Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Mark Friedman is gonna get his shot

Episode Date: September 2, 2021

In the final episode of the week, Hunter first touches on the Penguins latest move as Louis Domingue comes into the organization on a 2-way deal. Is there a path to him playing on the roster this season? Is he likely to be the starter at WBS over Lindberg? How has he played throughout his career. Hunter then brings up Mark Friedman as he may have the inside edge on that 6th defensive spot going into training camp. It may not be what's best for the team, but he's always been Hextall's guy and that could weigh a lot on Sullivan. Who has the better numbers between Ruhwedel and Friedman? Should there be some games split between them? The show then ends with some thoughts on the Islanders signings and how that pertains to the Penguins, plus the NHL releasing their COVID protocols for next season.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello, everyone, welcome to this Thursday afternoon episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes.

Follow the show his Twitter at LORS where Penguins. Remember, we are still doing, excuse me, locked on NHL's top 50 players, The next release is going to be tomorrow, actually, on Friday, September 3rd, from 30 to 21. Then September 7th, right after Labor Day, we'll get 20 to 11, and then September 10th next week. That will be next Friday, I think. We will get the top 10 players that are currently in the NHL as voted on by all of the Lockdown House. So continue to check the Lockdown NHL's Twitter account to see who made the cut for the Lockdown NHL's top 50.

And with that again, I welcome. you to this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. We actually do have a little bit of news with the Penguins. So the team has just signed Louis Dominique to a one-year contract. I obviously do not put the position in there when I said it. Of course, he is a goaltender. He has been in the league for so many years now. It is a two-way contract that carries a value of 750K at the NHL level,

which is basically, I think, the league minimum. I have the email right here from the Pittsburgh Penguins. So he was with the Flames last year. spent time with Calgary but also with their American Hockey League team. That's the Stockton Heat. He was also on their taxi squad, the Flames, that is. He's played 140 games in the NHL over the last seven seasons with Arizona, Tampa, New Jersey, Vancouver, and Calgary. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that Dominique was the one who got owned by Sidney Crosby

when he basically batted the puck in like a baseball bat for one of his many baseball goals. So I think that happened, I want to say, four or five years ago. I think it was the game where Pittsburgh, I think, beat Arizona. Six or seven, nothing at PBG Paints Arena. But I'm pretty sure he was the goal in that game. So he just, he got routed there. He's 58 and 59 and 10. 3.05 goals against average 904, say a percentage and two shutouts.

His best season came with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He went 21 and 5, including an 11-game winning streak, which was a team record at the time. Obviously, Andre Vasselowski was able to break that record because not only is he the best goaltender in the NHL, but Tampa Bay has been a juggernaut ever since then. But yes, I actually totally forgot about that, that he won 21 of 26 starts with the lightning as Vasselvesky's backup out season. But as the email says, he's also played with Portland in the HL, Springfield, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Socton. He's played in 103 career AHA games, 46 and 49, 903, Sabres.

2.93 goals against average. Digging it a little deeper here as I go to Moneypuck, I always love looking at the advanced stats for goalies. I think in terms of analytics and hockey, these are some of my favorites. He only played in one game this past year with the flames, gave up three goals, but his expected goals against was 1.55.

Goals saved above expected minus 1.4, so definitely not good. Goals saved above expected per 60 minus 1.45 for that. And then expect a save percentage on unblock shots. 9-61 in that game, so pretty decent, but still, I mean, this was a one-game sample for the 2020-21 NHL season. Overall, I think my thoughts on this, it's fine. I mean, this is basically your third goalie. This is literally the Maxim Legasei signing it, because remember, he walked this past year.

I'm like blanking on which team signed him. Let me actually Google that real quick to see who signed him. Signed him, excuse me. I just totally forgot. about this. Oh, so he actually, he joins the lightning on a one-year two-way deal, so he'll probably be the starter down for their farm team. And I think that's what you're going to see with Louis Dominique as well. I think he's probably going to start in Wilkesbury this season. I think it's going to be, I don't know if it's a 1A, 1B situation with Philip Limburg. Remember the Penguins

did sign him. He'll probably be reporting to Wilkesbury. Well, he'll be reporting to the Penguins for training camp, and then, in all likelihood, will be sent down to Wilkesbury. where he'll battle it out to start with Louis Dominique. If one of the goalies gets hurt, of course, that's Casey to Samantha Tristanjari. He will be the first one to be called up. And I think that's fine. I mean, you know, as long as he gives the team average goaltending, that's all they've needed. But, you know, that's honestly been hard to come by these last few years for whatever reason.

But I really don't think it's anything more than that. It's just a depth signing. It's $750K. It's a two-way deal who has spent most of his time down on Wilkesbury. if both goaltenders stay healthy. Maybe if the penguins have the division locked up by the end of the regular season or if they've clinched a playoff spot and they can't move up or down any further in the conference, they'll call him up and he'll just start a game there.

But you obviously hope that Tristan Jari and Casey DeSmith are able to do their jobs relatively well so that he doesn't come up and take both of their jobs, considering the penguins have invested so much time and money into DeSmith and Jari. the last few seasons, especially Drus and Jars and Jarn. I mean, they drafted him what, six, seven years ago and they spent a lot of time and of course, you know, that money with Jim Brotherford

giving him that contract before he resigned. So they're going to give him every chance to take back the net this regular season and prove that what happened in the playoffs is not going to happen again. But I think that basically just sums up my thoughts on the signing. It's really nothing special and you can really not have too much goalie-dev

especially in today's NHL. We did see an old friend signed elsewhere yesterday. Jack Johnson signed to a professional tryout by the Colorado Avalanche. And as J. Fresh says on his Twitter, it's his favorite player in the whole wide world. His wins of our replacement has gone down to 8%. Even strength offense in the 12th percentile, even strike defense in the 27 percentile, PKK percentage in the 9th percentile. Primary 6 per 60 at 1%.

His goals for 60 and penalties is probably the best part of his game at this point. for taking penalties, 57% for actual goals for, and then, you know, quality of teammate, you know, quality of competition, 8% and 2%. He has just been so bad for so long. And, oh yeah, everyone, just thought I would remind you, the Penguins are still going to be paying him a little over a million dollars for the next five years. I saw some people saying this is like the Bobby Bonilla of hockey. No, the Bobby vanilla of the NHL is up again.

Also in New York on Long Island, as they will be paying Rick D.P. I don't even know what the salary is at this point. I think it's like a million until 20-30-something, I want to say. That was a horrific contract of the day it was signed. It will always be a horrific contract until the end of time. And it's so funny, you look at the Avalanche defense, and it looks so good for the first two pairs. Devon Taves and Kael McCarr, Sam Girard, and Eric Johnson. But then you go to their bottom pair, Curtis McDermott and Jack Johnson, projected Windsorbaugh replacement,

minus 1.8 offense, minus 0.7 defense, minus 0.9. The rest of them, their projected wins and replacement for McCar and Taves, 3.8 combined, Gerard and Johnson, 1.7 combined. So that is just a, I hope they played their third pair 20 minutes tonight. Obviously, I'm just joking. But that's just, I don't really understand what Joe Sackick is doing there. I don't know why teams continue to give this guy a shot. I mean, I think the only conclusion that I can come to when it comes to his penguin's tenure

was that Jim Rutherford was forcing Mike Sullivan to play him or he was just going to fire him. I honestly don't know what else to say when it comes to Johnson with that. Just because it seemed like Sullivan was going to take him out so many times only for him to just keep playing him. And it honestly just felt like Rutherford was forcing him to play him or he was just going to fire him because he thinks he knows better or something like that. But I wanted to share that news as well in case you all had not seen that. We still have a lot more to get to for today's episode. But before we do get into the next couple of things,

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Follow this show's Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. So I wanted to spend this segment talking about Mark Friedman. I haven't really touched on him a lot on the podcast. Honestly, I think in quite some time, but he definitely is going to be a factor going into this, season, he's going to be given every chance to win that number six job in training cap. I think, so some people probably forget a little bit that he is Hextal's guy. I mean, this was the first move that he made after he became John Manjaro.

I know Jeff Carter was the first trade that he made, but his first actual move was bringing on Mark Freeman, claiming him off waivers. And he did not look bad this season while playing with the Penguins. If I pull up his hockey viz chart, and don't get me wrong. I mean, this is a very small sample size when looking at what he did this season. Of course, I don't know why it's taking forever to sign in here. But if you look at his even-strength offense, plus 4%, plus 0.09, expected goals 4.60, a whole blob of red in the high danger areas and in the left circle.

Now, if we go to his isolated 5B5 impact, plus 3.5% expected goals for defensively, not as good, plus 3.7 expected goals again. So you want that to come down for sure. If I can now go to Natural Statrick here to look at some of the other underlying numbers, played in five total games over the Ligrower season, 53 minutes at 5A5. It was on the ice for close to 50% of the shot attempts. So, I mean, not terrible. Goals for, goals against 6 to 4, expected goals for 2.36, expected goals against 1.85. So his numbers on Natural Statrick are honestly not even that bad

is expected goals for on that. 56% scoring chances for, 26 scoring chances against 24. High danger chances he was on the ice for 54.1% of the high danger chances, and then for the actual high danger goals for, was on the ice for 80% of those 4 to 1. So, again, this is going to be a player

that's going to get a pretty long look, not only in training camp, but during the preseason as well. It wouldn't surprise me if he does get that number 6 job. I would prefer it would. it would go to Chad Ruehl. I think he's more deserving. I think he's better defensively.

His underlying numbers prove that. But considering how much Hextall loves Sreven and how it looks like they were even considering protecting him in the expansion draft, it would not surprise me if he is the opening night starter next to whoever they're putting down the bottom pairing. Whether that's Mike Matheson, whether that's Pierre or Olivier Joseph, whether that's Marcus Pettersome or something like that.

I mean, I'm sure we'll probably do Pedersen-Marino on their second pairing, and then put Matheson with whoever wins that number six job. But Freeman is going to get a lot of reps to try and win that job, and I would not be surprised if he did. Now, comparing this to Chabra Whedle's numbers from the regular season, and his were even better than Freeman's. He played 17 games for Pittsburgh, and in those games at 5E5 was on the ice for almost 54% of the shot attempts,

going down the lineup a little bit here, 57.1% of the actual goals for, His expected goals percentage was 55%. That's one of his best career marks. Best one actually came in 2018-19 at 57.3%. Scoring chances for, scoring chances against, was on the ice for 55% of the scoring chances for, 83 to 68.

As for high danger was on the ice for 60% of the high-danger chances, 32 to 21, and then for high-danger goals for, high-danger goals against, five high-danger goals for when Ru-Ruido was on the ice, for High Danger Goals against. So everything should point to Roodle getting this job. But again, I caution everyone. It would not surprise me in the slightest if Friedman gets this job.

And I think some people do prefer Friedman because they think he's better offensively. He's younger. Chad hasn't shown much in the offensive side of the ice, even though he's good defensively. And I get that. But to me, I prefer someone who's better defensively, especially on that number six role, because you're not looking for someone to be so good offensively in your number six spot, right? You're looking for someone who is just not going to kill you as they get 12 to 13 minutes a night, maybe even 14 minutes a night.

That's all you really want from your number six guy. Again, I know some people want more than that. They want more offense. You know, I think that's probably why some people dump on Marcus Pedersen is because he doesn't provide a lot of offense, even though his underlying numbers are really good throughout his career, and he's a defensive first player. But, you know, that's why John Marino is on his pairing. And yes, I understand he didn't have a good sophomore season, but a lot of those minutes that he played with during that year were with Mike Matheson.

And you all have heard me explain why that pairing does not work. So I'm not just going to rehash that here again. But I still think it makes more sense to have a little on that pairing because you can rely on Matheson for your offense if that is who wins that number five job, which, you know, in all likelihood, he probably will. and then I just want someone like Chad who is steady defensively better than Freeman at least and it's just not going to kill you

on a nightly basis and again Friedman's contract is also really good both of their contracts I should say they're basically the same but I would prefer the player who is better defensively on that pairing and I think Ruudel is that guy that said though I do want to see more of Freeman you know this is basically I think

he's more of a project at this point he only played in five games last year You're probably not going to see a lot of Yusarika this season. He's been in Mike Sullivan's doghouse for quite some time now, I think. If four defensemen gets hurt, I think that's probably the only time you will see Yuselika in the lineup next season. I also would not be surprised to see him be traded before the start of the season. But also, what are you going to get back for him? I think at this point, it's probably just a seventh round pick or something like that.

But this competition for the number six spot is going to be pretty interesting going into camp. I don't see them signing anyone else going into it just because there's really no one else out there for them to sign. I know I think Taylor Hoss of D.K. Pittsburgh Sports tweeted that Eric Good Branson makes sense. Disagree on that. I ended up reading that article. She made some good points, but it's just he's been so bad for so many years now. Yes, I understand it fits what Hextall and Burke love, you know, some size, some toughness. I mean, he should not be getting minutes over Chad Ruehiel and Mark Freeman. I would 1,000% play Freeman over Good Branson, and I wouldn't think twice about it.

You know, we saw what happened the last time Good Branson was here. His numbers weren't terrible, but over a full 82 game season, I'm just not willing to risk it because his numbers went back to the tank after he did leave Pittsburgh. But I wanted to spend my segment talking about Freeman and Ruudel and my thoughts on the number six defenseman situation going into next season. And we still have some more to talk about coming up in the next segment. Though, before we do that, it's time to talk about everyone's favorite protein bar. I mean, I talk about this basically every day on the show.

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That is rock auto.com. All right, so we're back here on this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I'm your host, Hunter Hodes. Follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the show's Twitter at L-O underscore Penguins. Going around the league a little bit, there were some moves made yesterday that do impact the Penguins a little bit going in the next season. The Islanders announced a whole swath of signings, beginning with Casey Sazicus.

They basically gave him the Brandon Tanev contract, and just to relate it to the Tainov contract. So this one was six years, 2.5 million per 10th was obviously six years, three and a half million per. And I'll never understand why GMs of teams get out that much term to bottom six players. And again, I loved when Brandon Taniff was here. I didn't really care about the contract towards the end just because he was playing so well. But in the back of my mind, it always just comes to me. It's like, wow, you're giving a bottom six player, especially a fourth liner, six years and for what?

You're just going to buy him out towards the end of that contract or bury them in the minors. I understand that Sizicus is $2.5 million is basically nothing. I mean, he's the best player on that Islander's identity line in quotation marks, or the best fourth line in hockey, bro, even though the Penguins' fourth line last year blew the Islanders one away. But I'll always never understand GM's doing that. I liked the Sorokan contract. He's going to be really good for many years to come. He's probably going to drive me in the entire Penguins fan base crazy,

especially after what he did in the playoffs as he carried the Islanders that series win and of course Tristan Jari helped out a bit as well. Kyle Palmieri got a four-year term and also a full no trade clause during the first two years of that deal. Don't understand that one. He only had four points in 17

games to close out the regular season. I know Islanders fans came at me a little bit today for dumping on that signing, but it's like he also only shot 20% in the playoffs. That's not going to be the norm going forward for you. I mean, I've always liked Palmieri as a player, it's actually always been someone I've wanted the Penguins to go after, but, you know,

not at four years, five million per or something like that. That's just too much, I think, for him. I know his career shooting percentage is around 12.4%. But as he gets older, he's already 30 right now. It's just going to get worse and worse, I think. Now, the Vavilliers contract, that one's really good. He's one of their better, younger players. And they still have the Zach Perise contract aside. I don't know what's holding me. that one up as well. But the Islanders, you know, they're going to be a pain in the ass again for the penguins this season. I mean, there's really no debate with that. You've seen what they've done the previous two years with going to the Eastern Conference final being one win away from

their first Stanley Cup final in what, 30 years basically at this point. I think it's longer than 30 years, but back since the mid-80s. And they're going to be a strong contender to not just make the playoffs, but win the Metropolitan Division as a whole. That said, they're basically bringing back the same squad they had last year. I just, I don't think they can stack up to a team like Tampa or Boston or some of the other teams Atlantic like Florida or teams in the West like Vegas, Colorado, etc. I will always die on the hill that Penguins would have won that series

probably in five to six games if they would have had a lot better goaltending than Trish and Jari because all the underlying numbers in that six game series favor the Penguins. But there really is no solving the Islanders in quotation marks for Pittsburgh next season. They know how to beat them. It's just all about getting it. the proper goal team. And I think if these two teams were to meet again in the playoffs next season, and there is a very high likelihood that that will happen again. If both teams make it, excuse me, I think Pittsburgh will come out on top, especially if Trishinjari is playing

at the level that we all have seen him play at in the past. I think that's it basically around the league. Well, Elliot Freeman actually just put this tweet out, story coming shortly, but the NHL's COVID protocols were sent out today. A key detail is the mechanism for suspensions to unvaccinated players who cannot participate in team activities. It's on a per day basis for as long as they are out. Basically, everyone, to all the players and everyone still, go get vaccinated. You know, we'll end this pandemic when everyone is fully vaccinated. I'm not going to go into a whole tirade and a full rant on, and I've done that on my Twitter

so many times. But I think the key message that the NHL is probably sending to their players is get vaccinated because if you test positive for COVID and you're unvaccinated, I don't think the league is going to feel too much sympathy, I think might be the word for it, because you have your opportunity to go get the two shots. And yes, I know you can still get COVID while being fully vaccinated, but your chances of actually contracting the virus after getting your two shots is a lot lower than someone who has not gotten the shots. I think Freeman will have the full story out in a few minutes. I'll re-tweeted on both the Locked-on Penguin's Twitter account and my Twitter account

as well. Thank you all so much for listening to this one. I apologize for not getting one out on Wednesday. I'm doing this last one while in Cancun. This is my last offseason vacation before we are back to start training camp. I'm really excited that training camp is upon us. I think we're what, two and a half weeks away from that starting up. Daily shows come back in 18 days. So keep it right here on Locked on Penguins. There's sure to be a lot of news around the league and I'm sure around the team coming. I'll continue to do three shows a week until September 20th. So thank you all so much for listening to this one, and we'll do another one of these starting next week. Have a great weekend.

Go watch college football. Go Hokies. And I hope you all have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.