Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Dustin Penner
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Penner spent parts of last year either on IR or in the doghouse en route to yet another disappointing season (2 goals, 12 assist in 33 games) for the Kings. His time in LA was mostly a disaster, so it should come as no surprise that the two parties agreed to go their separate ways. He has inked a deal with the Ducks where he'll try to resurrect his career and rediscover his scoring touch.
Penner was a disaster for much of the season -- he had just 17 points in 65 games-- before catching fire in the playoffs, tallying 11 points in 20 games on route to the Cup. The Kings decided to bring him back for another season and he'll get a chance to earn a spot among the top-six group of forwards. However, his breakout season of 2009-10 is drifting further and further into the rearview mirror.
Penner was a total bust (six points in 19 games) after coming over to the Kings from the Oilers at the trade deadline. Perhaps a fresh start in training camp will help erase the memories of last season as he looks to regain his scoring touch. He'll likely start off by skating on one of the team's top two lines and a return to the 30-goal mark isn't out of the question as he enters the last year of his contract.
Penner had a career season in 2009-10 with 32 goals and 63 points and was one of the few bright spots in what was a dismal Edmonton campaign as the team finished with the worst record in the NHL. Penner took up the offensive slack that the Oilers were missing once Ales Hemsky went down for the season with a shoulder injury. With Hemsky coming back to play this season and No. 1 overall draft pick Taylor Hall also likely to make the team, Penner may find it a little easier going this season as opposing teams will have more weapons to worry about.
If there is one player on the Oilers who might’ve been happy to see the dismissal of Head Coach Craig MacTavish , it could be Penner. Penner was benched for a few games and seemed to play on every line in an attempt to motivate him. Nothing seemed to work. He also can’t be too happy that his was another name mentioned going to Ottawa for Heatley. Last kind of player we would want on our fantasy team is someone who lacks the desire to play on some nights.
Penner has lived up to the hype since being acquired in a trade with Anaheim. He led the Oilers in goals with 23, and power play goals with 13. With the additions the Oilers have made Penner's numbers should continue to increase.
Penner had a great rookie year with 29 goals, nine on the power play, and 200 shots in '06-07. The Oilers will likely use him on the first line, so he'll have Hemsky looking to set him up. He automatically becomes the gunner on a team that's pretty much void of them altogether. He should easily hit 20 to 25 goals again and may challenge for 30. Overall, he should land in the 45 to 50 point range.
Penner has some big-time sleeper potential, with a possible pairing with Andy McDonald and Teemu Selanne on the Ducks' top line. At this point, the plan is to pair him with Ryan Getzlaf and Todd Marchant. At 6-4, 240, Penner could be a force in front of the net and a 20-goal campaign is within reach.
