Pittsburgh Penguins: Power Ranking the Defense

With the Pittsburgh Penguins beginning their 2015-16 training camp today, it’s important to look at what will be the most intriguing part of September.

How Will the Pittsburgh Penguins Defensive Pairings Shake Out?

Jim Rutherford has added multiple under-the-radar names to this group. He is comfortable with attacking 2015-16 by deploying a mostly unproven group and addressing needs or concerns as they arise. Whether or not this strategy will be successful remains to be seen but one thing is for sure, the defense is an area to watch as we wait to see how the pairings formulate.

My goal here is to power rank the defensemen that have the best shot at making the Pens’ opening day roster, whether they’re already signed or on a PTO. Agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below.

Next: #10 - Tim Erixon

. Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

10. Tim Erixon

Here is what we know for sure about Tim Erixon. Erixon was a first round draft pick of the Calgary Flames in the 2009 NHL draft but never signed with the Flames and was dealt to the New York Rangers. Erixon was then one of the main parts in the Rangers deal to acquire Rick Nash. After that trade, he then bounced around the NHL playing for three teams in the 2014-15 season. The Penguins then acquired Erixon as a throw in with Phil Kessel.

Here is what we don’t know about Tim Erixon. Can Erixon reach his pre-draft ceiling as a serviceable defensive defenseman that can eat minutes and be a legit NHL player? Can he build on the ninety plus NHL games he has played over the last three seasons and take the next step to become the latest failed first round pick that rights his ship in Pittsburgh? Will Erixon even be on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster come opening night?

The most likely scenario for Erixon in the upcoming season is to likely pass through waivers and start the season in the AHL. He’ll possibly see some time in the NHL this season due to ineffectiveness or injury but will also likely be one of the names that is bantered about in hypothetical roster construction. I don’t expect to see him in Pittsburgh for more than a cup of tea this season or ever for that matter.

Next: #9 - Sergei Gonchar

9. Sergei Gonchar

Welcome back Sarge, here is a PTO, let’s find out if you can still play.

Now that Gonchar has returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins he can live with Evgeni Malkin, instead of Geno crashing on his couch eating all of his Funyuns. Gonchar could go one of two routes during training camp. He can show that his goose is cooked and he should be taken out to pasture or he can be great in small doses and show his age like a fine wine.

The chances that Gonchar makes the roster and plays more than half of the games in the upcoming season are slim to none. Gonchar is here for two reasons, to mentor Derrick Pouliot and Sergei Plotnikov and according to Rob Rossi, to placate Evgeni Malkin. He may still have some gas in the tank, hopefully the eight game audition of this preseason will be enough for the Penguins to properly evaluate his current skill set.

On Wednesday, Rob Rossi also noted that the Pittsburgh Penguins are likely to keep Gonchar on the roster for the upcoming season if he shows anything in training camp. This could be a calculated risk that could provide a terrific return if Pouliot takes a step in his development and Geno is happy and productive all year. This could also adversely impact the roster by taking a valuable roster spot and exposing a player like Adam Clendening to waivers.

Next: #8 - Rob Scuderi

8. Rob Scuderi

I will admit when former General Manager Ray Shero signed Rob Scuderi to come back to the Pittsburgh Penguins I was excited. What I didn’t realize was that the Penguins were not getting the 2009 version of “the piece”. Scuderi has presented with a precipitous fall from his former role as a shutdown top four defenseman that was a specialist on the penalty kill.

One of the major deficiencies in Scuderi’s game is that he can no longer match up physically with the younger, faster forwards in today’s NHL. Scuderi is however, still positionally sound and still has a great mind for the game, which is what has kept him from completely falling off of the cliff. It is painfully obvious that Scuderi is not worth the contract that he signed in the summer of 2013 and exploring Scuderi’s options needs to be a priority.

The likely scenario that fans will see in 2015-16 is Scuderi on the bottom pairing taking valuable minutes that could be used to groom the defensemen of the future. There is also a slight possibility that Scuderi has taken two years to fully recover from his broken foot suffered in 2013 but this scenario is not very likely.

Next: #7 - Adam Clendening

Adam Clendening. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

7. Adam Clendening

On July 28, 2015 the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Nick Bonino and Adam Clendening from the Vancouver Canucks for Brandon Sutter. Clendening is a former second round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks who only spent a small bit of time in Vancouver. A gifted two-way defenseman who lead team USA’s under 18 world championships and Boston University to success, Clendening has a high pedigree.

Elite Prospects profiles Clendening as follows…

A smooth skating two-way defenseman that can read the game like a forward. Possesses slick hands, a good stick, and a sharp shot that jumps off of his stick. All-in-all, a productive two-way defenseman that has a high offensive ceiling, and is responsible defensively.

While Clendening scored on his first shot in the NHL he only dressed for 21 games this past season. There are many similarities in Clendening to former Penguin Matt Niskanen . Of similar size and stature with similar junior/college level scouting reports, Clendening projects to be my breakout Pittsburgh Penguins prospect for the upcoming season. Playing with Letang and Crosby will show Clendening what conditioning is, and being placed in a system that rewards solid two-way players will allow him to start down the path to reach his ultimate potential.

Let’s hope that the Pens don’t expose him to waivers and lose him for nothing before the regular season even begins.

Next: #6 - Ben Lovejoy

6. Ben Lovejoy

Ah Ben Lovejoy, so we meet again. The trade that still stings the most from the Jim Rutherford tenure is the swap of Simon Despres for Ben Lovejoy. Not to beat a dead horse, but after his arrival in March, Lovejoy was miscast as a top pairing defenseman. This was due to multiple injuries and questionable roster construction. Lovejoy’s production was adversely affected in both his traditional and common statistics. Likely in a bottom pairing role, Lovejoy wont look so out-of-place.

Lovejoy is what he is at this point of his career, and that’s a bottom pairing defenseman that can competently do everything but excels at nothing. He is at worst a 6/7 defenseman on a contending team and should be considered a number five at best on this roster. That is not to say that Lovejoy doesn’t have a place on the 2015-16 Penguins, as his experience is what sets him apart from some of the younger, more talented players available. The reverend has been there and done that and there is something to say for having over 300 games played on the blue line in the NHL.

In an ideal world the Penguins manage their current assets and move Lovejoy for futures allowing everyone to move up a spot in these rankings and prevent Erixon and Clendening from being exposed to waivers. Two things will likely prevent this from happening, the Pittsburgh Penguins envision Lovejoy as a staple on the third pairing and they will likely not want to admit defeat in the Simon Despres trade.

Next: #5 - Brian Dumoulin

5. Brian Dumoulin

At this point, what do we really know about Brian Dumoulin? Well, He isn’t flashy and plays a well-rounded game but doesn’t necessarily standout in any particular aspect on defense. Dumoulin was one of the best defensemen on the ice for the Penguins in the playoff loss to the Rangers. Acquired in the same deal as the pick that became Derrick Pouliot, Dumoulin arrived right on schedule and after a learning experience early in the season was a vital cog to a decimated defense at the end of the season.

With great shot suppression and possession numbers outlined by Editor Mike Necciai in his recent article, Dumo has the chance to take a step from stopgap to solid bottom pairing defenseman in the 2015-16 NHL season. Providing an influx of youth and the ability to have the cost control, Dumoulin on the bottom pairing gives the Penguins roster options both offensively and defensively.

Dumo, as he is affectionately known around these parts, reminds many observers of a younger, still competent Rob Scuderi. Having Dumo become that for the next 3-5 years would be a steal for the Pittsburgh Penguins. His projection of a calming presence on the bottom pairing can enable a more even distribution of minutes keeping the top pairing fresh through the season and into the playoffs.

Next: #4 - Derrick Pouliot

Derrick Pouliot. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

4. Derrick Pouliot

Derrick Pouliot does one thing better than anyone on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster, maybe with the exception of 41-year old Gonchar (attending camp on a PTO). And, that’s quarterback a power play. With a rocket shot from the point that can find the net more often than not, Pouliot is projected to become the number one gunner on what is sure to be a lethal Penguins power play for the next few seasons.

Pouliot, drafted in the same draft as Olli Maatta is a blue chip defensive prospect. He is also not a boom or bust prospect, even if you consider 2014-15 his absolute floor as a NHL defenseman. His ceiling is that of that of a number one puck moving blue-liner who plays 22 plus minutes a game and logs the majority of the time on the first powerplay. Players with his similar skill set usually take a few years to come into their game meaning this year or next year Pouliot could take the next step.

There is no reason Pouliot shouldn’t start the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Having his progression and growth deterred by spending more time in the AHL would be a disservice to Pouliot and the Penguins top powerplay unit as a whole. Let’s hope that Coach Mike Johnston, Pouliot’s coach since his Junior days with the Portland Winterhawks, can champion his inclusion on the opening night roster.

Next: #3 - Ian Cole

3. Ian Cole

Ian Cole is somewhat of an enigma. Originally drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Blues, Cole possessed the upside of at minimum a top four defenseman yet was never able to crack a solid spot in the Blues’ lineup. St. Louis Head Coach Ken Hitchcock is known to hold grudges and has a tough time allowing youthful defenders a chance to break through.

The main question with Cole has never been skill set or size. He showed some lapses in judgment and sometimes was out of position in his stay with the Blues. Playing in a more structured system like St. Louis employs is tough for a younger defenseman and most of his growing pains should be behind him and his arrow is pointing clearly to the north.

Cole showed no signs of his early career inconsistency in his debut and broke through when arriving in a late season trade for Robert Bortuzzo to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cole racked up stellar possession numbers and his HERO charts show that he could be a borderline top pairing defenseman from an analytics standpoint. With some seasoning and more game experience there could even be expectations for Cole to elevate his game even further.

Next: #2 - Olli Maatta

Olli Maatta. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

2. Olli Maatta

Olli Maatta has had two awful breaks in his young NHL career. First came his devastating shoulder injury that inhibited him for the better part of the last fifteen months, which was then followed by the chance happenstance of a treatable form of cancer. Undeterred, Maatta announced himself fit to go and is looking forward to hitting the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they begin training camp.

Maatta is beyond solid for someone with slightly over one NHL season under his belt. He has shown the ability to cover vast stretches of ice and can play on the offensive and defensive zones with aplomb. Maatta has the ceiling of a true number one defenseman that hasn’t been seen around these parts since Randy Carslyle.

When Maatta is on the ice he is a slick skater that plays the game as well positionally for someone his age since dare I say, a young Nicklas Lidstrom. Maatta has been touted the next great Finnish player in his native Finland by no less than Finnish hockey legends Teemu Selane, Jari Kurri and Sami Salo. This was during and after his run as a top pairing defenseman on the Bronze medal winning Finnish Olympic team.

Next: #1 - Kris Letang