Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Have the Penguins found their next Dumoulin in Jack St. Ivany?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Pittsburgh Penguins signed a few players on Tuesday, including one that could be on the team full-time for next season. Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am one of your host, Hunter Hodes. You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, joined by my co-st Patrick Damp. You can follow him on Twitter at Send him for Wendonson.

Starting point is 00:00:35 at and you can follow the shows Twitter at LO underscore Penguins. Of course, thank you all so much for making this your first lesson slash watch of the day. We are free and available on all platforms. And finally, today's episode is brought to you by Indeed. There is no I in Team, but there is one in Indeed. And that's the hiring platform you need to build yours. Start hiring now with a $75 sponsor job credit to upgrade your job host at Indy.com slash locked on terms and conditions apply.

Starting point is 00:01:04 If you need to hire, you need indeed. So getting into the meat of today's episode, Kyle Dubus had himself a very busy Tuesday. He saw what the Tampa Bay Lightning did after reacquiring Ryan McDunna from the National Predators. And as Skip Bayless once said on Undisputed a few years ago, it's my turn. That's what Kyle Dubas basically said when he made these three signings on Tuesday. And we'll start with the first one signing Jack St. Ivany to a three-year deal worth

Starting point is 00:01:34 $775,000 per year. It is a two-way contract. Actually, all three of these deals that do was signed are two-way contracts overall. But you might be the president of the Jeff Carter fan club. In fact, I know you are. Well, I am the president of the Jackson Avenue fan club. I am a big fan of this player heading into next season. And yes, I understand.

Starting point is 00:01:57 It was a 14-game sample size. He only had one point in those 14 games. but you got to look beyond the counting stats to really break down this player. When I was watching him down the stretch of this season, I saw someone who looked really poised. I saw someone who looked very well seasoned, especially in his own zone. And he reminds me of a younger version of Chad Rueel. I had some people on my mentions on Twitter on Tuesday saying that that's a bad thing. And I really don't understand why Ruehdle gets too much flat from some people in the fan base.

Starting point is 00:02:32 even though I feel like he did a really sound job for the Penguins overall. And I think St. Ivney can grow into that type of player, but maybe one that brings a little bit more offense compared to Ruehiel. Some of his underwings are better than others. But I saw someone who, when the puck was on his stick in the offensive zone, he was creating a little bit of offense, but it was his play in the defensive zone that really showed out to me. he was taking one-on-ones like it was nothing, winning those battles pretty easily,

Starting point is 00:03:06 skating the puck out of danger, and then getting the rush going for the penguins. And I remember when he first came up, I really didn't think that much of him just because you look at the history of some of these other Wilkesbury call-ups, and they really weren't doing too much throughout the season, maybe outside of the Altairey-Puson. But St. Ivney quickly became arguably the team's best call-up from Wilkesbury during the season. it's him and Pustin and at the top for me, in my opinion. And if he goes on to have a great camp and a great preseason, he should 100% be on this team to start the year.

Starting point is 00:03:42 And I think this deal could look like quite a steal for the Penguins if he pans out. I'm a big fan of this player. I completely agree with you. And I'm right with you. I have liked this player since he came up. He really impressed. And you may have touched on it. But if not, we'll say it again for the.

Starting point is 00:04:00 millionth time on this podcast. If you're the sixth defenseman on the NHL team, your best asset is not being noticed. You play a very solid game that doesn't do anything flashy. It doesn't stand out, but it gets the job done. But you likened him to Chad Rueedel. And again, I know 14 game sample size, hard to garner a whole lot from that, especially in a season where there were so many other issues with this team, but you likened him to Chad Rueedal, I see a guy who could potentially grow into this team's next Brian Dumlin. A lot of similarities between the two of them. You know, when you look at the way they measure out, he's 6.3, Dumlin 6'4, they both hover around 200 pounds. But then I watch the way St. Ivan, he plays the game. A lot of what you

Starting point is 00:04:53 said, you expand upon that. The way he plays one-on-ones plays the angle, perfectly keeps the guy to the outside, keeps him to the outside of the high danger areas. His stick work is pretty darn good into where that he's going to force whoever is coming down on him in a one-on-one situation to have to go to the low percentage play rather than give them some sort of a plus pass or path to the net. And he's not overly physical, but he's selectively physical. He knows when the situation calls to throw a check or to angle a guy off. And a lot of that is what we saw when Brian Dumlin started to come up and develop into what he became for the Penguins. Now, I will say this is putting the cart a little bit ahead of the horse here because, again, 14 games,

Starting point is 00:05:49 but he's still only 24 years old. a lot of room to grow. We'll see how he responds to potentially, in my opinion, he should make the team full time out of camp and how he deals with the grind of an NHL season because it's a lot easier to ride that momentum and that adrenaline of getting the call up, staying on the roster, and making a name for yourself rather than, okay, you're here. How do you stay here? Right.

Starting point is 00:06:18 And I think one of the other reasons I'm so bullish on here. him overall just because of the way he played when the games became that much more important for the penguins down the stretch. He was going up against some of the best players in the world in those games just because the penguin's schedule was really nasty to end the season. But he didn't look out of place at all. And yes, I understand. It's a 14-game sample size. I'm not trying to overreact to it and be like some other people that you see with some of the other players that have come up from Wilkesbury. But he stood out in. in ways that those other players in Wilkesbury, outside of Pusin, did not.

Starting point is 00:06:57 And that's one of the reasons why I'm really bullish on him heading into the season. He's also, again, very cheap, $775,000 per season when you look at the salary cap. So they're really, at least right now with the way he ended the season, there's no need to do what the Penguins did a couple of years ago. Remember, when they had Ruehiel ready to go and they signed, Jan Luda to a multi-year contract. I don't think Kyle Dubus needs to do something like that in free agency this summer. I know he wasn't the GM at the time, but my point still stands.

Starting point is 00:07:32 They do still have to figure something out on the blue line. You have a pretty big hole considering the disappointing, and that's putting it mildly, season for Ryan Graves, you do want to see him bounce back, but you do still feel like this blue line is a piece or two away from being very solid. don't think St. Ivany solves that, but he gives you a very solid depth option on the blue line. I think if he continues to trend the way he was to end the year, you've got somebody who you can pretty much guarantee could take up residence on the third pairing, and then you got to figure out your top four from there. But overall, I like this signing a lot, and I think it answers a lot

Starting point is 00:08:17 of questions that we had going into this offseason about the blue line. Agreed. The biggest question for me about the blue line is what does the left side look like for next season? I mean, you all know Marcus Pedersen is going to be there, but P.O. Joseph is an RFA right now. Does he come back? Ryan Graves, it's expected that he comes back, but how does he play in year two of that

Starting point is 00:08:42 long-term contract? I mean, I've said on the show a lot that I still think they could use another top for a guy for this defensive group, but will they have the money? Will they have the wiggle room to maneuver that? That's going to be the big question. So the left side, that's the one I have questions about, not really too much about the right. And as for St. Ivany's partner, it could be Graves if he starts the season on the third pairing, but it also could be Ryan Shea. But the thing is, the Penguins will have to re-sign him since he's expected to hit the market on July 1. And those two, they only played nine games together during this season,

Starting point is 00:09:19 about 88 minutes of 5 on 5 ice time. And most of the underlying numbers were pretty solid. Yeah, their course 4 rate, 41% not that good, but four goals for, two goals against 51.7% expected goals 4 rate, 52% scoring chances 4 rate. He's right around 50% for high danger chances for. same thing for high danger goals for those two together. So it was a pairing that definitely worked a bit down the stretch, but the big question will be, do the penguins want to bring Ryan Shea back on July 1? And I don't think it would be the worst idea to get Ryan Shea back. Only made 775K last year. Wouldn't say he's in line for any sort of a big payday or pricing himself out of Pittsburgh. And again, something I've been saying on this episode a lot is it would just be another

Starting point is 00:10:09 good depth option for the blue line because like you said they weren't the best pairing but again third pairing you don't need them to light the world on fire you don't need them to be the best thing in the world but they did show some chemistry together they had a very solid performance together and it feels like if you give them a more a bit of a bigger opportunity or at the very least more games together that they could be a productive bottom pair and of course continues to give you options on the blue line a little bit more depth, whether there's injuries or certain guys don't work out, whatever may come during the length of an NHL season. He's a good depth option to keep around, not overly impressive, but a guy I would certainly

Starting point is 00:10:52 not be upset if they brought back. Yeah, if Shay and say John Ludwig are your number seven or number eight defensemen, I'll take that as long as you make, you know, other changes, I would say, to your left sign or at least try and bring in maybe another top four guy. but that's, again, a different discussion for a different day. But that'll do it for this first segment coming up in the second segment. Pat and I are going to discuss the other two signings that Dubus made on Tuesday and give our thoughts on those two players heading into the 2024, 2025 season.

Starting point is 00:11:22 But before we get to that, we have to tell you about our first sponsor, which is Indeed. There is no I in team, but there is one in Indeed, and that's the hiring platform you need to build yours. When you're hiring, you need Indeed. It is the hiring platform where you can attract, interview, and hire all in one place. Instead of spending hours and multiple job websites searching for candidates with the right skills, Indeed's a powerful hiring platform that can help you do it all. We streamline hiring with powerful tools that help you find match candidates. And with instant match, over 80% of employers get quality candidates whose resumes on Indeed matches their job description the moment they sponsor a job according to Indie Data US.

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Starting point is 00:12:50 I am one of your host, Hunter Hodes. Join my microhost, Patrick Dam. So let's get into the resigning of Jonathan Gruden. He has played 16 total games for the Penguins at the NH level. one goal, only one point in those 16 games he played in 13 this year for the Penguins three last year. But in Wilkesbury, he was one of their better players in 47 games, 13 goals, 24 points during that time. I don't really see him in this team's lineup for next season. I kind of see him right now as a 13th, 14th forward. The only way I see him in the

Starting point is 00:13:25 lineup to start the season, two things. A, they didn't do enough during free agency or via trade to get better players for the bottom six, or B, he just blows everyone away at training camp in the preseason, myself included, but I think both of those scenarios are highly unlikely. He's just a good depth player to have any organization. He can be called up whenever. So I'm not, how do I want to say it? I don't think he's going to be on the team next year,

Starting point is 00:13:56 but there's no reason to not make the signing. Yeah, it's a whatever. signing to me. He's a, again, we're going to kind of say this about everybody at this point outside of St. I've any. It's a depth option. I'm in complete agreement with you and the fact that the only way he makes this team out of training camp is if he has an all world camp. And I don't want to say that I think it's impossible because he is only 24. He's shown some talent at the A HL level. And there's always one or two guys every year that kind of come out of nowhere.

Starting point is 00:14:33 You don't expect to see them. You're not talking about them. And then all of a sudden, they're lighting camp up. But at the same time, it's another guy who has some solid numbers at the HL level. He can be a piece that you use when injuries inevitably happen throughout the course of a season. And you need somebody for four or five games that isn't going to come in and become a staple in the lineup, but is definitely not going to be out of place. And we've seen that with Gruden for the last couple of years.

Starting point is 00:15:03 He's fine enough when he gets called up. He's not going to be a guy that you're going to go, oh, he's really making a name for himself. He's going to stick up here. But you look at him and go, you know, with this guy, that guy out of the lineup, he filled in fine enough. Yeah. It's your typical 13, 14, 14, 15 forward signing. And to be fully transparent to your deal, $775,000 per year.

Starting point is 00:15:24 And as I said earlier in the show, also a. two-way contract for Gruden. But moving on to the final signing that Dubus made on Tuesday, it's someone that he knows quite well coming from outside the organization. He signed defenseman Philip Krall to a one-year contract. Now, Krall, he was the Maple Leaf's fifth round pick in the 2018 NHL draft. So Dubus was there when he drafted him. He's out of the Czech Republic.

Starting point is 00:15:50 But he did spend this entire 2023, 2024 season in La Liga over in Finland, had five goals, 37 points in 46 games. And in the playoffs for his league, he played in 17 games, one goal, eight points in those games. He has played all over these last few years. I mean, he's played for the Toronto Marley's, especially in the 2022-2020 season, had two goals, six points in 24 games. He's also played for other teams in the Czech Republic. So this is a player that I think is at least some added depth defensively to the Penguins organization. I don't think he's going to be making this team out of camp or anything, but it's still someone that I think is going to get some nice minutes in Wilkesbury. And if he plays well, I think he could be

Starting point is 00:16:35 a call-up option for the penguins if some injuries arise on the blue line. Yeah, this feels like a guy who went overseas to kind of get his game right. You know, you can see his HL career numbers are not overly impressive. Seven goals, 22 assists, 29 points, two career NHL games with the Maple Leafs in 2022. But then you look at the way he played in La Liga last year with those five goals, 32 assists, and 37 points. And this is a guy who went overseas, played in a little bit lesser of a league, really started to, seems like he's really starting to figure it out.

Starting point is 00:17:15 And you know that the penguins are going to start putting a lot more emphasis on their minor league system, on development. So this is a guy who could be a bit of a diamond in the rough. could become found money. It's a one-year deal, so we'll see how he reacts to just being on a one-year deal, likely just playing in the American hockey league with maybe some call-up time.

Starting point is 00:17:36 But overall, this is a good signing by Dubus just because it's completely low-risk, total high reward. You see what you get out of him. You see what you get from him after doing well in Finland. So a nice little piece of business here, to the very least, add some organization. debt. Agreed. And I watched some very limited film of him before we started recording. His shot

Starting point is 00:18:02 really doesn't blow you away, but he walks the blue line really well, defends his own zone pretty efficiently from the film that I watched. And he is crafty with the puck on his stick. So I'm excited to see what he can do in the penguin system. But I think that I'll do it for this second segment. Let us know what you think about these signings down in the comments on YouTube. You can also send us a DM on social media as well. Do you think Kyle Dubus did a good job with these three signings. But again, that would do it for this segment. Coming up to end the show, 15 years ago on Tuesday, I can't even believe it's been that long. Evgeny Malkin had a gain to remember in game two of the 2009 Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. Pat and I are going to reminisce on that

Starting point is 00:18:45 right after this. All right, we're back here on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodes, joined by my host, Patrick Dam. So can you believe it's been 15 years since Evgeny Malkins crazy hat trick against the Carolina Hurricanes? This happened in 2009 when I was Checks Notes 11. I am now 26 years old, going to be 27 this year, and I just can't believe it's been that long. But when I think about that game, I think about someone who was a man. man possessed in Evgeny Malkins, someone who was not going to let the penguins lose that game. He went to the net every chance he could.

Starting point is 00:19:31 And I hope this is not a hot take to anyone when I say this. Evgeny Malkin was the best player in the world during that series and especially during that run. I know Cindy Crosby was obviously tremendous throughout that playoff run for the penguins. But Evgeny Malkin was the best player in hockey throughout that two-month stretch. And nobody could ever take the puck off his stick when he jumped onto the ice. The spinneramigal with Dennis Seidenberg on his back just will forever live in my head. I went crazy. When I saw it live, I still get chills going down my spine when I hear the call from Joe Beninati to this day.

Starting point is 00:20:13 Seeing his family go crazy in Mellon Arena and just the fans going nuts as well. Just an awesome memory. what a game overall as well. And my God, I miss Melanarita quite a bit. Dude, me too. And I'm sure I've said this on podcasts before, maybe not here on Locked On. I might have talked about it on dying alive back in the day.

Starting point is 00:20:39 But you know, I didn't see that goal live. I saw that goal the morning after because that was my senior prom. So I did not get to watch. that game live. I was on the Gateway Clipper Fleet floating down the river in a tuxedo with all of my high school friends. And I was running back and forth from whether it was our table or the dance floor to one of my favorite high school teachers who was also a gigantic Penguins fan, nudging him and saying, what's the update? What's the score? What's going on? What's happening?

Starting point is 00:21:12 So I did not get to see that game or that goal live because I was celebrating senior prom. But overall, I mean, you're right on the money, man. From about the halfway point of the Capitals series until the Penguins lifted the Stanley Cup at the Joe Lewis Arena in game seven against Detroit, there was not a better player on the planet than of Gennie Malkin. He owned the puck every time he had it. There was no getting it off of him. He owned the front of the net.

Starting point is 00:21:46 Everybody remembers the spinnereram a goal and rightfully so. they should because it was a marvelous goal that at the time we had never seen anything like it. But you watch his first two goals. He just was bull in a china shop right to the front of the net. And there was not a single defenseman on Carolina who could stop him. He was hands down the best player on the planet. And for some more six degrees of separation for that goal. And I know you know the answer, but I'm going to ask you anyway.

Starting point is 00:22:18 He wins the face off forward before he scores that spinorama behind the net, behind the back goal. Who was the center he beat on Carolina to score the goal? Formerly team dad, Matt Cullen. That's right. So, I mean, overall, it's wild to me that it's been 15 years since the Penguins won that Stanley Cup in 2009. And unlike 2016, there was no argument. there was no dispute. The undisputed Kahn Smythe winner was of Gennie Malkin.

Starting point is 00:22:52 Oh yeah. I mean, if he didn't win the Kahn Smyth that year, I probably would have rioted. I mean, again, Crosby was tremendous throughout that run. But there were also times where he went cold just a little bit. But of Gennie Malkin, he never went cold during those two months. And that was vintage Gino through and through. I call that the Gino. Gino game, baby.

Starting point is 00:23:18 That's anytime I think about that game, it's the Gino game forever in my head. And you just had to know after that game because people kind of forget the game, like, despite the penguins getting the ultimately getting the sweep against the hurricanes, game one was very tight. The penguins got the win, but it was not a decisive victory. They snuck out a win. Game two was tight as well. It was very back and forth with plenty of goals being scored.

Starting point is 00:23:47 kind of opposite of game one a little bit, but both games I felt like were still fairly tight. I mean, I know the Penguins at the end got an empty net goal, but it was still a tight game. Yeah. And that after that win, after that goal, I looked at that series and just went, yeah, it's not a matter of if they're winning this series. It's when they're winning this series. Because you could tell after that game, they, the hurricanes knew that, they just had no answer for Evgeny Malkin and the rest of the penguins.

Starting point is 00:24:21 They knew that they were in the series. They knew it was going to be competitive, but you could just tell in their body language, the way they talked to the media after the games that they kind of knew, hey, this is the end of the road for us. We're overmatched. We're going to give them all we got, but it's probably not going to be enough. Right. And Carolina played fairly fine in games three and four down in Raleigh,

Starting point is 00:24:44 but the penguins were just too good that run. Gany Malkin was also great in those two games as well. But I felt like that would be fun to reminisce a little bit on to end the show. Do you have anything else to add before we wrap up today? Just like Joe Beninotti said at the end of that game after that Hattrick, all hail, Evgeny Malkin. That's a great way to end today's episode, I think. And Pat and I will be back for another episode for you all on Thursday to recap any news

Starting point is 00:25:14 that comes from the Penguins as well as other top of, including our season in review series. Yes, we will continue that on Thursday and on Friday as well. But for Patrick Damp, I am Huntson Hodes. Thank you all so much for taking the time to listen to slash watch this episode, and we'll be back on Thursday.

Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Have the Penguins found their next Dumoulin in Jack St. Ivany?

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