The Penguins Stretch Run a Real or a Missed Opportunity

I saw a headline on a different web site and quickly scanned it. The main point of the essay was to allay the fears of reactionaries who feel that the loss to the Buffalo Sabres last game was a warning sign of a relapse to the snooze fest that has become Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hockey over these last couple of seasons. This cursory scan prompted an interesting discussion among some hockey fans at Rick B and my favorite training center. The discussion prompted this, my latest post and interruption of a look at how this team would have looked had I been at the helm this past several seasons.

The author of the inspiring piece started off by sarcastically pointing out that the world isn’t ending just because our favorite flightless fowl lost a game to a contender for the first pick in the draft. It would take a collapse of almost Biblical proportions to keep our boys of winter from the playoffs. On that point, said author and I are in perfect agreement – mathematically possible but high improbably.

And although one could cite several reasons why this current incarnation of Penguins is different from the past, there is one constant that scares me – a constant that invokes Robert Plant intoning

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, California sunlight
Sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu starbright
The song remains the same

Calm down with your “come on Other Rick, this time things are different.” Hear me out.

First, although home ice will matter to some degree, since our hometown heroes are nigh invincible at home. However, it may not mean all that much since our Penguins have won few series on home ice in the recent past and to get out of the divisional rounds a team will have to play 2 of the 3 other playoff teams. Therefore, with a fairly large lead over the 5th place New York Rangers and a very favorable schedule that matches Sidney Crosby and Crew up against serious competition only 4 more times over the last 11 games there is time for a good, forward thinking Coach to rest veteran players who may be piling up bruises and to play younger players.

The core pieces of this team are now 10+ seasons old. The wear and tear of those many winters takes it toll on even the most conditioned athletes. Now add to that the compressed schedule that our current unpleasantness has imposed on our favorite sport and it could only benefit come playoff time to at least reduce some ice time if not give an extra day off to some invaluable pieces now before the playoff wars begin.

Second, there is a strong probability of attrition that hangs over every playoff. An injury is incurred by a veteran (Marc-André Fleury) and a kid comes out of the woodwork (Matt Murray) and steals the show. Now is the time to get those kids feet really wet, playing alongside NHL talent against NHL talent. Risking a loss here or there, as kids gain experience, can only help win the final prize. You don’t have to win every battle to win the war.

Third, with an expansion draft coming up this off season and a new General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, moving forward they need to know what is here in the organization to know what to look for and add to complete the team.

But there’s the rub, the song remains the same, Coach Mike Sullivan continues to play veteran dunsels like Mark Jankowski, Even Rodrigues, Colton Sceviour, Markus Pettersson, etc rather than give the kids; Anthony Angello (who is apparently healthy again), Sam Laffery, Juuso Riikola and I will even throw in guys like Jordy Bellerive into the mix.

Yes, I still like the kid and am lobbying for a chance for him. He has 8 Goals (G), 12 Points (Pts) and 36 Penalty Minutes (threw that in for you Rick B) in just 19 Games Played (GP) for the Wilkes Barre – Scranton Penguins. Yes, he is a -7, but Jason Zucker is carrying a huge minus number here in the ‘burgh and unlike Zucker, Bellerive has turnstiles in front of his net almost ensuring any shot turning into a goal. The combo of Alex D’Orio, Emil Larmi, Max Legace, Shane Starrett, and Tommy Nappier have a combined Save Percentage (Sv%) of 0.863.

Robert Plant may be right, “There’s still time to change the road you’re on” but Sullivan has already squandered the 5 previous opportunities, 2 against these very same New Jersey Devils, in the last week and a half. If things don’t change, if Sullivan fails to take advantage of these late season opportunities for rest and teaching, sorry, the song does still remain the same and I will be preparing for another May snooze.