Ranking Penguins Speed by MPH; Surprises & Meaning
The NHL Edge statistical analysis doesn’t count the goals a player should have scored or other ethereal wizardry designed to quantify the game, but it instead gives the physical statistics, including speed. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, he is still dealing with a team that is below average in the most crucial aspect of speed game.
Quantifiably, the Penguins are slower than average, ranking in the bottom 50% with a team average top speed of 23.20 mph, which is below the 23.60 leave average.
As noted earlier this week on Pittsburgh Hockey Now, the Penguins en masse do not have players achieving speed bursts above the NHL average, but they have more bursts above 20 mph while skating a greater distance than nearly all of their competitors (90 percentile).
Read More: 5 Interesting Penguins Stats; Crosby & Malkin Ranked
Regarding bursts above 20 mph, the Penguins were in the top third of the teams (71st percentile). So, they played with speed more often, but perhaps not quite as fast.
Overall, it’s a taxing concoction: more miles to cover and doing it at a lower top speed while being the oldest team in the league.
The offseason additions haven’t necessarily helped the speed, either. Center Kevin Hayes ranks near the bottom in top speed and bursts. Anthony Beauvillier ranks nearly the same as the departed Reilly Smith (traded to the New York Rangers), and Matt Grzelcyk is below average.
Free agent acquisition Blake Lizotte ranks just above average.
In a few surprise revelations, Kris Letang plays with a high top speed but had shockingly few bursts above 20 mph, placing him well below the defensemen average. In fact, the Penguins’ defensive corps as a whole might qualify as absolutely glacial.
Also surprisingly, Michael Bunting is the third slowest forward, and Noel Acciari was shockingly the Penguins’ slowest skater, ranking below even Evgeni Malkin in top speed and number of bursts.
Even though Acciari admitted to PHN last season that he is more controlled as a center, his lack of speed does raise questions about his future. Presumably, he will move to the wing this season, where his reckless abandon and punishing forecheck will come to the fore, but if his speedometer doesn’t reach above average, then it will be far less effective.
Penguins Roster Ranked by Speed (mph)
| Forwards | NHL Average Speed: 22.1 (mph) | # Bursts Above 20 mph | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emil Bemstrom | 23.04 | ||
| Sidney Crosby | 22.88 | 189 | 93 |
| Drew O'Connor | 22.79 | 258 | 97 |
| Jeff Carter | 22.83 | 104 | 72 |
| Anthony Beauvillier | 22.60 | 103 | 72 |
| Jesse Puljujarvi | 22.46 | 34 | |
| Lars Eller | 22.44 | 94 | 66 |
| Bryan Rust | 22.28 | 149 | 87 |
| Rickard Rakell | 22.27 | 89 | 63 |
| Valtteri Puustinen | 22.25 | 82 | 58 |
| Blake Lizotte | 22.17 | 85 | 60 |
| Jonathan Gruden | 22.00 | 20 | |
| Kevin Hayes | 21.82 | 23 | |
| Matt Nieto | 21.81 | 30 | |
| Sam Poulin | 21.66 | 4 | |
| Michael Bunting | 21.50 | 47 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | 21.33 | 48 | |
| Noel Acciari | 20.92 | 21 | |
| Defensemen | NHL Average Speed: 21.67 (mph) | # Bursts Above 20 mph | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erik Karlsson | 23.2 | 116 | 76 |
| Kris Letang | 22.38 | 45 | |
| Matt Grzelcyk | 21.25 | 24 | |
| John Ludvig | 20.89 | 9 | |
| Marcus Pettersson | 20.86 | 13 | |
| Ryan Graves | 20.84 | 10 | |
| Ryan Shea | 20.48 | 5 | |
| Jack St. Ivany | 20.01 | 1 |
Categorized:Penguins Penguins Analysis
I’m shocked that you’re shocked!
Speed is all in how you use it. Kapanen was always allegedly fast, but used that speed to do laps rather than drive to the net. All the extra miles the team had was most likely due to poor puck management that caused turnovers. All the extra miles were probably spent backchecking. Being careless and losing puck possession was the biggest problem with this team. People can complain about the team being old and slow all you want, but if they keep control of the puck and don’t give it away this team will win. For a veteran team, they… Read more »
Thank you Geno.
Too many rookie mistakes . . . especially with multi goal leads or late in periods.
Sullivan is a little slow too. If fact he’s stuck in 2018.
There are far too many stats in sports. I miss the old days. Also, get off my lawn!
Doesn’t matter much if you’re 5’8″ 175lbs trying to maintain procession, defending or digging a long the boards. Big teams will pound that speed right out of you.
Pens are a undersized, non psychical, old and now apparently a slow team. Poor Sid.
Dan, mark madden has been saying this for 2 years now.
To me speed is physical, is movement of the body and therefore the puck. Quickness on the other hand relates to ones mind and thinking (brain speed) the best example of this might be the action and reaction the goalie. A team can be “slow” in skating yet quick in thinking and circulating the puck to counter their lack of speed. Unfortunately and generally speaking the Penguins lack both as a TEAM. Reaction time can be improved with training however physical speed is a gift that one is given from the hockey god…..
My eyes told me over and over again that Jeff Carter might skate fast once he gets going but it took a while for him to get there. I would rather have quick than fast!
The same site has Pens in the top 3 in the league in high danger chances. That one shocked me.
Also shows the Pens with better than average offensive zone time on the power play. I guess they have something to show for all that perimeter passing. Based on all the time I spent thinking “shoot the puck” during the PP, above average zone time seems about right.
We call it speed, but the importance is quickness.