Tom Kostopoulos - July 3rd, 2023

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
As a pros's game evolved over thepast year, and what would you like
to see him continue to improve on? Good question, He's been a streaky
score so I think consistency. Oneof the messages was really starting the game
fast and coming out of the gateshot, and I think that will translate

(00:22):
into a season. We want himto get off to a real fast start.
He has the skills. He's dedicatinghimself more than ever to his off
ice training, which I think I'llgive him a head start to the season.
And I think he's really starting tounderstand what it'll take to play in
the NHL one day. He's startingto put in the work that way.

(00:44):
We didn't get a chance to seeOwen Pickering in this situation last year.
You know, what have you seenfrom him? He seemed to have a
pretty good day today anyway. Yeah, I mean just the way he carries
himself on and off the ice,like he's full of confidence. He moves
up and down the ice a ton, his each and his length out there,
and the playmak and making ability thathe had out there and finding guy's

(01:06):
backdoor. Um, you know,there's still stuff to polish up, but
he's he's put on ten pounds nowsince the season ends, and he's still
moving as well as he was before. So that's pretty special. That's good
weight he's putting on. He's enteringlast year of college, potentially chasing down
a pro contract workings for him rightnow, and he's development. Are you
good with pickering or I'm good?Yeah? If you're done? Um.

(01:30):
He is a very reliable centerman anddefensively, you can put him out there
in any situation. He's so trustworthy. He's always on the defensive side of
the puck party killing his face offs. So you know, I think the
next step for him is adding moreof an offensive element. I think he's
a natural leader and just getting that, you know, challenging him to bring

(01:56):
that out of him a little bitmore every day and be a little bit
of a louder voice. But Ithink this year, going back to Providence,
just stepping up the offensive side withoutcheating defensively, I think he can
do it, and I think he'sready for it. Well, kind of
a players Daniel Bobs and what doyou want to see him? We're going
to secret back to Wisconsin. He'syou know, Chris Butler spent a lot
of time with him last year andwatching him Wisconsin. He's got one of

(02:20):
the best defensive sticks for a kidhis age in college hockey. He's so
good with his reach and his size. He's a really good defender that way.
And he's getting better and better onthe penaltyquel. You know, he
still needs to gain strength so hecan be stronger in his battles and just
you know, coming out of hiscompany zone a little bit and playing on

(02:42):
that edge. We'll be the nextstep for him. What are your first
impressions up brading year in his skillset. I was impressed, you know,
first of all, just to getto know him. We got to
know his family in Nashville, andI think he had the whole town of
Saskatoon there but a great had greatfamily. You know, I don't know
if you know this, but heonly came here with the skates, so

(03:05):
he had someone else's sticks, allnew gear, and it didn't look like
it on the ice. He's aspecial kid. And to watch him out
there, I think he moves well, he skates well. He's still got
a lot of weight he can gain, but he's got the hockey. I
Q. It was nice to seehim finish a couple of times there.
I think he was just taking itall in. It was nice for him

(03:25):
to be in the environment here,and I guess it was great to have
him Braydon Sherman, you know,obviously undrafted and unsigned. What did you
think of him today? I mean, did you see something you like?
We might see him again in thefall. Yeah, he's a kid our
scouts identified that had a good yeartwo years ago and then he had a

(03:46):
couple of injuries this past season.He's definitely got some offensive ability. He
had a good day out there today. I think he finished off a couple
and it was nice to have himin the environment like this is an opportunity
for us to bring in a fewfree agents that our scouts have identified and
and bring them in here and weget to know them, they get to
know us. I thought he didreally well. He's a great kid.

(04:09):
So we'll track him throughout the seasonand see how it goes. It definitely
seems like looks like something maybe ofa row project still right now, and
we just watch your initial impressions ofhim as easier. It's just going in
college right now. Yeah, that'sa good word for it. I think
he's big, he skates well,he's powerful. I think, just fine

(04:29):
tuning some things in his game.But he's looking to go to Cornell and
they have great coaches there. I'msure they'll work a ton with him.
Um. You know, I lovehis demeanor and work ethic and and he
wants to be a player and he'sworking hard at it. So it's great.
The size is pretty evident with him. Mean, how key is that.
I mean, if you want tobe, say a defensive center,
you don't have a long reachs likethat, and probably is helpful towards that

(04:50):
pursuit. It's big, he canplay wing and center, and to have
that size and strength on the pockand the reach that he has as he's
using as he learning to use hisbody more down low and in the corners
and take pocks to the net.You know. One of the themes that
camp was taking the part to theback post, and he did it in
the scrimmage. He just you know, shifted the d over and put him

(05:14):
on his back and drove the backpost and almost scored. So it's stuff
that he can keep working on.A great kid you see from Tag Glover
and his workie year in what heneeded to become a full time regular.
From the SHAW, he was flyingout there like man. His speed was
so noticeable. I'm sure you allsaw it in straight lines. He can
fly. I think his energy andhis attitude is contagious. It just spreads

(05:36):
and the guys love him. Ithink there's areas of the game that he
needs to slow down a little bit, and in my opinion, he'll have
to be a real staple in thePK to keep earning more minutes and make
the next step. So that's thechallenge for him is finding a role in
the PK and and learning that andbeing able to play that role. Where

(05:58):
does the teams feel blow Quis inhis development and what's the plan for him
of this coming season. Yeah,we're really happy with where he's at.
It was a tough season for him, you know, with what he went
through with a couple injuries, butI think he's in a good spot.
He looks great off the ice andon the ice. He did really well
on the fitness testing and you know, I thought he played great in the

(06:23):
scrimmages here, So he's in agood spot. You know, we all
think it's time for him to comeover that he's ready. It was nice
to have him in Wilkesbury at theend of the year. There, he
got in, was able to bearound the guys for a little bit.
Played the game in Hartford. Althoughthe score wasn't great, I thought he
played really well and showed he canplay in that league. So he'll come

(06:46):
to rookie camp and NHL camp andcompete for a spot. Luca Fantilly was
a late addition to camp. Justwhat did you want to cover about his
game throughout him? Yeah, itwas great. He had to He had
to travel from Nashville with his youknow, with his brothers party there all
the way back home to Toronto toget his gear all the way here in
a matter of a few hours.So he made it happen. But it

(07:10):
was good to have him here.He's a good kid. I thought he
worked really hard and definitely noticeable outthere. So another player we'll track throughout
the season and seehere it goes changingmanagement here, has there been any changing
pursuit of like how to develop aplayer to get to the NHL at all?
Given any different message rank like that. We haven't had a ton of
time to sit down and go throughthat like we've talked briefly about it,

(07:35):
but they've been busy with free agencyin the draft, and our development staff
has been busy getting ready for thiscamp. So I think in the next
few weeks here we'll have some timeto go over how they see it,
what their ideas are, and howwe can make it work best for the
Penguins prospects.