This is PERFECT For The Penguins...

This makes perfect sense for the Penguins as they have been linked to a very very important depth defenseman. Caldubas seems like he has some moves to make on the defensive end on the team and also we'll be breaking down some news about Sergei Miroshchev and what he'll bring to the squad at this upcoming season. But hello everyone. Welcome back to Penguins Digest. My name is Dakash Ganguly. Hope you guys are having a great day, great time and every guy's getting the chance to watch this video. We are currently in the trenches of the offseason. So, we have some interesting news to bring to you regarding Mike Reilly. I think he could be a very very important defenseman for the Penguins. There's some links to him in terms of depth. I think he also fits the system really well. I'm going to talk about Sergei Miroshchev. We're going to go around a little bit to Anthony Mantheson with the Devils a couple of days ago. So, we're going to talk about all that and more, but before we do that, make sure you guys do of course, of course, subscribe to the channel. We are trying to bring you everything Pittsburgh Penguins throughout this offseason. Obviously, right now, it's not too too active. That's why the videos haven't been as consistent as they are during the season, but currently 67.5% of viewers are not subscribed. So, if you are in that large portion of Penguins Digest viewers who are not subscribed to the channel, hit that subscribe button. Helps me out and helps everyone out at Penguins Digest. So, um, yeah, let's get into the bulk of the videos. First things first, this is an article from the Hockey News. The Penguins should consider signing veteran defenseman for depth and in the picture was Mike Reilly from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Carolina Hurricanes just won a Stanley Cup and also as someone who's been I don't know, for you guys who have been watching hockey a pretty long time. Drop a comment on how long you've been watching the Penguins for. Someone who's been watching hockey, watching the Penguins for a really long time. I think Mike Reilly is a pretty solid depth defenseman. He was really good in Boston, if I recall correctly. He's been around the league since then, but he's always been able to find a home. I think he's always been a pretty underrated player. He's put up good numbers wherever he's been. And his advance numbers have also always been pretty solid. This is in the article. The Penguins could use a bit more defensive depth before the start of the season. This is especially the case when it comes to their left side as they lost Ryan Shea to the Edmonton Oilers and traded Parker Wotherspoon to the Vegas Golden Knights. Although they did get Kaden Korczak back in that deal. So, we'll see how he fits in with the team, but yeah. Losing Ryan Shea is going to be pretty tough for the Penguins. He was a pretty, pretty solid player for them. I think he played, and Wotherspoon too, they played in that top four. So, yeah. The Penguins still think, I still think, have somewhere to do defensively and Mike Reilly does come to mind for that. Again, looking at his raw points, it's nothing too, too crazy, but it's also really not that terrible. In his career, obviously, you know, 133 points in 460 games. It's not bad for a guy that primarily plays on the bottom pair. He played two games with the Hurricanes during their cup run, but he had, what's that say, he had two points. So, he's a good player. I mean, it seems like some of his warts do prevent him from being what you would say an everyday NHL defenseman. But the Penguins desperately need the depth, in my opinion. I mean, they could also, like, he's probably going to be, what, a league min player, maybe a million dollars. They have the cat's place to do it, $13 million. As I'm recording this, Jason Robertson just signed his contract with the Dallas Hawks for $12 million. So, I think that dream might be dead in Pittsburgh unless there's a trade to be done, like, way, way later in the season because I don't think he can be traded. But Mike Reilly, to me, makes some sense with the Penguins. Again, looking at this defensive four, it's really not that great right now. I think Trevor Van Heusink on the first pair is not ideal, although Mike Reilly really isn't fixing that. They need some guys to move around. Obviously, Harrison Brunick is someone that is going to be talked about to make the roster out of camp. We'll see if that happens, but I think Sam Girard and Chris Letang weren't a great pair during the regular season. They were okay in the past, but I think someone like Girard does need to come in healthy. I've read some articles that say he was injured. Trevor Van Heusink and Eric Carlson on the first pair isn't that exciting to me. I think Eric Carlson was elite last year, you know, kind of in his prime form. I think you need some competition there, and Mike Reilly is a guy who put up very solid numbers on ice-wise with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2025-2026 with a 54% on-ice goals percentage and an on-ice expected goals percentage of 54.6. So, he's a very, very solid depth player. I think it makes a lot of sense for the Penguins to bring him in. I also think there will be a lot of competition as the season, off-season, goes on for a guy like Mike Reilly just because he is such an important depth piece for any team he goes to. Again, coming off a cup win with the Carolina Hurricanes, you can argue about his contributions with the squad, but he was still there. He played. I'm not sure if his name was actually etched on the cup. I'm sure it would be because he played two playoff games, although Tom Dundon threw his whole family on there, so I'm not really sure what's going on with that. But yeah, very solid player. I think it makes a lot of sense for the Penguins to bring him in because this defensive core, I think, does need some work. Is Mike Reilly the needle mover? No, but he is a guy where they can come in, cause some competition for guys like Carlisle and Korczak. He adds a little bit of offensive flair. He's solid defensively based on the advanced numbers. I haven't been able to watch enough of his game just yet to really tell you, but that is from my perspective there. And then, let's talk about Sergei Mirshav a little bit. He was ranked 8th in all prospects, goalie prospects in the league. This is from, I want to say Scott Wheeler, but don't quote me on that. Sergei Mirshav, Mirshev, it's spelled wrong there. Maybe that's the Russian spelling. I don't know. But Jax is a legit tandem goalie at minimum and has shown the ability and consistency over the last few years to become a starter if he keeps it up. Last season, he continued strong playing the AHL and earned him NHL looks over the more experienced Joel Blomquist. He's not a big goalie, though he has grown a couple of inches and added a weight to 6'2", 185. He's also quick and nimble on his feet. Gets a lot of pucks. Stays with shooters one-on-one and has great hands and likes to challenge, like many Russian goalies I've talked to. I like the movement, footwork, the skill. The way he anticipates plays and his tracking. Yeah, I mean, Sergei Mirshav has been good everywhere he's played. Even in 8-9-7 in the NHL this past season, he's really, really good considering how far upscoring he is. And then he had a 9-9 team with the Wolfsburg Stratton Penguins last season. And he played a lot of games in the ECHL and the AHL the prior season, 9-22 and 9-13 there. And in Russia, he was kind of unbelievable, a 9-25 there and then a 9-30 and then a 9-47. Like, those numbers are just unbelievable. I think he's going to be an amazing one for the Penguins this year. Let's switch over to Anthony Manta. A lot of news in this video. Devil signed Anthony Manta for two years, $9.5 million, what he brings to New Jersey. So obviously, Anthony Manta was a very important player for the Pittsburgh Penguins down the stretch of the regular season. But unfortunately, in the playoffs, he also dealt, I think he dealt with some injuries? I mean, the guy scored 30 goals, I believe, if I'm recalling correctly. But down the stretch in the playoffs against the Flyers, he was a ghost. He was nowhere to be seen, let's be honest about it. I appreciate what he did for the Penguins in the regular season. He got them to help them get back to the playoffs on a one-year prove-it deal. Another damn news project that went very, very well. But unfortunately, in the playoffs, I think that showed Kyle Dubas and Cole enough not to bring him back. The Devils, they're going to give it a try. He'll at least be good for them in the regular season, in my opinion. Manta's career in 25-26 ended in disappointment when he had only 1 assist and 0 goals in the Penguins' 6th game 1st round loss against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins had interest in bringing Manta back to Pittsburgh, but only on a short-term deal. Manta said before the conclusion of last season, he was only interested in a 3-year deal or contract, contract or longer. And then, he ended up getting a 2-year deal with the Devils. During 32 in September, he saw Pittsburgh also produce their career best point totals with 64. Overall, I think the Penguins are going to miss the play of Anthony Manta. I think, in the beginning of the season, that Brazzo-Malkin-Manta line was a lot of fun. Of course, both, you know, Brazzo kind of tailed off. His goal scoring was, like, half a goal a game, so that was not going to happen randomly, like, when he's, like, this old. And he came into the league pretty old as well, all things considered. And, yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, wishing him, like, not really the best of luck because he's on the Devils, which is in the Penguins' division. But we'll see if he does end up producing more. But between what we looked at today with Mike Reilly, Miroslav, and Manta, that's kind of the main points I wanted to hit on in today's video. So, yeah. What do you guys think of Mike Reilly as a def candidate for the Penguins? Do you think Sergei Miroslav will be the starter? And are you mad at the loss of Anthony Manta? Three questions there to load you guys up before the end of the video. Anyways, if you guys did enjoy the video, click like, click subscribe, and yeah. Everything Pittsburgh Penguins. Everything important coming at you here on Penguins Digest. Hit that subscribe button. Everything. All I know is hopefully there's something. I mean, it's almost August. So, yeah. Peace.