I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it's definitely an issue he has to correct if he wants to play PK minutes. He also needs to stop the big looping. Stops and starts on the PK are important. His instincts are very good, but looping hurts your ability to get back in the play.
I noticed that too, but that's always how he killed, going back to Russia. The looping is partially a baiting thing and happens where he's keeping play to the outside. The two bigger things I'm looking at:
1. Is he giving up the clean cross crease ****? He's not.
2. Is he busting the zone too early? He is, and this actually is my biggest concern with him on the PK. He sees one of his guys with the puck and assumes he's going to clear it to space, so he goes. Again, how he did it in Russia with Dave King. IMO, he's got to be a lot more judicious in his choices there. If he's looping but it's with play on the perimeter, then busting the zone on the assumption that a defenseman won't **** up the clear is a bigger concern for me.
That said, I think Richard had a really good point here . . . having Malkin on the PK keeps him into the flow of the game. How many time have you seen a game where he's going then on the bench for 5-6 minutes or more because of multiple PK situations, and he just loses that 'zone' he's in?
I also like Plots with him . . . learned in the same system about killing penalties, so I think they see things developing similarly.
And, last but not least, how many PP goals against has been out there for, because he's been out for two shorties in, what, 3 games.
It's not Malkin specific, but it's one he needs to clean up.
Now that I did see, and you're right. It's going to happen, some clears won't happen. But, you don't want it to become an Adams like habit.
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