My obsession with the negative aspects of Kris Letang’s play began innocently enough. Sometime during the early part of the season, a frequent PenguinPoop commenter offered a scathing critique of ‘Tanger.’
To digress, I’d always been keenly aware of the quicksilver defenseman’s penchant for playing fast and loose, not to mention his frequent errors in judgment that led to occasional defensive lapses.
Still, I likened them to Evgeni Malkin’s habit of making blind drop passes at the blue line. With guys this gifted, a certain amount of high-risk, high-reward play comes with the package. Part of what makes ‘em great makes ‘em vulnerable, too.
In response to the comment, I began to watch No. 58 more closely, especially in the defensive zone. Frankly, I was aghast. His play, especially down low around the net, ranged from ineffective to downright deplorable at times. Often when the heat was on he seemed frozen beside the cage, stuck in a tripod stance and sheepishly looking on while our goalies flailed to keep the puck out.
In fairness to Letang, he hadn’t played since last February, when a herniated disc and subsequent surgery forced him to miss the entire 2016-17 stretch run and playoffs. Like a classic car that’s been dinged up a bit, some rust had accumulated. Given the nature and severity of the injury…not to mention his history of concussions and other serious health concerns…I’m sure he was under strict orders to tone down the physical part of his game.
After dipping to a horrendous minus-16 by early November, Kris slowly righted himself. During a particularly effective 12-game stretch in February and March, he piled up 13 points to go with a sparkling plus-10. He’d begun to resemble a defenseman worthy of his All-Star Game selection, if not Norris Trophy recognition. Then, inexplicably, he faltered down the homestretch.
Again, I focused on his work in the d-zone. Again, I was shocked by what I saw. Instances of out-and-out blown coverages leading directly to odd-man breaks and ugly goals, such as Washington’s two markers on Thursday night, combined with wildly undisciplined play.
Jeez, I thought. If we’re pinning our hopes on this guy leading us to a three-peat from the backend, we’re in deep trouble.
I’m all-too-aware that perception is far from an exact science and readily admit my eye-test opinion of Tanger may have become skewed, not to mention overly harsh. So I decided to take a more objective approach and look at some numbers.
The truth? While he’s certainly contributed to some glaring goals against, Letang is enjoying a decent postseason. With seven points, he’s second among rearguards in scoring, two points behind Capitals stud John Carlson.
He’s been on the ice for 16 of the Pens’ 31 goals (51.6 percent), fourth among all postseason skaters behind teammates Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and the Caps’ Evgeni Kuznetsov. On the flip side, he’s been on the ice for 9 of the 17 goals we’ve allowed (52.9 percent), which ranks a distant 21st. Tanger’s averaged a team-high 24:47 of ice time, so he’s skating roughly 41 percent of a 60-minute game.
In percentage terms, it means scoring is elevated both for and against whenever he’s on the ice. About what you’d expect, given his offensive bent.
I also decided to look at turnovers, almost exclusively the domain (and bane) of high-profile defensemen. During the regular season, Kris committed 89 giveaways, 13th most in the NHL. That seems egregious until you consider Florida’s Keith Yandle led the circuit with 129 giveaways. Runner-up Brent Burns of San Jose had 124. By comparison, Letang’s a veritable bastion of puck responsibility.
In the postseason, Tanger has nine turnovers…second most but well behind league-leader Carlson (14).
Is Letang hurting the team as much as I think? No. Is there room for improvement? Most definitely.
Let’s hope Kris finds his game, and soon. We sure need him.
A few more thoughts, if you please.
I don’t think they’re doing badly by any stretch, but I don’t discount the idea that this could, indeed, be Washington’s year to finally vanquish their dreaded foe. It’s possible, though I’m not about to say likely. Not yet.
However, it’s not easy to miss the fact they are getting far too many good looks at our net. You’ve got to be able to depend on your goalie, but you can’t leave it at that. The Caps have done a good job of punishing us for pinching, and too often there’s been scant coverage at the blue line to shut down their transitions. I’ve said before that everything starts with defense, or lack of it. These two games have been good examples of that, at both ends of the ice and in the neutral zone.
Too many giveaways. ‘Nuff said.
And, the bottom two lines, while having some great shifts, just aren’t getting it done on the whole. They were needed today, needed to score. That will apply in all further games in this series. Hopefully, Malkin returns for game three, and Hagelin as soon as possible. They’ve got to get Rowney off the ice. I haven’t heard anything more on Dumoulin, but he will be missed as well. We don’t need Hunwick coming back in this series, but he’s next man up. No one is jumping over anyone on this team at this time. I can’t help thinking that’s not a good thing.
Washington is also punishing them on the physical side. While the numbers from today have them pretty even at 34-31, in the Caps favor, the Washington hits have been with intent. We need to do that, too, win or lose.
The Caps got a freebie today. That was goalie interference and that was a goal. Wilson’s hit was five minute major and a game misconduct, and there were several other calls gone uncalled. But, as they say, and oh how I hate it, that’s hockey. Regardless, the Caps played well enough to win anyway, and we didn’t. It’s time to do the Tighten Up (but don’t you get too tight).
Everyone acknowledges the Pens/Flyers rivalry, and I do not like the Flyers. But, there isn’t a team in this league I dislike more than the Caps, their entire squad, whoever is the coach, and even the city they call home. By comparison, I’d actually be a Flyers fan.
— 55
Hey 55,
Great comments, as always. In fact, reading your thoughts provided some inspiration for my Game 2 rant, “Calamity at Capital One Arena.”
Have you ever considered writing for a blog like PenguinPoop? Not kidding… 🙂
The Pens seem to have fallen into the nasty habit of needing to fall a goal or two behind before finding the ‘on’ switch. I know they’ve played a lot of high-stakes hockey over the past couple of seasons and may require a challenge to get properly motivated, but no other team seems to operate that way. And it’s pure folly to think they’re always going to be able turn on the juice at the drop of a hat.
Part of the problem is, the Caps are a lousy match-up for us, physically. Aside from Jamie Oleksiak, who’s been a little quiet for my taste when it comes to throwing his weight around, we really don’t have anyone who can respond to the Caps. Trading away Ian Cole and Ryan Reaves sure didn’t help.
If Dumoulin can’t go in Game 3 (and I pray he can) I’d be tempted to go with either Andrey Pedan or Jarred Tinordi, both of whom are large and can stand up to the Caps’ body-banging tactics.
Like you, I don’t see Mike Sullivan doing that.
Rick
Rick,
Thank you for your kind words. I apppreciate them, and I’m honored by your offer, but I’ll have to think about it. I’ve been cajoled to start my own by other friends, on other topics I sometimes rant about, and have always resisted, knowing me and how the feeling of having to would probably kill the thrill for me. But, I will consider your kind offer. Thank you, once again.
I agree with you about them needing that motivation, but it’s a strange set of instructions they seem to have to work through to find that switch. I’d love to see that blueprint. The downside is a switch like that can easily become a panic switch if pushed too hard, too often, with spotty results.
I’m sure the number of high stakes games they’ve played works into all of it, but when you think about it, the Caps have played their fair share of extra games in the past several seasons, too. Not as many, but not so far behind as to completely negate the fact.
I honestly think this teams size works against it, and I have for some time in spite of all the winning. That negative becomes more negative with each successive season. It is a point of diminishing returns. The day has to come when those shortcomings, forgive the pun, lengthen to the point where they can no longer be so easily overcome no matter how many times you find that switch. It happened to Chicago. It will happen here. Maybe we are seeing that unfold in this series. I hope not, but the signs are there.
There’s no way the get through this series without hitting back, being just as ruthless, and being that first. That’s it. Hey, they may still win this series, but, again, each successive season, under the same circumstances, the cost gets higher. This team has lacked size and toughness for five years, at least, and that point of diminishing returns is staring them right in the face, eye to eye. Excuse my French but it’s time to shit or get off the pot. You put some beef in the line up, if even for just the next game, and let them rip it up a bit. Turn ‘em loose. I’ll say it again, you’ve already won two cups in a row, you’ve got nothing to prove and less to lose. If you say you’re all in, then go all in, meaning everybody and anybody that will knock the Caps on their asses.
Fortunately, we’ve learned today that Dumoulin was at practice in full gear and full contact. That’s a sigh of relief you hear in the background. Malkin and Hagelin were full contact, too, Hagelin wearing a full cage. Looks like we will have all three in the saddle for tomorrow. But, with them, there better come some resolve to take a body. There’s no other answer. The Caps are coming and they’re head hunting. That’s the only way they can beat us. That’s how they beat Columbus. They beat the hell out of Panarin and he all but disappeared after the second game.
And, anyone surprised that Wilson received no further discipline to the no further discipline he’d already received should perhaps switch their allegiance to another sport.
I may be wrong. I often am. But, I’m dead serious about this. If you want to win, you play to win. You do whatever it takes, right up to the edge of the rule book. As they say, if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’. They don’t use that book much anyway, so you might just get lucky. And, if you’re going to go down, you leave some nasty scars. THAT’S hockey.
— 55
Hey 55,
You’re more than welcome for the kind words…and the offer.
I don’t know why I didn’t think to broach the subject before. Must’ve been due to all those missing brain cells I’ve killed off at the Pennsbury Pub & Grille … hiccup … 🙂
Your writing and comments are uniformly excellent. In fact, I’ve often wondered if you were a sportswriter in a past life.
Needless to say, I agree 100 percent with your thoughts regarding our abject lack of size and snarl. The Caps are shoving a physical game down our throats…and giving us no choice but to respond in kind. There’s the rub…we simply don’t have the horses…or the mental makeup…to do that.
I opined in a response on my latest article that we sit Rowney (or Kuhnhackl…take your pick of Craig Adams clones) and dress Pedan or Tinordi. Give ’em a mandate to hit anything that moves, just as you suggest.
Of course we won’t do that…
Rick
Don’t know if you’ve seen/heard, Pedan has signed with the KHL. Another opportunity missed. He wants to play pro hockey in the big time. Can’t say I blame him. It’s not the NHL, but it’s not the AHL either. I would assume he’ll still be available here for the duration of the post season. Wouldn’t it be nice if they’d give him a big send off with some game time as a nice parting gift?
By the way, I’m still meaning to make it to the Pennsbury to see Dennis Murphy. One of these days… Is he still working there?
Hey 55,
I didn’t hear that about Pedan. Yes, why would we want to give a kid who’s 6’5″ 215, can fight, skate and score a chance, when we can plug in the immortal Frankie Corrado (no offense to him).
It’s like we’re allergic to physical defensemen … 🙁
Murph doesn’t work at the Pub…just frequents it. He hasn’t been as regular as before, but occasionally he’ll show up on a Friday or Sunday night.
He does tend bar at the Ukranian Club in Carnegie on Sunday afternoons. And he frequents the Pour House in Carnegie…I think mostly on Friday nights.
Rick
Hey 55,
That is some really bad news – re Pedan. Not that Pouliot was setting the world on fire but we gave him away. I was feeling bad enough this AM now that I read this, I am really depressed.
Hi Rick,
Just finished watching the mugging in game two. More on that later.
I, too, have been tough on Letang, for a few years, in fact. I just think he should play better defense. Period. That’s about it in a nutshell. If you are the teams leader on defense, and wearing an A besides, you should play solid defense, lead by example, and insist the others follow your lead. That’s why the position is called “defenseman,” and the A means Assistant Captain. The goals are great, but, well… there’s still… you know… defense. If the numbers you reference are close, he’s 50/50. When he was ten years younger, even five, or so, years ago, that was still a decent bet. It isn’t now. There he was again today, on the opening goal, skating away from the shooter (Ovechkin), and toward the guy who already had a body on him. Maybe you want to let your goalie take Ovie straight up as few times as possible, don’tcha think?
Concurrent to those feelings are much the same regarding coaching, as in why is he still chewing north of 25 minutes a game? It’s beyond time to remove the blinders, and stop believing the praise he gets, still, in the press, and give at least ten of his minutes to someone who will play defense. They’re playing him as they do, I suspect, maybe because they think there’s nothing they can do about that. That’s crap, and everybody knows it. You’re going for three, guys, you’ve already got two in a row, you’ve got nothing to lose.
And, in that vein, while also getting back to today’s game, and the playoffs thus far, Kessel has been horrible, for about a month, so why is he still skating? To protect his Ironman streak? This, and Letang, have stilted coaching written all over them. I’d call it bad coaching, but I’m attempting to be a bit softer. Sprong should be suiting up for game three right now, and Kessel should be fishing out his binoculars for the best possible views from the press box. He appears hurt, but in any event, he’s hurting the team. One shot each in six of eight games, and one goal. He can’t take a pass, and rarely completes one. They just skate up to him and steal the puck like it’s just laying there, unattended. What does he have to do, or not do further, to warrant a few games off. It’s the playoffs. There is no making it up later in the season.
And now, Dumoulin may be out, and I won’t be surprised if Wilson draws no punishment. We may see Hunwick anyway, and in combination with an unfiring sniper and a misfiring “loose cannon”, well, we’ve got potential trouble. Hey! Have you guys heard about this fellow… Uh? Pedan, is it?
And… (snicker, snicker) how ‘bout those officials? Eh? Just when you find yourself thinking it can’t possibly get any worse, they set a new record. Rule 67, or maybe 69, item 2): “a player who goes into the crease and causes deliberate contact with the goalie shall be deemed goal tender interference.” Or words to that effect.
And, this one from the Mr. Physical Science desk: “If a puck is tucked completely behind the goal post, and is fully in contact with the bottom bar, it is deemed to be completely beyond the goal line, as the goal post and goal line are the exact same width.” I think this passage is also in “Hockey for Idiots”, on, like, page two or three, since idiots rarely read beyond the first several pages before thinking they know everything.
If I didn’t find this crap screamingly funny, it would give me ulcers. That’s all I got, for now.
— 55, AKA Flummoxed in Brentwood
Hey Rick,
I haven’t had the time to crunch all the numbers but after reading your post let me throw this out there.
First Letang does have a decent +/- this post season (+4); due to the number of goals for he has been on the ice for. However, his Team Goals Against at even strength is still statistically the same as his ridiculously high GA/60 from the regular season, 3.43 so there really is a good reason why your eye test is so negative. At even strength other teams are scoring a lot of goals while he is out there, regardless of his ice time.
The saving grace for the Pens right now is that he also has been on the ice for even more goals for. his GF/60 at even strength is 6.00. Therefore if he played a full 60 minutes the Penguins would win 6 to 3.43.
As I said, I haven’t crunched the numbers for the whole team. Maybe there are players worse this post-season. Since Murray’s GA Avg is only 2.17 but Letang is on the ice for 3.43 GA/60, he is a problem defensively. but Letang has really been a 1-Dimensional player this year and that dimension isn’t “D”. He owes Murray a big fat dinner for all of the extra stress he has dumped on the young goalie.