Penguins Notebook: Good Karlsson vs. Bad; Nedeljkovic Shows Real Guts

PARTS UNKNOWN — With the clickety-clack sound beneaand this writer riding in a wobbling train car between Raleigh and Washington D.C., this third-of-four legs of the roadie is more reminiscent of an Original Six trip than the jet-setting but brutal skid that has engulfed the Pittsburgh Penguins. What comes next for the team surely seems it could knock them off the rails.

They lost badly for the second game in row, albeit very differently than their previous game, and are winless in six of their last eight.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Last summer, general manager Kyle Dubas played the part of magician and managed to swap three salaries he very much did not want and a first and second-round draft pick in exchange for the prized trade market asset, Erik Karlsson.

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It was supposed to be Dubas’s stamp upon the Penguins roster and the stoke of genius that quickly returned the Penguins to prominence. Instead, Karlsson’s defensive efforts have made fans and perhaps coaches feel like they’re having a stroke.

Season One was shaky. There wasn’t as much benefit as either side wanted, and the power play stunk (several players have used harsher language than that), but both sides were relatively accepting of the results.

Season Two has been nothing short of a nightmare.

Karlsson missed all of training camp with an undisclosed injury that was initially termed more precautionary than serious. One month later, Karlsson’s play seems to be plummeting rather than rising.

He played two resplendent games, the first against the Montreal Canadiens and the second consecutive shining example against the Anaheim Ducks. After the good, coach Mike Sullivan offered specific praise for the things Karlsson did better. And by inference, you can quickly see they are things he has done well since.

“I think he’s competing harder defensively. We’ve tried to encourage Karl to use his talents defensively, more specifically his skating and just close on people and use his stick, take (away) time and space, and use his brain,” Sullivan said Tuesday morning. “He’s a really smart player. He’s got great skills but I think he’s making a concerted effort at being more aggressive defensively. And I think that’s that’s helping us, especially in our own end.”

From optimism Tuesday morning to tongue-biting irritation Thursday night.

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Those high points followed a headshaking five-turnover performance against the Vancouver Canucks. However, the last two games have been a quick return to the negative, culminating in the disastrous performance and minus-3 Thursday night in the 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

While many seized on Karlsson’s personal assessment of his game as “not bad,” he also tacitly admitted he cratered Thursday.

“It’s just one of those days where you got to keep your head down and try and be in the right position at all times,” said Karlsson Thursday night. “And even if you’re just a little off, sometimes it doesn’t go your way. And that’s just one of those nights. I’ve had many of them, and I’m sure I’ll have some more. I just got to figure out a way to control them.”

In the past week, Sullivan has made two changes to the top power play. First, he swapped Kris Letang for Matt Grzelcyk. Thursday, Sullivan essentially took away the power play time from Karlsson for Michael Bunting. It sure seemed like a punishment, though any questions on the matter would have resulted in the “trying to affect change” reply, which would have also been true as the Penguins’ power play has been sinking since a hot start.

It’s emblematic of the Penguins biggest problem: absolute inability to defend. They remain one of the worst defensive teams, giving up the most high-danger chances and the most goals against in the NHL.

Alex Nedeljkovic

The Penguins goalie on a two-year, $5 million deal and in his second year with the team has showed uncommon moxy this season. It is debatable if he’s a No. 1 goalie, though I think he’s played closer to a starter’s level than a back up’s this season.

Without being prompted or even asked about his performance, Nedeljkovic took the blame for the loss Thursday. In fairness, the fourth goal was a blue line wrist shot that he wanted to have back, but he was otherwise facing ridiculous high-danger chances.

“It’s tough. You give up the first shot of the game, it’s never a good feeling, especially because I thought we played really well in that first period. They only got (four) shots. It sucks. It’s a crappy feeling,” Nedeljkovic said. “I thought that was the difference in the game–their guy was that much better than I was. We dominated (part of the game).”

That’s leadership. It gives a glimpse into why Sullivan tapped him as the de facto starter in the playoff chase to close last season. The Thursday loss was statistically one of the worst games of Nedeljkovic’s career as he stopped 13 of 18, but no one in the locker room would or should blame the goalie.

The goalie situation will resolve itself soon as Tristan Jarry’s conditioning assignment ends today. Joel Blomqvist is scheduled to get the start for the Penguins tonight against the Washington Capitals, and its likely his last NHL start for a bit while the Penguins figure out the Jarry situation.

Jarry is 4-0-0 with a 1.96 goals-against and .946 save percentage during his brief Wilkes-Barre/Scranton stay. Dubas has publically stated on his team-produced TV show that the plan is to send Blomqvist back to the AHL and for Jarry to resume his NHL duties.

Nedeljkovic’s stats in the same time frame are somewhat irrelevant because being a Penguins goalies generally qualifies one for hazard pay.

However long that situation lasts, Sullivan has shown a willingness to go with Nedeljkovic over Jarry. The guess here is that Sullivan will force Jarry to earn back the net rather than handing it over, hoping the competition spurs Jarry.

Regardless of the competition, Nedeljkovic has shown his mettle as a trustworthy goalie, the shelling on Thursday notwithstanding.