Ex-Penguins Update: 2020 All-Star Break

Here’s a look at how former Penguins are faring around the league at the All-Star break. Stats are updated through games played as of January 22.

The Blues’ David Perron leads the pack in goals (21), assists (28) and points (49). His success since he’s left the ‘Burgh is remarkable, considering how he struggled to score with the black and gold. With 14 goals and 37 points, Tanner Pearson is enjoying a redemptive season in Vancouver as well.

Following a slow start, Arizona’s Phil Kessel has slipped into third place with 11 goals and 31 points. “Phil the Thrill’s” tied with Edmonton’s James Neal for the worst plus/minus among the expatriates (minus-20). “Nealer” has 19 goals, including a dozen on the power play.

Nick Bonino (Nashville), Oskar Sundqvist (St. Louis), Kasperi Kapanen (Toronto) and Derek Grant (Anaheim) round out the double-figure goal scorers. Bonino leads the forwards in plus/minus (plus-16), second overall behind Colorado’s Ian Cole (plus-24). Cole trails Arizona’s Alex Goligoski by two points in the scoring race among former Pens defensemen.

Between the pipes, Marc-Andre Fleury (Vegas) has slipped behind Thomas Greiss of the Islanders in most major categories, including save percentage, goals against average and quality starts percentage. The passing of his father in late November has no doubt affected “Flower’s” play.

I’ve added a new stat to the mix…five-versus-five shot attempts differential (5v5SD). Many factors influence a player’s shot attempts differential, including offensive zone versus defensive zone starts and his team’s style of play. For example, Vegas employs a strong puck possession game. Several of their players are among the league leaders in shot attempts differential. Conversely, the Islanders play a disciplined, counter-punching style. Most of their players have negative shot differentials.

Still, it’s a key indicator of who’s driving possession and who’s not.

It’s interesting to note that most of the players Jim Rutherford’s traded or waived over the past year or so, including Grant, Kessel, Pearson, Derick Brassard, Erik Gudbranson, Olli Maatta, Stefan Noesen and Riley Sheahan have negative shot attempt differentials.

The exception? Daniel Sprong, recently recalled from the AHL by Anaheim, boasts a plus-30 differential in only eight games. All the more impressive when you compare his numbers to those of fellow Ducks Grant (-151) and Carter Rowney (-182).

SCORING
Player	Team	Pos	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM		+/-	5v5SD	Corsi
David Perron	STL	LW	49	21	28	49	38		-2	33	51.4
Tanner Pearson	VAN	LW	49	14	23	37	22		5	-20	47.8
Phil Kessel	ARI	RW	51	11	20	31	18		-20	-19	50.6
James Neal	EDM	LW	49	19	9	28	10		-20	17	49.8
Nick Bonino	NSH	C	47	14	12	26	14		16	68	53.7
* Kasperi Kapanen	TOR	RW	49	10	18	28	8		2	48	53.6
Alex Goligoski	ARI	D	51	3	22	25	18		4	-71	46.8
Derick Brassard	NYI	C	49	8	16	24	16		4	-72	45.7
Ian Cole	COL	D	44	4	19	23	28		24	17	50.5
Oskar Sundqvist	STL	C	43	11	9	20	20		3	-62	47.0
Matt Niskanen	PHI	D	49	5	14	19	27		-4	32	51.2
Jordan Staal	CAR	C	50	7	11	18	26		2	163	56.1
Conor Sheary	BUF	LW	42	7	9	16	6		0	20	49.5
Derek Grant	ANA	C	36	10	3	13	24		-1	-151	39.0
Olli Maatta	CHI	D	46	3	10	13	12		4	-50	48.3
* Jake Muzzin	TOR	D	38	3	10	13	34		8	118	54.1
Josh Archibald	EDM	RW	40	6	5	11	6		-9	-64	45.6
Blake Comeau	DAL	RW	34	6	5	11	30		-5	2	48.1
Riley Sheahan	EDM	C	44	6	5	11	2		-7	-82	44.4
Carl Hagelin	WSH	LW	38	3	8	11	10		4	65	53.3
Carter Rowney	ANA	RW	48	5	5	10	12		-2	-182	39.8
Ryan Reaves	VEG	RW	52	6	3	9	36		-2	32	53.8
Brandon Sutter	VAN	C	24	5	3	8	19		3	-27	45.7
Erik Gudbranson	PIT-ANA	D	44	4	4	8	88		-2	-6	50.1
Ron Hainsey	OTT	D	41	1	7	8	8		6	-110	43.7
Tom Kuhnhackl	NYI	RW	23	3	3	6	0		-1	-85	43.7
Jamie Oleksiak	DAL	D	48	1	5	6	30		-1	43	53.5
Deryk Engelland	VEG	D	47	1	5	6	35		10	28	52.8
Greg McKegg	NYR	C	35	1	3	4	13		-4	-83	40.8
Robert Bortuzzo	STL	D	30	1	3	4	12		11	-14	48.1
Scott Harrington	CBJ	D	23	1	3	4	8		-3	-67	42.9
Trevor Daley	DET	D	26	0	4	4	12		-16	-116	40.8
Stefan Noesen	PIT-SJS	RW	20	2	0	2	10		-5	-34	44.1
Daniel Sprong	ANA	RW	8	1	1	2	0		-2	30	55.7
Jean-Sebastien Dea	BUF	C	1	0	0	0	0		0	2	75.0
Marc-Andre Fleury	VEG	G	36	0	0	0	6		0
Brian Gibbons	CAR	C	15	0	0	0	4		-7	-21	46.9
Thomas Greiss	NYI	G	24	0	0	0	2		0
Mark Letestu	WPG	C	7	0	0	0	0		0	-23	42.0
Jayson Megna	COL	C	8	0	0	0	2		-1	-10	43.3
Derrick Pouliot	STL	D	2	0	0	0	2		-1	7	62.5
Scott Wilson	BUF	LW	2	0	0	0	0		-1	-3	38.5
GOALTENDING
Player	Team	GP	GA	SH	AVE	SV%	QS%	QS		W-L-OT
Thomas Greiss	NYI	24	51	0	2.43	.925	.714	15		14-7-1
Marc-Andre Fleury	VEG	36	101	2	2.86	.907	.486	17		19-12-4
Italics—Draft pick or free agent who began his NHL career with the Penguins Asterisk—Draft pick who didn’t appear in a regular season or postseason game for the Penguins