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

[Zirakzigil]

It's fun to think about what it could or should be but we all know what it will be. It will be Karlsson, Letang, Sid, Geno, and Jake. Karlsson high, Letang and Geno on the half, Jake will be slot and Sid will be low strong side.

I honestly think it could work but the biggest failure for the Pens powerplay has not been the personnel it's been the lack of any sustained movement or flexibility. Karlsson should be able to help in that regard.

Id argue the issue has been zone entry and an utter lack of desire to shoot. Once we gain entry we pass around the puck just fine. The problem is no one wants to be selfish and smash pucks at the net.

 

[vodeni]

The personnel has been an issue.
Sid is just not as good on the powerplay as he is at ES. Ditto Guentzel (who frankly should be on the 2nd unit).
On entries, and sorry I'll keep focusing on entries, we have no willing forecheckers. Maybe that will change if Letang is moving to the Kessel role. I sincerely hope so. We'll see if Karlsson can carry some pucks in.
If you can set up a powerplay, I don't think execution is as big of a deal. But when players are looking for perfect plays because they don't think they can get the puck back in the zone it jams everything up.

100%. Our problem was always the lack of effort in wining those 50-50 pucks even with the extra player, unwilligness to dig up the puck directly resulting in less time with the puck, less opportunities...and of course entries...

 

[Deport Ogie]

Id argue the issue has been zone entry and an utter lack of desire to shoot. Once we gain entry we pass around the puck just fine. The problem is no one wants to be selfish and smash pucks at the net.

Zone entries is absolutely an issue, you're right there. Also perhaps the most obvious way Karlsson can help. For chrissakes banish the ****ing drop pass.

When it comes to shot, I wonder how much is lack of desire and how much is a mix of desire for perfection/lack of open look. The lack of an open look can absolute be linked to lack of movement, I'd argue. Even at 5 v 4, all 5 Pens being glued to their spot like they have roots makes it immensely easy to defend. Shifts and movement create open shots and open shots create scoring chances.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Zone entries is absolutely an issue, you're right there. Also perhaps the most obvious way Karlsson can help. For chrissakes banish the ****ing drop pass.

When it comes to shot, I wonder how much is lack of desire and how much is a mix of desire for perfection/lack of open look. The lack of an open look can absolute be linked to lack of movement, I'd argue. Even at 5 v 4, all 5 Pens being glued to their spot like they have roots makes it immensely easy to defend. Shifts and movement create open shots and open shots create scoring chances.

The Pens' setup on the PP

 

[Zirakzigil]

Zone entries is absolutely an issue, you're right there. Also perhaps the most obvious way Karlsson can help. For chrissakes banish the ****ing drop pass.

When it comes to shot, I wonder how much is lack of desire and how much is a mix of desire for perfection/lack of open look. The lack of an open look can absolute be linked to lack of movement, I'd argue. Even at 5 v 4, all 5 Pens being glued to their spot like they have roots makes it immensely easy to defend. Shifts and movement create open shots and open shots create scoring chances.

I think the shooting issue comes down to 2 problems. First one is lack of a true shot on the point, been missing since Gonchar. We desperately miss that hard and accurate slapper. Second is no one wants to be selfish. Players keep deferring to each other. Kessel was the only one from recent memory who didnt care and would shoot it. Letang Sid and Geno would rather play pass to eachother than look selfish.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think the shooting issue comes down to 2 problems. First one is lack of a true shot on the point, been missing since Gonchar. We desperately miss that hard and accurate slapper. Second is no one wants to be selfish. Players keep deferring to each other. Kessel was the only one from recent memory who didnt care and would shoot it. Letang Sid and Geno would rather play pass to eachother than look selfish.

The entries contribute to the lack of shooting. They wait for the perfect play because if it leaves the zone the PP1 is over.