Penguins Update: Likin’ What I See

I confess. It’s taken me a while to warm up to hockey this season. And more directly, our Penguins.

Images of our dispiriting sweep at the hands of Islanders fairly burned into my subconscious, it was hard for me to generate any real enthusiasm. But I gotta confess. Our boys are winning me over…big time.

Yeah, it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon on the heels of a feel-good 7-1 dismantling of those hated Flyers. But I’ve been likin’ what I see for a while now. Even when the Pens endured a hard-luck three-game losing streak following five-straight wins. I figured it was high time I wrote about it.

To my eye, the Pens are skating a lot like they did in the spring of 2016. They’re playing the same kind of game…fast and aggressive. Lots of straight lines. Lots of north and south. Lots of whooooosh.

They’re beating opponents to the puck and making things happen once they get there. You don’t rack up four chili (seven-goal) games at this stage of the season by accident. Especially in today’s NHL.

As much as I hate to coin a hackneyed old phrase, they’re “playing the right way” in Mike Sullivan-speak. Which stands in stark contrast to last season, when the troops were on the wrong side of the puck far too many nights, leading to a plethora of breakaways and odd-man breaks against. They appeared tired and disinterested to boot.

Give general manager Jim Rutherford a ton of credit. Few things are more difficult in sports than reviving a fading former champion. Yet he’s managed to transform an aging, cap-strapped team into one playing with fire, energy and enthusiasm. And he’s done it without the benefit of high-profile young talent or sacrificing too much from a gifted but aging core.

His targeting of Phil Kessel as the man who had to go was spot-on. Apparently there was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on between “the Thrill” and Evgeni Malkin, who appeared revitalized before going down with a lower-body injury. Too, JR’s acquisition of John Marino from Edmonton for a sixth-round pick was nothing short of grand larceny.

Ditto many of his additions over the past nine months, including speedsters Jared McCann, Brandon Tanev and Dominik Kahun. It’s breathed new life into the team and given it a whole new identity. Or should I say an old one.

As the old adage goes, you have to be lucky to be good. Despite a spate of early season injuries, the Pens have enjoyed their share of good fortune. Kids like Sam Lafferty and Adam Johnson proved more than capable of stepping up and producing, which bodes well for the immediate future and gives JR some options on potential moves.

Between you and me, I wouldn’t mind seeing him deal Nick Bjugstad. Nothing against “Bugs,” but it would free up a ton of cap space ($4.1 million) and open the door for Lafferty, who proved he belongs in the big time during an impressive 10-game cameo (three goals and three assists).

While there aren’t any future Jake Guentzel’s buried at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, there’s enough bottom-six talent there with the likes of Lafferty, Johnson, Joseph Blandisi and ex-Duck and Devil Stefan Noesen (10 goals in 10 games with the Baby Pens) to cover any non-catastrophic injuries over the short haul.

Having espoused the positives, I only have a few concerns and they’re comparatively mild:

How will the Pens play now that Malkin and Alex Galchenyuk are back? Eschewing the simple approach that’s worked so well, No. 71 has a well-known affinity for making high-risk, high-reward plays…often at the other team’s blue line…often resulting in costly turnovers. Can Sullivan convince him to simplify his game? Can we carry a line that freelances? Grafting a two-way player like Tanev onto the unit to cover their collective arses a la Carl Hagelin might help.

What to do with Jack Johnson? While he gives it his all, it’s painfully obvious the veteran defender has morphed into a latter day version of Rob Scuderi. According to reports, Rutherford’s done everything in his power and then some to move Johnson, but a miracle deal along the lines of Scuderi-for-Trevor Daley seems out of the question. At what point do you say enough’s enough and either bench Johnson in favor of younger and infinitely more mobile Juuso Riikola and/or buy him out or send him to the minors? For now, JJ remains an albatross and the lone weak link on defense.

My kingdom for a tough guy. This probably isn’t an issue for most fans. But I’d still like to see the Pens add a tough guy who can fight and play and skate, preferably a forward. FYI…the Baby Pens quietly signed Reid McNeill to a PTO. A former sixth-round pick of the Pens back in 2010, McNeill stands 6’4”, tips the scales at 216 pounds. He’s no Erik Gudbranson, but he throws ‘em pretty fair. Still, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the big defenseman would suit up for the black and gold. Especially given Sullivan’s aversion to tough guys. But at least for now there’s somebody in the organization who can handle that stuff should push come to shove.

I’ll finish on a positive note…and then run for cover. I can’t believe I’m actually writing this, but I think Dominik Simon’s been a good fit with Sidney Crosby and Guentzel. He does a lot of little things well, is surprisingly skilled and defensively conscientious. No, his shot won’t break a pane of glass. But neither could Bob Errey’s, and “the Bibster” was a very effective sidecar for gunners Mario Lemieux and Rob Brown back in the day.

Suddenly, I see where Sullivan’s coming from.

Throw in some solid goaltending from Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry? Our boys are fun to watch again. And showing more than a hint of promise.