Chirps from Center Ice

Welcome to the Third Quarter Chirps from Center Ice Quarterly Grades.

Almost forgot about these, what with the hubbub surrounding the NHL trade deadline, the snow in the Northeast, polar vortexes, big boy jobs and whatever else.

Oh, on that Trade Deadline, if you missed my analysis of the moves surrounding the AHL East Division, click this and then come back.

Anyway, back to the Grades. I included the January 17 game at Providence to make it a 20 game snap shot instead of the standard 19. This is paying off logistics involved in the Second Quarter, where I had to cut it short a game because of the January 17 Providence-Portland-Providence trip.

I have to say, a really flat period for a lot of guys. When I recap games and such I just recap what went on that game or weekend. Looking back at this quarter especially, I see why the Penguins are struggling. You’ll see why when you look at each capsule.

So here they are. Rules are anyone who skated gets a blurb. That means Chris Conner, Cody Sylvester, etc. don’t get grades. If you played six or more games or more you get a grade.

Here we go, after the jump.

Forwards

Mike Carman — (19 GP, 3-2-5, +1) — First of many whom you’ll see numbers diminished. Count this towards the effort of the group. Carman’s fourth line in recent games has been the best line on the ice. Grade: B

Nick Drazenovic — (20 GP, 4-10-14, -5) — Six games in a row in this 20 game snapshot where Drazenovic didn’t register a single point. Otherwise not a bad Quarter. Grade: A

Andrew Ebbett — (11 GP, 3-5-8, +1) — Ebbett healed up and was sent back from Pittsburgh, came back and put up decent numbers. Imagine what peril this team would be in if he was still hurt or up with Pittsburgh. Grade: A

Bobby Farnham — (19 GP, 3-2-5, -4) — Seems to only score when he plays against the Bears. Hershey fans must love that. He and Carman have a nice chemistry on the fourth line. Grade: B

Tom Kostopoulos — (20 GP, 6-9-15, -3) — The elder Kostopoulos has 20 goals this season playing in a league full of youngsters and is the best player on this team. No rust on the Captain. Grade: A

Tom Kuhnhackl — (13 GP, 0-0-0, -3) — Extremely disappointing period for Kuhnhackl. I wondered why he had been scratched and sent to Wheeling, but looking at these numbers I wonder no more. Grade: F

Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond — (18 GP, 0-3-3, -1) — Second in PIMs overall in the AHL, but Leblond is hardly a liability. Chips in occasionally. Some magic happening with his fourth line mates. Grade: C+

Spencer Machacek — (9 GP, 6-2-8, +2) — Penguins are the clear winners in the Paul Thompson for Spencer Machacek trade. Besides Kostopoulos, the lone bright spot in an otherwise overcast period. Grade: A

Denver Manderson — (10 GP, 1-3-4, -1) — Wheeling yo-yo can’t really find consistency. Normally checking line. Numbers not really impressive. Grade: C

Jayson Megna — (8 GP, 2-1-3, +1) — I think that Megna is undergoing an NHL hangover. You expected better numbers than this since the reassignment. Grade: C

Adam Payerl — (8 GP, 0-0-0, -3) — Payerl hasn’t done anything offensively since returning from his upper body injury that kept him out of the lineup since November. I am hoping that once crack forms, the dam breaks. Grade: C

Carter Rowney — (10 GP, 1-2-3, -1) — Another Wheeling yo-yo, currently down in the ECHL. Can you remember the last time he played here? Grade: C

Zack Torquato — (8 GP, 0-2-2, -1) — Another unimpressive Wheeling yo-yo. Scored in his first game in the second quarter on December 21. I’m talking about something he did in the second quarter, not the third. Grade: C

Dominik Uher — (20 GP, 1-6-7, +1) — Uher falling in with many others in this group in that it’s really an unimpressive period. As someone that the coaches trust enough to pencil his name in the lineup every game, you expect more. Grade: C+

Anton Zlobin — (13 GP, 1-2-3, +3) — Zlobin has been a scratch and was sent to Wheeling to get some game action. I’m not looking for video game numbers, but I am looking for something more than a goal and two assists in 13 games. Grade: D

Harry Zolnierczyk — (18 GP, 5-4-9, -1) — Modest numbers for Zolnierczyk. But with a team full of underachieving forwards on a team slogging through late season doldrums, what can you expect? Grade: B+

Defensemen

Nick D’Agostino — (8 GP, 0-1-1, -4) — He’s in and out of the lineup and was sent to Wheeling for a spell. Being in and out of the lineup, it’s hard to get into a groove. Grade: C

Simon Despres — (17 GP, 3-8-11, +5) — On recall with Pittsburgh. Will be NHL full time next season. Question is where. There was talk he’d get moved at the NHL trade deadline. That didn’t happen, which should benefit Wilkes-Barre once Paul Martin heals up. Grade: A

Brian Dumoulin — (8 GP, 0-2-2, -4) — It’s no coincidence that Dumoulin goes down with injury and the Penguins go into a tailspin and lose six in a row. To say that the Penguins miss his presence is an understatement. Grade: C

Scott Harrington — (20 GP, 1-2-3, –3) — Wilkes-Barre’s Ironman, hasn’t missed a game this season. Not really much of a liability on D. One of the better defensemen in the East Division. Grade: B

Reid McNeill — (20 GP, 1-3-4, +3) — Wait. Reid McNeill has played in every game this quarter? Yeah, I said that to myself too. But in reality, actually not a bad body of work for McNeill. Grade: B+

Brendan Mikkelson — (20 GP, 3-5-8, -6) — The -6 is the worst on the team for the quarter but the easy way to explain this away is that Mikkelson is the top D on the team and out there when goal are scored against on a team that’s floundering. 8 points this quarter isn’t too shabby either. Grade: B

Philip Samuelsson — (20 GP, 1-8-9, +10) — Consistently the best defenseman in +/- for the Penguins for seasons now. Yet Samuelsson rarely gets talked about when it’s time for a call up to Pittsburgh. Grade: A

Goaltenders

Jeff Deslauriers — (11 GP, 2-6-1, 3.66 GAA, .856 SV%) — A fall from Grace from Second Quarter to Third. Your last line of defense is your goaltender and along with the team stumbling this quarter Deslauriers did too. Grade: D

Eric Hartzell — (14 GP, 5-4, 2.59 GAA, .899 SV%) — All downhill after being named AHL Goaltender of the Month in January for Hartzell. His first season as a pro, perhaps this has something to do with it, with other teams scouting him. Has been sent to Wheeling to figure things out. Grade: D

Incomplete

Players with 5 or less games played. No grades, just some warm words.

Brian Gibbons — (5 GP, 2-1-3, even) — Gibbons came down during the Olympic break and was called back up to get another look on the Crosby / Kunitz line. With yesterday’s acquisition of Lee Stempniak, could Gibbons be on his way back?

Barry Goers — (2 GP, 0-0-0, -2) — Two games played and a minus two? Come on, man.

Peter Mannino — (2 GP, 1-0, 1.27 GAA, .949 SV%) — From suspended by the team for failing to report to Wheeling to possibly the savior in goal and getting the Penguins back on track with steady goaltending again. We’ll see, as Mannino seems to be up for good for the time being.

Harrison Ruopp — (5 GP, 0-0-0, -2) — Do you think he deserves more ice time over Nick D’Agostino?

Zach Sill — (2 GP, 1-0-1, +1) — Was cut by Nolan Yonkman’s skate in Norfolk and should be back by the end of the season and not a minute too soon. The once always steady Sill has only played 16 games for WBS this season due to either injury or recall.

Paul Thompson — (9 GP, 1-1-2, +1) — Shipped to Springfield for Spencer Machacek. A much needed change of scenery for Thompson.

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If you disagree with my grades, spot an error or anything, leave me a comment.