Ever since the Penguins had to make the choice of recalling Ryan Graves from Wilkes-Barre Scranton, he has actually been watchable. He has been steady in his own zone and making the right reads and the right plays and actually not giving fans a heart attack whenever he touches the puck.
Graves recently got the call-up before the Penguins took on the Washington Capitals at home on Thursday night and played that game and the recent shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils. Graves has been a player in the past where when he touched the puck, usually bad things happen.
But in the last two games where fans got to watch him up close and actually do his thing, he has been serviceable and good at times. He even scored the Penguins only goal in the recent loss to the Devils. Sure, the goal was quite lucky as it hit off of one of the Devils players' heads, but the puck still went in and they all count the same.
Graves has been paired with veteran Conor Clifton on the Penguins third defensive pairing, and they both have done well in their roles. They both know how head coach Dan Muse wants to play and they both are just steady back there and get the puck out of the zone when they can and play offense when it's needed.
The Penguins and Penguins fans definitely do not expect much from the two whenever they are out on the ice. Both are usually liabilities in their own zone and in years past loved to turn the puck over, but they seem to be over those bad habits and seem to be serviceable defensemen now.
The Penguins and their fans hope all the bad habits and bad play from Graves is truly behind him. It needs to be if he wants to keep his roster spot and stay on this team all year long to help them win.