Pittsburgh Penguins: 4 Preseason Mistakes to Avoid
Sep 22, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goalie Rasmus Tirronen (80) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman
Olli Maatta(3) during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
We’re two games into the Pittsburgh Penguins preseason schedule and storylines are in abundance. Phil Kessel and Sidney Crosby lit up the Carolina Hurricanes with the help of Chris Kunitz and Daniel Sprong is the talk of the town as he makes a case for an NHL roster spot.
There are also positives on the defensive side of things as Adam Clendening looked very good with Ian Cole and the top-pairing of Olli Maatta and Kris Letang were as impressive as anticipated. In fact, both players scored goals in the contest and proved that they are healthy and ready for 2015-16.
However, as happens in any training camp, there have been some lows and disappointments as well. We can start with the defensive pairing of Sergei Gonchar and Brian Dumoulin as a great example of an experiment not working out. We can also discuss the fact that Rob Scuderi and Derrick Pouliot have been absent from both preseason games so far.
Those disappointments lead us to mistakes that teams often make this time of year. Click below to begin, as we discuss the avoidable lapses in judgement that the Pittsburgh Penguins need to steer clear of.
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Sep 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing
Beau Bennett(19) celebrates his game winning goal in the shootout with teammates on the bench after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Penguins won 1-0 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Avoid an Identity Crisis and be the Pittsburgh Penguins
There has been a common trend for the Penguins over the last few years. Simply put, they didn’t know exactly who they wanted to be. They were a team that tried to deploy a cast of grinders and unskilled forwards around all-world talents like Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, relying too heavily on a small group of players to carry the load offensively.
They wanted to be a tough team to play against but dug themselves too many holes with a combination of frustration and too many penalty minutes. They employed players like Steve Downie, only to find that it’s extremely difficult to contain his temper and inability to remain level-headed.
This season though, seems different. Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins have made it a point to match skill with skill, speed with speed and upside with upside. With Tom Sestito being the exception to the rule, the Pens are looking for a pack mentality for toughness and have focused on piling up goal totals rather than PIM. Now, can they stick to it?
Next: Don't Be Blinded by the Past
Sergei Gonchar
Don’t Let the Past Cloud Your Vision of the Present
There’s a very simple rule that I like to follow when evaluating players. If they have a large sample size in which they’ve proved to be past their prime or unable to contribute, there’s a good chance they’re now past their prime and unable to contribute. Pretty easy, right?
A player like Sergei Gonchar worries me due to the thinking pattern of many NHL GM’s. What thinking pattern am I referencing? Well, a player that has clearly shown a decline over the last few years of his career can come into camp and earn a roster spot with a few solid showings against the JV squads of opponents.
Gonchar buried a power play goal against the Canes last night. And, while that’s all well and good, he was also consistently behind the play in the defensive zone and all three Carolina goals were scored with him on the ice. Sure, his hands and quick decision-making are still there. He doesn’t have a place on this team though.
The Pens can definitely use a more experienced defenseman on a blue line with rather young and inexperienced players. But, don’t use a small group of games and practices change your mind on whether or not someone is past their playing days.
Next: Don't Over Analyze
Feb 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates with the puck as right wing
Patric Hornqvist(72) looks on during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. The Blackhawks won 2-1 in a shoot out. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Don’t Over Analyze
The preseason exists so that teams can tryout future roster considerations and experiment with line combinations. But, teams also have a tendency to over experiment rather than allowing individuals to build chemistry as a group.
The Pens are in a great situation right now and Mike Johnston’s preference of pairs sticking together is a great way of looking at things. Consider that Malkin and Patric Hornqvist averaged 4.05 goals-for per sixty minutes of ice time together last season. The proper decisions have been made on center and wing duos, now the trick is letting them grow as lines and not tampering too much.
We’ve seen multiple cases of this happening in Pittsburgh over the past few years. Last season, Johnston was somewhat forced into it because of injuries but how often have we seen guys like Kunitz shuffled up and down the lineup only to end up right back where he started?
I understand the concept of trying to balance your scoring and I’m on board with experimenting. But, when you find something that works, don’t try to fix it.
Next: Expect Growing Pains
Sep 22, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Roland McKeown (55) skates with the puck as Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin (8) defends during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Let Your Youth Grow
This is one of the toughest decisions for the Pittsburgh Penguins in recent memory. It’s the reason we’ve seen so much of guys like Craig Adams and Rob Scuderi in the lineup. And now, Sergei Gonchar fits that mold too.
When you make a commitment to deploy a young defensive corps, deploy them and let them learn through their mistakes. You can’t make a commitment to youth and then push guys like Scuderi and Gonchar into your starting six while guys like Brian Dumoulin and Derrick Pouliot sit in the press box or play in Wilkes-Barre.
If there’s a major difference in talent then sure, start the veteran. But, that hasn’t been the case in Pittsburgh. Dumoulin struggled against the Carolina Hurricanes while playing alongside Gonchar. You have to split that pairing and let Dumoulin play with a better line mate, not the other way around. Let him learn and grow through his mistakes. Both the individual and team will be much better off because of it.
With a team like this, you can afford to release these guys to the wolves and let them learn to survive. This offense will win you enough games to stay within striking distance of winning the division and you can then address needs later in the season if there’s simply no chance that a specific youngster is going to cut it at this level.
Next: Daniel Sprong's Goal is to Make the Pens Sooner Rather Than Later