The Replacements Part 6

Part 6 in my yearly review of what we gained over what we lost is now ready to roll. It's now time to review what happened between games 52 through 61 for the respective players. For those of you who don't know, the criteria for the review is the team the player currently plays for has to have played games 52-61, not the player himself. What I mean by this is if Miroslav Satan has played in all 10 games during the review period but Ruslan Fedotenko has not, they both will be up for comparison against the players they “replaced”.

Let’s get started, shall we?



Miroslav Satan: Satan had his worst review period of the year, only netting one goal and one assist in the last 10 games. While at first glance that would make it seem like he has been a bust, but if you look further you will see things differently. He was playing on a third line with Jordan Staal who is notoriously not a good set up man so that takes away Satan's ability to score. Now he has been dropped to a fourth line role as evidenced by his under 10 minutes of ice time in numerous games lately. You can't score if you are not on the ice. If they would have stuck him on Crosby's line for longer I have no doubt he would have scored 30 goals this year.

Marian Hossa: Hossa kept up his pace of averaging a point a game this season. He netted 6 goals and 3 assists over the last 10 games to give him 61 points in 61 games. While he is on pace to score the most goals of his career, he will have to put up a fairly sizable surge in the last 20 games to top his career high of 100 points in 2006-2007 with Atlanta. Once I saw that I have to say I was a little surprised.

And the winner so far is…: Detroit. This one was never really a race and now that Hossa has won this battle for the sixth straight time, you can cue the fat lady because he won. In all honesty it was an unfair comparison from the outset, with a guy clearly in the declining part of his career against a guy who is 4 years younger and playing on a better team. If it's any consolation, if Hossa would have stayed he would have been 3rd on the team in scoring. Doesn't make Satan's 4th place showing seem as bad now does it.




Ruslan Fedotenko: Ruslan came back from his broken hand and picked up right where he left off. I thought he was playing his best hockey of the year before his injury. In the five games he has been back he was contributed two goals and three assists while continuing to be a plus player. He is currently second on the team in +/- behind Malkin. Just like Satan, he will probably pass his point total from last season but like Enviro said in his post, people are just not recognizing their contributions for some reason. Why Kennedy and Dupuis get a pass but those two don't is beyond me.

Ryan Malone: Malone went on a goal scoring tear, netting 6 goals to go along with 1 assist for 7 points in his last 10 games. The funny thing about his recent play is the fact that his name is coming up in trade rumors just a couple of months after he signed his huge contract with Tampa Bay. Personally I think the Tampa Bay organization is in trouble financially and are now realizing that having Malone in the lineup does not automatically put asses in the seats. It will be interesting to see if he moves on.

And the winner so far is…: Tampa Bay. Malone gets the nod for the second straight time because he actually widened the gap between himself and Fedotenko. Of course, that shouldn't be hard when you are playing and your opponent is out with an injury. I still thought about giving it to Ruslan because his impact was felt immediately and the team didn't play well in his absence, but I can't be that much of a homer.





Matt Cooke: Cooke had another rough review period by only getting 1 goal and 1 assist while being a -3 in 10 games. He really needs to step up his play if the Penguins are going to try and make the playoffs.

Jarkko Ruutu: Ruutu had a goal and two assists to raise his point total to 15 for the year, just two shy of tying his career best. He had 16 last year for Pittsburgh so on the surface it looks like his move to Ottawa was beneficial. But when you look at the standings you see the Penguins are in the midst of a playoff race and Ottawa will be looking to sell players at the trade deadline. Not sure how much stock he puts in having personal success without team success.

And the winner so far is…: Pittsburgh. Cooke wins again because I think overall he has helped Pittsburgh more than Ruutu has helped Ottawa. I also think we are a better team with Cooke in the lineup. You can accuse me of being a homer on this one.





Mike Zigomanis: I was going to insert Bill Thomas into this comparison because Zigomanis is out the rest of the year, but then he got scratched for five straight games and was released today. Someone will probably pick him up because he was a good faceoff guy and there is a real lack of that in the league right now.

Adam Hall: Hall had one assist over the review period. Yeah. Fuck it, I got nothing else. Again.

And the winner so far is…: Tampa Bay. Hall wins again because he played. Talk about a consolation prize.





Eric Godard: Godard played in all 10 games during the review period again which always seems to amaze me. I guess I just don't notice him when he doesn't fight. He did rack up 29 PIM during the review period, including 12 minutes in the Columbus game without even fighting. He did have three fights, one against Alex Henry of the Canadians, one against Georges Laraque, and one against Riley Cote of Philadelphia. The fight against Laraque was kind of anti-climatic because it seemed like Laraque was running from him. Neither guy won but I thought Laraque looked like a pussy.

Georges Laraque: Laraque finally got into the lineup on a consistent basis and rumors are flying that he is on his way out of Montreal at the deadline. Mike Milbury ripped him on a recent telecast as being a very selfish player who thinks his value is a lot higher than it actually is. I can't believe I actually agree with Milbury on something.

And the winner so far is…: Pittsburgh. If the rumors of Montreal getting rid of Laraque are indeed true then that will prove the Penguins right by not signing him to a big contract. Godard has played well and has been healthy unlike Laraque. The fact that he is available to play every game will probably propel him to a clean sweep in this category.





Philippe Boucher: Boucher has an injured ankle and did not play during the review period. Thank God Shero traded Whitney for Kunitz so as to distract us from the fact that he traded a very capable Darryl Sydor to the Stars for this incompetent lug who has not brought anything of value to the team.

Gary Roberts: Roberts got back into the lineup and promptly doubled his offensive output in just 9 games. Of course, that is easy to do when you only had 3 points to start off with. I read a rumor today that Roberts and Recchi might be coming back to Pittsburgh to provide leadership for the young team. I really hope that doesn't happen because of how Recchi left the last time and how injury prone Roberts is. Neither guy would be worth anything we have to trade.

And the winner so far is…: Tampa Bay. Roberts picks up the win for the same reason Boucher won last time, he player. Nothing more than that.





Mathieu Garon : Garon redeemed himself after his initial showing in a Pens uniform by completing the game against the Washington Capitals and not allowing a goal. I still find it odd that we gave up a fairly hefty price to get him yet he has only started one game. The Pens are in the midst of simply trying to make the playoffs so it is logical that they would want to ride Fluery as long as they can because he is their #1 goalie.

Ty Conklin: Conklin didn't lose during the last review period, going 5-0-0. He has already passed his career best numbers from last year and there are still 20 games to go. It is interesting to hear that Detroit is sticking with Chris Osgood as their #1 goalie because Conklin's numbers are superior to his. Even when he is the better goalie he still has to settle for #2.

And the winner so far is…: Detroit. Conklin is having a career year. Garon has one start. Easiest one to pick by far.



And finally, checking in on guys we had last year…



Recchi continues to put up strong numbers for a 41-year-old winger, getting 2 goals and 3 assists during the last review period. He is on pace to score more points than he did last season when he split time between Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Too bad he is going to have to end his Hall of Fame career on such a shitty team.

The Beak trailed off again, only getting 2 goals and 1 assist over the last 10 games. I would have thought the rumors he was heading back to Pittsburgh would have put a little hop in his step but that hasn't translated to his play on the ice. Maybe he realized we didn't want him back and now he is depressed.

The Waste had a goal and an assist while only playing in 6 games. He is still being shopped by Atlanta but I don't know of a single team that would necessarily want him. Maybe he could go over to Europe and tear it up like Aleksey Morozov or Milan Kraft. He sure ain't doing it here.


See you again at the 71 game mark.