GDT: Pittsburgh Penguins Power Play Discussion 2023/24: Your Feeble Skills Are No Match For The Power Play Of The Darkside.

[Ugene Magic]

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Power Play Discussion


Centers

Sidney Crosby
Evgeni Malkin
Jeff Carter


Left Wing

Jake Guentzel
Riley Smith



Right Wing

Ricard Rakell
Bryan Rust



Defense

Erik Karlsson
Kris Letang
Pierre-Oliver Joseph



Goaltenders

Tristan Jarry
Alex Nedljkovic


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Daily faceoff has this without Jake.
NHL Line Combinations - Pittsburgh Penguins


PP#1

Rust(Jake), Crosby, Rakell
Karlsson, Malkin



PP#2

Smith, Carter, Nylander(Rust)
Letang, POJ

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I think this is going to be the most improved upon aspect of the Penguins, helping them close out games. Obviously, this is mostly due to the addition of, Karlsson. So let's keep one of the positive subjects within its own universe and track how this goes without Jake to start and how things progress, or digress throughout this very exciting change of the power play.


If there is anything you wish added to this OP for convenience don't hesitate to shout out anything, or PM me.

Thanks... and let's get this rolling.... So excited for it.

@Zirakzigil if you want to add a poll, have at it.




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Click to read more...

 

[Empoleon8771]

My total lineup prediction without any additional moves:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
Smith-Malkin-Rust
Johnsson-Eller-Acciari
O'Connor-Carter-Nieto
Zohorna

Graves-Letang
Pettersson-Karlsson
POJ-Ruhwedel
Smith

Jarry-Nedjelkovic:

PP1: Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, Letang and Karlsson
PP2: Carter, Rakell, Smith, POJ and Pettersson

PK1: Eller, Rust, Graves and Letang
PK2: Acciari, Smith, Pettersson and Ruhwedel
PK3: Carter, Nieto, POJ and Karlsson (more realistically they'll probably just run with the PK1 and PK2 D pairs with the 3 forward units)

This is what I'm expecting they'll run with. I think Rust actually gets pushed off the PP unit because they're not going to want to use 1 D on PP2. With that being said, there will be plenty of injuries so I expect Rust will still get a lot of PP time. That PP1 is 100% what the PP1 is going to be when healthy, though. Letang isn't being demoted to the 2nd PP unit, not a chance.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

With everyone healthy I would try this first:
Rakell - Crosby - Malkin
Karlsson - Smith

If Smith fails, option B:
Rakell - Crosby - Guentzel
Karlsson - Malkin

If Ruhwedel is playing over Smith, I'd use this while Guentzel is out:
Letang - Rakell - Crosby
Karlsson - Malkin

I just believe in giving the kid a proper chance before giving up. The high offensive ceiling is there. I like a lot about his process.
When he settles his nerves I think he could be very effective.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Letang will absolutely be on PP1, and he should be. Playing on the half wall should be a big help to him, there's less decision making and he's pretty nifty around the net when he drives from that spot. I do not look forward to him trying to make cross ice passes to Geno from down there, so hopefully he gets that out of his head early on.

I think the PP would be much better served to have a true net front rather than Jake though, I'd opt for Rakell, but they'll never do that. If you want to be setting up Letang and Geno for one timers, and letting EK fire it from up top, you need a net front and not a couple of guys trying low percentage tips on a PP.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Letang will absolutely be on PP1, and he should be. Playing on the half wall should be a big help to him, there's less decision making and he's pretty nifty around the net when he drives from that spot. I do not look forward to him trying to make cross ice passes to Geno from down there, so hopefully he gets that out of his head early on.

I think the PP would be much better served to have a true net front rather than Jake though, I'd opt for Rakell, but they'll never do that. If you want to be setting up Letang and Geno for one timers, and letting EK fire it from up top, you need a net front and not a couple of guys trying low percentage tips on a PP.

I agree Letang will be on it while Jake is out, but after he returns? Not sure.
They may want to control his minutes more this year.
If they later dispose of Rakell to plug in Letang on the left-wall, I think that'll be a mistake.

Net-front is the weakness that needs fixing here.

 

[Andy99]

Letang will absolutely be on PP1, and he should be. Playing on the half wall should be a big help to him, there's less decision making and he's pretty nifty around the net when he drives from that spot. I do not look forward to him trying to make cross ice passes to Geno from down there, so hopefully he gets that out of his head early on.

I think the PP would be much better served to have a true net front rather than Jake though, I'd opt for Rakell, but they'll never do that. If you want to be setting up Letang and Geno for one timers, and letting EK fire it from up top, you need a net front and not a couple of guys trying low percentage tips on a PP.

I do think while Jake is out to start the season, they will go with Sid, G, EK, Letang and Rakell on PP1…hopefully it’s on fire so that when Jake returns he goes to PP2 lol

 

[Ugene Magic]

Letang will absolutely be on PP1, and he should be. Playing on the half wall should be a big help to him, there's less decision making and he's pretty nifty around the net when he drives from that spot. I do not look forward to him trying to make cross ice passes to Geno from down there, so hopefully he gets that out of his head early on.

I think the PP would be much better served to have a true net front rather than Jake though, I'd opt for Rakell, but they'll never do that. If you want to be setting up Letang and Geno for one timers, and letting EK fire it from up top, you need a net front and not a couple of guys trying low percentage tips on a PP.

I agree on Rakell as the net front/bumper guy. They have a lot of choices and guys who can slip in and out on PP1. I'd also wouldn't hesitate to slot Karlsson in that LW wall position and having that backdoor (Whitney) play as well. I really don't like putting all the eggs in one basket type thing. Always was a proponent of having two equally dangerous PP's. They have more than enough talent to do so. Unfortunately egos get in the way that wipe out clear advantages the team has/had.

Guentzel, Crosby, Rakell
Graves, Karlsson

Smith, Malkin, Rust
POJ, Letang

You can do changes from one to the other, like, I know nobody would want to have Letang with Malkin, but both are still a formidable PP unit. You could slot Carter as the net front for PP2 and push Smith to the left point removing POJ.

What this does is limits the over passing and hesitation, and hopefully the endless standing around. Having a healthy inner team battle for best PP can't be bad. Stacking is good, but I feel this also has had bad results in having all the top players worn out and causing issues where teams take advantage of the teams lack of depth down the lineup. These now older guys are being used as if they were in their mid to late 20's. If they really want to win there has to be some kind of balance while also saving energy the team could use if down late in a game.

But why do that, keep running the team like they are in their youth and have them beat down come March/April. (oldest team in the NHL)

Something has to give, even if it is just modifying PP1 once twice a game. Also, it just seems foolish to run guys who were just out there as part of PP1. If the team had depth down the lineup and a bit younger this would be less necessary. But the team is old and slow throughout the forward group at least.

How bad do they want to win? They say they want to, talk about doing things to get that result, but things never change.

Depth is the way. Always has been, but if you wont use what depth you have properly, what is the point?

1.5 minutes seems extreme and if you can keep it to as normal a shift 45/60 as possible they'll fair better in the long run. It will be no more than taking a regular shift.

That's what I hope for, for many, many years.

 

[Andy99]

I agree on Rakell as the net front/bumper guy. They have a lot of choices and guys who can slip in and out on PP1. I'd also wouldn't hesitate to slot Karlsson in that LW wall position and having that backdoor (Whitney) play as well. I really don't like putting all the eggs in one basket type thing. Always was a proponent of having two equally dangerous PP's. They have more than enough talent to do so. Unfortunately egos get in the way that wipe out clear advantages the team has/had.

Guentzel, Crosby, Rakell
Graves, Karlsson

Smith, Malkin, Rust
POJ, Letang

You can do changes from one to the other, like, I know nobody would want to have Letang with Malkin, but both are still a formidable PP unit. You could slot Carter as the net front for PP2 and push Smith to the left point removing POJ.

What this does is limits the over passing and hesitation, and hopefully the endless standing around. Having a healthy inner team battle for best PP can't be bad. Stacking is good, but I feel this also has had bad results in having all the top players worn out and causing issues where teams take advantage of the teams lack of depth down the lineup. These now older guys are being used as if they were in their mid to late 20's. If they really want to win there has to be some kind of balance while also saving energy the team could use if down late in a game.

But why do that, keep running the team like they are in their youth and have them beat down come March/April. (oldest team in the NHL)

Something has to give, even if it is just modifying PP1 once twice a game. Also, it just seems foolish to run guys who were just out there as part of PP1. If the team had depth down the lineup and a bit younger this would be less necessary. But the team is old and slow throughout the forward group at least.

How bad do they want to win? They say they want to, talk about doing things to get that result, but things never change.

Depth is the way. Always has been, but if you wont use what depth you have properly, what is the point?

1.5 minutes seems extreme and if you can keep it to as normal a shift 45/60 as possible they'll fair better in the long run. It will be no more than taking a regular shift.

That's what I hope for, for many, many years.

If you have two equally dangerous PPs then you have to commit to giving them equal time and that’s tough…second, while I disagree with the players you would put on those units, the absolutely worst thing, if you’re going to break up PP1, is to still keep Letang and Malkin together lol…

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Split units has been attempted multiple times throughout the years and blows every single time they try.

 

[Ugene Magic]

If you have two equally dangerous PPs then you have to commit to giving them equal time and that’s tough…second, while I disagree with the players you would put on those units, the absolutely worst thing, if you’re going to break up PP1, is to still keep Letang and Malkin together lol…

As I mention in my post some wouldn't like that.

Split units has been attempted multiple times throughout the years and blows every single time they try.

Other than early on, other than being tired or on the ice creating the PP it was only tried in those first couple years. It wasn't a tire fire, it was a team playing to egos.

It never was tried again as a mainstay.

 

[Andy99]

Split units has been attempted multiple times throughout the years and blows every single time they try.

Yeah, never has worked…put the best PP players on PP1

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Other than early on, other than being tired or on the ice creating the PP it was only tried in those first couple years. It wasn't a tire fire, it was a team playing to egos.

It never was tried again as a mainstay.

The idea is to FIX the powerplay. Not punish players. Giving a guy like Malkin who is arguably their best player on the man advantage (barring EK... we'll see) like 30 seconds of icetime is just foolish. Because that is how it shakes out every time. There will always be a first and second unit and they will never be equal. You can pound the desk all you want about it... it's always gonna work that way out on the ice. Good luck telling Crosby and EK they are getting yanked after one minute exactly. It just isn't feasible.

It's not worth overthinking. Use your best players. I haven't noticed any issues with fatigue. I think that's a red herring.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The idea is to FIX the powerplay. Not punish players. Giving a guy like Malkin who is arguably their best player on the man advantage (barring EK... we'll see) like 30 seconds of icetime is just foolish. Because that is how it shakes out every time. There will always be a first and second unit and they will never be equal. You can pound the desk all you want about it... it's always gonna work that way out on the ice. Good luck telling Crosby and EK they are getting yanked after one minute exactly. It just isn't feasible.

It's not worth overthinking. Use your best players. I haven't noticed any issues with fatigue. I think that's a red herring.

No. The idea is to win games. It's hit or miss who's the best on the PP because they stand around too much (all of them) and that's because players are set in their ways. There's no flow, kept to the perimeter and only when Kessel got here did it reach its potential. It's actually quite sad considering the prowess on the PP. Did I mention the failure to shoot more? Instead to put the puck on lesser sticks.

You are still using your best players no matter what. You may not notice fatigue, but I do, they pound line #1 and #2 due to lack there of, now consider they play every PP, sometimes upwards to 5/6 minutes per game. Do they have the success rate for that kind of consumption for the players they are?

Not every team gets the option of having 2 number one centers.

The only reason it wouldn't have success is because of not actually doing it as a mainstay. That's 2 full minutes of #1 PP use. You think an extra 30 sec. per PP (that's a lot of PP's) wouldn't make a difference over the long haul?

That seems like foolish thinking. Also why we see the same stale PP game in, game out.

Karlsson may change that, he may not if all else stays the same. Same standing around, no movement.

Considering their lack of a bottom six depth, the PP becomes more prudent to use it to its fullest.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm just going to respectfully but firmly disagree. I feel like you're kinda grinding an axe re: certain player(s), here so I'll sit this one out.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I'm just going to respectfully but firmly disagree. I feel like you're kinda grinding an axe re: certain player(s), here so I'll sit this one out.

It's not a particular player considering it is everyone. Well, I do like what I see from Rakell who wasn't born under this PP umbrella.

I'd be fine with a stacked one if the team is stacked, can take on that load while they rest being out there so long, but last year was pretty brutal, and should have been a case of what not to do "on all fronts".

I mean, getting scored on soon after scoring "so many times" should be a formidable case.

That's pushing your best two lines/players and poor depth.

Is Karlsson enough to erase that? Who knows. (the team is basically the same with a few parts changing out) But I'm sure it will be a pretty win/lose situation. Which is all I'm looking forward to seeing. The rest is a given. For me.

Karlsson has rejuvenated my watching experience as I would guess it has for everyone.

 

[Fordy]

karlsson moves around a lot, just put him in charge and let him force them to actually rotate

 

[Jacob]

I don’t see any reason to have Letang on PP1. Even with Guentzel out. But Sullivan will still do it.

Have Letang and a LD on PP2. He’s better when he’s not on the ice with the big guns anyway.

 

[molon labe]

This power play with Hornqvist in and Guentzel out would be likely setting records.

I'm hoping to get a few more this year too. The league has allowed our studs to get abused far too much with game management for far too long. They deserve a little extra protection here going forward.

 

[Jacob]

I don’t see any reason to have Letang on PP1. Even with Guentzel out. But Sullivan will still do it.

Have Letang and a LD on PP2. He’s better when he’s not on the ice with the big guns anyway.

In thinking more about it, with Jake out and some new faces I say we just try all combos. We need to find out who the 2nd unit guys should be, and how Graves and POJ can run that unit. Both Smiths need looks. We need to test Karlsson by himself but if we’re up and it’s late I’d go with 2 D.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don’t see any reason to have Letang on PP1. Even with Guentzel out. But Sullivan will still do it.

Have Letang and a LD on PP2. He’s better when he’s not on the ice with the big guns anyway.

Letang's comments about his role the PP after the trade were hilarious.

 

[Gurglesons]

Letang shouldn’t be on the top Powerplay now that we have EK65, but he will be. Malkin should be there, weird anyone would imply he shouldn’t.

 

[Andy99]

Letang shouldn’t be on the top Powerplay now that we have EK65, but he will be. Malkin should be there, weird anyone would imply he shouldn’t.

Yep, he’s our best PP player at least pre EK and that someone may want him getting 30 seconds on PP2 and thinks that’s in the best interest of the team seems weird to me too

 

[bambamcam4ever]

This power play with Hornqvist in and Guentzel out would be likely setting records.

I'm hoping to get a few more this year too. The league has allowed our studs to get abused far too much with game management for far too long. They deserve a little extra protection here going forward.

This church of Hornqvist shit has gone too far. Neal's last season the Penguins were 1st in PP%. The next year after trading for Hornqvist they dropped to 10th.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Letang should absolutely be on the top unit, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. He should be taking Rakell’s spot and Rakell should slide to the 2nd unit.

 

[Gurglesons]

Letang should absolutely be on the top unit, I don’t know what you guys are talking about. He should be taking Rakell’s spot and Rakell should slide to the 2nd unit.

The play should be Rakell, Smith, Malkin , Crosby, Karlsson.