38 replies to this topic

[blueadams]

I haven't seen a lot of Carolina games in the last few years, but I'm really liking what I'm hearing about Joni Pitkanen, and I wanted to hear what the board thought of him.

He's young-ish (27). He's big. He's physical. He's solid defensively. He's got a lot of offensive talent. And he sort of seems to be flying under the radar, so he might be had at a reasonable price. It sounds like he's had consistency issues, but the Red Wing way takes care of a lot of that stuff traditionally.

I'd rather have Bieksa or Ehroff, but I think that both of those guys are going to get priced out of Holland's range for them. Kaberle's too soft for my taste. And Wisniewski kind of scares me as a 'one-hit-wonder' guy. Jovanovski I wouldn't mind I guess. But Pitkanen could be a long-term piece at 27 years old.

Thoughts?

Edited by blueadams, 05 June 2011 - 09:37 PM.

[Konnan511]

I'm.... I'm.... stunned.... Where's the line combo?

PS. Eva's hard on for Pitkanen in 5....4....3....2.....

Edited by Konnan511, 05 June 2011 - 09:22 PM.

[blueadams]

I'm.... I'm.... stunned.... Where's the line combo?

PS. Eva's hard on for Pitkanen in 5....4....3....2.....

I would...but...last time i included lines in a post there was an uproar and it got removed (which was a shame, because it was a good, informative post).

[eva unit zero]

I'm.... I'm.... stunned.... Where's the line combo?

PS. Eva's hard on for Pitkanen in 5....4....3....2.....

Is it a hard on now because I've been saying for over a year that the Wings should sign him this summer? Not intelligent forethought? I suppose being a common target of personal attacks will get you that change.

[Konnan511]

Is it a hard on now because I've been saying for over a year that the Wings should sign him this summer? Not intelligent forethought? I suppose being a common target of personal attacks will get you that change.

I've had a hard on for Filppula for 4 years now, it's something that doesn't change with time. Don't hide it brah. Not to mention in every thread, you somehow bring up Pits and how you want him here. He is the definition of someone who tickles your fancy, and you just admitted it. So no, it was quite the intelligent forethought.

[GMRwings1983]

Not my first option and one goofy looking dude.

Edited by GMRwings1983, 05 June 2011 - 09:54 PM.

[Bryguy]

Pitkanens physical? News to me.

[GMRwings1983]

Pitkanens physical? News to me.

Blueadams is a Wings fan, so he has a different understanding of that word.

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

Not my first option and one goofy looking dude.

He kinda looks like John Cena. Do not want

[Red Wings Addict]

I've had a hard on for Filppula for 4 years now, it's something that doesn't change with time. Don't hide it brah. Not to mention in every thread, you somehow bring up Pits and how you want him here. He is the definition of someone who tickles your fancy, and you just admitted it. So no, it was quite the intelligent forethought.

Kopecky-Hudler-Williams
Pitkanen-Meech

[GMRwings1983]

He kinda looks like John Cena. Do not want

Except Cena is more physical.

[Never_Retire_Steve]

Pitkanen is awesome offensively so he would fill the gap of Rafalski nicely IMO. Is that the reason some of you are looking at him? He also seems to have decent speed which is something that I have grown more and more concerned about the speed on the back end.

[Crymson]

I haven't seen a lot of Carolina games in the last few years

This is painfully obvious, based on what you say about him in this post. Let's dissect this description of him you've made, shall we?

He's young-ish (27).

This is true.

He's big.

He's fairly tall (6'3"), but he's slim for that size.

He's physical.

Not notably.

He's solid defensively.

Absolutely wrong. Not even Hurricanes fans would claim that he is defensively solid.

He's got a lot of offensive talent.

He's above average, but he's not a premiere puck-mover.

And he sort of seems to be flying under the radar, so he might be had at a reasonable price.

Very unlikely. He's currently #1 D for the Hurricanes, and they're almost certain to fight to keep him. This means a probable price tag of $5m+.

It sounds like he's had consistency issues, but the Red Wing way takes care of a lot of that stuff traditionally.

Such as?

[St. Michael (the Red Wing)]

hahahaha

[jollymania]

Hes an okay guy for liek a 4th dman but he isn't very physical, not sure where you got that one from

[Red Wings Addict]

Hes an okay guy for liek a 4th dman but he isn't very physical, not sure where you got that one from

It seems like the meaning of the phrase "playing physical" is changing. I couldn't find it but I remember reading an article where Jim Nill said that when they tell their players/prospects to play physical, they really mean playing tough on the puck first. Therefore, if a player wins a lot of his battles for the puck or just seems to have the puck a lot, then these days they play physical according to some.

[Shaman464]

It seems like the meaning of the phrase "playing physical" is changing. I couldn't find it but I remember reading an article where Jim Nill said that when they tell their players/prospects to play physical, they really mean playing tough on the puck first. Therefore, if a player wins a lot of his battles for the puck or just seems to have the puck a lot, then these days they play physical according to some.

New NHL.

'Nough said.

Seriously, the way the league is now, you don't really want a player who is going to do much more than that because it will more than likely end in a penalty.

[Konnan511]

Hes an okay guy for liek a 4th dman but he isn't very physical, not sure where you got that one from

Tons and tons of pre NHL scouting reports say that he is.... As for NHL scouting reports, he's as soft as a kitten.

[stevkrause]

Simple as this - for what we need, he does not fill the role.

We need another capable RIGHT handed shot which can log major PP minutes and someone who can QB the play and move the puck, he fills one of those needs, but not the other, then when you add his softness to the equation, along with his likely pricetag, he just doesn't fit here... I'm not going to hate on him like some have been, he's a very good dman and has great offensive punch and would probably fit here great under different circumstances, but for what we need right now, he doesn't fill that need and with Kronwall and Stuarts contracts coming up next year (not to mention forwards we will need to re-sign), we don't need to overpay on someone who isn't a perfect(or at least close to) fit...

EDIT - Almost forgot, kudos to blueadams for FINALLY becoming a contributing member to this board with a topic that actually warrants some semblance of discussion and not just polluting it with line thread bile

Edited by stevkrause, 06 June 2011 - 07:52 AM.

[theman19]

As a Raleigh Native, I can say you want no part of pitkanen.

If you think Rafalski had defensive short commings this season, Joni will make you scream.

He's a semi-effective PP guy and he did log a ton of min. for carolina, but that was only because no one else was there to do it.

He was a big fish in a small pond, in Detroit he'd be a med. sized fished in a very large pond.