I usually have some idea of how I want to approach my PP posts. Well, I confess the well has pretty much run dry. Except to say that our Penguins are a bad hockey team and seem to be getting worse with each passing game.
Indeed, a quick glance in the rearview mirror tells the story. A 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes. A 7-1 loss to the Stars. And the latest…a 6-2 hiding at the hands of the Blue Jackets. A team that had lost six in a row going in and ain’t exactly on a short list of Cup contenders.
It’s weird, because we do possess some talent. For last night’s Metro tilt we dressed seven former first-round picks, with two more stashed on IR. However, we’re just not jelling into anything remotely resembling a cohesive, functional group. Especially on defense, but up front, too.
Wonder of wonders, we actually played pretty well for the first 35 minutes or so. We shook off a pair of early and iffy CBJ goals, including one by old friend Zach Aston-Reese, to knot the score at 2-all on tallies by Anthony Beauvillier and Michael Bunting. The newly formed third line of Drew O’Connor, Jesse Puljujärvi and rookie Sam Poulin was hounding the Blue Jackets’ defense. Tristan Jarry seemed to be finding his sea legs between the pipes after a rocky start.
We almost came all the way back to take the lead, but Sidney Crosby couldn’t finish on a glorious chance. The Blue Jackets promptly countered on a 3-on-1, with tough guy Mathieu Olivier beating Jarry with a sizzler from the slot.
It was pretty much game, set and match after that. The CBJ proceeded to skate us out of the barn in the third period, in the process piling up an ungodly 19-4 edge in shots on goal. Nobody sporting the skating Penguins logo acquitted themselves well. Least of all the Ryans (the hapless defensive duo of Ryan Graves and Ryan Shea) and the Evgeni Malkin line, Geno and Bryan Rust in particular.
I don’t even know where to begin to unstack this pile of… (I’ll let you fill in the blank). But I took particular umbrage with our power play. More specifically, our first unit.
Midway through the second period our top guys swung into “action,” and I use that term loosely. They basically stood stock still and passed the puck around the perimeter, only occasionally taking a break from the monotony to lose possession and be forced to reset. The CBJ penalty killers could’ve taken a coffee break.
In one particularly onerous instance, Rickard Rakell took a pass in the left circle and, with a clear lane to the net, opted instead to pass the puck back to Erik Karlsson at center point.
“Take the puck and drive to the net!” I screamed at the images on the TV screen.
Moments later our second unit did just that. Bing, bang, bong…we forced the Jackets’ penalty killers to react, the puck took a couple of crazy, fortuitous bounces, and Bunting punched it home. I might add, with O’Connor providing a textbook net-front screen.
Hmmm. Movement…crashing the net…big body in front.
Whoddya thunk it?
Just a hunch, but I’d bet dollars to donuts that David Quinn (and sacrificial lamb Todd Reirden before him) are instructing the big boys to do the proper things.
Then Sid and Geno and EK65 and Co. go out and pretty much disregard that instruction, instead opting to defer and pass the puck around the perimeter. If Phil Kessel were dead he’d be rolling in his grave.
Of course, the situation begs for Mike Sullivan’s attention. Instead of running the same tired bunch, Core Four or not, out there time and again while expecting different results, he needs to try different combinations. Starting with Bunting in the mix and maybe O’Connor as well.
If someone’s feelings get hurt in the weeding out, too bad.
I’m reminded of the movie Miracle. When questioned by Craig Patrick about his roster choices, Herb Brooks responded, “I’m not looking for the best players, Craig, I’m looking for the right ones.”
Sullivan needs to follow suit.
A final note. Olivier now has five goals on the season, or one less than our team-leading troika of Sid, Beauvillier and Rakell. For the unfamiliar, the 217-pound Biloxi, Mississippi, native is tough as nails. Last spring he took celebrated Rangers’ baddie Matt Rempe apart in a fight.
I’d give my eye teeth to have a guy like that on our Pens.
It’ll never happen as long as Sullivan’s our coach.
Okay, I’m done rambling.
A little positive to go with the gloom. There’s a really nice article by Mark Madden about Geno on the Trib titled, “Evgeni Malkin will always be remembered as a Penguins’ all-time great.”
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Rick
I'm scratching my head wondering why Sullivan hasn't been relieved of his duties as Head
Coach. How embarrassing does it need to get before Dubas makes a move, unless his
hands are tied by the FSG?
Also, fans are saying it happens to everyone but that's not true - great example is the Caps
who put a team around Ovi that will most likely make the playoffs. It can be done without
going through a full rebuild but you can't be afraid to part with some of your core players.
This all goes back to the signing of Malkin and Letang to long term deals "horrible business
decision" that at the time I said it would set the organization back at least 5 years.
Couple of quick comments:
1) Watching TNT and The Great One Wayne Gretzky said the Pen's have never went out and got
Crosby a bonafide All Star winger, and he felt like that's exactly what they should try to do right
now. He did say Guentzel was the closest thing to that type of winger.
2) I was watching a random game and Karlsson's name came up and they were talking about
the Pen's PP and not having a player that would consistently take the eyes away from opposing
goaltenders and someone who can finish around the net.
3) Sullivan needs to make changes to the PP1 personnel
Crosby, Karlsson, Bunting, Rust and Rakell. 2nd unit, Malkin, Letang, O'Conner, Beauvillier and Puustinen.
4) I would tell Bunting to never leave the front of the net.
Hey Mike,
Sorry for the delayed response, my friend. Apparently, things have to get quite embarrassing for Sullivan to be replaced.
I do think our GM's hands are tied to an extent. FSG holds Sully in high regard. Too, the team's performance is probably looked on (rightfully so, to a degree) as a shared responsibility, with Dubas, Hextall, etc. shouldering at least some of the blame.
Lastly, for all his warts, Sullivan comes off as a very impressive individual. He's passionate, intelligent, thoughtful, communicates well and obviously knows the game. To say nothing of winning two Cups. I can see how ownership would be reluctant to part with him.
Having said all that, you know as well as anyone that every coach has a shelf life with a given team or situation. And I do think Sully's exceeded his here. I just don't know how well is voice is being heard and/or if his instruction is being followed.
Not well, based on our tepid results.
The Caps' situation is a little different than ours in that some of their pricey stars (Backstrom, Oshie) went away, freeing up gobs of cap space. We don't have that luxury and, frankly, are locked in place with the all the long-term deals with no movement clauses.
Do I think Dubas could've done a better job this off-season?
Yes.
Do I think it would've made that much of a difference?
I'm not so sure.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Not going to complain about Jarry giving up that G to ZAR, that was a sweet deflection. However, after that he looked like mud. Furthermore, anyone who has been paying attention and not taking mind altering substances could see that Jarry still is bad and should never have been brought back up. In his last AHL game before being recalled, he was shelled, giving up 4 Gs on 19 shots to an AHL team. Right then and there he should have been waived and buried in Wheeling. I doubt anyone would have claimed him off waivers, but even if someone did, it would be infinitely better than having to deal with his Swiss Cheese Goaltending. Whether he was claimed or not, the team would have saved something under the Cap (the full $5+ mil if claimed or at least the $1+ mil for burying him).
What is worse is I am still reading one particular (either Hockey ignorant or disingenuous) blogger who is still insisting this train wreck isn't Sullivan's fault. How Pathetic!!!1 This team is exactly what Sullivan wants a core of puck moving milquetoast Defensemen that can't defend their own zone and a host of utility knife forwards capable of playing equally bad at every position.
Sullivan chased away every Defenseman with guts enough to protect their Goalies as well as every razor-sharp rapier type forward for all of these Ruth Buzzi s and dull bladed plastic throw away knives.
Am I mad though? No!! Sullivan and the Organization as a whole are getting what they deserve. The only thing I am sad about is that we fans also have to suffer from their ineptness.
Well, we can only hope that they use their top 5 type draft picks wisely.