PITTSBURGH \u2014 It\u2019s only two weeks into the season, and yet, we have so much to discuss.<\/p>\n
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 5-2. Justin Brazeau has eight points in seven games. The team, believe it or not, is playing defense.<\/p>\n
Thank you, as always, for the great questions. I\u2019ll have another mailbag in a few days.<\/p>\n
Away we go.<\/p>\n
Are the Pens actually good? \u2014 @Beep02408171<\/p>\n
I love this question because it\u2019s so simple, so honest, so hopeful.<\/p>\n
The truth is, I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s too early to say. What I will say is that, at the very least, I do think they\u2019re better than what we were expecting. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n
\u2022 New Coach Energy is a real thing.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Speaking of the new coach, Dan Muse has been impressive.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Penguins GM Kyle Dubas may have found thrift-store gems in defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, forwards Brazeau and Anthony Mantha, and goaltender Arturs Silovs.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Goaltender Tristan Jarry has been sharp.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Defenseman Erik Karlsson is responding to this coaching staff much, much better.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Evgeni Malkin is upset that he hasn\u2019t been offered another contract, and, if this is his last season, he wants to put on a final show.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ben Kindel, an 18-year-old rookie center, is special.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Harrison Brunicke, a 19-year-old rookie defenseman, is special, too.<\/p>\n
I see some sustainability on this list.<\/p>\n
Do I think the Penguins will be a playoff team? No. Do I think it\u2019s far more possible now than I did a few weeks ago? Yes. I don\u2019t know that they can keep this up, but their early-season success has not been a fluke. They\u2019re playing well, and they\u2019re playing hard. Look at the list above. I didn\u2019t even mention Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
How sustainable do you think the early season success will be? Obviously a lot of hockey left to go this year, but I\u2019d imagine holding this pace might throw any deadline and offseason plans for a loop. \u2014 @masondeel<\/p>\n
It is interesting, right? Let\u2019s have some hypothetical fun. Let\u2019s say Christmas arrives, and the Penguins are in a wild-card spot.<\/p>\n
Then, a contender comes along and makes a big offer for Rickard Rakell. What does Dubas do?<\/p>\n
The answer is simple. The future is Dubas\u2019 priority, and it should be. However, I sense that if the Penguins produce a magical season and give themselves a chance to reach the postseason, Dubas wouldn\u2019t do much to harm their cause. He\u2019s already delighted with the Penguins\u2019 most recent draft class, and the team has an enormous amount of draft picks arriving in the next two years. He will continue to worry about the future, but don\u2019t look for Dubas to trade any big names if the Penguins keep this up. (I don\u2019t really think they will, but it\u2019s been fun to watch.)<\/p>\n
What is the biggest surprise to you so far, both good and bad? \u2014 @itsspelledgraig<\/p>\n
I\u2019d have to start with Brazeau. The guy has eight points in seven games. Enough said.<\/p>\n
I also have been pleasantly surprised with Karlsson\u2019s more professional style of play this season and with Jarry\u2019s resurgence. That is pretty incredible, given where he was in early March (in Wilkes-Barre, and playing poorly there).<\/p>\n
Bad surprises? There aren\u2019t many, but Tommy Novak and Philip Tomasino have been a letdown.<\/p>\n
Chances they keep Kindel up for the year ?? \u2014 @jtotheoey23<\/p>\n
I think it becomes more likely with each new day. I think both of the teenagers are here to stay.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve seen them play, you know how good they are. Will it help their respective developments to go play against a bunch of kids in Western Canada? I don\u2019t think so. And I don\u2019t think the Penguins think so, either.<\/p>\n
Does Kindel and Brunicke making this roster show how good they are or how bad the Penguins are? \u2014 @ZuckerVision<\/p>\n
I think it shows how good they are. The Penguins aren\u2019t great on paper, but they aren\u2019t the Sharks or Blackhawks, either.<\/p>\n
These young guys are something to watch \u2014 they literally get better almost every night.<\/p>\n
Is there any indication that the Global Series has anything to do with Karlsson and Rakell not being traded so far? Or is it just about waiting for the right offer and seeing where this season goes? \u2014 @DMetag<\/p>\n
I assure you that the Global Series has zero influence. Dubas isn\u2019t going to prioritize promoting a game in Sweden over what\u2019s best for his hockey team.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not hearing that anything is imminent.<\/p>\n
Hey Josh. Hope the layover is going by fast. With the cap space the team has, if by some chance they are in contention at the deadline would Kyle use it to improve the team? If not, any idea what he is saving it for? \u2014 @Ohiopensfan<\/p>\n
He still is the president of the team and answers to ownership. While he does have the authority to spend to the cap, the Penguins aren\u2019t exactly selling out their arena these days. So I wouldn\u2019t say that he\u2019s \u201csaving it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regardless of their wonderful start, it\u2019s hard to imagine a world where the Penguins are buyers at the deadline.<\/p>\n
We all expect trades to be forthcoming at some point this season, and of course, it takes two teams to make a deal, but if you had to guess right now, which \u201cbigger\u201d player do you think will be the first one to move from the Penguins? \u2014 @Wizard1Lord<\/p>\n
I assume you\u2019re bringing up the possibility of the Penguins going into sell mode, which is still utterly plausible and perhaps even likely, despite the feel-good start.<\/p>\n
Rakell would be the most likely person to go, I think. He doesn\u2019t have the organizational roots that Rust does, and he\u2019s a lot easier to trade than Karlsson.<\/p>\n
With the Pens looking like a different team than last year, system, speed, youthfulness etc\u2026 and if they continue an upward trend, does it change Dubas\u2019 plan at all? They aren\u2019t contenders, but they aren\u2019t as bad as we all thought they would be. \u2014 @DarkSithLord17<\/p>\n
I could see him doing very little this season if they keep playing like this. Dubas is in no position to trade future assets, and he knows it. If the Penguins organically shock the world and make the playoffs, good for them. Hell of a story. And Dubas wouldn\u2019t get in the way of that. But he still has a future to worry about.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the funniest interaction you\u2019ve had with someone you have covered? (Excluding the Montreal Fleury story) \u2014 @franty_n<\/p>\n
That\u2019s tough to say. There have been many. Once, I accidentally stepped on Steve Yzerman\u2019s foot in the dinner line in the Pittsburgh media lounge. He was not amused and gave me a dirty look. This is in stark contrast to the time in 2005 when Joe Namath stepped on the same foot that stepped on Yzerman\u2019s. My left foot has been through wars.<\/p>\n
My favorite conversation was probably in the Columbus locker room in 2014 with Nick Foligno. He laughed hysterically for five minutes while telling me what it was like to play against Bobby Farnham.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat f\u2014\u2014 guy was telling us he was going to kill us and throws his body around like no one I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Foligno said. \u201cI wish we\u2019d sign him. I\u2019d just be laughing all the time. I actually love that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n