Rumours 2025/26 Season

[Doom]

Having had a closer look at Pu's stats I've downgraded my expectations a little.

He did have one very good season in the KHL and a decent short stint in the AHL, but apart from that there isn't really any evidence of a high scorer.

I'm sort of expecting 20 goals and around 20 to 25 Assists, which is acceptable, but a little on the low side for a first line centre.

I do think he'll be strong at faceoffs though and his historical +/- would also suggest he doesn't sacrifice defence to put up points. He's also at a very decent age.

I am still hoping though that we still have another top 6 centre to sign and maybe Pu ends up 2nd line.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Pu has a better CV than both Juusola and Balmas when they joined. Both PPG players. He's got better junior scoring than Piccinich, and went on to a higher standard of league after (Piccinich was only 0.5 PPG in the ECHL before joining Belfast). In his limited ECHL games, Pu again has a better ppg than both Piccinich and Conway.

He hit a PPG with not much time to really get accustomed to systems etc in the SL last year (outpacing Neumann in the same league)

I'm not saying it's easy on first look as he doesn't look like a big scorer, but factor in how difficult those leagues are to score in anyway, and then add in he was probably only averaging 10-15 minutes a night and might well not have had PP time and it's a lot more understandable.

Loads of guys who end up making NHL 3rd/4th lines were big scorers in junior/NCAA/ECHL but have to take on a role that's different to make it in higher leagues. Drop them down and they'd score for fun (look at Paul Bissonette when he came over during the lockout)

Really don't see a reason to be down on Pu as a signing (apart from the fact all signings to some extent are a risk).

[ginger]

Reference to my post on the signings thread, current Belfast rumours:

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/2 ... ake-gaudet

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/342686/reid-irwin

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/2 ... t-mcfadden

[Doom]

I've had a good dig into the stats for Pu and picked up on the Piccinich comparison, although that's a number of years ago.

Whilst I do look back, my main focus is on the last few seasons because they are the most relevant.

Last season I thought his numbers were very average.

It was only a short stint in Slovakia, but the numbers certainly didn't jump out as a positive.

Better in Switzerland, but that is their 2nd tier, so I'd say decent, but not great.

His previous season in KHL was 2 goals in 53 games. No matter how anybody wants to spin it, that doesn't shout out goal scorer..

Going back 3 years and his KHL numbers were outstanding. If I was looking at those in isolation, I'd probably expect 30 goals and 30 assists from him.

Because of where he's played he's a difficult player to call.

I'm certainly not down on him, he could be very good, I'm just not convinced looking at his stats he'll be a top scorer in our league.

For me he's a slight downgrade from Watling, but we shall see.

Regards

Doom

[Doom]

Reference to my post on the signings thread, current Belfast rumours:

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/2 ... ake-gaudet

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/342686/reid-irwin

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/2 ... t-mcfadden

They wouldn't cause me sleepless nights.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Agree on the Belfast rumours.

On Pu though, the KHL is the 2nd best league in the world. Anyone scoring 20 goals a season in that league consistently isn't coming here, probably ever in their career. To get him at 27, having scored on average nearly 0.4 PPG in that league is ridiculous.

He was on same scoring pace in Slovakia as Golod (and add in I believe his team had financial issues hence the short stint). He was on same scoring pace in SL as his teammates - Steve Owre and Sondre Olden. Owre was over a ppg when he was here. Olden only played the Elite series and was roughly scoring at the same rate as Kirk.

His numbers last year are fine, it's just a small sample of games.

Just too many markers when you compare against players known to score over here that he equals or betters.

[Doom]

I tend to take more interest in goals than assists, because players can pick up points for assists with very little involvement in the play.

Owre had 26 goals from 41 games, which would translate to 34 goals from 54 games.

In the same team Pu had 3 from 13, which translates to 12 goals.

Pu looks like he'll get assists, but I'm just not seeing a goal scorer.

Hope I'm wrong of course.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Give him Balmas and another goal scoring winger and he can rack up 60 assists. I'm all for it!

David Goodwin has never scored 20 goals in an EIHL season. He only scored 15 in 22-23. He did have 55 assists though and I'd take him every day of the week.

[Doom]

Give him Balmas and another goal scoring winger and he can rack up 60 assists. I'm all for it!

David Goodwin has never scored 20 goals in an EIHL season. He only scored 15 in 22-23. He did have 55 assists though and I'd take him every day of the week.

Let's hope Fox can get the chemistry right on the lines and get the best attributes out of each player.

I'm still hoping we sign another top 6 centre, because I think that would finish our squad off very nicely. Somebody who can get the best out of Jasper, because I'm actually liking the look of him more than I did when he first signed.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Oh I'd love another top 6 centre, but not sure how many are now available that fit. I suspect Fox will go for best forward available since we do have options at centre already.

One I had hoped for signed in the DEL the other day and I'm guessing centre's will probably attract a premium given limited availability