Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's season will get underway a bit later than anticipated.
Wilkes-Barre is currently scheduled to open the season Monday evening at home against the Binghamton Devils, two days later than the opener was originally scheduled.
The game was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols affecting the Devils' staff.
"I'm sure it'll happen again," head coach J.D. Forrest said. "Our guys, they've been great the whole time. It's just knowing that these things are going to pop up and not being surprised when they do. I think in this case, moving our first game, everyone was excited to play and get the first regular season game under their belt. But hey, we'll do it tomorrow."
The postponement gave the Penguins an extra day of practice time to prepare for the season, somewhat of a blessing after having the start of their own training camp delayed a few days due to COVID-19 protocols.
"We were able to touch on a couple of things that we had discussed, another day of reps with our power play and penalty kill," Forrest said. "But I would just like to get into game mode right now, that's where a lot of this stuff comes out. In practice, things can look buttoned up. Then you get into a game, there's pressure, a different forecheck coming at you, and it's a different animal. It's nice to have the video to reference with that and learn from video. We're excited to get going."
It's a new-look team. Not only is there a new head coach, but the roster is significantly different. In the final preseason game's lineup, only five skaters (four forwards, one defenseman) were on the team last year. Most of these players haven't played together before. Nine skaters in the lineup are in their first professional season in North America. It's hard to know how things will come together when the team plays its first regular season game on Monday, but defensemen Cam Lee said that the coaching staff has done a good job of teaching the players the system and team concepts just through this brief training camp.
"We've done a lot of video, and we've worked on it in practice," Lee told me. "The guys are starting to get it more and more. Two exhibition games really helped, I thought. As the game went on, all of us, we started to figure out the systems more and more. I don't think it will be a problem, I think we'll figure it out real quick here. As long as we're out there communicating, we'll get the job done."
Line combination and defense pairings are still a work in process, and it'll likely be a process that is constantly evolving throughout the season as players move up and down from the taxi squad or are in and out of the lineup for various reasons. With so many new players on the team, the way they evolve and develop as players will also constantly have an effect on the way Forrest puts the team together.
"We've got a few line combinations that we've put together that we like that we know they'll work," Forrest said. "And then if we have to make some adjustments because of some guys being out for whatever reason, whether it's injury, COVID, all that stuff, it's constantly evolving. But now, with quite a few new players as well, it takes some time to have some familiarity. You get the reports, you know what they're supposed to be, but it's different when you see them in person. Especially with some of these young guys. They can change week-to-week as far as how effective they are. They might improve in leaps and bounds, then take a step back and you have to re-evaluate. That's a constant juggling act. Right now, I feel like even with some guys up in Pittsburgh and some guys out here, we do have a pretty good combination of skill and grit up there. Just trying to find the lines and players that have a little bit of chemistry together."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Defense prospect Jesper Lindgren, acquired from Toronto in the Kasperi Kapanen trade, will be out "awhile" with a shoulder injury after crashing into the boards in the first preseason game. Forrest said that they weren't sure whether Lindgren would need surgery on the shoulder yet. Tough situation for Lindgren, who was on the top defense pairing in that first game.
• Forward prospect Raivis Ansons, the Penguins' fifth-round pick in this fall's draft, attended Wilkes-Barre's camp and is in the process of being sent back to his QMJHL team, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, for the rest of the season. The 19-year-old Latvian likely still has another year of junior hockey after this current season.
"It's in the process of getting him back there, Forrest said. "Everything right now, as you know, is a little more complicated due to travel restrictions and all those things. But that's the plan right now just to have him back with his junior team."
• Forrest, who was Wilkes-Barre's assistant coach who dealt with the defense last season, was thrilled to see P.O Joseph get his first NHL goal last night.
"Oh, that was great, that was great," he said. "And off of just a simple little play that he turned into something just by having some confidence and stepping up there. And a great shot. I was really happy for him. Good to see him smile out there, he always seems to have a smile. That was nice. I'm sure he probably would have rather got the win there, knowing him. But it's nice to get that off your back.
In case you missed it, Forrest joined Tom Reed and myself on the 66 to 87 Podcast recently, and he had some great insight on Joseph.