Olli Maatta shows what should make him untouchable
PITTSBURGHJu si Jokinen told Olli Maatta to do something on Wednesday night, and Maatta listened."He just said, 'I think it's about time you score a goal. I was like, 'alright'" the Pittsburgh Penguins' 19-year-old defenseman said. Yep, alright. Maatta, thanks to a nasty fake, put a shot past Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth with 1:54 remaining. It was Pittsburgh's first lead in a game they could not have (and probably should not have) won.But they didwith, mind you, an impre sively decimated set of forwardsa career center was at right wing on the first line. A career fourth-liner was on the third line. A career defenseman and AHL face-puncher were on the fourth line. And you could tell.In any case, it was Maatta who brought home Pittsburgh's 13th straight win at Consol Energy Center, and in the proce s he showed off the sort of ability that, realistically, should stop the Penguins from using him as ammo to fix those short-term problems. Not that they would.What's more interesting to think about, though, is if they'd move Maatta for a long-term fix on the top six.Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Evander Kaneand the Jets had a scoutJohn Vanbiesbrouck Jersey in the building Monday night. Another logical trade partner for Pittsburgh is the Edmonton Oilers, who have a handful of talented young forwards and a not-handful of talented young defensemen. Pittsburgh has the latter in spades, so we've seen Sam Gagner's name pop up as one particular po sibility.Short of Kane, though, or some close-enough comparable, Maatta shouldn't be traded for anyone. He's that good. He's shown that muchand that's reflected in the minutes he plays, the guys he plays against and the way he plays against them. He's impre sive, and he has been since September, when he e sentially forced Pittsburgh to keep him around. Dan Bylsma has used the word "poise" in relation to him. A lot.And he used it Wednesday, again, talking about the run-up to Maatta's a sist on Taylor Pyatta's goal, which tied the game at 2, and Maatta's own game-winner."He's out there for (Washington's) second goal on a D-zone play that goes through his feet (and) comes right back later on in that period with the play on the first goal, which was the pump-fake coming out to him," Bylsma said.The pump fake came out again after a feed from Evgeni Malkin at 1:54except that time, Maatta followed it with a shot. It's not always obvious how good Maatta already is; that time, it was."This is just not something you see from a 19-year old defenseman who can play with this kind of poise, and play with this kind of composure," Bylsma said. "Those are elite poise with the puck, and an elite move."And hey, Sidney Crosby signed off on it."The thing is, when he does it, he can swing really wide with that long stick. It really changes the lane," .Maatta said he's been working on it, and mentioned Nicklas Lidstrom, Teppo Numminen and Kimmo Timonen as guys who have used it effectively in the past. "It's something I really want to do on the blue line," he said, "It makes it harder to predict what I'm gonna do."Not for Jokinen, apparently."I think I have to tell (Maatta) that before every game," he said.K'andre Miller Jersey
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