The exhibition games in the NHL preseason are an opportunity to get players game-ready, and test out new line combinations and defense pairings, among other things.
The games also provide an opportunity for some young rookies to make a good impression with management and the coaching staff.
The Penguins' roster for Monday's preseason opener against the Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena, includes seven young prospects who will be making their NHL preseason debuts: Forwards Jonathan Gruden, Felix Robert, Justin Almeida and Jan Drozg, defensemen Cam Lee and Will Reilly, and goaltender Filip Lindberg.
"There are certain opportunities that I think players have in front of them," Mike Sullivan said Monday morning. "It's their prerogative to take advantage of those opportunities. And so this is our first chance to play against an opponent, I think our guys have had enough of playing against one another. So there's another level of intensity when you play against an opponent and so for me, I think that's exciting for all of us."
The Penguins used the following line combinations and defense pairs in the morning skate, with the players making their preseason debuts slotted into bottom-six or bottom-pairing roles:
Sam Poulin - Evan Rodrigues - Kasperi Kapanen
Danton Heinen - Brian Boyle - Nathan Legare
Dominik Simon - Jonathan Gruden - Sam Lafferty
Justin Almeida - Jordy Bellerive/Felix Robert - Jan Drozg
P.O Joseph - John Marino
Juuso Riikola - Mark Friedman
Cam Lee - Chad Ruhwedel/Will Reilly
"I just I don't want them to overthink it," Sullivan said of the rookies. "I want them to go out there and have fun, and I want them to compete. I want them to do what they do best. That's the message that we've given to these guys."
I spoke with a couple of those players about the opportunity after the morning skate, and they talked about the emotions surrounding tonight's game.
"I was really excited," Almeida said of his reaction to finding out he would play. "I worked hard through camp, so the goal is to play a preseason game. I get my opportunity, so I'm just super excited for my first game in this arena."
Almeida, a fifth-round pick of the Penguins in 2018, said that he had "good nerves. They make you want to skate hard and play well."
For Lee, signed by the Penguins as an undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan University in 2020, this is the first opportunity he's had to get into a preseason game after the NHL didn't hold a preseason last year.
"I know it's only preseason but it's my first chance to show them what I've got out there against a different opponent other than intra-squad stuff," Lee said. "I can't wait."
Almeida, 22, said that his primary focuses this offseason were getting stronger and faster -- not necessarily in terms of his first three strides, but more so his top-end speed. He's received good feedback from the coaching staff on the strides that he's made in those areas in development camp and training camp, but this is the first opportunity he'll have to put that growth to the test in an actual game situation.
"You just try to show what you worked on this summer," he said. "I think I've done that well. I just have to keep that going through this game and into into the future."
The next step for Almeida will be to become a more regular player in the AHL as he enters his third professional season. He spent most of his rookie season in 2019-20 in Wheeling, where he scored five goals and 11 assists in 37 games. He played nine games in Wilkes-Barre, scoring one goal before COVID-19 ended the AHL season. He spent the full season last year in Wilkes-Barre but was in the lineup for only 11 games, scoring two goals and two assists.
When Almeida was in the lineup for Wilkes-Barre over the past two seasons, he was often skating with either Jordy Bellerive, someone who he's grown up playing with, or Drozg. Based on the morning skate, it looks like that trio will be a line for tonight's game, which should benefit them in this opportunity.
"We know each other's tendencies," Almeida said. "And that helps a lot."
Almeida, regardless of his performance in training camp and the exhibition season, is all but set to start the season in Wilkes-Barre, where his goals for the year are just to be a more complete player.
"Anytime I'm in the lineup, I want to produce," he said. "I want to help the team win. I want to do little things that help the team win, some stuff that doesn't go noticed on the score sheet."
Lee, a 24-year-old who's on the short list of high-end defense prospects in the system, is likely closer to the NHL than any of the other skaters who are making their preseason debuts. He made his professional debut last season and played 31 games for Wilkes-Barre, quarterbacking the second power-play unit for most of the year. He scored two goals and 13 assists in those 31 games.
Through the start of camp, Lee told me that he already feels much more confident than he did in last year's training camp, remembering that he was "real nervous" and "starstruck" by being around so many NHL players. In the scrimmages in camp, he's been playing alongside one of those NHL players in Brian Dumoulin, something he said has been a great learning experience.
"It's amazing, you know," he said. "Everything, just watching him off the ice, on the ice, everything he does. You're always learning."
Lee said that he's received feedback from the coaching staff through development camp and training camp praising his work ethic, and that's something that he'll continue to show tonight.
"That's one thing I can control," he added. "I'll just continue to work my butt off.
Based off of the defense pairings in the morning skate, it would appear that Lee will play alongside Chad Ruhwedel in the game, though Reilly also took some line rushes on that right side in Ruhwedel's spot. Ruhwedel spoke highly of what he's seen from both of those players through camp.
"Riley and Cam Lee both look good in my opinion from the skates, I have been on the ice with each of them," he said. "They both came in ready to play and did good in the intra-squads and all the practices with us, so it's fun to see the young guys playing well and be ready for their their shot."
What would constitute a successful preseason debut? i asked both Lee and Almeida what they'd have to do in tonight's game in order to be able to look back at the game and view it as a success.
"Just play my game," Almeida said. "I play fast. I make small plays, smart hockey plays, be quick in the offensive zone, be good on D-zone walls, make good passes. Just play simple and just try to enjoy it."
"Just go out there and be myself," Lee said. "Keep things simple. move the puck quickly. As long as we get the win, that's what matters."
Sullivan expressed a similar sentiment: He wants to see these players make an impact tonight.
"We're asking our young players to do what they do best," he said. "To make an impression, make an impact. Not just get through the game, but try to make a difference in the game. That's all. I don't want them to overthink it. I don't want them to put too much pressure on themselves. I just want them to go out there, enjoy the game and do what they do."
MORE FROM THE SKATE
• Zach Aston-Reese tested positive for COVID-19 and is in protocol. More on that here.
• Lindberg and Tristan Jarry will split the game in net tonight.
• The first power-play unit was P.O Joseph, John Marino, Kasperi Kapanen, Nathan Legare, Sam Poulin.
• The second power-play unit was Lee, Juuso Riikola, Dominik Simon, Evan Rodrigues, and Almeida/Drozg alternating for the last spot.
• The first PK unit was Brian Boyle, Danton Heinen, Gruden, Robert.
• The second PK unit was Ruhwedel, Mark Friedman, Sam Lafferty, Bellerive.
• Lafferty completely shaved his head over the summer. "I just was in Arizona this summer," he said of the change. "It's pretty hot out there and I decided to get rid of it. And here we are."
• Lafferty also spoke about his goals for the season, including filling the shoes of Brandon Tanev: "I want to take a step forward this year. I think a big thing for me is to become a good penalty-killer. I think that's a void, especially with Tans not here anymore. So someone's got to fill his shoes and step up, bring the energy night in and night out. I hope to do well on the penalty-kill this year."
