Penguins Update: Middle-Six Mashup

Following an encouraging five-game winning streak built largely on the stellar goaltending of Tristan Jarry, our Penguins have hit the skids once again and are teetering on the thin edge of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. For the most part we continue to ring up impressive possession numbers (seventh in the league in Corsi). Lots of razzle-dazzle. But the puck’s not going in.

There are myriad reasons the offense has been in a deep freeze (seven goals in our past four games). Evgeni Malkin and now Bryan Rust are out of the lineup and Sidney Crosby is still playing his way back into form. That’s three of the team’s top offensive players missing in action in one form or another.

Lacking a true power element aside from an aging Jeff Carter, we have difficulty breaching the prime scoring areas against teams that clog the shooting lanes. And we’re getting next-to-nothing from our defensive corps (a paltry four goals).

Obviously, changes are needed. Coach Mike Sullivan’s same-old-same-old ain’t cuttin’ it.

It’s pretty much a given that Jake Guentzel should stay with Crosby. While Sid’s hardly at the top of his game, it’s no coincidence Jake’s point scoring streak started roughly when No. 87 returned to the lineup. They go together like peas and carrots, or peanut butter and jelly if you prefer.

The “Grind Line” has been fairly effective as well. Teddy Blueger and newcomer Brock McGinn have combined for 11 goals. While Zach Aston-Reese needs a Sherpa guide to find the net, he provides a solid defensive conscience with a degree of physicality (a team-high 80 hits).

The middle six? A whole ‘nother matter. Sullivan needs to blow things up and start from scratch. Actually, Sully just needs to swallow his ego or whatever’s getting in the way and reunite a combination that was working wonders until he mysteriously consigned it to mothballs.

During the stretch when Covid and injuries combined to wipe out half our team (or so it seemed) assistant coach Todd Reirden assembled the Evan Rodrigues–Jason Zucker–Kasperi Kapanen line for the November 4 clash with the Flyers.

Although they didn’t register a point that night, the trio had the best Corsi (57.14) of any black-and-gold unit. The next game E-Rod, Zucks and Kasper broke onto the scoresheet in a big way. The line accounted for two of the Pens 5v5 goals, with Kapanen adding a third tally while skating with another unit.

The trio was once again held off the score sheet against Chicago, but had a dominant game possession wise (72.22 Corsi). During a November 11 clash with high-flying Florida they paced all Pens lines in Corsi (66.67) and contributed a clutch goal by Rodrigues as well.

While we cratered against Ottawa in an awful showing north of the border, the line put on a show. Rodrigues tallied two goals and Kapanen added a third. For the night, the trio combined for three goals and five points.

Despite their extraordinary chemistry, the line was broken up by Sullivan ahead of the lopsided and dispiriting 6-1 loss to Washington on November 14.

I understand…to an extent. Crosby had returned to the lineup, reclaiming his customary spot on the top line between Guentzel and Rust. In turn, bumping Carter to the second line between Kapanen and Zucker. A combo that, frankly, has been an unmitigated disaster.

In the 10 games they’ve skated as a unit, Carter’s tallied two goals and four points to go with a minus-four. Kapanen, a goal and four helpers (minus-two). With a goal, an assist and a minus-three, Zucker’s completely dried up over that stretch. His lone marker actually came during a rare shift with Rodrigues on November 22 against Winnipeg. Since then he’s gone stone cold (no points in five games).

Now contrast that with the E-Rod-Kapanen-Zucker trio, which combined for six goals and 13 points in five games. I’m no rocket scientist, but which line would you rather have?

Exactly.

To me it’s a no-brainer. Resurrect what was arguably the team’s best line this season and use Carter’s unit as a melting pot of sorts. Given that Carter just takes the puck and goes to the net…part of the reason he doesn’t work with Kapanen and Zucker, who both like to carry the biscuit…team him with Danton Heinen, who specializes in sneaking in behind the play and cleaning up the type of garbage Carter creates with his shoot-first approach.

Plug rookie Drew O’Connor onto that line as well to create a bit of a power unit (Heaven forbid). Until a better solution presents itself or Rust returns, I’m okay with parking Dominik Simon next to Crosby and Guentzel in the short run. He’s worked at least reasonably well with them in the past.

Another option…recall the “Big Z,” Radim Zohorna from the Baby Pens and find a spot for him.

My two cents for how to jump-start our offense.