Back in the day, rapper Eminem released a song titled, The Real Slim Shady, featuring the catchy refrain…“Please stand up, please stand up.”
A month into the regular season, I feel the same way about our Penguins. Will the real Pittsburgh Penguins please stand up?
Talk about a team that’s hard to figure…let alone write about. When they’re good they’re very, very good. And when they’re bad? The dreaded Mr. Hyde has nothin’ on the locals.
Ironically, we’ve played far and away our best hockey on the road…counterintuitive to say the least. Indeed, the black and gold are a healthy and wholly impressive 4-0-2 on the road, boasting a plus-15 goal differential to boot. On the flip side, we’re 2-3-1 within the friendly confines of PPG Paints Arena, a record that doesn’t truly reflect how shaky we’ve been on home ice.
Speaking of, it doesn’t get much worse than last night’s dismal 5-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Maple Leafs, does it? Our boys were pretty much dominated in every facet of the game.
A consistent thread on all of the Toronto tallies? The Pens seemed particularly vulnerable to quick counter strikes and goals scored off the rush. They struggled (and straggled) to get back to their zone and defend. Nor did they seem to have the foggiest notion of what to do once they got there.
Ever watch a Mite hockey game? The kids tend to cluster together in a chaotic clump of arms, legs and torsos to chase the puck, as if it were some sort of vulcanized rubber magnet. Well, that’s what we do in our own end…chase the puck. Given our complete lack of defensive structure, it’s hard to believe Jacques Martin…a true defensive mastermind…is actually a member of our coaching staff.
You’d never know it by our play on the ice.
Speaking of coaching, I’m going to digress and refer to some very astute observations offered by a pair of our esteemed commenters, 55 on Point and Dee. The former attended a couple of training camp sessions, where he witnessed drills involving our defensemen. According to ‘55,’ the instruction focused almost solely on making quick reads and outlet passes, with nary a word spoken in regard to actual defensive-zone play and positioning.
More recently, Dee opined that black-and-gold bench boss Mike Sullivan only knows how to coach one style…a familiar lament harkening back to the Dan Bylsma era. Now that the rest of the league has caught if not surpassed us in terms of speed, a large portion of the competitive advantage we used to enjoy appears to have all but vanished. Which leaves the Pens in the unenviable position of having to rely too heavily on their high-end skill players to get the job done.
Need evidence? During our six victories, the big three of Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin produced 16 goals. During our six regulation, overtime and shootout losses? They managed only four.
The proof’s in the pudding. As our stars go…so go our Pens. That’ll only take you so far.
So what’s the answer? Sure wish I knew. While I’m certainly not suggesting a return to the days of Mike Johnston, when shot suppression ruled, a more balanced approach might help. After all, offense can and does arise from playing sound defense. With their top-end talent, the Pens can be deadly as snake venom on the transition.
Some personnel tweaks might be in order, too, although we appear to have wildly divergent needs. On one hand, we sure could use a boost of pure speed and energy. Sounds like a job for Adam Johnson, a burner who’s presently toiling for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
At the same time, we could sorely use some size and muscle…especially on the wings. Qualities hulking Baby Pens forward Anthony Angello and, to a lesser extent, Zach Aston-Reese, possess. However, size and speed don’t necessarily come in the same package…especially in the case of Aston-Reese.
You see our dilemma.
The good news? Despite our strikingly uneven play, it’s early yet and there’s plenty of time to right the ship. As we all know, it’s far better for a team to find its stride…say…in March as opposed to October. However, we can’t morph into a disorganized mess, either. Something we’ve done on several occasions this young season, with last night’s debacle being the latest and most onerous example.
To sample from Marshall Mathers, let’s hope the real Pittsburgh Penguins please stand up…and soon.
Also I don’t think Jacques Martin is the problem on the coaching staff. I have seen him put players particularly the defenseman on heavy defensive drills and scream hard to tell do drill harder. To be better on defense. Players are following after reckless Letang as well. Remember he supposed to be the example and leader on the ice and for the D Corp.
It’s Sergie Gochar . He was an offensive minded defenseman and Sullivan want his defense to be jumping heavy on the play on the ice. Sergie and Sullivan is always having defenseman focus on passing the puck and gaps . I have never seen him tell them to play defense nor do heavy d drill like Martin.
Martin doesn’t get his credit. From my source he tries get Letang minutes reduce and I saw sometimes holds Letang accountable on the bench after bad play. Letang doesn’t listen. He doesn’t listen to coaching staff for that matter. It’s a article showing he doesn’t want to change nor simplify his game for the betterment of the team.
Mark Reechi isn’t help this team. I would fired Reechi and Sullivan. Players are bad under Reechi guidance with fowards. Kessel , Crosby and Malkin don’t respond to him. Powerplay is bad because it doesn’t have Crosby getting his looks and he’s just passing and not getting his looks.
Fowards were more better with Tocchet and Sully was listening to Tocchet on everything and his game adjustments. Look at the Coyotes team.. they doing better.. forecheck hard.. shorthand goals.. communication on the bench… Winning battles.. right players hold accountable.. so on..
Problem on the coaching staff is Gochar , Reechi and Sullivan. I don’t think Sully listen to Martin input to mUch .
Whether it’s a trade or not. I would to give Adam Johnson and Linderberg a chance. I think they can spark the bottom lines and have Hornqvist where he belongs. From eye test and stats Hornqvist is hustle and bustle on the ice. He just isn’t playing his game like he wants with Sheahan and Cullen. I like eye test better. I see he isn’t himself playing there. He isn’t bottom player. If he gonna play there it needs to be a ggod 3C or back to Sid or Geno. So he go to the net and be physical.
Hello Rick ,
It time to move on from GM Rutherford and Mike Sullivan before it gets worse and shades of Blysma.
Rutherford has had terrible off-season signings. He’s stuck in the past.
No good ways to better the pens around tight cap space. 3.5 million wasted and Rust probably should have gotta pay less or traded. I respect his game and like him. But he’s hasn’t been doing nothing, a passenger and he’s a bottom 6 forward.
Penguins Prospects Pool is weak. I would give Blueger, Johnson, Linderberg and Haggerty some call ups . Make heavy healthy scratches.
Sullivan’s philosophy has grow old. Defenseman always want to be fowards on the ice without carrying for defense first or making sure their zone is clear. Bad line changes.
His inability to play players to their strengths and to have great line combos with players he has. He doesn’t know how to handle adversity in games. Several times on the bench this season and last season he looks very lost or completely I don’t know what to do face. Players are not responding to play better nor attention to details. Defenseman are turnover machines and to busy pinching all the time. Defenseman are passing right to fowards nor getting the puck D. Always under pressure with puck and create pens being hemmed up in the zone .
Pens players are very disinterested, playing soft, no aggressiveness, no winning puck battles and opposing doing what they want to Murray in the crease.
He line shuffle Crosby line every game and Crosby doesn’t have no consistency nor permanent RW.
When it time for Sullivan to load up start so he win a game he doesn’t do it. He hold the wrong players accountable. He pick me off last night. He demoted Guentzel to third line.He play the Pk. Why? Guentzel didnt have a bad game. Simon cough cough the puck two the three times in two games. Bad passing. No consistency and does to much.He Created a odd man rushes.
Simon should have been demoted. Then Mike Sullivan finally let Guentzel go back to Sid then have Crosby with Rust and Hornqvist.
Some fans and Pens organization are living in the past. B2B stanley Cups were 2-3 seasons ago and they are not same team.
Pens need defensive overhaul, new top 4 defender and new blood that help secondary scoring with speed.
I would trade Brassard and Another player. To help for now. Eventually trade Kris Letang when Justin Shultz comeback.
New Coaching Staff. Starting with Reechi and Sullivan before it gets worse, imo.
To many issues has been going on since Tocchet and Boterill has exit the building.
Penguins have the same problems from last year and to many passengers on the roster. Pens organization seem to expect Sid and Geno supposed carry the team every night. There’s no great supporting cast ( exclude Jake,Horny, Phil , Brian, Rig Määttä, Hags ) that can help this team with great forecheck, more heavy speed, defense , secondary scoring to win games.
They lost some speed, grit , no Hungry blood and players that were eager to do what it takes to win.
I complain and complain this summer that Pens needed better second scoring, goalie D , better D , one bottom 6 LW and New RW.
Jack Johnson signing was bad and Derick Brassard Trade was bad. Neither one of them have given penguins anything to help win games.
I don’t care about Kris Letang and Jack Johnson. They both will get you what you think. Jack Johnson brings nothing to the table. He won’t give you what the pens needed. He has been on the ice for 15-16 goals. Eye test is bad and he knocked w two players into Murray’s head. He very lost on the ice. Indecisive and coughs up puck . Bad defensively and offensively. Bad hockey iq and no contextual awareness to know the situation on the ice.
Letang is the same Ole Letang. It showed in last three games. It was still some issues there since start of the season. ( really all his career)
I have watched closely. Every ones strat he throw the puck anywhere or ice it. Bad decisions with puck . Crosby’s line is often stuck in the zone every game with him ( like last season) Crosby’s line are always defending before getting to offensive zone. Bad in his own zone . He play reckless and out of control.
He does to much and won’t help you win a game . Pinching to much and bad ill advised passes . Make powerplay indecisive and brutal.
He plays like a foward. Has low hockey iq. Today’s practice they were practiced together and they played together in the game at times.
He isn’t norris trophy type player. People needs to eat some crow. Pens D Corp is a mess. No way Johnson and Letang should be playing together.
Pens needs better D , Secondary scoring and more from the coaching staff. Sid and Geno lines will do their job but you need help from you bottom players when they get shutdown and having a rough night. 2-3 goals from them won’t win a game.
Pens playing is the reflection of the coaching staff. There’s is to many passengers and players not playing to their strengths. Some are not great on this team.
Pens needs a mini makeover and D overhauled .
Hey Rick,
This is funny, I was posting very similarly. Great minds think a like. I like Angello and A Johnson but I can’t figure out a way to maneuver without exposing players to the waiver wire. From a forwards standpoint, the team may need to deal some high priced, under-performer to open up room.