Penguins Q&A with Dave Molinari

Friday, September 16, 2005

Q: Why does Craig Patrick consistently show no loyalty to players? Brooks Orpik and Ryan Malone were lowballed on their contract offers and probably will leave once they become unrestricted free agents. Why offer huge contracts to players who are not the future, but alienate some who could be with the franchise for 10 years? I understand Zigmund Palffy and Sergei Gonchar, who are young, but paying John LeClair more than Malone or Orpik is an insult to players who did all that was asked last year.

Geoffrey Dudics of Butler

MOLINARI: As noted in this space several weeks ago, Patrick generally does not act in haste when negotiating with his restricted free agents, and history has made it clear that most of the concessions in those talks come from the other side of the table. Restricted free agents usually have little leverage, aside from their on-ice value to their team, and Patrick invariably uses that to his advantage.

He also capitalizes on the strong desire most players have to be on the ice; Malone, in particular, might have been able to squeeze a few more dollars out of the Penguins, but his interest in putting the contract behind him and focusing on preparing for the season prompted him to sign well before camp opened. And Orpik didn't exactly tear a page out of the hard-line union handbook when he promised Patrick that he wouldn't miss any of camp just because he hadn't been able to get a satisfactory contract.

The merits of Patrick's approach depends on one's perspective. For those whole believe it's of paramount importance for a club in the Penguins' tenuous financial state to hold down expenses as much as possible, Patrick is effectively limiting what they must spend on personnel, easily the most costly part of the operation.

Others subscribe to the belief that his strategy alienates employees who could be important parts of the franchise's future. Maybe to the extent that, when choosing between similar offers from the Penguins and another team sometime down the road, they would opt to leave simply because they felt management had been unfair to them in an earlier negotiation. That's a perfectly logical way to view it, but it's hard to think of a single player who signed with another club under such circumstances.

Q: I was recently at a charity outing attended by a number of current and former NHL players, as well as several notable media members. It was suggested by more than one that Sidney Crosby could, and should, have a 100-point season. Can that be possible?

Joe of Atlanta, Ga.

MOLINARI: It might strike some as absurd that the idea of Crosby hitting triple-figures in his rookie season is even being discussed. After all, you could take all the 100-point men in the NHL during the 2003-04 season, stick them on a unicycle and still have plenty of leg room; Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay led the league with 94 points (which would have been a nice month's work for Mario Lemieux when he was healthy and in his prime, except that he was never healthy and in his prime for a month).

But with the rules changes designed to re-introduce offense to the game -- and, more important, the league's solemn vow that rules already on the books will be called (gasp) the way they are written -- there's plenty of reason to believe that 100-point seasons will become relatively common again. And when Crosby's remarkable talents and the quality of players he'll have around him are factored into the equation, it doesn't seem outrageous to suggest that he's capable of reaching that level.

Oh, and if Crosby does put up 100 points, he won't be the first Penguins rookie to do it. That's precisely how many Lemieux got during his rookie season, 1984-85, while playing for a team with dramatically less talent than the one Crosby is on.

Q: It is very disappointing to see that the Penguins will still lose a large sum of money this year even with all the added ticket sales. But I wonder how much of this is really posturing for a new arena? What really puzzles me is the fact that Mario and his ownership group had to know this, in anticipation of the season. Why then did they stop the proposed deal that would have given (William) Del Biaggio the primary stake in the team? If they were planning on losing money, wouldn't it make sense to get out when they could?

Bob Anderson of DuBois

MOLINARI: It goes without saying that every syllable Lemieux uttered during his press conference Tuesday was intended to remind politicians and the public that the franchise believes it needs a new arena to be economically viable. The Penguins, like virtually every other pro franchise, aren't in the habit of volunteering financial information, and Lemieux wouldn't have done it now if he wasn't trying to get a message out. (Indeed, Lemieux had not even been asked directly about the Penguins' financial outlook for 2005-06. He was responding to a question about the Penguins' payroll in 2003-04 and how it compared to the one this season when he branched off and raised the issue of projected losses.)

What should not be overlooked, though, is that the Penguins' losses this season and next, no matter what they prove to be, will be nominal compared to the value the franchise will have in 2007. By then, the Penguins will either have one of the best crops of young talent in the NHL and a state-of-the-art arena on the way, or they've have one of the best crops of young talent in the NHL and a "For Sale" sign to hang on the franchise. Either way, there will be real money for the owners, whoever they might be then, to make.

"Getting out," as you described it, might have made sense if the current owners were genuinely concerned about short-term losses, but there's no reason to believe that Lemieux or any of his partners will be missing any mortgage payments because of the money they'll drop on the Penguins this winter. Indeed, while there never has been an explanation for why the planned sale to the group headed by Del Biaggio unraveled last month, the timing -- shortly after the Penguins won the NHL draft lottery, and after they had started to collect big-name free agents -- does nothing to temper suspicions that one of Lemieux's partners decided the negotiated price no longer was satisfactory. If that was the case, the partner probably was correct.

Q: How good is Ric Jackman? Is he really as good as his numbers with the Pens (24 points in 25 games, including 7 goals) suggest, or was he just a flash in the pan? Is he good enough to be a No. 2 defenseman on a good NHL team?

Neil Reimer of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

MOLINARI: If Jackman is as good as he looked during most of the 25 games he played for the Penguins after they acquired him from Toronto for Drake Berehowsky, league officials won't just award him the Norris Trophy, they'll rename the thing after him. OK, that's overstating it a bit, but Jackman was outstanding during the stretch drive of the 2003-04 season. He was particularly effective on the power play, and his work on the point is one of the main reasons the Penguins scored on 21 of 61 chances with the man-advantage during their final 16 games. Jackman gets his shot off quickly, and the puck gets to the net even faster than he releases it.

There was reason to believe his confidence was badly shaken after largely unproductive stops in Dallas, Boston and Toronto, but he clearly had regained belief in his abilities by the time the 2003-04 season ended. And a strong showing in Sweden last winter, even though it was with a second-division club, had to further bolster his confidence. While it's way too early to make a definitive judgment on Jackman's long-term prospects, there is reason to believe that unless something shakes his positive perspective, he's perfectly capable of being a top-four defenseman in the NHL. The fact that he is a right-handed shot only enhances his value.

Q: I am interested to know your opinion on the possibility that Craig Patrick may be biding his time in looking for a centerman. It seems as though there may be more quality players available as the deadline approaches for teams to be under the salary cap. Could this be another deliberate strategy by Patrick to allow inexpensive options to come to the team rather than overpaying for those who are currently available?

Andy Ross of Fort Collins, Colo.

MOLINARI: Craig Patrick, biding his time? You know, you just might be onto something there.

Patrick almost never acts in haste -- just ask any agent who's tried to negotiate a contract for a client who is a restricted free agent -- and there's no reason to believe he'll do so while the Penguins search for another center to join Crosby on the top two lines. The preferred option, for a lot of reasons, would be to fill that opening internally, with Lasse Pirjeta or Ryan Malone or whoever.

If that fails, and the Penguins have to look outside the organization for a top-six center, precedent suggests Patrick won't rush to bring in a warm body by the regular-season opener Oct. 5. More likely he would wait to see who might come available as the season unfolds, acting only when he decides that waiting for an even better candidate to surface no longer is practical or realistic.

The salary-cap issue -- something the NHL never has experienced before -- is a wild card in all of this, though. There are a few teams reported to be over, or flirting with,- the maximum payroll of $39 million, and if they decide to cut their costs by waiving or trading a quality center, it would be in the Penguins' interests to investigate.

Q: With all the concerns about who will play center and the top two netminders, my biggest concern is the defense. How do you see the top six defensemen lining up for the Pens this year?

Rick Davies of Eagle River, Alaska

MOLINARI: Don't be surprised if it takes the coaching staff most, if not all, of training camp to settle on its top six defenseman -- and an already difficult process could be further complicated if a prospect like Noah Welch or Paul Bissonnette claims a place in the mix, much as Bissonnette did during camp two years ago.

While the Penguins apparently haven't decided how many players they'll keep on the major-league roster during the regular season (some clubs appear to be giving serious consideration to keeping fewer than the limit of 23), it seems plausible that they would keep a spare defenseman or two around, and tailor the makeup of their defense corps to combat the strengths of their opponent in a given game. For example, plugging Lyle Odelein into the lineup for games when defensive muscle would be most valuable, and sitting him when skill would be more of an asset.

Q: As for the Russians, Aleksey Morozov's been dumped and Evgeni Malkin is staying home, but what about Sergei Anshakov? Is he missing in action? He came over from Los Angeles in the Martin Straka deal and I haven't heard a thing about him in a couple years. Was he just a name to get when they dumped Straka's salary, or did he actually have potential?

Justin P. Cobbett of Pittsburgh

MOLINARI: Anshakov, a 6 foot 3, 180-pound left winger, not only had potential when the Penguins got him from the Kings, he still does. And if Russia had agreed to be part of the International Ice Hockey Federation's transfer agreement with the NHL, he might well have been in the Penguins' training camp now. As it is, Anshakov, 21, is playing for Ufa Salavat Yulayev in the Russian Super League, a team for which he thrived last season after being acquired from CSKA Moscow.

After going scoreless in 11 games in Moscow, Anshakov put up nine goals and three assists in 23 games, not bad totals in the Super League. (To put his production in perspective, consider that Anshakov averaged .52 points per game after being traded. Malkin, playing for a much stronger team in Magnitogorsk, averaged .62.) Anshakov is off to a lackluster start this season, with no goals and one assist in three games, but he'll have to go into a tailspin for a full season -- or maybe longer -- before the Penguins think about scratching him from their long-range plans.

The Penguins have no shortage of intriguing young prospects in camp and, based on the answers inspired by last week's question -- "Aside from Sidney Crosby, which Penguins prospect with no NHL experience are you most interested in seeing during training camp and the pre-season, and why?" -- most seem to have at least a few people who will be paying close attention to them during the next few weeks. A sampling of the responses, with most edited for brevity and/or clarity:

Chuck Zaleski of Lewisburg, Pa.: I would like to see if Ryan Stone looks like a dominating power forward who can stake out a place in front of the net and put in 40 goals a year.

Nicolas Lewis of South Oakland: I'm excited about the same player everyone else was before Crosby showed up -- Ryan Whitney. He had a great first season with the Baby Pens, and I see no reason that he couldn't parlay a good camp and pre-season into a second-unit pairing with Ric Jackman.

Craig Lester of Smithers, British Columbia, Canada: The prospect I look forward to seeing in camp is Colby Armstrong, who always has a great camp and made great strides last season in Wilkes-Barre.

Greg of Pittsburgh: I am most interested in seeing Maxime Talbot during training camp and the pre-season. He is reported to have the skating ability and intensity that would make for an exceptional fourth-line player.

Kevin Novak of Atlanta, Ga.: I am going to see what the organization thinks of Paul Bissonnette. He made it extremely hard on Craig Patrick in his first training camp. I am hoping Bissonnette has another great showing because you can never have too many quality defensemen.

B.J. Biringer of Valencia, Spain: I am anxious to see Ryan Whitney. I have high hopes for him. I hope he is a cross between a Larry Murphy and a Randy Carlyle. While the focus may be on Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury, I think Whitney is going to silently become the blueliner we have not had since our Cup days.

Zac Balega of Derry: I would like to see Michel Ouellet make some noise in training camp. He set a few team records for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and has good size for the NHL.

Chris Palochak of Aliquippa: The prospect I would like to see most is Noah Welch. From what I have read, he has good size, speed and can also play a physical game. All the ingredients that make a great defenseman.

Judd Stricker of Detroit, Mich.: I am anxious to see the improvements of the previous draft class like Jonathan Filewich, Stephen Dixon, Daniel Carcillo and, most important, Ryan Stone. Stone was always praised for his work ehtic and leadership and then had an all-star year in the WHL last year. With his size and skill, he could develop into a key third-line center for the future and, with the uncertainty of Evgeni Malkin's future, maybe even a second-liner.

Chris Santinoceto of Wheeling, W. Va.: The player I'm most excited to see in this year's training camp is Ryan Whitney. With his talent, he has the potential to control a game from the blue line much like Brian Leetch has. He has a year under his belt at the AHL level, and it will be interesting to see if he has gotten strong enough to handle the forwards at the NHL level.

Sean Ritter of Los Angeles, Calif.: One who stands out in my mind is Johannes Salmonsson. I could see this kid as a force alongside Crosby on a power-play unit, or as that second speedy playmaker on a second or third line.

Frank of Robinson: Ryan Whitney and Noah Welch. I'm hoping they will be the Penguins' version of Rob Blake and Adam Foote for years to come.

Ken Bosak of Gibsonia: There is one player that I am anxious to see, Ryan Stone. He is a tough two-way player who could be the surprise of training camp He has shown the ability to step up in tough situations and has more skill than a lot of people thought.

Kevin of Pittsburgh: The player I'm excited to see would have to be Johannes Salmonsson. He's a quick, gritty forward and I can't wait to see what he'll do in the NHL.

Chris Adams of Marlton, N.J.: I am most excited to see what Ryan Stone can bring to the team. He has good size, plays a physical game, can score when the opportunity arises and plays a great two-way game.

Andy Fullerton of Smithers, British Columbia, Canada: Definitely, Johannes Salmonsson. He's a player who, at the time of his draft, was said to be a top 10-quality prospect but dropped because of an injury.

Brian Carr of Imperial: The player I'm most interested to see in camp is Ryan Whitney. He had an impressive season last year for the Baby Pens and would fit nicely with the Pens' offense-oriented style of play this season.

Bill Maloni of Washington, D.C.: I want to see if Ryan Stone can step up and perform to an NHL standard. A young, tough center with grit who can play defense and occasionally score would be a major asset.

Jimmy Rixner of Ashland, Va.: I am looking forward to seeing Johannes Salmonsson play. He seems to have the total package of speed, size and grit.

Cathy Corton of West Deer: I am most interested in seeing Paul Bissonnette. He almost made the team last camp. I've heard he's even better now and would like to see how far he can make it this time.

Question of the Week: Aside from the Penguins, which NHL team do you believe has most improved its lineup since the 2003-04 season ended, and which club's roster has gone downhill the most?

First published on September 16, 2005 at 12:00 am