Evaluating hockey talent, assessing players' problems and promise, is an important part of general manager Ray Shero's job, and most indications are that he's pretty good at it.

So, when, during the Penguins' rookie-camp workout Monday, Shero was asked his impressions of forward Stephen Dixon's performance to that point, it seemed likely that he would respond with observations on Dixon's skating or hockey sense or offensive touch.

Well, not quite.

The simple truth, Shero said, was that he hadn't noticed Dixon enough to that point to formulate even a preliminary opinion about him.

His candor wasn't intended as a criticism or putdown and was, in some ways, the consummate scouting report on Dixon, whose game is predicated on tending to the kind of details that tend to be overlooked.

It wasn't always that way -- Dixon, a forward who turned 22 a week ago, was a solid goal-scorer in junior hockey -- but recognized that his future in the pros was as a role player, handling blue-collar duties that many other players either can't or won't.

"Anything I can do to help the team win," Dixon said. "I've been doing that the last couple of years, and things have been working out.

"I just try to work hard and chip in any way I can. Mostly, I just try to play a good two-way game."

The transformation in Dixon's game dates to the 2005 world junior championships, when he won a gold medal while playing for Canada. He manufactured only one point, an assist, during that tournament, but embraced a role that emphasized sound defense and penalty-killing.

"It was a real good experience for me, really helped me adjust to the pro game," Dixon said.

Dixon, who is 5 feet 11, 188 pounds, had 12 goals and 17 assists in 80 games with the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre last season.

He was a seventh-round draft choice in 2003 -- 228 players were selected ahead of him -- and probably is a long shot, at best, to start this season on the NHL roster. How he performs in the training camp that begins today will determine whether he truly gets into the mix for a job at this level.

"He's a guy you'll need to see in exhibition or in the scrimmages to see exactly where he is, and what [spending] last year in the American League did for him," Shero said.

He added that it is "probably premature" to say if Dixon has the potential to play in the NHL, whether it's this season or at some point in the future, but acknowledged that there is a niche for guys who play Dixon's game.

"Every team needs role players and certainly, being able to kill penalties and play a smart game, you can find a place for a guy like that," he said.

Dixon reported here with the idea of competing for a place in the NHL -- "Anytime you come to a camp, you always want to shoot for the best," he said -- but said it will not be his sole, or even primary, focus during the next few weeks.

"I'm just going to come and work hard and not pay too much attention to which spots are open and things like that," he said. "Just land where I land, and hopefully land in the highest spot I can."

Dixon watched a series of Baby Penguins teammates get promoted to the NHL last season and was keenly aware of how many fared well once they arrived.

"It was definitely inspiring for young guys like myself last year to watch guys going up and down and have success when they got called up," he said.

It's hardly out of the question that, even if he opens the season in the minors, Dixon could be on the Penguins' call-up list at some point during the coming winter. What isn't clear, Shero said, is whether he would be just a short-term fill-in or someone capable of contributing over an extended period.

"Whether some of these guys ... are just going to be call-up guys who can play in the league on that basis -- and, after 10 games, they lose their energy and have to be sent back down -- or a guy who can find a niche for himself, a smart player who can kill penalties, play with energy and play 9 to 13 minutes a game to really help you win remains to be seen."

NOTES -- The training-camp roster was pared to 48 yesterday when winger Nick Johnson returned to Dartmouth and defenseman Daniel Fernholm was assigned to Wilkes-Barre. ... The first day of camp will be devoted to off-ice matters such as physicals, photos and testing, although players have the option of skating in the afternoon. Formal practices and scrimmages begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. and will be open to the public through Sunday.