Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - The Penguins make a couple of practice changes, plus an update on Brayden Yager!

Episode Date: March 21, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins were back at practice on Thursday and they tweaked a couple of things. It's where Hunter starts for this solo episode of the show as Mike Sullivan must've listened to the podcast. Ryan Graves is not with Erik Karlsson anymore and that has Hunter super excited. Hunter is solo again today since Pat is still on IR and dives into why Graves could be a good candidate to be healthy scratched for the Penguins next game. Is it time to see what the team has in Jack St. Ivany? Hunter also gets into that before discussing how Brayden Yager has played this year. Finally, could the Penguins be interested in Collin Graf? Hunter goes into detail about Elliotte Friedman's report and analyzes why Graf makes a lot of sense as an NCAA free agent.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.IndeedIndeed knows when you’re growing your own business, you have to make every dollar count. Visit Indeed.com/LOCKEDON to start hiring now. RobinhoodRobinhood has the only IRA that gives you a 3% boost on every dollar you contribute when you subscribe to Robinhood Gold. Now through April 30th, Robinhood is even boosting every single dollar you transfer in from other retirement accounts with a 3% match. Available to U.S. customers in good standing. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer.SleeperDownload the Sleeper App and use promo code LOCKEDONNHL to get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper’s Terms of Use for details.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelNew customers, join today and you’ll get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your first bet of FIVE DOLLARS or more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Penguins made a couple of changes at practice on Thursday, and I'm going to discuss what those changes were right after this. You're Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello, welcome back to another episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I am one of your host, Hunter Hodes.

You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes, riding solo for a second straight day as yes. Unfortunately, my coast, Patrick Amp, is unable to get off of injured reserve for today. His mouth is still pretty sore after getting his wisdom to be taken out on Wednesday. But have no fear, Pat is expected to return off of I.R. on Friday to help me preview both games for the Penguins this upcoming weekend against the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche. You can follow him on Twitter at Sin and Verweet. And you can follow the shows Twitter at L.O. Arnsore Penguins. Of course, thank you all so much for making this your first listen slash watch today.

we are free and available on all platforms. And finally, today's episode is brought to you by Game Time, down the GameTime app, crane account, and use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase. Happy first day of March Madness to everyone out there who filled out of bracket and watches the NCAA tournament. These two days, Thursday and Friday, are two of my top five favorite days in sports each year.

They're right up there with the opening day of the Stanley Cup playoffs, opening day for MLB, and then the official start of the NFL season. I am on cloud nine right now watching all of these games throughout the day on Thursday. Then I'll be doing the same on Friday as well. But enough about the NCAA tournament. Let's get into the Pittsburgh Penguins and how they did make a couple of much needed changes at practice on Thursday, one of which I really went ham on during my Wednesday episode. And that is taking Ryan Graves away from Eric Carlson in putting him down on the third pairing.

there was no reason to keep icing the Graves Carlson pairing with the results they have had this year. I don't want to rehash everything that I said during my Wednesday episode, but I will say with how bad the Penguins have been with both of them on the ice, this was a no-brainer decision by Mike Sullivan. And the new Penguins defensive pairings for practice on Thursday, P.O. Joseph was with Chris Lentang, and I'll get into that in just a second, a little bit more. Pedersen was with Carlson, and then Ryan Graves was. down in the bottom pairing with John Ludwig and Jack St. Ivony rotating.

So they'll be making a pairing out of two of those three players for the next game in Dallas and then probably for their next game after that in Colorado. It's funny. Jack St. Avony, he's been coming up and down, up and down from Wilkesbury to the Penguins and then back and forth, back and forth. It's clear to me that I think one of the defensemen is a bit banged up. But if you're also asking for my opinion, I would play St. Ivney just to see what he can do at the NHL level.

You've seen what Ryan Graves can do overall this season. He's been brutal throughout the year. And you really have nothing to lose at this point by at least giving St. I have any look to see what he can do. I mean, so far this season down in Wilkesbury, he has four goals, 15 points in 53 games. He's not really fully known for his offense. But if you just shelter his minutes a little bit with song like John Ludwig and you're giving him, I don't know, 11, 12 minutes for his first game, I don't think he's truly going to kill you.

and what's the worst that can happen? If he plays bad for one game, you can just put him right back in the press box and then maybe put Ryan Graves back out there. But you at least owe it to yourselves, the coaching staff that is, to see what you have in this player because Graves definitely needs a reset.

I mean, he's, again, he's been awful throughout the season. Putting him up there for a game or to the press box, that is, really wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. You could not keep putting that Graves-Carlson pairing out there. Seven goals for, 12 goals against when they've been on the ice this season. And all of their other underlying numbers were also absolutely terribly. Peders and Carlson pairing is so much better when it's been out there.

And I think arguably it has been the Penguins' best defensive pair throughout the season. Now, P.O. Joseph with Chris Letang, I understand the appeal to that just because, you know, they're really close. I mean, Joseph lives with Latang. Overall, I may have had decent games at times this season. their full sample size this season is 38 games. But if you look at the entire body of work, yes, there have been a couple of decent games, but overall, when Let's Hang and Joseph have been paired together, the numbers are not pretty, to say the least.

Six goals for 12 goals again, set 5 on 5 for a 33.3% goalsful rate. And then scoring chances, high danger chances, both well below 50%. And also, it's the same for shot attempts per 16 minutes below 50%. as well. Now, if Lettang is on the ice with any other partner outside of Joseph, his numbers skyrocket, 52% for shot attempts for 60 minutes, 57 goals for, 47 goals against, and then you have a 53% high danger chances rate and a 52% scoring chances for, right? If you want to do this, I guess, for a few games or maybe even the rest of the season, okay, whatever, but this cannot be a long-term solution with the data that we have overall for a Joseph Latang Pering. And it

goes back to something that I said during my Wednesday episode, this team badly needs another top four defensemen for next season. You cannot have a top four going into next season of Pio Joseph and Chris Lettang and then Marcus Pedersen and Eric Carlson. I love Pedersen and Carlson together. They've been great all year. Latang has been mostly very good as well, but you need a better partner for him over someone like Pio Joseph and over someone like Ryan Graves. And yeah, I mean, this is what happens when the pay. penguins only have three capable defensemen on the roster. John Ludwig, for the most part, this year hasn't been that good.

I mean, the last couple of games, he's been at least a bit better. But I don't fully trust him over an 82-game season heading in the next season. I can say the same about P.O. Joseph. And I can also say the same about Ryan Graves, especially with the way that he has played so far this season, too. So overall, the defensive pairings, they are what they are at this point. But you just could not keep running out that Graves-Carlson pairing overall, especially if you keep saying to yourself that, oh, yeah, we're in the race in quotation marks.

But again, I want to see what St. Ivany can do. Hopefully he can make his initial debut against Dallas and give graves that reset that he really, and I mean, really needs. The other change the Penguins made at practice on Thursday is finally inserting Yassie Pull Garvey back into the forward lines. The top six remains the same with O'Connor, Crosby Rust. You also have Michael Bunting with Afghani Malkin, Ricard Raquel, Smith L.R. Pousson, so the ESP line still in full effect. But we do have Poyarvi with Pachari and

Ben Shrum. And I want to see more of Plyarvi. Everyone has been asking me, like, well, why does he keep getting stratch? Is this because, you know, managing his workload? Is it because something he did? And my honest answer for you all, I don't know. It could be a bit of both. I mean, we have seen Sullivan take Plyarvi off the ice at times and stick him on the bench for quite a few minutes when he makes a mistake, but when other players have made mistakes, he just trots them right out there. It's super weird, but we also have seen him be scratched when he's not making mistakes to manage his workload.

So I do think overall it could be a bit of both, but I don't fully know the reasoning. I just want to see him in the lineup a bit more because when healthy, he is one of their better options in the bottom six. So it looks like he's going to be back in the lineup for the game against the Dallas stars on Friday, then probably for the game against the avalanche on Sunday.

Those were the two main changes that we saw at practice. And I think that's going to do it for this second segment. But let me know what you think about the changes down the comments on YouTube. You'd also send me a DM on social media. Do you agree with moving Ryan Graves down

to the bottom pairing or potentially in the press box? And do you want to see more of YS.E. Poole-RV for these final 14 games as well. But again, that would do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, we're going to do a little bit of an update on Braden Yeager in just how good of a season he's having for his junior team, aka Moose Jaw.

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So let's dive into the Penguins top prospect, Braden Yeager, because he is having one heck of a year for Moose Shaw of the WHL. Heading into the season, I was a little bit worried about him just because for his year last year, 2022, 2023, his goal scoring output went down. And that is his bread and butter when you watch his game. I said heading into last year's draft class that he had one of the five best releases in the class. And I wanted him to get back to basics for this year and get back to scoring more goals. And sure enough, he has done that and then some.

He's only played 55 games this year for Moose Shaw. In those games, 34 goals, 86 points. He's already tied his career high for Moosea in goals, and he's only played 55 games. his last goal was scored just a few days ago was a rocket of a slap shot and his development has been really awesome to see. Now, I don't think he's going to be ready to play for the start of next season, but I do think if all continues to go well for Yeager, he could be ready for the start of the 2025, 2026 season or even the dream scenario.

Maybe he's up at some point later on next season, but I still don't think he's going to be ready next season. again, that's the dream scenario, but more than likely he'll be ready for the 2025, 2026 season. And another thing that's been really nice to see from Yeager this year is that he's continued to be a really strong playmaker in addition to getting back to basics in scoring quite a few goals. He already has 52 assists this season for Moosechah.

He is more than double the amount of assists that he had two years ago when he set his career high in goals with Mooshaw with 34. Now, 52 assists, he's nearly had 25 at that time. So he's been able to work on his overall game, even outside of goal scoring. He's turned into a great playmaker, and he's been working on his play away from the puck as well. So it's been awesome to see him really bringing it all together for this year and showing why he was the Penguins pick in the NHL draft this past year. Again, my friends, I still think he's a little bit of a ways away, but it's been nothing but great stuff from Yeager so far this year. And he also did a great job with the

World Junior team for Team Canada. Even though Canada didn't win gold this year, in five games, two goals, five points in those games. He was getting top six minutes with some of Canada's best players. And he did not look out of sorts at all. I know some people thought that Yeager was a little bit of a reach at the time for the Penguins. But right now, he's looking like a player that can make an impact at the NH level. Now, I don't think he's going to be a top line center or top line winger. Even a second line winger or second line center, I think could be a bit of wishful thinking just for right now, but I definitely see him as a strong middle six player for this team

once he's eventually and it's already. I know some people have been asking about, oh, you know, could he get some time in Wilkesbury to end the season? I don't think that's going to happen right now just because of how Mushaugh has Memorial Cup aspirations. They're not going to let him go to Wilkesbury and get time with the day. baby pens. I think the earliest that he could play with the baby pens sometime next season, or even the year after. He's going to get time in Wilkesbury before he comes up to things.

They're not just going to skip that part of the development phase. So all good right now with Brayden Yeager. I just want to give you an update on him. I'm just really liking his development as a whole. And he has silenced all of the, what the word I want to use here. I guess the concerns that I had about him heading into the season because he's got his goal swing touchback. He's even better of a playmaker than he was before. And his play defensively has really taken a turn for the better. And he is showing why he is the Penguins' top prospect in the system. It's fun having an exciting prospect like this because the Penguins, they're not used to

having an exciting young player like this and their system. So all good right now for Braden Yeager overall. but I think that would do it for the second segment of today's show. Coming up to end the show, could the Penguins be in on calling Graff overall, one of the top free agents for the NCAA this upcoming summer? I'm going to discuss that and why the penguins should be aggressively pursuing him to end the show. But before we get to that, I got to tell you all about eBay Motors.

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Exclusions apply. eBay guarantee fit is only available to US customers. All right. We're back here in this episode of the Locktime Penguins podcast. I am one of your host, Hunter Hodes. You can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. This episode is probably going to be a bit shorter than what you all are used to. If Pat were here, we'd probably be going over 30, 35 minutes like we normally do.

But for today, it's going to be a bit shorter. overall. But let's side into my final topic, and that is the Penguins, potentially being interested in Colin Graff, who is widely considered to be the NCAA's top fleet agent this summer. If you look at his numbers overall this season, 22 goals, 48 points in 31 games, he's top five among all NCAA players in points per game at 1.55. He's up there with Macklin Celebrini, who's going to be the number one overall pick in the draft, Gaye Perot, who was one of the top prospects in this past year's draft, Will Smith, same thing. So this kid is legit.

And when I was diving into a little bit of this to film before I started recording, I saw a player who is really silky. He makes a lot of great plays with a puck on his stick. He also has a great willingness to go to the net. For someone who's a bit smaller, he loves going to the net front and scoring some dirty goals. And he also has one heck of a release. And that's all great qualities for what you want in someone who brings a lot of offense to the table. Now, I do have to stress to everyone. Normally, these types of college-free agents, they're not going to be bona fide top-line players in the NHL.

Maybe he can be a long-term second-line player, but what you're more than likely going to get is a long-term middle-six player. But still, this is the type of player that Kyle Dubas and company should be going after this summer. We keep seeing that he wants to get younger, and that is the right move. By the way, you need to surround this core with better and younger talent. and what better way of doing that than signing a low risk to potentially high reward player to your organization. Do I expect him to start out right away with the Penguins if he gets signed? No, I think he's going to start in Wilkesbury to get him acclimated to the professional game in the AHL. But if he writes it up down there, I could definitely see him being a call-up next season, whether it's November, December, or even when the new year turns in January. But if you are able to get

this player, it would be really good overall just because the penguins, again, they don't have that many of these youngish players in their system that could potentially be close to playing right away. You know, I discussed Yeager in the second segment. I don't think he's going to be ready to play this upcoming season, but I do think Colin Graff, he could be ready to play this season if he plays well down in Wilkesbury. And he's been great throughout his career for Quinnipiac in the NCAA. That's a school in Connecticut. Even last year, 21 goals, 59 points in 41 games. I already discussed his stats for this season, 48 points in 31 games. Though the penguins are going to face, I think, some stiff competition for his services. I could see a team like the Boston Ruins, for example,

being all over him. But if you can get this player, it could signal to other top college free agents, whether it's this year or next year after for them to be like, wow, the penguins were able to get Colin Graf, even though they're at the end of their contending window. with Crosby Malkinland's hanging company, man, maybe I should be considering the Penguins a little bit more as well. So you have that to think about too. But overall, very low risk, but potential high reward signing.

And I should shout out Elliot Friedman. He was the first to report this in 32 Thoughts Day. That's the only reason why I am discussing this on the Thursday edition of the show. But I think that will just about do it for today's episode of Locktime Penguins podcast, though I do want to close with one thing. I did get a comment on the YouTube page yesterday asking what the penguins need to do to make the playoffs at this point. And honestly, they basically need to win out, go on this massive winning streak, 14 row preferably, and probably get a little bit of help. I think that's really the only way the penguins can make the playoffs at this point.

But it's very unlikely that they're going to get there. And with how chalk this season looks like it is right now and with how tough these next two games are coming up against the Dallas Stars and the car. Colorado Avalanche, the penguin season is basically over at this point. And, you know, the players can say what they want to say. The coaches can say what they want to say. But you know as much as I know that this season is over. I guess, again, I just still want to see what Sidney Crosby can do for the rest of the season. Hopefully he can extend his point per game streak and end the year with another point per game season and continue to make NHL history overall. But again, that would do it for this one. thank you all so much for taking the time to listen to slash watch this episode of the Locked-on

Penguins podcast. Pat will return on Friday as we preview the game against Dallas Stars and then we'll preview the game against Colorado Avalanche and dive into all the other news surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins as a whole. Again, thank you all so much for tuning in. I really appreciate it. We'll be back with another episode for you all on Friday.