Imagine a simple power play repair for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The flawed system has cost the Penguins more losses than any other NHL club and has become such an albatross that even hints of energy and momentum are moral wins. Despite three Hall of Famers and two All-Stars, the Penguins convert power plays at 13.25%.
At 12.5%, only the Chicago Blackhawks are worse.
Autonomy. Desire. Friday night’s 1-for-8 power play defeat to the Florida Panthers in a 3-2 shootout loss called into question everything. Imagine the Penguins’ power play was partially competent. If they won more, how much would the season change?
Would Penguins supporters want an Oppenheimer-level roster blow-up if they were third in the Metro Division?
Even with two additional personnel moves on Friday, the Penguins continue to struggle.
Erik Karlsson, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby are regular power play players.
Lateral moves, drop passes, and forced cross-ice efforts are terrible. Incompetence is exacerbated by missed chances. FL hit two crossbars Friday and had a 5v3 scoring opportunity against the Penguins.
Throughout the first four months of the 2023-24 NHL season, the power play has fought itself. Many players, one puck.
Pens haven’t tried this.
Delegate to Erik Karlsson. He should rule.
Karlsson’s 100-point season last year was spurred by the Sharks’ power play. The ship’s captain scored three goals on one third-period major penalty in an unforgettable 2018 playoff game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Karlsson reinstated zone control and pressure after the Golden Knights repeatedly cleared the puck on the power play.
Time the Penguins used that talent.
Final puck shares. There is no “system” to pass the ball to Crosby on the wall or near the net or Malkin on the mid-wall or top of the zone.
Nope.
Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas go all in on Karlsson, who costs $10 million each season.
All parties are frustrated. Later, tension follows frustration.
So Dubas went all in, the squad should too.
“We must persevere. Different personnel groupings were used in the final stretch. Unsure where we’ll go. “We’ll discuss that as a coaching staff,” Sullivan said Friday night. “I know the guys on it care deeply about the power play and believe it helps us win. They put a lot of pressure on themselves to deliver for us. They are proud and care deeply when things go wrong. So we’ll continue.”
The number of personnel combinations is limited. The Penguins’ faltering power play was led by Letang last season. However, such challenges would be better than the current cycle of fizzling, derelictions, and floundering, which is nonetheless unsuccessful.
Let power-play QB play Erik Karlsson hockey instead of Penguins hockey.
Could things go worse?
