Our last post on "The Kids Are Alright" focused on the forwards in the Penguins system. Today, we examine the defensemen in there system. Ray Shero has collected a very good core of young defensemen over the last 5 years of the draft. Many of whom, are ready to make the next step at the NHL level. Note: Olli Maatta will not appear on this list.
Derrick Pouliot
This season he played for the Winterhawks again, but I am willing to bet this is the last year of that. In 79 games (both regular and post season) for Portland this year, he scored 102 points (22G-80A) and was a plus-48. That is roughly a 1.3 points per game average. Those are phenomenal statistics and remember, he is a defenseman! He was set to join the Wilkes-Barre Penguins for the remainder of the playoff run, but suffered a shoulder injury in the WHL finals that will keep him off the ice.
If there is one defenseman in our system that can make the same jump that Olli Maatta did this season, it is Derrick Pouliot. Unfortunately, the previously mentioned shoulder injury was more serious than expected and he had surgery today to repair it. He will miss 4-6 months, making it unlikely he is ready for October. Quite frankly, I think it would be asking him a lot to step in to the NHL without a training camp and exhibition games beforehand. I think he may still make his NHL debut next year, but this surgery will push that back until after the New Year I would wager.