Pittsburgh Penguins: Skill and Talent at a Premium, Not Size and Physicality
By Mike Necciai
We’ve barely made it into July and we’ve already started hearing criticism from hockey traditionalists that the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t tough enough. They don’t have an enforcer, or a physical presence that will make opponents think twice about taking liberties on their teammates.
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As of right now, all of the above is true. The Pittsburgh Penguins did decide that they would target skill over toughness. And, I have to say that although I was a hockey traditionalist at one point, I have to agree that those days are gone.
If you watched the Pens closely last season, you’ll see that they had a serious identity problem. Were they a team built on toughness and tenacity? Were they a team based on skill and finesse? The truth is, they were a team that couldn’t quite fit into any one category. At certain points they were unstoppable offensively. But, at other times they were unable to produce any kind of offensive pressure. They were the second most penalized team in the league, yet they were also considered soft and pushovers.
With the core that this team employs, mainly Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, it’s clear that their overall goal should be to surround these guys with suitable assets that can compliment their talent. We watched Ray Shero try to do that throughout his tenure, but he still fell victim to the old school mentality of needing veterans, tough guys, and character guys.
When you get stuck in that way of thinking, you go out and acquire guys like Daniel Winnik, Brendan Morrow, and Doug Murray. You find yourself coveting players like Craig Adams, Maxim Lapierre, and Deryk Engelland. You sign players like Tanner Glass. Basically, you forget that to win hockey games you have to score goals. Something that none of these guys will do for you. Nor will they contribute to someone else on their line doing so. Will they protect your stars? Well, we had guys like Tanner Glass when Marc Staal was doing this to Crosby… (via @myregularface)
The Chicago Blackhawks have proven time and time again that skill trumps all en route to three Stanley Cup Championships in the last six years. Some will cite the Los Angeles Kings as a tough team that has found recent success, but the last Kings team that won the Cup had an average weight of 206.25 lbs. To put that into perspective, Beau Bennett is 207 lbs.
The fact is, the Kings employed a very solid defensive system and executed it almost flawlessly throughout their playoff runs. They didn’t beat people up. They didn’t compile a bunch of fighting majors to protect Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik. They simply filled their roster with players that could play at a high level within their system.
Sure, the NHL used to be like this…
However, the days of tough guys, staged fights, and frankly, anyone caring at all that someone on the other bench can beat you in a fight are in the past. The Pens aren’t the only team that is catching on this season.
Last season, in Jim Rutherford‘s first summer with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he vowed to make the Pens a playoff team. He wanted to add grit, physicality, and size. He added guys like Steve Downie, Blake Comeau, Maxim Lapierre, and Daniel Winnick. Yet, players like Zac Rinaldo still took liberties on Kris Letang.
The Pittsburgh Penguins found themselves unable to score goals down the stretch, and were eventually bumped in the first round of the NHL playoffs by the New York Rangers. The Rangers, a team based on speed, skill, and offensive punch. Yes, the Pens had detrimental injuries on defense. And, yes, they held their own fairly well while keeping each game close. Unfortunately, close doesn’t count.
Jim Rutherford learned from watching the Blackhawks and Lightning compete for the Stanley Cup. It isn’t about protecting your stars with big tough guys so that they can dazzle everyone and score a ton of goals. It’s about surrounding them with other players that can contribute offensively and compliment their play. Players that will create space, not by threatening to drop the gloves, but by threatening to score on their own if left unattended.
As I’ve said in the past, I’m all for a spirited bout between two emotional players. But, the thought that you need to hire thugs in order to be successful is a very dated way of thinking.
If you’re a hockey traditionalist that still believes enforcers have a place in hockey, you may want to start stocking up on old game DVD’s. The game is changing, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are changing with it.
Next: Phil Kessel Acquisition Addresses Pens Lack of Depth