Pittsburgh Penguins Pressure Cooker: Marc-Andre Fleury
By Mike Necciai
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a tough choice this summer. That choice was to bargain on a young defensive corps with very little experience playing full-time roles in the NHL.
More from Penguins News
- Welcome To The Burgh: Lars Eller
- Penguins Waddle Toward The Season
- Farewell Carl Hagelin
- Penguins Line-up Breakdown vs Stanley Cup Champs Vegas
- Ryan Graves Solid Signing For The Pittsburgh Penguins
I agree that they needed a youth movement and I’m on board with how this team has transitioned into a group based on skill and offensive ability. But, this model may have inadvertently added pressure to Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Pens are stacked on offense and will be tough to compete against for the sole reason of scoring potency. They’re reminiscent of the early 1990’s Penguins in which they’re daring teams to keep pace with them on the scoreboard. However, if these young defensemen don’t pan out as planned, Fleury could be in for an extremely trying 2015-16.
When you’re paying a goaltender north of $5 million per year, you expect that he can give you the best possible chance to win every night. You also hope that he will steal some games for you throughout the season. Is Fleury capable of doing so?
First, a very encouraging stat for the Pittsburgh Penguins is MAF’s save percentage while leading. Last season, while playing 5v5, Fleury boasted a .936 save percentage. For a team that’s sure to be playing with a lead quite often, it’s reassuring to know that your goalie will perform at a high level in that situation.
On the flip side, Fleury has been less than impressive while trailing. During 5v5 play while the Pens were trailing, Fleury posted a .907 save percentage. Of course, the game changes and the team in front of him is taking chances that likely result in more scoring chances for the opponent, but that number ranks Fleury 23rd in the league among goalies that played at least 200 minutes. He’ll have to be much better than that in the upcoming season with these youngsters in front of him and games on the line as the Pens fight to come back.
Adding to the pressure for Fleury to perform at a high level is his backup goalie. Jeff Zatkoff will handle that role this season just as he did in 2013-14. Zatkoff played 20 games that season and posted a respectable .912 save percentage and 2.61 goals-against average. However, if Fleury slumps or faces a prolonged injury, can Zatkoff carry the Pens? It’s very doubtful.
In year’s past he had goaltenders such as Thomas Greiss and Tomas Vokoun that were capable of handling a heavier workload if needed. In 2015-16, there’s simply no room for failure. Fleury has shown vast improvement in his psyche and hasn’t lost his cool or confidence over the past two seasons. Let’s hope he keeps it that way.
Next: 3 Training Camp Battles to Watch