Penguins Postgame: The Pens’ Biggest Problem
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a major flaw. It had existed since the end of the 2022-23 NHL season when their late-season collapse denied them what looked like a sure playoff berth.
The problem has existed and perpetuated itself so that even a fresh team in 2024-25 is still suffering horrible no-show losses like the 7-1 beatdown by the Dallas Stars on Monday at PPG Paints Arena. From the ice level, we tackle the Penguins’ single greatest problem. It goes by many names, but the results–or lack of results–are the same.
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Well, that about sums it up. I can’t find one syllable that I don’t agree with in this entire video.
When Sullivan put Malkin and Crosby together it told me that he knows they don’t have enough decent players to populate even two lines.
Dan, I disagree on one thing. A different coach can change this with a different style. You said it yourself, nobody hits or makes the big play. You’re closer to it, but from afar, it seems every player with sandpaper has been given 5 minutes a night or been traded. That has to be due to the coaching desire to play a speed (LOL) game. So if you bring in someone who is in favor of completing checks and playing puck possession instead of dump, let the other team play it and make a bad pinch to allow an odd… Read more »
I appreciate that–which is why I’ve said in most orgs the coach would be in trouble. I’ll straighten one thing–puck possession is accomplished numerous ways. You seemed to indicate dump-ins as antithetical to possession, which means you want them to play on the rush, as they used to. The twist is–this is one change Sullivan made to accomodate the changing and slowing Penguins roster–get the puck to the open areas and go get it because they can’t play with speed on the rush anymore.
It’s my opinion that KD brought in too many youngsters at once, so we don’t have the team chemistry. Next, it’s my opinion that not 1 defensemen wants to play defense, they take the puck into the Ozone and crash the net. And then, in the rare instance that we have defense in the Dzone, they both collapse to the side that the puck carrier is on, leaving 1 side of the ice open. We need to reinforce the basics, play the position you’re assigned, make defense play defense, let the forwards play forward.