I was working the front desk at Wright’s Gym, minding my own business, when an idea flew in out of the blue and zonked me in the head. Given that I’ve had so few lately I figured I’d better pounce.
Speaking of pouncing, that indirectly leads to the crux of my article. How will Mike Sullivan handle what’s shaping up to be a bigger, older…and potentially…slower Penguins team?
With the offseason additions of big ‘n’ tall types like Jeff Petry, Ryan Poehling and Jan Rutta, general manager Ron Hextall appears intent on transforming the black and gold from a speedy, Smurfish bunch (28th in average weight last season) into a squad with a little more collective meat on its bones. Which represents a departure from the way the team’s been constructed going back pretty much to the dawn of the Sullivan era.
Is it too much of a departure? After all, speed was the not-so-secret weapon that gave us our competitive edge and fueled our back-to-back Cup winners. We were faster…or at least played faster…than practically any other team in the league. Burners like Carl Hagelin, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary, Scott Wilson and, yes, Phil Kessel, made sure we got to plenty of loose pucks first.
How fast were we? Fast enough to lead the league in shots on goal and 5v5 shots on goal during each of the Cup seasons.
Not surprisingly, speed remains the lifeblood of Sullivan’s aggressive, forechecking scheme. If something works you stick with it, right?
However, in the wake of Hextall’s offseason changes, not to mention an aging lineup (fourth oldest in the league heading into the offseason), I wonder if we’ll be able to keep pace this season. If not, will Sullivan…intransigent at times…be able to make the necessary adjustments?
To digress, I’ve long been a proponent of adding functional size to our lineup. Among other things, I think it’ll help us better withstand the grind of a long 82-game season, to say nothing of the playoffs. We should be better able to compete in the dirty areas as well. However, the added bulk needs to work within the framework of our system.
Peering back over my shoulder, the Pens were pretty much conformed to Sully’s image up through the 2017 Cup. Feeling a need to muscle-up, former GM Jim Rutherford added the likes of Ryan Reaves and Jamie Oleksiak to the mix in 2017-18. For the record, we were second in the league in shots on goal and 5v5 shots on goal. Still fast enough to play Sully’s game.
The trend toward a more sizeable lineup continued the following season with the additions of Nick Bjugstad, Erik Gudbranson and Jack Johnson.
How did the Pens fare? Not so well. Our shot ranking slipped along with our Corsi, which dipped below the break-even mark for the first time since 2013-14. During the 2019 playoffs Sullivan and his troops appeared to be out of sync as we struggled to keep up with the hungry Islanders en route to an embarrassing sweep.
In an effort to mimic our Cup winners (and build a more Sully-friendly team), GMJR reversed his course in ’19-20, doubling-down on speed with Brandon Tanev, Sam Lafferty, Dominik Kahun and late-season additions Evan Rodrigues and Sheary. In the process, we morphed into a perimeter team that pancaked down the home stretch and in the playoffs.
To his credit, Hextall nudged us closer to the right blend of size and speed the past couple of seasons.
But now?
With two of our fastest skaters, Rodrigues and Mike Matheson, departing over the summer and our aging core a year older, it doesn’t appear our veteran bunch will win many track meets. Indeed, it feels like the needle’s been dialed back to 2019. Or maybe even ’13-14.
Will Sullivan be able to adapt his system to fit the talent on hand, not to mention an older lineup? Or will he try to coax his troops into adhering to his favored style as he is wont to do. A style that requires a maximum outpouring of energy and effort on a nightly basis and, in my opinion, rendered us a bit gassed down a 7-9-2 homestretch last season.
One of the myriad questions that will need to be answered as the season unfolds.
Hey Rick,
Really interesting question, but hard to answer just yet.
This has been a very odd off-season, while some teams have gotten better on paper, other teams have gotten worse. Look at our own division, both the Canes and the Rangers have lost important players, the Jackets looked like they pulled a coup in signing Gaudreau but then were forced to trade Bjorkstrand for a 3rd and 4th round future draft picks to try and get back under the cap. Unfortunately they are still almost $2 million over the cap and 2 players over the roster limit. The isle continued their nose dive losing players without really signing anyone of value, while the Flyers continue to implode.
So, even though this apparent incarnation of the Penguins has question marks, serious question marks, the generosity of a 16 team playoff system still gives them a good shot of getting to the first round, even if they don’t have anything left in the tank when they get there.
with regards to losing Matheson, that could hurt. Unless Smith becomes this season’s Matheson and turns his game around, the Left side of the D could be a train wreck. Maybe pairing him with Petry could hide his physical weaknesses and allow him to push the puck.
E-Rod though, unless one or both of the Pens top 2 Centers, Crosby or Malkin have a protracted injury, the team will not miss him. EiRod may be fast but he is only effective when playing top 6 and at the pivot position.
Also, did you see Blueger getting feisty in the summer league throwing down in a blowout?