Ten games into a decidedly mixed bag start to the season, some things have gone as planned for our Penguins while others have gone awry.
On the negative side of the ledger? Despite a near 50 percent turnover in personnel we’re still making many of the same old mistakes that plagued us last season. Chief among them, a lack of consistency and attention to detail, leading to defensive lapses. Depth scoring issues, finishing woes and spotty goaltending have also contributed to our uneven 4-6 start.
On the plus side? We’re getting plenty of production from our top two lines. Boosted by our recent goal-fest against the hapless Sharks, five of our top-six forwards are averaging better than a point per game. Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel are on pace for 107 points apiece! Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and newcomer Reilly Smith, 90 points each!
Impressive indeed.
The glaring exception? Rickard Rakell. With no goals and a meager three assists through 10 games, the silky Swede’s been colder than a mackerel hauled from the north Atlantic. Almost unthinkable for a proven scorer who’s topped the 30-goal mark twice during his career and 20 goals on three other occasions, including 28 last season for the black and gold.
Indulge me while I shift gears for a moment. An exclusive relationship is defined as an arrangement where both parties agree to focus on each other and not see other people.
I submit that Rakell’s linemates, Malkin and Smith, have an exclusive on-ice relationship, or darn near. They’ve developed an extraordinary chemistry in the brief time they’ve skated together. They seem to instinctively look for each other on the ice and it’s almost as if they can read each other’s minds.
Although he’s certainly had a hand in the line’s success, I can’t help but feel Rakell more often than not is the odd-man out. Or the third wheel on a bicycle, if you will.
A contributing factor to his scoring slump? Rakell’s been bumped off the top power-play unit. Last season he tied for the club lead with 11 power-play tallies. This season…none. He’s also received the lowest average ice time (15:31) of any of the top-six forwards, down nearly three full minutes from last season.
So how do we get him going?
Last season coach Mike Sullivan frequently flip-flopped Rakell and Rust between the top two lines. To my eye, Rakell has better chemistry with Crosby, an observation supported to a degree by Natural Stat Trick. Sid’s line performed slightly better in terms of Corsi and Expected Goals for Percentage with Rakell, while Geno’s line performed better with Rust.
Is it time to make a switch?
Wow, that’s a tough one. The Guentzel-Crosby-Rust trio has been terrific thus far. Do you risk possibly disrupting your top two lines in order to get one player going?
Another suggestion. One that admittedly comes from left field. Since Malkin and Smith have forged such a tight on-ice bond, do you move a non-scorer to their wing? Say Noel Acciari? A development akin to placing Dominik Simon on Crosby’s flank a few years back.
Rakell, who can play either wing, would then be bumped to a reconfigured third line with Lars Eller and Radim Zohorna. Similarly snakebitten, Drew O’Connor would join Vinnie Hinostroza and Matt Nieto on the fourth line.
Or do you just leave things the way they are hope RikRak breaks out?
Wish I had the answer.
One thing’s for sure. We need a productive Rakell if we’re going to challenge for a playoff spot.
Freed (man) in Vancouver
Along with a host of other former Pens, Mark Friedman is alive and well in Vancouver and skating a regular turn on the Canucks’ third defense pairing. While his numbers aren’t flashy (one assist in eight games) he’s been on the ice for six 5v5 goals for and only two against.
On the flip side, going back through last season, Chad Ruhwedel’s been on the ice for 24 5v5 goals for and 30 against. In the wake of the veteran’s struggles, the Pens are obviously holding auditions for a replacement. Which makes trading Friedman so baffling.
He’s five years younger than Ruhwedel, faster, feistier, and does a better job on his off side.
There are some moves I just don’t get.
Oil Skid
We think we’re off to a bad start. But it’s nothing compared to the Oilers’ abysmal 2-7-1 stumble out of the blocks.
It’s even affected twin supernovas Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The former is goalless in five games, the latter seven.
Unthinkable.
“The mental mistakes that keep costing us over and over again made us chase the game,” McDavid noted following a dismal 5-2 loss to Nashville. “It’s like death by a thousand cuts, that is what it feels like. One mistake and it costs us, and another little mistake and it just snowballs. It is tough to chase games.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was describing a certain local hockey team that shall go nameless.
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Way to many non canadians on youre beloved pens
No chance to win in playoffs without Canadian gritt
Sure you can have a great regular season a team full of euros and American college kids
Getting Smith was a start you need much more ask Sid he would tell you
Hello Brett.
I don't know if you're new to PenguinPoop, but you're preaching to the choir. I've long wanted the Pens to add grit and toughness...Canadian or otherwise. I've always coveted hard-nosed guys like the Blackhawks' Nick Foligno (who's American but plays like a Canadian). Unfortunately, Mike Sullivan tends to steer away from those types of players.
I agree...once the playoffs start it's a different game. Pretty goals go out the window, along with time and space to make fancy plays, and ugly goals rule. You need a combination of skill and toughness (like Vegas has and the Avs, Lightning, Blues and Caps had before them) to win a Stanley Cup.
Rick
Rick & The Other Rick
I agree - leave things status quo. It's not like Rakell is playing poorly and like The Other Rick
said he's doing a lot of the dirty work. His goals will come. The player I worry more about is
O'Connor who just doesn't seem to have that overall feel for scoring goals - he works hard
but Lord something needs to hit the back of the net. GO PENS
Hey Rick,
A quick little ditty – whilst in pursuit of one of my degrees, in the 90s, there was another older student who shared my love of strength and power athletics, during one particular Spring term. As the term wound down, I asked him if was going to take any classes over the summer. He said, “No I have to go back to work once summer starts.”
Finding that curious, I asked, what do you do that you have the Spring off and are going back to work come summer.
“A work for the Steelers”, he replied.
Assuming his response would be assistant strength coach or something of that nature I innocently asked, “Oh, what do you do for the Steelers?”
He responded, “I play guard.”
It was only then that I recognized to whom I was speaking. More than a little embarrassed, I tried to cover-up by reminding him that the camera’s never show the Guards, Centers, or Offensive Tackles without their helmets.
This is a long way of reminded people that their exists unsung heroes, even and particularly in team sports, players that in the case of my collegiate friend, work their tails off to spring players like the Jerome Bettis s to do what they do so well and get loads of recognition. Without these unsung heroes, the Jerome Bettis’ of the world may not shine as bright as they do/did.
And the point of all this is, though I certainly would love to see Rackell find the range, I suggest that there is no need to tinker with the top 6, so long as the continue to shine. There is a very good chance that Malkin and Smith are enjoying such great success is that Rackell is doing all the dirty work, opening up ice for them to work their magic.
Again, I get what you are saying, I would love to get Rackell on the board, but let’s not try and fix things that aren’t broken.