Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman Ian Cole Poised for Increased Role
By Mike Necciai
There are a ton of question marks that surround the Pittsburgh Penguins defensive corps next season. Are they too young and inexperienced? Will Kris Letang, Olli Maatta, and Derrick Pouliot stay healthy? Can Ian Cole be effective in an increased role?
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No one imagined the impact Cole would have with the Pittsburgh Penguins when they first acquired him in exchange for Robert Bortuzzo. However, the Pens saw something that the fans and media did not. This is a great example of an occasion where the pro scouts succeeded in a big way.
Many underestimate the impact that a system or specific situation will have on a player. Cole and Bortuzzo were both in situations in which they could not succeed. Neither played on a team that fit what they’re built to do and the trade worked out great for both sides.
Cole, a former first-round pick turned third-paring defenseman and frequent healthy scratch, was launched into a more prominent role down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs in 2014-15. How did he do? Let’s start by taking a look at his HERO chart, via ownthepuck.blogspot.ca.
When it comes to his impact on line mates for both shot suppression and point production, Cole found himself producing at a top-four rate. The good news for the Pittsburgh Penguins is that he was playing a lot of minutes with the likes of Rob Scuderi toward the end of last season and in the playoffs. Imagine what he can do with Derrick Pouliot as his partner.
Scuderi, whom Cole played the majority of minutes with by far with 192:47 of TOI, saw nearly a 5% boost in corsi-for when playing alongside number 28. Forwards that saw a lot of ice time with Cole witnessed a similar boost, with Daniel Winnik seeing a 5% increase and Brandon Sutter jumping 10%. Maxim Lapierre is the only forward that saw a decrease.
It’s tough to judge a defenseman on corsi alone, but when you look at his impact on teammates it says a lot about the type of player he has become. Similar to Matt Niskanen, Cole left a team that drafted him early and couldn’t find a way to make him fit. And, also similar to Niskanen, he has found a team that employs a system in which he can excel in.
Of course, analytics only tell a part of the story. There’s a multitude of reasons to like what Ian Cole brings to the table. One thing that the Pittsburgh Penguins have sorely missed is a defenseman that’s willing to fire the puck. Cole does exactly that, and he has a bomb for a shot. Below is a look at one of Cole’s tallies while with the St. Louis Blues, which represents his willingness to shoot from less-than-ideal angles.
Aside from Cole’s offensive abilities from the blue line, he’s also very good defensively. He takes risks, which will sometimes lead to turnovers, but it’s rare to see him caught out of position or handing the puck over in a high-danger area. Also, for those that have concerns about the toughness, or lack there of for the Pittsburgh Penguins as currently constructed, let’s not forget his willingness to mix things up when needed. We saw him drop the gloves with Matt Hendricks early in his Pens career.
When defensemen like Johnny Oduya earn contracts worth $3.75 million annually, the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful should be ecstatic to have Ian Cole at $2.1 million. He’ll be a pivotal part of this crew for the next two years, and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the increased workload.
Next: Pens Give Beau Bennett One Last Chance to Prove Himself