The Penguins haven't exactly had a surplus of high draft picks in recent years.
As a result, we've seen them start turn to college free agents more often -- Conor Sheary, Ethan Prow, and Zach Aston-Reese to name a few.
One of the more intriguing former college players acquired via free agency is the fast, gritty forward Thomas Di Pauli from Notre Dame.
Di Pauli is playing in his second professional season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, although he's still considered a rookie by league standards. He only played 21 games last season, missing much of the year with a back injury that resulted in surgery.
"It was probably one of the best decisions I've made is to get that procedure done and be healthy," he was telling me this week. "To feel 100 percent is pretty nice, and I can play like I want to play, which is always a positive."
Di Pauli didn't have to have the surgery when he did. He said that the pain could have been managed with shots and he would be able to play. But Di Pauli opted to have the surgery when he did so he could "get it over with" and move on with his career. He entered this season fully healthy, with his back no longer a problem.
"I just wanted to get back to the player that I am, that (the coaches) want," he said of his opportunity to play a full season this year. "Just contribute offensively and be real solid defensively."
Di Pauli chose the Penguins as a sought-after college free agent in 2016. He chose not to sign with the team that drafted him, the Washington Capitals.
“(The Capitals) have been very upfront in how they feel about Thomas and where he might fit in, and it’s good,” Di Pauli's agent Peter Fish told the Washington Post that summer. “But Washington — unfortunately, in this case — they’re a very strong team and a very deep team."
Pittsburgh, of course, is a deep team as well, but Di Pauli thought his playing style was a better fit. He plays a strong two-way game, and thinks that puck possession is one of his strengths. He's been a solid two-way player for Wilkes-Barre in his 21 games this season, while also scoring eight goals and four assists.
He scored this goal on Sunday, quickly capitalizing on a Hershey turnover:
Earlier this season he scored this goal, easily keeping the puck away from a Toronto defenseman and tucking the puck behind Garret Sparks:
"Something that (the Penguins) value is speed and grittiness on pucks and getting on pucks first, and that's what the coaching staff is trying to instill in every player down here in Wilkes-Barre, too. The more you can show off your speed and show that you can protect the puck with speed, the better your chances are to get called up."
Di Pauli also thought that his background in college hockey made the Penguins a good fit for him.
"They value the maturity that the college players can bring to the lineup," he said. "So that's always a positive when the whole organization values that. I just feel that I bring that to the table, along with my on-ice skills. So, hopefully if I keep working and doing my job, I'd get a call-up."
It didn't hurt that the Penguins were also his favorite team growing up, either.
Growing up in Italy, Di Pauli used to stay up until 1 a.m. to watch the Penguins play, "mostly because of Crosby." He called the opportunity to sign with his favorite team from childhood a "dream come true."
If he does eventually get the call-up, he'll be reunited with his good friend and college teammate Bryan Rust.
They played together Di Pauli's freshman and sophomore years at Notre Dame, spending some time as linemates. Before Di Pauli signed with the Penguins he spoke with Rust about what to expect, and what he should work on if he were to sign.
"Yeah, he helped me out a little bit, but I didn't want to bug him too much, though," he laughed.
If you're looking for an NHLer to compare him to in terms of playing style, Di Pauli believes that Rust is that player.
"He's a good example of what a pro hockey player should do off the ice, and how he takes care of himself." Di Pauli said. "Even though he's only two years older than me, he's a good example. Obviously he's scored some big goals the past couple of years in the playoffs and regular season. He was always like that at Notre Dame, too. He's a good player to watch, it's fun to watch and play like him."
"Pittsburgh seems to like it, so why not give it a try?"
SPRONG'S PROGRESS
The team has been doing a lot of film work and extra work with Daniel Sprong to improve the defensive side of his game, and for the most part, it shows. He doesn't have as many defensive lapses or commit as many errors, and he only has two minor penalties over the last five games.
Sprong still isn't perfect, though. He took a bad shot right into a Checker in Friday's game that led to a turnover. Charlotte took the puck back up ice and eventually scored:
MORE FROM WILKES-BARRE
• Dec. 6: at Lehigh Valley, 5-0 loss
• Dec. 8: vs. Charlotte, 2-1 loss
• Dec. 10: at Hershey, 4-1 win
• The Penguins were shut out for the first time this season on Wednesday by Lehigh Valley. Tryout contract goaltender Anthony Peters was given a start, but was pulled in the second period after allowing a fourth goal on 19 shots. Sean Maguire played well in relief, allowing one goal on 16 shots in his first appearance of the season. The Penguins were unable to solve Lehigh Valley's Dustin Tokarski, who stopped all 39 shots thrown his way.
• The Checkers led the Penguins 2-0 at the end of the second period on Friday, the first goal coming after Sprong's turnover. Sprong redeemed himself only 37 seconds into the third period with a goal, but the comeback effort fell short as the Penguins lost their second game in a row. Maguire made 28 saves on 30 shots in his first start of the season.
• The Penguins benefitted from the Bears' sloppy play on Sunday. Christian Thomas, Sprong, and Di Pauli scored in the first period, with Thomas' and Di Pauli's goals coming immediately after bad turnovers by Hershey. After outshooting Hershey 15-4 in the first period, Hershey came out to play for the second period and the game was more evenly matched. The scoresheet remained lopsided in Wilkes-Barre's favor, as they won, 4-1, outshooting the Bears 27-19. The win was Maguire's first of the season.
• Lines and defense pairings from Sunday:
Josh Archibald - Colin Smith - Christian Thomas
Zach Aston-Reese - Jean-Sebastien Dea - Pat McGrath
Garrett Wilson - Greg McKegg - Daniel Sprong
Tom Sestito - Teddy Blueger - Thomas Di Pauli
Andrey Pedan - Zach Trotman
Chris Summers - Ethan Prow
Kevin Spinozzi - Frank Corrado
• Tom Kostopoulos remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, and it doesn't sound like he's close to retuning. He's played only seven games this season, the last on Oct. 27. Jarred Tinordi was out of the lineup with a minor injury, and Lukas Bengtsson was out with another illness.
• The week puts the Penguins in third place in the tight Atlantic division with a 14-7-1-1 record and .652 point percentage. They're 4-5-1 in their last ten games, their worst stretch of the season
• The Penguins have a chance to improve their record this week with three games against teams trailing them in the division standings. They'll host the Springfield Falcons (10-17-1-0) on Wednesday, then face the Hartford Wolf Pack (10-12-3-2) and Bridgeport Sound Tigers (12-10-1-1) on the road on Friday and Saturday.
GOALS OF THE WEEK
Sprong showed off his impressive shot again on Friday:
Then, again, on Sunday:
SAVE OF THE WEEK
Sean Maguire made this impressive series of saves on Friday:
TOP PICK TRACKER
• Defenseman Zachary Lauzon (second round, 2017) remains out of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies lineup with what the coach is calling a small neck injury.
• Forward Kasper Bjorkqvist (second round, 2016) was held scoreless in Providence College's two games this week.
• Goaltender Filip Gustavsson (second round, 2016) was named to Sweden's roster for the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo, and is expected to be the starting goaltender when the tournament kicks off on Dec. 26. Gustavsson was named to the roster last year, but played as a backup. He'll miss up to eight games with the SHL's Luleå during the tournament. "It's my last WJC so it's definitely worth it," he told the Swedish website NSD.
• Defenseman Connor Hall (third round, 2016) remains out of the Kitchener Rangers' lineup with a shoulder injury. Kitchener writer Josh Brown reports that after an MRI, the team expects Hall to be out for about a month.
WHEELING WATCH
This week's Wheeling Watch brings you the story of Hunter Fejes, the team's leading goal-scorer.
PROSPECT FUN THING
Connor Hall's injury gave him a prime spot for Kitchener's Teddy Bear Toss this week:
Connor Hall and his cuddly new friend are ready for tonight’s #TeddyBearToss! ?? @penguins pic.twitter.com/p8F72t186J
— Kitchener Rangers (@OHLRangers) December 6, 2017
JUST THE STATS
