Recently, a good friend offered a bit of sage advice. “Never get too high when things are going well, and never get too low when things aren’t,” he cautioned.
Going back to the summer, I confess I’ve been a voice of gloom and doom regarding our Penguins’ Stanley Cup chances. Among my persistent complaints…a lack of grit, speed and defensive structure. Not to mention too many centers and a dearth of talent up front on the port side.
The Pens’ supremely checkered play over the first five games of the season did little to sway my opinion. And that was before key defenseman Justin Schultz went down with a severe leg injury.
Discussing our myriad issues with a hockey pal prior to the start of the recent road trip, I moaned, “Toronto’s going to destroy us.”
So much for my budding career as a prognosticator. As we all know, the Maple Leafs didn’t trounce us as I’d so glumly predicted. Quite the opposite. Seemingly out of the blue, our boys turned in a sterling effort to stun the powerhouse Leafs, 3-0.
They hit. They backchecked. They hustled. They won puck battles. Kris Letang looked like his old pre-disc injury self. Matt Murray resembled…Matt Murray.
The trend continued. Following a slight letdown against Edmonton…a game we snatched from the overtime fire thanks to Sidney Crosby’s splendiferous backhand tally…we strafed Calgary and Vancouver by a combined score of 14-1 and looked darn impressive doing it. While no one’s putting the Flames and Canucks on a short list of Cup contenders, they’ve both played us tough over the past year or so…especially Vancouver.
So why are we suddenly playing like a well-oiled machine? First and foremost, our guys seem invested. They’re showing up each and every night ready to play. When the Pens match their staggering talent level with an equally inspired work ethic, the sky’s literally the limit.
It sure doesn’t hurt that our best players have set a sterling example. Crosby’s been positively torrid, both from a production (five goals and eight points on the road trip) and effort standpoint. Ditto Evgeni Malkin (four goals, nine points), who’s tied for second in the NHL scoring race with 18 points and skating like a man possessed.
Following a sluggish start, Patric Hornqvist sprang to life with back-to-back two-goal games. Heck, even noted hot-dog lover Phil Kessel is breaking a sweat at both ends of the rink. Not coincidentally, “Phil the Thrill’s” chipped in with a bushel full of big goals.
When you get this kind of buy-in from the stars, it’s awfully hard for the rest of the team not to follow suit.
Too, the Pens seem to be growing more comfortable with each passing game. While disruptive at times, Mike Sullivan’s incessant line juggling appears to have reaped dividends. Same thing on defense. The Olli Maatta–Jamie Oleksiak tandem was a combined plus-eight against the Canucks. On the troubled third pairing, Jack Johnson and Chad Ruhwedel appear to have bonded in an instant while displaying good chemistry.
The newbies are finding their respective niches as well. Days shy of his 42nd birthday, Matt Cullen’s proven he can still play and contribute. Despite limited ice time, Dominik Simon’s established himself as a legit NHL player with sneaky skills. Even Daniel Sprong, perpetual occupant of Sullivan’s dog house, has flashed his marvelous potential of late. Following a one-game hiatus, he registered an assist and six shots on goal against the Canucks…in only 11:46 of ice time.
Suddenly, the Pens are playing on their toes instead of their heels…the way Sullivan and nature intended.
If we keep it up? Who knows? We just might sip another round of bubbly from Lord Stanley’s chalice after all.
Hi TOR and Rick Buker,
I believe Penguins have a lot of ways to go before we can say they have it all together to be a strong play hard against team. I don’t think they have sustained it.
And It needs to be 25-30 more games to give a fair complete assessment. Penguins needs to showed and compete hard against metro opponents. They did good against Western Canada teams. They still had ton of breakdown on the ice, no depth scoring and it was easy to play against those teams. Spend to much in their zone. Sid and Jake had been the most consistent fowards. Letang has been ok good enough with Dumoulin greatness.
Yes. I did say it. At practices they don’t focus to much on defensive work with defenseman and some players have hard times giving speed through the neutral zone during drills.
My take?
1. Kris Letang has been ok good. He hasn’t been that good, imo. Like omg . I don’t see dominant two way hockey. Pens needs more defensive work from him than offensive work.
He wants to be the fowards to much to get his points.
He still bad on the top powerplay, breakdown in his zone, he does to much . Bad passes and he will never simplify his game. Only good flashes. He still injury prone and he will be out for some games on multiple games as season progresses. Letang will be put some games with Shultzy’s absence.
I feel like Brian Dumoulin is carrying him greatly and babysitting him . Letang happens to be good because Shultz is out and Johnson isn’t gonna give you nothing to strength the D Corp. i will take him for now due to one of my favorite Pens player is out.
I don’t see him as a ‘Norris’trophy candidate and he won’t win that . There’s 10-12 players that are better than him and will be a finalist to win it. Overall D Corp still needs to be better with forwards committed to 5 man unit on ice. No matter what .. I still want Penguins to trade Letang once Justin Shultz come back. I’m curious to see if Letang is out will D Corp Will Rutherford go for top 4 defender and new 3C
.
2. Johnson sucks. I don’t care about he needs to learn the system. BS.
He give you nothing to desire or to rave about on the ice. Every stats sheet, articles and eye test tell you about him. Johnson will always give you what you think he will.
Johnson lacks contextual awareness and positioning. He’s slow to react. Bad defensively. He’s poor man Kris Letang.
He always lost on the the ice and slow . Low hockey iq. He will always have his team outshot and give up goals on the ice. He isn’t that good offensively nor defensively. Skating is ok. Him blocking shots and hits doesn’t impact this team. It give them nothing. Sullivan finally understand that he happens to shelter him into bottom pairing role and limited even strength time. He’s bad on 4 v4 and 5 vs4 too. He bad in his zone. Not creative and can’t keep his head on a swivel. Several times he defends next to his defenseman or fowards that defending their man. Johnson did had ok good moments. About 2-3 moments. Johnson isn’t better than Cole or Hunwick. Pens miss a player like Cole. JR made mistake on this signing. Grant win a face off to the blue line will let you know how he lacks offensively. With him on that ice pens will get outshot and goals scored with him.
3. Pens lacks depth scoring from bottom lines. I’m happy thAT Top Players do their thing. I love it. But it needs to be more coming from bottom lines offensively and to help top players to win games. Pens cannot win games like that. I still believe pens needs infused youth complete depth there. New 3C and LW. Sheahan-Cullen-Hornqvist has been great . Pens need better rolling bottom lines. I still see one trick pony players on the bottom lines that doesn’t give you that much. Sheahan needs to shoot the puck more to help in goal scoring department. He doesn’t to much there. He needs to simplify and shoot the puck. He doing much better with Cullen playing center for him.
4. I like Bryan Rust’s versatile game. I really do . He leaves you to desire more on the ice. He’s doesn finish nor great on passing. He’s very streaky and unnoticeable. He does to much . Weak on the puck and forecheck at times Hard time sustaining puck down low to cycle. His hockey iq/ game doesn’t match Sid’s line. Rust is great bottom line 3rd or fourth liner.
I believe JR was tryna to trade him too. I don’t mind him on the team. I don’t like the sign for him. I would have given him 3X2 or 3X3 deal. Probably 2.5×3. He’s needs to be better with his new deal. I do see Rutherford trading him. He gotta get it together offensively with his defensive strides. He’s a good player.
5. I really like that Määttä has better partner in Oleksiak on the second pairing. They have been very , very good together . I like that tandem together and Määttä is coming back to form. I love Oleksiak reach with stick , his jump in to play and just his improvement to help the D Corp on the back end.
6. Sid and Jake Duo has been the most consistent fowards on this team. With or without the puck. Points or no points. Playing very sound two way hockey. Very Committed in all zones . They need a consistent complementary RW . Whether it’s Hornqvist or Simon. I really want a new speed RW. I would like them to have consistency there on that line. I hate line shuffling there and Brassard playing wing there where it sacrifices being Sid’s left wing.
Sid and Jake need Hags type player that can give them space and let them do their thing together. I’m overly concerned with Simon mess up Jake and Sid chemistry. That lines doesn’t need to three playmakers. If Simon can open space for them like Hags and help them consistently get their goals . I’m fine with it. If not . Idk . Simon still needs to develop more consistency. I like that Sid and Jake understands that they will have to go on their own with speed to get a better breakout in the neutral zone to get to offensively zone. Some defenseman still have problems in their zone.
7. I like Phil and Geno together. It’s a coin flip with them. You don’t know what you will get with them during games. Islanders game showcase that. They can be coasting in the game and not committed in the d zone. It’s time where Phil’s laziness hurt Geno’s line. Geno and Hags likes to battle for the puck and hold on to it to keep puck cycle going to create offensively.
Phil has issue on being strong the boards. He gives up to easy to win puck battles. It can be scary bad.
Phil needs to take it serious he happens to be stronger on the puck battles and defensively taking a man in the D zone. He needs to get back to help.
8. Whether it Murray’s fault or some defensive breakdowns . When he plays bad or bad on shooter tendencies he never will get criticism that he deserves. Give up goals and not tracking puck well. He’s infallible to it. Murray needs to be better and strong on his head. He needs to play like he wants to keep the game 0-O.
He needs to make better big saves and be more focus in the net. He doesn’t bring consistency nor convincing to be a starting consistency goalie. He’s a on and off goalie.
I said it.. I will keep saying it .. Murray needs a committed D Corp in front of him every game. It happen to be that way. Committed 5 man unit. If not Penguins gotta score 4-5 more goals to win games. Yes. Defenses needs to be better so does Murray. I hope Murray can get it together. I do foresee Murray not being a top goalie in two to three years. I’m curious to see how Alex Orio and Tristan Jarry progressing in WBS. They are doing good. DeSmith is a damn good back up goalie.
9. Brassard doesn’t fit this team. Bad Trade. It is what it is . Gave up to much assets. Brassard shouldn’t be playing left wing on Sid’s line nor should it hurt Guentzel play his permanent spot as left wing with Sid’s line. It makes Pens C depth very weak and out of order.
Brassard doesn’t have nothing to offer the Penguins. It evident. He’s good player on another team . I gues. He doesn’t understand his role nor seem to want to 3C role on this team. Brassard is overrated, imo. They need a better understanding 3C that do all things defensively and chip in offensively within 13-15 minutes a game. Sometimes extra minutes with Geno or Sid for defensive purposes to win games or back them up. Pens acquired him to be a significant 3C that unique help them play tough against every game. It’s either he come back play 3C role to help them win pr trade him.
I say trade him for someone who can fit and understand their role behind two top elite greats that tough to play hard against. Penguins can get a 3C, 1-2picks and defenseman for him. Penguins can get a great return for him. Brassard need to go .
10. I believe Sullivan shorten the bench because of Sprong and Brassard. Brassard has been doing nothing for 3C role.
Sprong has good shot. But he isn’t completel Nhl player that help this team. IMO. He has long way to go. To many mistakes on offensive side and defensive side. Very brutal. Bad positioning and awareness etc.. He can’t not whitstand rigors of the National Hockey League. He overextended himself every shift and very lost on the ice. No hustle bustle with him.
Sprong hasn’t showed he’s has great shot with offensive talent. He just have great shot and ok good passing. He doesn’t have it. Very low hockey iq . To much to breakdown on him. Hes deserves a chance , no doubt. He needs to be developing more in WBS . He doesn’t impressed nor should he be on this roster at this point. He doesn’t give Pens that youth spark to hurt teams.
Strong possibility he was never translate over to top the National league. I’m fine with Penguins find a way to wavier him to WBS or trading him. I know people think he get a short end of the stick . He isn’t doing no favors for himself. He had ok good sequence with Geno after overextended himself on that shift.
I know it a long comment…
Hey Dee,
I am not sold on any of the PEns D right now, I just won’t argue right now because there is nothing to which I can point statistically. It is still early and Murray and DeSmith were outstanding in Canada.
In Johnson’s case, I was and still am willing to give him some benefit of the doubt, but I just do not understand why the team signed him in the first place. They were already fairly full on the port side; starboard is where they needed/still need players. They did nothing to address the RD.
I do believe the bottom 6 scoring is really a case of not putting the right players in the right roles. A lot of people are down on Sprong. Sorry, I wasn’t in training camp. I only recently stopped pushing for him. Had Sullivan treated him better, I am pretty sure that Sprong would have been the perfect 3rd line RW to give it punch. Hornqvist should be on the top line, he complimented that line perfectly in the play-offs.
Cullen should have been the odd man out at C and Brassard the 3rd line C with Sheahan on 4th line. I like Cullen but I am sorry, other players would have made this team more formidable.
I do like Rust and would hate to see him go, but he is the type of player that the Pens could dangle for a decent return. I am not sure if JR was trying to trade him or not (is that a gut feeling or did you hear something?) but I do understand the strategy there.
Honestly. right now, I am just as concerned with Maatta as I am with all the other Penguins D. I don’t know if it is a lack of practice as 55 suggested, too many of the same player (mobile vs hard hitters) or teams adjusted to the Pens without the Pens readjusting. Whatever it is, there are problems here.
I do like Crosby w/Guentzel and Malkin with Kessel. Until Sprong develops into a top line RW (or if he is given a chance to), Hornqvist needs to be Crosby’s Starboard Wing. A bigger problem is Malkin’s port Wing. I like Hagelin, but since his first season he has shown no scoring touch. His speed makes him a valuable PK and bottom 6 but he adds little to the 2nd line. Perhaps Simon would work better here or maybe Adam Johnson. Next year may find Bjorkqvist and/or Hallander fighting for those spots.
Murray, well I am a Murray fan. What made Murray, Murray was his unflappability. However, I can’t argue with you that over the last couple of seasons it does appear that Murray has lost a little of that cool. At this point he has to realize that his D is absent most of the night and that he needs to just stay within himself to keep the team in it, just like he did in his 1st 2 Cup years.
I am not sure yet what I do with Brassard. We are losing him at the end of the season so trading him now while Cullen is around may not be that bad of an idea, particularly if the Pens can get a solid RHD. (If they listened to me and signed Hersley instead of or in addition to Riikola they may be smiling like the proverbial butchers dog (See my Prospects post).
Although I am in agreement with a negative assessment of this years incarnation of Sprong, I do think that if the team hadn’t messed with his psyche we woulddn’t be having this conversation. Last years incarnation of Sprong was a different animal and I would have argued with you.
Hey TOR,
JR made a mistake with signing Jack Johnson. I get it . He deserves a chance. I will try to give him 2 more games . After that , I’m moving on , hoping JR do his diligence to get a top 4 defender. I don’t understand it , either . Rutherford priority should have been getting another right- handed defenseman to help Oleksiak on the back end. It was better Defensemen to go after during the summer.
Rumors and Talks . JR was trying hard acquire Alex galchenyuk and Max Domi. Rutherford included Rust and Sheary in a trade. Arizona and Montreal didn’t take it. Also Brassard being considered to being traded as well. JR was tryna trade him before he sign him. I hate see him go too. I think it will happen this season.
I would trade Rust, Brassard and Sprong to get something infused in this time. Then Letang when Shultz return from his injury.
Sprong deserves a chance.
I just don’t think it with the team and he needs to be developed more. Be able to float and coasting do whatever with a team who are rebuilding .
He doesn’t fit Guentzel and Crosby style of play. Geno too. I don’t mind him getting occasional shifts with them here and there. IMO. Sprong is a bottom 6 RW on this team. If he showed more or improved in more games. I would stick him to the third line. I don’t want Sprong on the top lines with Geno or Sid. Everyone seem to be going off what they have seen from years ago and Ahl games that hasn’t translate over to the National Hockey League. He’s has a great shot and ok passing . He doesn’t have the work ethic nor high iq to match sid and Geno’s lines.
Some defenseman show sparks on being very good and consistent. Another top 4 defender is missing. I see very good things in Maatta, Oleksiak and Dumoulin. Rikkola as well. Pens D Corp problem is that coaching staff want them to be in the play to much. To much offensive work from them. They need to be defensive mind first and have better consistent partner. Pens coaching staff needs to let players play to their strengths and on their natural side . Left handed D -Right handed D .
I don’t have no concern with Määttä. I like that he’s with a better defensive partner and he can play to his strengths. Play his game. Määttä-Oleksy showed they can be capable of that second pairing.
Letang and Johnson is the biggest concern for me.
I don’t mind Hags with Geno. Hags does his job . Sullivan wants Geno and Kessel to the shooters on that line. Hags does his job. I don’t mind him getting resigned on this team . I have no problem with him. I will love it. !!
Problem on Geno’s team is when Phil Kessel doesn’t put to much effort to win puck battles and coasting in games . Weak on the puck and not forecheck like did with some games in Canada . Sometimes Geno will stop coasting as well . They will become lazy together.
I believe Geno’s line does get better easy match than Sid’s lines.
They don’t help defensively on his zone to stop team from scoring. It happens 4-5 times in two games.
I love kessel but it Sully might go back to Hags and Hornqvist with Geno. I want him to stay. You know Sully gets impatient with Geno and Phil.
Penguins top lines isn’t the problem. Bottom lines . I won’t mess with top lines . I would have Hornqvist with Sid and Jake . ( Like you said) Then get a better RW there for them. Sully does have a habit of keeping Hornqvist away from Sid. So I will get new signed RW there.
Whatever it is , Penguins have underlying problems on bottom lines and D corps. It shows every game .
Bad Puck management and decisions. Bad in their zone. Bad line changes.. Etc.. Win or lose.
Brassard needs to be traded . It’s evident.
Penguins need great 3C that can play within 13-15 minutes that chips on defensively and offensively. Get the puck to the wingers, effectively.
For now , when Brassard comes back I would do Rust-Brassard-Sprong or Simon-Brassard-Sprong. You can always go back to Simon -Brassard-Rust. Idk. Brassard needs to go.
Pens needs
1) Top 4 Right -Handed Defensemen
2) New effective 3C
3) New infused youth / probably a bottom grit skilled cheap nhl LW .
4 ) Bottom Lines scoring/ players playing bring to their shifts
5) Consistency and Urgency
I say it .. if pens top players can’t score then bottom lines needs to be able to help offensively and be hard to play against other teams. Islanders vs Penguins showed that. You cannot have only one to lines dominate your opponents. Pens can’t pick and chose to dominate opponents .
Tortz has reinvented the Islanders and Greiss is a different goalie. Points do matter against Teams in your division.
Murray is Murray. He was solid during Western Canada trip with pens do doing better of protecting him and defending much better within their breakdowns.
I didn’t like that hit to the side of his head with Johnson Bad sequence. Whether he needs to go back to be more unflappable in the net. Murray has a lot issues. He needs to be protected. Team happens to do better of that. He’s isnt good with shooter tendencies not on breakaways. Glove hand and sometimes 5 five hole. His positioning.
I’m hoping for the best for him to build more confidence back to his old glimpses of himself. I’m not sold on him. It’s the consistency, durability and reliability to me. He has regressed since they have replaced goalie coaching.
Unfortunately, he happens to become like John Gibson where he just gotta stop the puck consistently and do what he can.
Pens are very questionable team at this point. I will give it 10-20 more games.
I hope this month they can get it together and find More consistency to be hard to play against. Take opposing team more serious to win games. I didn’t see it with the Islanders in two games.
Hey Rick,
Chicken or Egg?
When the team was struggling the 4th line was only getting ~3 minutes TOI. In those last 2 thumpings the 4th line played 10+ minutes.
Some may say that the 4th line got the TOI because the Pens were winning. Maybe?
However, last game, It was pretty close most of the game. It really wasn’t until the end that the B-n-G broke it open.
I am just hoping they can keep it rolling and I have to eat some of my words.
Hey tOR,
I’m going with the egg even though I’m not really sure which one it is in your analogy. I believe they got more Ice time because the team was winning. Sullivan usually does give them a decent amount of ice time at the beginning of the games and tightens is up if the game is close or if the team is losing.
I wouldn’t read too much into it though.
The big thing I noticed is that Sullivan is up to his old tricks of benching players and mixing up lines. That is when he is at his best. The team/players seem to really respond. The proof was Sprong hustling the entire game against Vancouver and even connected on a pass, I haven’t seen him do that this season.
Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
Hey Phil,
I am just praying that I have to eat my words and large portion of humble pie (Peter Frampton anyone?) come Spring as the Cup is marched thru the ‘burgh for the 3rd time in 4 years.