Did Kyle Dubas Purposefully Leave a Hole in the Penguins’ Lineup (for a Kid to Step Through)?
PenguinPoop colleague Caleb Di’Natale and I were having a text discussion last night concerning the merits of freshly signed prospect Brayden Yager. Caleb suggested we take advantage of what is in essence a nine-game tryout window to see if the 19-year-old sniper can fill Jake Guentzel’s old spot next to Sidney Crosby, reasoning that we don’t have anything to lose.
If Yager can’t cut the mustard, he can always be sent back to junior within the allotted time frame without triggering the first year of his entry-level deal.
I confess, Caleb’s idea seems like a good one. Given Sid’s marvelous playmaking skills and generalship, and Yager’s rapier-like shot and release, it could potentially be a match made in hockey heaven along the lines of the lethal Evgeni Malkin–James Neal combo from a decade before.
In particular, I remember the way Neal seemed to materialize out of thin air to pounce on one of Geno’s perfectly placed setups. From what I’ve seen of Yager, he possesses a similar stealthiness.
However, there are hitches.