Speculation: Pens' Powerplay Problems

[DegenX]

Not really a fan. On the first unit, you've got one guy who can finish from mid-range and he's acting like a screen. The second unit's okay I guess, but the first unit strikes me as a single-digit conversion rate sort of deal.

I don't think Tocchet's strategy is wrong. He's using the same configurations Mullen does in Philadelphia. It works. When it doesn't create goals, it creates chances. There's a lot wrong in Philly, but the Powerplay isn't one of their problems. Difference between them and us is those cross-ice backhand passes from circle to circle isn't something their players do.

You can take BB out, and move Perron to his spot, put Comeau or Kunitz in his place. Like UM said, it's open to interpretation. I disagree about Tocchet's strategy, though. I would rather have two equally dangerous PP units than one loaded one and one meh one. Geno and Sid both gravitate to the same spot, it would solve that. It would also most likely solve some of the over passing. Plus, it would also allow us to send out one of our top lines at the end of the PP rather than our 4th.

 

[DegenX]

The PP wasn't going to remain clicking on all cylinders at a 40% clip like earlier in the season, and it's not going to remain as bad as its been lately. Even with the big slump, it's still running at over 21%, seventh in the NHL.

It's going to finish in the top 3. But yeah, let's bump Evgeni Malkin off the top unit. That makes so much sense.

It's not about bumping Geno or Sid off the 'top' unit. It's about creating two equal PP units. It's about maximizing our assets. It's about forcing teams to either water down their top PK unit, or chose which one they want to send their top unit out against.

There would not be a 'top' PP unit, or a 'second' PP unit ... it would be two equally dangerous units.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If I knew how to make gifs, I would go back every Pens game this year and show that for the most part, Letang almost always covers up for his mistakes on the power play. Sid and Geno are the key to those shorthanded goals. They often make lazy passes and then don't commit to making it back to back check thinking that Letang will just clean it up for them. Sid is especially notorious for this and if he wasn't the best player in the league, I'd argue he was the weak link on the power play.

Malkin shoots. Kunitz and Hornqvist set up in front of the net. Letang and Ehrhoff play to their strengths whether it be Letang making precision passes and stepping up or Ehrhoff taking slappers from the top.

Sid is always the one rovering around making behind his back passes and not taking a shot when he should. It is beyond frustrating, especially given the fact he is such a supreme talent. If he shot once or twice more on the power play, he'd actually be out of his goal slump.

I mean, you're not wrong about Sid, but maaaaaaan...

 

[billybudd]

You can take BB out, and move Perron to his spot, put Comeau or Kunitz in his place. Like UM said, it's open to interpretation. I disagree about Tocchet's strategy, though. I would rather have two equally dangerous PP units than one loaded one and one meh one. Geno and Sid both gravitate to the same spot, it would solve that. It would also most likely solve some of the over passing. Plus, it would also allow us to send out one of our top lines at the end of the PP rather than our 4th.

I don't think the second one needs to be "meh." Not when Hornqvist's back. If Perron's going on the first unit we've still got the components for a reasonably good second unit. Bennett, Pouliot and Ehrhoff can do the thinking around the edges, Downie or Kunitz can go in front and Sutter in the middle of the box. I'd prefer Sutter in front and Kunitz in the middle of the box (due to handedness), but I don't know if Sutter would be willing or able to do the job.

Get some practices under their belt and I think that can be a little dangerous. Pens scored a couple with a similar configuration in preseason.

 

[Gurglesons]

I mean, you're not wrong about Sid, but maaaaaaan...

Go watch Ottawa or Minnesota's power play and get back to me about how awful Letang is.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It's not about bumping Geno or Sid off the 'top' unit. It's about creating two equal PP units. It's about maximizing our assets. It's about forcing teams to either water down their top PK unit, or chose which one they want to send their top unit out against.

There would not be a 'top' PP unit, or a 'second' PP unit ... it would be two equally dangerous units.

So which one do you want, equal PP units or maximizing our assets?

Because you're not maximizing the first PP unit if Malkin isn't on it, and you're not maximizing the first unit if Crosby isn't on it, so you want two equal units.

Unless you're legitimately suggesting our first unit would be better without one of the two superstars.

 

[cygnus47]

I mean, you're not wrong about Sid, but maaaaaaan...

Letang has excellent passing skills, he just has so little poise on the powerplay that he can't figure out who to pass it to.

 

[KIRK]

I know we are slightly OT w/ the PP talk, but the Rags have been healthy scratching Glass, too. He just doesn't fit that mold.


But to come back to the discussion point, you can put Lemieux, Gretzky, Sid, Geno, and Orr on the powerplay and it won't make a difference if you don't have movement. Sadly the Pens have had opportunities to just step forward and shoot and they also choose not to (Sid/Geno) as they look for the perfect play.

At the beginning of the season, they were shooting and moving all over the map. I think it boils down to both Sid/Geno wanting that half wall. Sid needs to go down below the goalline and stop looking to pass and just keep crashing the net. Once they start moving towards Sid, then it opens up the half wall.

That's half of the equation. The other half is traffic.

Think back to that PP against Boston, when Tocchet finally got a clue and put Geno in the right circle and Perron in the left circle, each guy in perfect position to take one timers.

Geno launched, what, three in about 20 seconds, and Rask was square for every one of them. Why?

Rask could see the pass going from Letang to Geno. Yeah, Letang telegraphs it a little, but even if he didn't, Rask could see it. So, he's got no problem knowing when to move over.

Then, Geno's shot, which is coming from a 45 degree angle, isn't screened.

Sorry, but a top NHL goalie is going to save that, even on Geno, 99 times out of 100.

Think back now to when that Geno one timer was so lethal on the PP.

First, from 2006-2008, we had Malone. He'd screen the goalie, which meant the goalie couldn't see the pass from Gonchar to Malkin. Then, he'd slide along with the pass and keep the screen going, so Geno could just rip it for a relatively big spot in the net since the goalie wasn't square instead of trying to pick an impossible corner from that angle.

Now, in 2009 and 2010, Kunitz and Guerin would do a pretty good job doing a tandem screen of the goalie. Neither would slide over as the pass went to Geno, but, go watch some old videos, and you'll see Sid kind of cutting through from his spot low on the right side to distract/partially screen the goalie.

Yes, movement definitely will help. Absolutely. But, you can't have a PP where a big component is someone taking one timers from the right circle where the goalie can see everything clearly from the pass for the one timer to the shot itself.

I don't think the second one needs to be "meh." Not when Hornqvist's back. If Perron's going on the first unit we've still got the components for a reasonably good second unit. Bennett, Pouliot and Ehrhoff can do the thinking around the edges, Downie or Kunitz can go in front and Sutter in the middle of the box. I'd prefer Sutter in front and Kunitz in the middle of the box (due to handedness), but I don't know if Sutter would be willing or able to do the job.

Get some practices under their belt and I think that can be a little dangerous. Pens scored a couple with a similar configuration in preseason.

If Geno stays in the right circle and Perron in the left, then Horny will make ALL the difference, because he knows how to set and maintain a screen and how to continue it with the flow of play. Those one timers are going to look really dangerous when your best one time shooters are where they can one time the puck and Horny is screening things.

 

[mpp9]

If Sid doesn't want to play down low/around the net, his best use will be on the left boards purely as a playmaker. And let Malkin rip shots from the right circle.

It'll be a lethal unit once PH comes back. As Kirk said, Rask could see Malkin's shots coming. PH will make that very difficult for Rask next time.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Go watch Ottawa or Minnesota's power play and get back to me about how awful Letang is.

Letang has excellent passing skills, he just has so little poise on the powerplay that he can't figure out who to pass it to.

I'm neither saying Letang is awful (why would anyone even infer that?) nor that Letang can't make some good passes.

What I am saying is that if you think one of Letang's strengths on the PP is precision passing, you have clearly never seen him attempt to put a pass into Malkin's wheelhouse. It's comical.

 

[JTG]

I don't worry about the powerplay, because it will figure itself out when this team gets fully healthy. I would rather see Ehrhoff on the top point though. That's just my personal opinion though. I'd like to see us move more towards a strategy that we had when Sarge was here where the top point man ran things, where it sort of brings defenders up higher in the zone. If we can manage to bring defenders up higher, along with getting Hornqvist back, and working Perron in on the left wall...things will be fine.

I'd also like to see Sid and Geno move around more on the unit. Both are so stationary on the powerplay, which kills both of them because they are essentially standing next to each other. I have always taken note that when Sid or Geno are out of the lineup, and the one can command the entire right wall, the powerplay seems to click better.

 

[Rocket of Russia]

Its really that simple. We need more net presence. It'll give Sid, Geno and Letang more room to make plays, and it'll make our shots more dangerous, specifically, Geno's one timer.

Everything would be better with a strong net front presence like Hornqvist, but that hardly exonerates the powerplay from its current poor play. These guys need to move their feet, rotate quickly, and move the puck around (NOT through a tight PK box). There's absolutely no reason Brassard should look like a more effective powerplayer than Crosby.

 

[billybudd]

If Sid doesn't want to play down low/around the net, his best use will be on the left boards purely as a playmaker. And let Malkin rip shots from the right circle.

It'll be a lethal unit once PH comes back. As Kirk said, Rask could see Malkin's shots coming. PH will make that very difficult for Rask next time.

If he isn't going to put more rubber on the net from the circle, I say put him in the middle of the box, collapsing in when necessary with 72 in front. Sid's got a quick release and draws more attention than any player in the sport. Structurally, it would work, I think.

You lose his skating and passing, but really, his passing has been pretty stupid this year on the pp.

 

[Ugene Magic]

So which one do you want, equal PP units or maximizing our assets?

Because you're not maximizing the first PP unit if Malkin isn't on it, and you're not maximizing the first unit if Crosby isn't on it, so you want two equal units.

Unless you're legitimately suggesting our first unit would be better without one of the two superstars.

Jags, you're making things way more complicated than it needs to be.

This is not Rocket Appliances here. You're gonna give me heart congestion.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

Net front presence is weak. We don't win any battles in front of the net.

Horny is out, and who else aside from him plays that role? Kunitz used to be able to do it last year, but this year he just sucks.

Perron isn't net front kind of guy.

 

[canadianguy77]

It doesn't matter who we play, but once we're set up in the zone, the PK will pressure high every time. They pressure Letang every single time he has it near the line. They give Malkin and Sid a few feet, but will pressure Letang until he makes a mistake. Nine times out of ten, he messes it up. They know he won't shoot; they know he's looking to get it to Sid or Geno. That's all you need to know about our PP when we're set up.

Entering the zone is another issue, and I will gladly give you my thoughts on that as well.

*Hint: It revolves around Kunitz and his lack of will or speed in helping out.

 

[PaulieWalnuts]

Just stick Adams in front of the net, the man is made of iron and bouncing pucks off him is something he's good at. If we're lucky he catches one in a sensitive spot and is out a period (because he's like a bad yeast infection, he doesn't go away).

 

[Callista Rhian]

Just stick Adams in front of the net, the man is made of iron and bouncing pucks off him is something he's good at. If we're lucky he catches one in a sensitive spot and is out a period (because he's like a bad yeast infection, he doesn't go away).

Yeast infections at least go away most of the time. ADAMS NEVER WILL.

It's not about bumping Geno or Sid off the 'top' unit. It's about creating two equal PP units. It's about maximizing our assets. It's about forcing teams to either water down their top PK unit, or chose which one they want to send their top unit out against.

There would not be a 'top' PP unit, or a 'second' PP unit ... it would be two equally dangerous units.

But wouldn't that mean that the PK unit would only have to focus on one player? With Sid and Geno out together, they'd have to keep somebody on both of them, thus being more likely to leave a gap in their defense and allowing our guys more chances to score?

 

[Ugene Magic]

But wouldn't that mean that the PK unit would only have to focus on one player? With Sid and Geno out together, they'd have to keep somebody on both of them, thus being more likely to leave a gap in their defense and allowing our guys more chances to score?

When players change or pairings change, they won't have the benefit to put their top shutdown players out for two fresh units back to back.

When healthy:

PP1A- Perron, Crosby, Hornqvist

D-pairings are not the issue here and both will be left out.

PP1B - Kunitz, Malkin, Bennett

Guys who can be subbed in: Sutter, Downie, and Comeau in Lieu of injuries.

Malkin, Kunitz, and Neal worked just fine without Crosby when he was sidelined with his head injury.

To say There's no proof to support it would be pretty bad considering how much those two have missed over the recent past.

Kunitz also has increased his PP goals each and every season going 6>9>13, and he's at 6 this season. Kunitz has worked his way to being a PP specialist. Even if we don't see it that way.

Obviously Neal is gone, but with Perron and Hornqvist they have made that difference up. Malkin is wasted at the point beyond his slap-shots.

The only question mark is how much Bennett can stick there.(injuries)

Bennett (RHS) would be on the LW boards with Kunitz in front and Malkin doing his RW boards thing.


People just don't get this below screws up their PP.

----------------[NET]----Crosby
-------------Kunitz/Horn



Perron--------------------------Malkin



-------------Letang/Ehrhoff

You always have your two best players on the same side of the ice.

Now change it up:


----------------------[NET]
-------------------Kunitz/Horn
----Perron

----------------------------------------Malkin

---------Crosby



--------------------Letang/Ehrhoff

Your quarterback is Malkin because he has way more options open to him than Sid standing at the RW goal-line. You could do the same if you mirror this with Kunitz in Perron's positioning on the RW. They'd just play tag in front of the net. Same with Hornqvist being used in Perron's position the tagging in to the front of the net and Kunitz tags out.


The entire problem here is neither Geno or Sid want to be there fulltime.

The second setup allows Geno to slide up and down the boards for his one-timer that is shades of Stamkos.

The Pens are --------------------------------------RW heavy. Perron and Hornqvist balance that out a bit, but that means Sid and Geno need to shoot more often.

 

[roquay]

Net front presence is weak. We don't win any battles in front of the net.

Horny is out, and who else aside from him plays that role? Kunitz used to be able to do it last year, but this year he just sucks.

Perron isn't net front kind of guy.

It looked alright when they briefly had 2 guys in front of the net (Downie and Kunitz doesn't have to be them though). That's probably not a good long term solution but it's good to mix it up and not be predictable.

We definitely pass way too much. They need to just shoot the damn thing.

 

[#66]

The PP is way to direct. There's no lure to one area and then sending players to another.

The long, slow one time pass to Malkin is so brutal to watch. Its sickening that the Pens have Sid and Malkin and the best they can do is set up point shots and crash the net.

I would love to see Perron set up for shots by Sid playing behind the net. Kind of like the Subban goal a few weeks ago.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

You can take BB out, and move Perron to his spot, put Comeau or Kunitz in his place. Like UM said, it's open to interpretation. I disagree about Tocchet's strategy, though. I would rather have two equally dangerous PP units than one loaded one and one meh one. Geno and Sid both gravitate to the same spot, it would solve that. It would also most likely solve some of the over passing. Plus, it would also allow us to send out one of our top lines at the end of the PP rather than our 4th.

Two equal units is a waste when you have to worry about splitting time to be effective in those two minutes, for 2 minute infractions I'd much rather load it up and make sure to give yourself the best chance to score on that minute and 20 or 30 players will skate.

Now if we are talking about 4 minute DM's and 5 MM obviously I'd switch it up with two more balanced units.

 

[Callista Rhian]

People just don't get this below screws up their PP.

----------------[NET]----Crosby
-------------Kunitz/Horn



Perron--------------------------Malkin



-------------Letang/Ehrhoff

You always have your two best players on the same side of the ice.

Now change it up:


----------------------[NET]
-------------------Kunitz/Horn
----Perron

----------------------------------------Malkin

---------Crosby



--------------------Letang/Ehrhoff

Your quarterback is Malkin because he has way more options open to him than Sid standing at the RW goal-line. You could do the same if you mirror this with Kunitz in Perron's positioning on the RW. They'd just play tag in front of the net. Same with Hornqvist being used in Perron's position the tagging in to the front of the net and Kunitz tags out.


The entire problem here is neither Geno or Sid want to be there fulltime.

The second setup allows Geno to slide up and down the boards for his one-timer that is shades of Stamkos.

The Pens are --------------------------------------RW heavy. Perron and Hornqvist balance that out a bit, but that means Sid and Geno need to shoot more often.

Thanks, awesome explanation!

Yeah, the Pens are way too predictable; also, there's never anybody acting as a screen. And those looong passes... Ugh.