In the 1970 movie Kelly’s Heroes, Oddball says to Moriarty, “Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?” Sorry Penguins’ faithful, I have nothing righteous and hopeful to say after this latest no show of a game. Our favorite flightless fowl found themselves on the wrong end of a 4 – 2 score against divisional rival New Jersey. Since it was a divisional game, it really was more like a 4 point swing. The loss firmly entrenched our Penguins to 7th in the division. That is way outside of the playoffs.
It was only game 16 of the current season. There still is time to right this foundering ship. There still is plenty of time to find some answers. However, it should be painfully obvious to all but the most blind, that those answers probably do not include doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Sixteen games represents a hair less than 1/5th of the season but it is over half of 28 games. It was at the 28 game mark of the 2015 – 2016 season, Mike Sullivan replaced Mike Johnston. Mike Johnston had a 0.589 win percentage (W%) and was 2nd in the division. Mike Sullivan currently has a 0.531 W% and our Penguins are languishing at the 7th spot in the division, 5 places lower than when Johnston was canned. They are only 2 points out of last place in the division.
The Penguins lack scoring;
The Penguins have only scored 13 goals in the 8 games since the Canada trip. (Again not much different than the Johnston era in scoring – but at least Johnston’s teams didn’t give up goals). Sullivan whines about secondary scoring, they aren’t even getting primary scoring. They only have enough top forwards to support 1 full line, leaving one of their 2 top Centers without Wingers. The name of the game is out scoring your opponent. without at least 2 scoring lines, you aren’t going to win many games in the NHL.
At this point, the team may really need to try and find a way to trade for a top 6 forward or 2 to compliment Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Jake Guentzel. However, there is one player on the roster that Sullivan has continued to refuse to try in a top 6 role, Daniel Sprong.
Oh that is right, Sullivan doesn’t think he is good enough, he doesn’t think he is defensively responsible enough. Outside of this year, where Sullivan continues to allow ego to outweigh team. I won’t bore you readers with the advanced stats that say Sullivan is wrong, unless someone wants to see them but objective evidence doesn’t support Sullivan’s excuses. Excuses? yes, that is what they are, excuses to obfuscate just one more player run out of town on the rails.
Patric Hornqvist, Bryan Rust, Matt Cullen, Carl Hagelin, and Riley Sheahan all have points per 60 minutes lower than Daniel Sprong, yet during this scoring drought not only does Sullivan keep Sprong in the press box, he still keeps giving top 6 minutes to Hornqvist, Rust, and Hagelin.
But that is okay, they can’t prevent goals either.
I don’t mean that at a rap against the Penguins’ Goalies. The Penguins’ Goalies have done a yeoman’s job, weathering the storm. They must feel like Frances Scott Key at Fort McHenry facing the unending barrage of enemy artillery. Both Matt Murray and Casey DeSmith have had to turn in near 40 save shutouts to help steal some wins for this team bereft of competent defense or they would actually occupy the 8th spot in the division. They are rapidly closing in on their first shot at a top 5 draft pick in years.
To reference a Quinton Tarentino movie, the usual suspects (Letang, Johnson, Maatta) performed a disappearing act again, leaving DeSmith to the mercy of Devil’s shooters. Kris Letang turned in stellar -4 performance last night. A few weeks back I quipped that I would like to see what Brian Dumoulin could do if he didn’t have to baby sit Letang. Someone suggested that it was Letang who was baby sitting Dumoulin. Hmm. Letang was a -4 last night, Dumoulin was only a -1 and that -1 came when he was out there with Letang again.
It is well past time to get over it Sullivan. Just like in the playoffs last year you rewarded Letang’s poor play with ice time, his TOI was 25:37. No wonder Andrey Pedan and Lukas Bengtsson opted to play in the KHL this year. They knew they wouldn’t get TOI. In Pittsburgh, TOI is given to the most incompetent of Defensemen, it is doled out inversely proportional to a players ability to help their own goalie. Since Letang is opposing teams best offensive weapon, he earns the most TOI.
Getting back to my Sprong rant. Sullivan complains that the 21 year old kid can’t play defense. A closer look at the kids advanced stats could be support this, except his aren’t the worse.
Are you holding anyone else accountable Sullivan?
Outside of the train wreck that is Letang, in his defensive zone. Let’s look a little closer at Riley Sheahan and Matt Cullen and compare them to Sprong. Sprong has been saddled with these 2 allegedly defensively responsible Centers when Sullivan has begrudgingly allowed Sprong to play. All 3 have horrible defensive advanced stats. Sheahan has been on the ice for slightly less opponent Goals Against per 60 minutes (GA60) during even strength play (4.6 to Sprong’s 4.9, Cullen is worse at 5.0). For Shots Against per 60 minutes (SA60) Sprong actually has the best numbers of the 3 at 72.5 compared to Sheahan’s 72.9 and Cullen’s 75.8.
(Okay – so I lied about not going into advanced stats)
Since Sheahan and Cullen have played with other Wingers and still have worse advanced stats than Sprong, Sorry, Sullivan, Sprong isn’t the problem; his Centers are.
Am I once again beating the drum for Sprong? Well, sort of, but not really. At this point, it is probably best that Jim Rutherford trade Sprong, for the sake of both. It is just a shame that it has come to this point. Sullivan’s blinders may have burnt that bridge.
The Penguins are going no where fast at this moment.
So what is the solution? Sprong? A Trade or 2? A new Coach? New bottom 6 Centers?
There still is time to right the train, but that time is rapidly ticking down.
https://thehockeywriters.com/tanner-pearson-the-next-ones-2012-nhl-draft-prospect-profile-third-times-a-charm/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.silversevensens.com/platform/amp/2012/5/16/3022807/2012-nhl-entry-draft-tanner-pearson-prospect-profile
Tanner Pearson. Seems have great shot. Knack for the puck. Will go to net . Put himself in right spot to score. Can be responsible in his end. Not that physical. Need have to have more consistency game to game. I don’t know about his skating . I will research it. I think it did mention him days ago on the trade bait list that he might be a option here. Mixed reviews that he’s a top- 6 forward or bottom -6 Foward . Hopefully he return back to form with 30-40 points .
Tanner Pearson’s recent highlights
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CBLWyTAzsdA
Malkin’s line or third line?
Crosby is hurt. He being evaluated for a upper body injury.
Just saw this while posting.
Pen’s traded Hagelin to LA for Tanner Pearson.
Hagelin has been having a lot of trouble finishing so this could be a good move. Pearson doesn’t kill penalties though.
When I first heard this rumor, I was intrigued now that it is out there it may be good for both players and teams.
But like you Phil, although I wanted Hagelin off of the top 6, I still really liked him on the PK.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
The Other Rick
JR has put the team in a tough spot by not moving Letang out during the
off-season and creating cap space – he is limited as to what moves he
can make.
Last night I came all so close to putting my hand through the TV with the
intent of grabbing Letang by his throat – only he would pinch with the
scored tied 2 – 2……..He has absolutely zero hockey sense. I mentioned this
in an earlier comment – Trade Letang now while he’s playing well – In his last
5 games he has zero points a -4 and last night he was horrible.
They just signed JR through 2022 also.
Hey Mike,
Right there with you. I have been begging to trade him for a couple of years now.
Hey Phil,
I am okay with JR for now. I don’t really blame him for some of the more recent flop moves. I think he tried to do the best of a bad situation.
Hello TOR & Rick Buker,
Penguins got a lot of issues. Pens are sinking emright now. Sleep walking.
They are weak and very fragile . Penguins are very stale and out of sync.
Sheahan has no business with Kessel and Guentzel. Kessel and Guentzel should not be playing on the third line. Simon and Rust have no business being with Crosby. They both should playing on the third line. Crosby is carrying his line. Guentzel carrying the third liine. Malkin carrying his line. To much heavy-lifting and passengers.
-Lines combos are ridiculous,
– bad tactics and strategies
-bad coaching
-lackluster play and no urgency
-bad defensively
– secondary scoring.
-Johnson and Letang should not be playing together. Let alone Johnson on the top pairing.
– DefEnse pairing are bad
– no grit, puck battles, heavy forecheck, no good transition game, no simplicity in their game.
-coach have no idea what to do and no great in game adjustments
-disengaged and disinterested.
-Malkin need better linemates that are creative and can finish . So I get why he is disengage. He needs L W and Kessel there. Whether people like it or not Kessel and Malkin need each other.
-Crosby needs Guentzel on his line. They both need each other. Whether people like it not. Mike Sullivan is to blame here. They need a better right winger there.
There’s no way Sullivan thinks his team can win like this.
Like I said .. When Crosby get hound and swarming with players trying keeping him out offensive zone . Simon And Rust won’t do anything to help. They won’t finish nor open up space for him when he get the opportunity to fly the zone on the rush or when he’s winning battle down low. It’s baffling to me against Guentzel and Kessel talent are being wasted on the 3rd line with a center who isn’t effective enough for them.
Letang won’t win you a game or giving you best chance to chance on the ice. He’s to busy worrying about jumping in to play to get a goal and not playing the pens need to win games . His bad in his zone. Bad defensively. Do to much . Do not leave the way on the ice.
I don’t know. Whether Penguins will win this game. But they need a massive shape up and some firing within the coaching staff. It’s crazy. He always line shuffling in game all time But when needs to do Line shuffling or go heavy load with starts to win . He doesn’t do it.
There’s no way your star Phil Kessel is fighting. If so . It won’t end well.
Penguins are the same team from last season. To many similar issues from last season. 🤦🏽♂️🙆🏽♂️ They are 1-2 Devils with one period left. Penguins are already some points out the playoffs.
Pens needs trades and new systemic changes.
9 straight games where the Penguins haven’t scored a goal without one of 71 or 87 on ice and 5 games where the Pens haven’t scored without 87 on the ice.
Also Guentzel and Kessel have factor in a lot of goals on the ice and have goals of their own.
Malkin and Crosby can’t do it by themselves . With only Kessel AAnd Guentzel.
Guentzel has been playing great.
Malkin 16 games 7g 14a 21 Pt
Crosby 16 games 8g 11a 19pt
Kessel 16 games 8g 11a 19pt
Guentzel 16 games 6g 6a 12pt
Some points out the playoffs.
So you tell me.
Pens need shake up and playing to help them win games. They need a better supporting cast to get the job done without constant line shuffling, double -shifting and passengers.
Whether I understand it or not. If Rutherford doesn’t want to put this team in place like he did with Carolina Tenure. Then he needs to get it together and do what’s best for business and not for players loyalty.
Everyone should be on the trade list. Except Crosby, Malkin, Kessel , Dumoulin, Guentzel And Shultz. I would like to see some other players stay. I won’t say .
Penguins and Rutherford should trade Letang to get a decent return and make this team better. Of course some other players should be traded too. With or without Shultz in the lineup. The time is now. Weight your options . Take the blinders off. Get something while he health right now.
Shop him and get some offers. Letang has nothing to offer the Penguins anymore. Penguins don’t need another foward on the ice and bad over passing quarterback. A player lost on defensive fundamentals and shot the puck in shin pads where pens desperately tryna get a goal to tied. Instead Devils get EN goal. Gives up defensively and HE Plays A FOWARD ON THE ICE. Letang should have traded during the summer and use 10 million better after Sabres gave them cap space .
Penguins will not win games nor stanley cup playing this way. I don’t see it with Letang on this team with.
Rutherford just sign contract extension. So I guess Sullivan’s job isn’t in jeopardy. Sullivan need be held accountable and fired. Time to move. Trades are very imminent at this point.
Defenseman needs to play defense first, stay where they belong, stop playing like a fowards and pinching badly. Stop being timid and scared. Stop putting the fowards in Defensive responsibilities. They needs to anticipate better. Play simple and be aggressive enough to take their opponents without stup miscues.
Sullivan needs to be held accountable. He scratched Olenskiak . Because he does to much and get himself in trouble. C’mon. Letang is overrated, overhyped, overpaid one trick pony who gets himself in trouble every game. He still get rewarded ice time where he needs to held accountable for his actions.
Sounds like Ian Cole situation.
Coaching staff is the problem. Coaching staff wanting play high risk/ high reward style hickey will not help you win games.
B2b cups are in the rearview mirror . Mike Sullivan time is up.
Penguins are a mess. Top to bottom.
Dumoulin- It’s crazy . He’s better without Kris Letang. He blossoms better without him. No babysitting. He look more better of anticipating the play and jump in the rush at the time. He have better transition out his zone without h Letang. He get the puck to fowards quick. Arizona game was simply that. He did it last season with Big Rig and Shultz at times when he was separated from Letang.
He better without Letang.
It isn’t no coincidence that he got minus 1 late in a game. Letang giving up to not help after I’ll- advised pinching. It happened n last season, March 25, 2018 when Dumoulin has great game with Shultz then all of sudden Sullivan got to good for his own and put him back with Letang. Flyers ties the game to 4-4 to overtime. Pens D are better when Letang get limited ice time and invisible with other teams 3rd or 4th line if he doesn’t get beat. Limited role is better for Letang. Same thing for Jack Johnson.