What system do the Penguins run?

[Cloned]

Hey all, Oilers fan here. Over on the Oilers board there has been an interview with the Oilers assistant coach who indicated they were going to change the team’s systems to something that fosters speed and puck possession. He also said it is something similar to what two or three other teams in the NHL run. My mind immediately went to the Penguins as a possibility.

What kind of systems do you guys run, in terms of forechecking and breakout? I’ve tried googling and YouTubing but it is difficult to find clips of a controlled breakout or a full forecheck. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

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[Tom Hanks]

I’m not an X’s and O’s guy but it’s the D man’s job to get it to our forwards quickly so they can transition and bring it into the O zone as quick as possible. Once there different lines do it slightly different but important to possess the puck and wear down the opposition and we have the forward depth to do that.

Once a turnover is created our forwards have to push back hard and be in good position otherwise it can break down as our D isn’t a strong shutdown defense.

Our biggest strength are our forwards so we play a game to maximise that. Teams have caught up to us with speed so there may be some adjustments to how we play.

 

[Turin]

Not really sure on the small details, but they overload the strong side in the D-Zone, don’t pressure the points aggressively and break out mostly with chips and small simple passes to get speed through the neutral zone. I’m not sure how often they do it in the RS, but in the playoffs they’ve often gone into the 1-2-2 forecheck, where they use speed to disrupt the neutral zone.

It can change due to opponent though. Overall I think most teams play a similar system.. communication, mindset and of course the actual roster play bigger parts imo. I’m not sure the Oilers have the personnel to run it as effectively, but maybe they do.

 

[Cloned]

Not really sure on the small details, but they overload the strong side in the D-Zone, don’t pressure the points aggressively and break out mostly with chips and small simple passes to get speed through the neutral zone. I’m not sure how often they do it in the RS, but in the playoffs they’ve often gone into the 1-2-2 forecheck, where they use speed to disrupt the neutral zone.

It can change due to opponent though. Overall I think most teams play a similar system.. communication, mindset and of course the actual roster play bigger parts imo. I’m not sure the Oilers have the personnel to run it as effectively, but maybe they do.

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[BHD]

Outlet passes from the defensive zone, pressure through the neutral zone, and puck support in the offensive zone.

Speed from the forwards is the key ingredient.

 

[BHD]

Also, Sullivan uses different forechecks (both in the NZ and OZ) depending on the team. However, the main purpose is to pressure the team into turnovers.

 

[Peat]

I’m not an X’s and O’s guy but it’s the D man’s job to get it to our forwards quickly so they can transition and bring it into the O zone as quick as possible.

I haven't checked for sure, but I think its quite noticeable in our zone exit stats just how quick our dmen get it to the forwards - the forwards make a lot more exits compared to Dallas.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Also, Sullivan uses different forechecks (both in the NZ and OZ) depending on the team. However, the main purpose is to pressure the team into turnovers.

And not so much last season but before that we’d try not to let them get good shots from in close and down the middle. Out wide was fine for an easier save/block then we’d battle to win the puck and take off.

 

[Clatartar]

Haven't you other teams watched the pens enough to know? You just give the puck to Sid....

 

[ColePens]

10 years ago you could sit there and talk about what system teams play. Not any more. The game is so detailed. That is why players like Datsyuk aren't seen as much who are ultra creative. Players are given very specific details to react to a situation. The core ideas of the NHL anymore are variations of a 2-3 or a 1-2-2, but hot damn they play nothing like old variation 2-3/1-2-2s.

As I always say, I would kill to sit with Sully to hear his details.

 

[oobga]

Was Mike Johnston making the Pens players do stupid stuff? They really turned around after they finally replaced him.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Was Mike Johnston making the Pens players do stupid stuff? They really turned around after they finally replaced him.

His second season he didn’t have faith in our D. Fair enough it wasn’t great but then he played a more defensive system which doesn’t work to our strengths. Should have played a more attacking game and if the D didn’t hold up pester JR for more help on D. That mistake cost him his job. Whether he would have made long term who knows. Worked out great for us though.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The system is getting the puck up to the forwards as quickly as they can by forcing the other team to dump the puck or keep them to the outside and either carry it out or hit stretch passes from the blueline out quickly. It's all predicated on speed in all aspects. What ends up happening is teams drop back into the safe 1-2-2 D-coverage with the D-men dropped back the hash marks of the circles to not get burned by having them blow by them. That allows for easy zone entry. Sometimes the other team will do like last year and go the 1-2-1-1 where one D-man stays back at the hash marks and the strong side forward and D-man pressure the puck carrier causing more dump ins that the D-man back easily gathers up.

 

[PensPlz]

Todd McLellan, is that you?

Sorry, Todd. Not giving you a free scouting report or giving you tips.

Go do your own homework.

 

[The Old Master]

in our zone; Chinese fire drill no. 1
in their zone; Chinese fire drill no. 2

 

[WayneSid9987]

Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) | Twitter Jesse Marshall on twitter(and here @Jesse) has tons of breakdown(s) on his timeline. Just keep scrolling down and you'll see lots.

ETA: Scroll to around playoff dates/in season.

 

[billybudd]

Good coaches these days (and Sullivan is one) will change the forecheck or breakout between commercial breaks if something's not working. McClellan's most-likely talking about emphasis, not rote-copying some serendipitous, static grand strategy of some other hockey club.

 

[EightyOne]

Lol

System

Lol


Pretty sure they run "attack, attack, attack some more, oh, and just try not to fall on Murray or something"

 

[SouthGeorge]

We run a 4-1. Little to no defense and a lot of breakaways.

Joking aside - I wish the Pens did something like SNU so we could pick Sullivans brain. I just want to ask him two questions 1) What is the most important piece of ice in his opinion and 2) When a defensemen gets the puck in a pressure situation why is his partner hugging the opposite boards. All I want to know.

 

[Tweed]

Hey all, Oilers fan here. Over on the Oilers board there has been an interview with the Oilers assistant coach who indicated they were going to change the team’s systems to something that fosters speed and puck possession. He also said it is something similar to what two or three other teams in the NHL run. My mind immediately went to the Penguins as a possibility.

What kind of systems do you guys run, in terms of forechecking and breakout? I’ve tried googling and YouTubing but it is difficult to find clips of a controlled breakout or a full forecheck. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Our system is actually pretty complicated, and involves having our center pass it up the middle and our best defenseman covering the same guy as our second best defenseman.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Linux with a side of stubborn ignorance.

 

[Andy99]

“System? System? I just hope we can win a game”....

 

[66-30-33]

We out score the other team, that's our system ya dig?

 

[BHD]

(in Sully's voice)

" We want our more skilled guys to make skilled plays - as long as they're the right play. We have some skilled guys, and we don't want to stifle their creativity. We want them to read the situation and react accordingly."

 

[Jesse]

Hey all, Oilers fan here. Over on the Oilers board there has been an interview with the Oilers assistant coach who indicated they were going to change the team’s systems to something that fosters speed and puck possession. He also said it is something similar to what two or three other teams in the NHL run. My mind immediately went to the Penguins as a possibility.

What kind of systems do you guys run, in terms of forechecking and breakout? I’ve tried googling and YouTubing but it is difficult to find clips of a controlled breakout or a full forecheck. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

The Penguins run a 1-2-2 in the neutral zone with an added wrinkle that is generally called a swing. This means the middle "2" will interchange with/join the top "1" to provide dual pressure on the forecheck. They'll press the top forechecker high, and they'll loop a second player in to provide pressure on top of the first forechecker. That first forechecker rotates into his spot, and the cycle repeats.

Defensively, the Penguins (to the bane of all of us) run a puck-side overload. That means they attack the puck side of the ice four strong, generally leaving one player back in the slot to protect the back door.

Offensively it's basically no holds barred. They gain possession, cycle, and generally just run wild. There's mostly no sense in attempting to discern commonalities when 87/71/81 are out there just doing whatever comes naturally.