Penguins Need for Speed

The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups with an attack-oriented style fueled in no small part by blistering team speed. An approach Matt Larkin of The Hockey News aptly described as “organized chaos.”

“It’s reading and reacting and understanding that the faster you can be, the faster you can do things, it puts your teammates in a better situation when they get the puck,” said the recently retired Chris Kunitz. “Gives them more time to make that next play, catch someone else out of position.”

Quick to mimic the Pens’ blueprint, other teams followed suit. While clubs like Toronto and Carolina ramped up the pace to virtual warp speed…my word are they fast…the black and gold seemed to slow overnight.

It didn’t help that super-sonic Swede Carl Hagelin was traded for comparative plow horse Tanner Pearson. Or that the black-and-gold bled off speedy role players such as Josh Archibald, Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson. Those guys were perfectly suited to coach Mike Sullivan’s get-there-in-a-hurry game.

So, too, was HBK Line standout Nick Bonino, who wasn’t especially fast but anticipated the play very well. Ditto Kunitz.

Bogged down by an aging lineup and a passel of slow-footed additions such as Derek Grant and Jack Johnson, we seemed to spend most of last season chasing the puck…and the opposition…instead of the other way around.

Yes, we registered 100 points. But as GM Jim Rutherford was quick to note, “…it wasn’t a comfortable 100 points.”

A glance at our 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage tells me my perception wasn’t just a by-product of my aging imagination. Last season we placed 15th in the NHL with an uninspiring mark of 49.74, well off the pace of league-leading San Jose (54.87) and the aforementioned Hurricanes (54.81). A sizable drop from 2017-18, when we finished fifth at 52.26.

The Cup teams? In ‘15-16 we finished second at 52.72…over 55 percent after Sullivan took over if memory serves me correctly. We just blew past opponents. The following season, we fell to 16th at 50.14, but played without mobile puck-mover Kris Letang for the final six weeks of the regular season.

I’m not suggesting there’s a direct correlation between team speed and a high shots attempts percentage. But it sure doesn’t hurt to be quick to the biscuit. And if you can possess the puck? Usually good things happen.

As the old saying goes, the best defense is a good offense.

Rutherford obviously feels the same way. It’s interesting to note that nine of the bottom 13 finishers in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage last season are no longer in the organization, including Phil Kessel (46.70) and Olli Maatta (46.59).

Too, that’s why I’m reasonably excited about the off-season moves that brought in quicksilver forwards Alex Galchenyuk, Dominik Kahun and Brandon Tanev. Blend in speedy spring-time acquisition Jared McCann and burners Adam Johnson and Bryan Rust (if he stays put)? The Pens should be considerably quicker…at least up front.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what Elite Prospects says regarding their skating.

Galchenyuk–Isn’t flashy, but a powerful skater with tremendous edge work, as he can glide through the offensive zone like on rails.

Kahun–A smart forward, who plays a reliable two-way game and is present at both ends of the ice using his tremendous skating abilities.

Tanev–Very good mobility, and his speed might be his most prominent asset.

In terms of 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage? Okay, not quite so promising. All three finished below the break-even mark with Kahun leading the pack at 49.95, followed by Tanev at 48.99 and Galchenyuk bringing up the rear (47.32). Kahun and Tanev finished slightly above their respective team’s percentage…Galchenyuk slightly behind.

Let’s hope that joining forces with the Pens’ high-powered core might elevate those rates. Especially Galchenyuk, a gifted former number three overall pick who hasn’t quite found his niche in the big-time despite a 30-goal season with Montreal in ‘15-16.

Still, I like the look of our squad up front, even without top gun Kessel, who frankly appeared to have lost a step last season…especially when coasting to the bench for line changes.

The bottom line? Last season Sullivan all-too-often tried to pound a square peg into a round hole by getting a team that wasn’t that all that fast to play a speed game.

This year, his personnel should be a better fit.