By Mark Madden
October 13, 2013
For most NHL teams, keeping Olli Maatta is a no-brainer.
Maatta has pedigree: The 19-year-old Finnish defenseman was the 22nd pick overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft. In his first five NHL games, he has shown no glaring weakness. He’s excellent on the puck and makes up for his own mistakes. His partnership with Robert Bortuzzo is greater than the sum of its parts.
But the Penguins aren’t most teams.
The Penguins are loaded on defense. Maatta stayed with the Penguins out of training camp primarily because Kris Letang is injured.
The Penguins believe in bringing young players along slowly. A year in the American Hockey League is preferred. But Maatta can’t go there. It’s either the NHL or Junior ‘A’. He could stagnate against players his own age.
Maatta can play nine NHL games without burning a year of his entry-level contract. The Penguins will likely send Maatta back to junior hockey before that.
But, albeit via small sample, Maatta has proven he’s one of the best six defensemen in the organization. No doubt. He’s earned a roster spot.
Despite preconceived plans, Jordan Staal forced his way onto the Penguins at 18. Staal showed he was indigenous to winning. Maybe Maatta can do that at 19.
The Penguins are squeezed tight against the salary cap. Maatta is affordable. He makes just $894,000. Matt Niskanen makes $2.3 million. Niskanen is a sold performer, but Maatta is better, and with a much bigger upside.
Maatta is solid now. He could be a game-changer come mid-April. Niskanen is marketable. As a cap dump, however, return for him would be minimal.
The Penguins should keep Maatta. He makes them a better team.
The Penguins must also address their goaltending. Jeff Zatkoff can’t continue indefinitely in the No. 2 role. He’s not a big-league talent.
Zatkoff can excel in the AHL. He has. Last season, Zatkoff’s goals-against average for the Penguins’ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm club was a minuscule 1.93.
But that’s as high as he goes, as good as it gets. It’s unfair to judge by one game, but Zatkoff looked overmatched in his NHL debut, a 6-3 loss at Florida this past Friday. Zatkoff allowed six goals – including a few clangers – on 30 shots. Florida makes no one forget the Montreal Canadiens of the ‘70s. The Panthers stink.
Tomas Vokoun is battling blood-clot problems. His season is in jeopardy, perhaps even his career.
If Vokoun doesn’t return this season, there is no way the Penguins can risk going into the playoffs with Zatkoff as their No. 2 goaltender. Not given Marc-Andre Fleury’s post-season struggles last spring, and in springs past.
Zatkoff can’t beat the Panthers. What makes anyone think he could beat Boston in a best-of-seven?
Zatkoff will do for now. He will play better, and will win some games. But the Penguins simply must have a seasoned, semi-accomplished No. 2 for the post-season. Either Vokoun, or someone comparable.
No one is comparable to Sidney Crosby.
The Penguins captain assumed the NHL points lead with a three-goal, one-assist night at Tampa Bay Saturday. If Crosby stays healthy – always a big if – it seems inconceivable that he won’t win the scoring title and MVP. Last year, injury kept him from the former and voter stupidity denied him the latter.
Power-play specialist Alexander Ovechkin simply isn’t in Crosby’s league. Crosby piles up points, plays slot to slot, does all the little things and elevates teammates. Perhaps Crosby is getting a cut of Pascal Dupuis’ fat new contract.
Crosby will not quite be remembered in a class with Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr. But the disparity between Crosby and the league’s second-best player may be one of the widest gaps in history, especially because it’s tough to identify exactly who the second-best player is.
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).
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