Chirps from Center Ice

Blogger Note: In case you missed it, Brad Thiessen is back in North America and back in the East Division. Find out where here.

Welcome to the Chirps from Center Ice First Quarter Grades. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins passed the quarter pole last night with a 3-1 loss last night up in Glens Falls. The Pens boast a 12-5-0-2 record, good for 26 points and second place in the East Division behind the Binghamton Senators.

So, as tradition here on the blog, here goes my best effort at passing out grades.

This is how it works. Anyone who skated for the team gets a grade. Results based off of first quarter only.

Here we go…

(as soon as you click through the jump if you didn’t link in from somewhere else…)

Forwards

Mike Carman — (11 GP 1-3-4, -1) – Has been in and out of the lineup as the 13th or 14th forward. With multiple call-ups to Pittsburgh, should get more playing time in second quarter. Grade: B

Chris Conner — (15 GP, 6-5-11, +3) – Currently on recall to Pittsburgh, but he’s flourished here in the AHL, as he has for years. May be quickest forward in the East Division. Grade: A

Nick Drazenovic – (12 GP, 2-8-10, +2) – Has been hurt, appearing in just 12 games. Imagine what his numbers would be if he were healthy. Nearly point-a-game pace. Grade: B+

Andrew Ebbett – (18 GP, 6-9-15, +4) – Currently on NHL recall. Ebbett is a, “good in all situations” type of player. When he’s good, the Pens are usually too. Grade: A

Bobby Farnham – (13 GP, 1-1-2, +1) – The non-stop Farnham has his first pro suspension a few games ago for being too rough for the Syracuse Crunch’s liking. I think he’s zeroing in on becoming a Grade A pest, too. Grade: B

Brian Gibbons – (16 GP, 7-16-23, +12) – A night and day transformation for Gibbons, who is in the top ten in the league in scoring and earned his first NHL recall a week ago. Grade: A+

Tom Kostopoulos – (15 GP, 8-9-17, +5) – I was pleasantly surprised when I looked up Kostopoulos’ numbers to find him near the top of the list in scoring for the Penguins. I feel like his career is rejuvenated playing around all of this talent. Grade: A

Tom Kuhnhackl — (18 GP, 5-0-5, -1) – Showing no ill effects from his season ending surgery last season. I think, with the loss of scoring punch currently on NHL recall, Kuhnhackl is due for a big second quarter. Grade: B+

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond — (13 GP, 0-1-1, -1) – PL3 has been injured, just returning last night vs. Adirondack. Watch him throw hits. I don’t think anyone on team hits harder than he does. He also fights, leading the Pens in PIMs. Grade: B

Jayson Megna – (11 GP, 7-3-10, +12) – No one has made me look like a bigger fool than Megna, whom I loathed last year. He’s been hands down the best player on the team. Grade: A+

Adam Payerl – (17 GP, 2-3-5, +2) – You get the feeling that you want to see more of Payerl offensively. He’s gone from best player in playoffs to a scratch on occasional nights. He will certainly get his chance in the second quarter. Grade: C

Paul Thompson – (12 GP, 0-1-1, -6) – Thompson has been a healthy scratch more often these days, and the lack of offensive number show you why. One point. He needs to pick up the pace. Grade: C

Zach Sill – (14 GP, 2-3-5, +4) – Sill earned his NHL call-up. With some of the grittier guys in Pittsburgh banged up, he should be able to get more playing time. Wilkes-Barre will certainly miss his snarl. Grade: B

Dominik Uher – (19 GP, 3-6-9, +2) – Uher surprised me because he’s been the only steady presence in the WBS lineup in the first quarter, having been the only forward to appear in every game so far. He’s outperformed more experienced players. Grade: B+

Harry Zolnierczyk – (16 GP 8-3-11, +5) – Zolnierczyk is tied with Kostopoulos in WBS’ goal scoring. The Penguins are a better team when he’s on the ice. Grade: A

Defense

Nick D’Agostino — (12 GP, 0-2-2, -2) — It’s been a trial by fire for the rookie D’Agostino. Has seen more ice in the last half of the quarter due to injuries. You want to see steady improvement this next quarter and beyond. Grade: C

Simon Despres — (17 GP, 3-8-11, +13) — Finally got the call to Pittsburgh this week. His +13 leads the team. Is a player most knock, but the numbers simply don’t back up the logic. Grade: A

Brian Dumoulin — (18 GP, 1-5-6, even) — Shockingly, the only regular in the lineup that doesn’t have a positive or negative +/-. It’s been a good first quarter for the sophomore Dumoulin. Most nights you don’t notice him, which is a good thing. Grade: B+

Scott Harrington — (19 GP, 2-6-8, +6) — The only steady in the WBS lineup this quarter has been Harrington and Philip Samuelsson, who have appeared in every game. I’ve got no valid complaints about this rookies play. Grade: B

Reid McNeill — (8 GP, 0-0-0, +2) — McNeill has been injured and, when healthy, has been the 7th defenseman scratch. Hopefully he gets healed quick and inserts himself into the lineup soon. Grade: Incomplete

Brendan Mikkelson — (18 GP, 2-12-14, +8) — Was brought in to mentor and be the best defenseman in Wilkes-Barre and has not disappointed. The trend should continue. Grade: A

Philip Samuelsson — (19 GP, 0-3-3, +7) — You’re not asking him to put numbers up. You are asking him to shut down the other teams best players. He’s done that, and been on the ice most often when the Penguins score, as evidenced by his +7. Grade: A-

Goaltenders

Jeff Deslauriers — (16 GP, 10-4-2, 2.38 GAA, 0.899 SV%) — I was not expecting this out of Deslauriers, who was fastest to 10 wins amongst goalies in the league. He’s become a tough nut to crack for opponents. Grade: A

Incompletes

Players with 5 or less games played go here.

Eric Hartzell — (1 GP, 1-0, 2.00 GAA, 0.935 SV%) — Impressed in his debut last weekend against a very good St. John’s team. Kept the team in it.

Denver Manderson – (3 GP, 0-1-1, +1) – Wheeling call-up has held his own in recall duty. If the Pittsburgh recalls stay up, Manderson will get a chance to showcase his talents at the AHL level.

Peter Mannino — (3 GP, 1-1, 3.40 GAA, .877 SV%) — I kind of feel sorry for Mannino, who sounded like an intriguing fellow when Mike O’Brien interviewed him for a podcast this summer. Sent to Wheeling and did not report, so the Pens suspended him. No one but Mannino seems to know what the future holds.

Dustin Stevenson — (3 GP, 0-0-0, -1) — Wheeling recall is a big body. Too much of a logjam with more polished talent ahead of him to get a steadier look but he can be fun to watch.

Cody Sylvester – (3 GP, 1-0-1, +1) – Wheeling call-up with the most success so far scoring a goal in his first game in Rochester November 20. Let the pace continue.

Anton Zlobin – (1 GP, 0-0-0, even) – Played one game here after injury then was sent to Wheeling to get steadier minutes.

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As always, if you think I am off my nut with passing out too many A’s and B’s, please let me know of it in the comments.