, score and grind you down some more. Has become a tremendous asset for the Penguins in the shootout as well, as he’s perfect in them this season. — Grade A

Jason Williams: Runs the power play which has gotten much better. He’s warming up slowly but surely. If the power play can get hot and stay hot, watch out. — Grade: B

Zach Sill: True grinder with offensive finesse. He has 10 goals this season. For someone on a fourth line most nights, you take it. — Grade: B+

Brandon DeFazio: I can’t tell if he is a grinder or if he wants to truly be offensive. Eight goals says that he wants to be offensive, but 79 PIMs says he wants to grind. Grade: B

Eric Tangradi: On recall to Pittsburgh in a fish or cut bait situation. Relived a bit that he survived the trade deadline. If he is around for playoffs this year can hopefully break out and help the team. Grade: B

Matt Rust: Sometimes a scratch if Hynes wants to dress a bigger lineup. Fills a speed role. 11 points in 36 games. Grade: C

Cody Chupp: Still trying to find a place on this team. Has 15 games played this year and has spent the majority of his time in Wheeling. Grade: C

Steve MacIntyre: No points. Handful of fights. Hershey’s Joel Rechlicz refuses to fight him. I’m kidding of course, but that’s a fight I know I wouldn’t be the only one who would line up to see. Grade A only because if he reads my blog he may punch me if I grade him lower.

Cal O’Reilly: Getting an incomplete here because he’s only played two games in Wilkes-Barre. Playmaking center who wins a lot of faceoffs that I have seen.

Defense

Boris Valabik: Missed him in the second quarter grades. He played three games in December coming off of a knee injury which hampered his start, then his hand got broken against the Bears at home in December and his season was declared over when it was revealed that he needed hand surgery. Penguins took a chance on a guy that just can’t stay healthy enough to play.

Joey Mormina: His 6-12-18 this year is his most productive tenure as a Penguin. Is a rangy shutdown defenseman. Going to be a necessary piece on defense if we want to go far this postseason. Grade: B

Philip Samuelsson: With defense finally healthy hasn’t seen game action since February 12 in Hershey. He will get sent to Wheeling fairly soon, I would surmise. I would hope that he learns down there enough to improve his game and get back here and thrive. Grade: C-

Cody Wild: Another one who has been scratched with the return of Simon Despres. He’s not really a defensive liability, but on an AHL contract only, not really in the organizational big picture. Grade C

Carl Sneep: Injured in an early February Hershey game. Will be back soon. Still looking for that first goal of the year, too. Grade: C

Brian Strait: With Robert Bortuzzo, teams most experienced blueline tandem. Was worried he or Robert would get moved at the deadline, but he stayed put. Grade: B

Robert Bortuzzo: Have to give him same grade as Strait, as as one goes the other one follows. Grade: B

Alex Picard: Brought in to work with young guys like Simon Despres and Alex Grant. Both, in my opinion, better than what they were to start the year, so his acquisition is paying off. Grade: A

Alex Grant: Is a large reason why the power play is ranked 11th overall in the AHL through Feb. 28 and probably has the hardest shot on the team. Power play was abysmal but Grant helped get it out of mediocrity to respectability this Quarter. His +10 is 16th amongst rookies in the league in plus / minus. Grade A

Simon Despres: Apprenticed in Pittsburgh, then got hurt. Came back here and has played only four games this quarter. Still the best defenseman with the best NHL outlook long term. Lower grade only because he’s missed games. Grade: B-

Goaltenders

Brad Thiessen: Numbers not nearly as good as last years, but with the spectacular numbers he put up last year, it’s unfair to compare. Still WBS’ number one. His confidence got a boost by winning his first NHL start of the year this past Sunday against Columbus. Grade B

Scott Munroe: His numbers are slightly better than Thiessen’s, but he is the experienced backup. I think he matches up better against certain teams, but in the playoffs it’s not going to matter, Thiessen will be the number one. Grade: B+

Patrick Killeen: Will be WBS’ number one someday. It just isn’t going to be today, tomorrow, next week or month. We are talking next year, maybe, depending on offseason moves. Only appeared in one and a half games, so he gets a Grade: Incomplete

Hope you enjoyed reading. Comments are open for business for banter if you think I am way off. Please do not hesitate.

Let’s Go Pens!