Todd Reirden Needs To Get Fired, As Powerplay Cost The Penguins

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 13: Assistant coach Todd Reirden of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles bench duties against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 13, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 13: Assistant coach Todd Reirden of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles bench duties against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 13, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Todd Reirden’s Powerplay Throughout the Years

After surprisingly being fired by the Washington Capitals after the 2019-2020 season, Todd Reirden was picked up as an associate head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Reirden has been working with the Penguins’ defense and Powerplay unit ever since being hired.

Reirden’s powerplay has been a problem ever since the 2021-2022 season. The season before, the Penguins were fourth in the league in scoring on the powerplay at 23.7%. A season later, they were 19th in the league at 20.2%. In the 2022-2023 season, the Penguins were slightly better, with a percentage of 21.7%. However, with the Penguins roster, they should be top-10 on the powerplay every season and not allow many shorthanded goals.

Frustratingly, the Penguins’ powerplay this season has been outright atrocious and something drastic needs to change and soon. This season, they have a powerplay percentage of a mere 10.4%, which ranks them 30th in the league. A Penguins powerplay consisting of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, and Reilly Smith should be a dominant powerplay.

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The Penguins, with that offensive star power, should have one of the best powerplays in the league, not one of the worst. It is also frustrating because the Penguins are supposed to be contending for a Stanley Cup, but with an abysmal powerplay, they are far from Stanley Cup contenders.

In addition to not scoring on the powerplay, the Penguins also have let up four shorthanded goals which is tied for third-most in the league. If it wasn’t for Alex Nedeljkovic playing great in the overtime loss against the Philadelphia Flyers, Travis Konecny might have had two shorthanded goals that game.

The last time the Penguins scored a powerplay goal was November 11 against the Buffalo Sabres. This is unacceptable, especially for this team, which should be contending for the Stanley Cup and has a ton of offensive star power. Reirden needs to get fired, as the powerplay has been awful since he has been in charge.

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