Sullivan Shuffles Penguins Pairs, Drops Graves; Why It Works
The Pittsburgh Penguins scored four unanswered goals Thursday night, and what seemed to be a deep 2-0 deficit to the Tampa Bay Lightning became a 4-2 win at Amalie Arena.
The Penguins looked like week-old turkey in the first period. Actually, that would be an insult to spoiled meat inside plastic containers across the country. The team’s ability to force a 180-degree turn netted a win, a historic goal by goalie Tristan Jarry, and a significant change to the Penguins’ defense pairings.
Ryan Graves, who signed a six-year, $27 million deal on July 1, has been struggling. He’s openly admitted the adjustment from the unique New Jersey Devils system to the Penguins system has been a sea change that isn’t coming easy.
The number of bad reads, ill-advised pinches, and mistakes have been much higher than the supposed stay-at-home defenseman beside Kris Letang should make.
The emergence of John Ludvig on the third pairing has been a burgeoning story of the recent Penguins improvements. A trio of tight Metro Division losses have been followed by a three-game points streak with a pair of wins over very good Atlantic Division teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay.
Coach Mike Sullivan has praised Ludvig on multiple occasions over the last week as “bringing a different dimension” to the lineup.
That dimension is some brute physicality. The 6-foot-1, 213-pound Ludvig has scrapped with Michael McCarron, delivered a few pounding hits, and otherwise manned the position with responsibility, even with sheltered third-pair minutes.
Graves had an especially difficult stretch Thursday with a couple of turnovers and shaky play. He was caught by the backcheck, causing a D-zone turnover that led to some high-danger chances against, and a rough turnover at the defensive blue line in the second period was the end of his stay on the second pair.
The Penguins report card wasn’t kind to Graves’s game.
And it was the beginning of John Ludvig’s promotion.
“We like his game. He brings he brings a physical dimension to our game,” Sullivan said. “We didn’t think we controlled the net front as well as we needed to in the first period — they were shooting the puck from everywhere. I think that they did get some quality looks, without a doubt, but they were put in pucks on the net from everywhere, trying to manufacture that next play. And they got a few of them because of it.”
Why the Penguins Change Works
Eventually, Graves must reclaim his role in the top four, or he’ll be a far too expensive third-pairing defenseman. The dime store analysis of Graves’s game was that he was straying from his base role. Whether he was jumping forward into the offensive zone without forward support or chasing the puck in the defensive zone, it’s been a struggle for the 6-foot-5, 220-pound defender.
Ludvig is less than a handful of games into his NHL career. Thursday was just his fourth big-league game after the Penguins snagged him off the waiver wire from the Florida Panthers.
The move has a chance to stick for the Penguins because Ludvig’s simpler game allows Letang to freelance more. Ludvig is also harder at the net than Graves. Since the second pair plays higher-leverage minutes, they see greater competition more capable of offensive chances.
“(Ludvig) is a guy that can help us (at the net front). He’s hard. He’s hard at the net front. He’s hard,” Sullivan praised. “His whole game is hard … We didn’t like the way that went the first period. And so we made a conscious choice to get “Luds” more ice time. And we liked how he responded.”
The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning like to crash the net. A stronger presence near the net is never a bad thing.
Someone who stands up for teammates and rattles a few cages is also not a bad thing.
Putting Graves on the third pair with the ever-steady Ryan Shea in a lower-pressure situation can also allow Graves to find his game with the Penguins.
It seems Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas’s plan to overstock the roster, creating competition, and giving coach Mike Sullivan options worked.
It’s a win-win that might last a game, a few weeks, or alter the structural composition of the team.
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Pretty prompt response to Graves’ issues, good for Sully and Dudas!
Now, just man up with Philly and get a few more points.
It’s hilarious how you sheep continue to blame everybody but the guys that have really been causing the trouble and ….. I watched multiple games with the big three has made horrendous turnovers and cost us the game… But you guys wouldn’t dare say that….. But you guys are just trolling anyway trying to make controversial articles rather than just trying to make a well thought out opinion……. Pro sports are a joke anymore so who cares
You should be proud of yourself. Achieving several levels of wrong in one sort of, kind of malformed paragraph is pretty impressive.
I think I need to use the word “malformed” more often.
You seem to care quiet a bit
Never has been an easy job playing defense on an entirely offensive team! When most all other teams are putting four players on their blue lines forcing dumps and turnovers breakaways happen! NJ, Isles, Tampa and many others just play defense you are going to have to watch dump and chase all night!
If the Pens actually have a defensive system, which is hard to believe considering how disorganized they seem to be, there’s no excuse for Graves’ awful play all year. As quick as Sullivan was to bench POJ, Graves has been given a free pass merely because of the big bucks he’s being paid. This signing has been a massive failure so far.
AGREE THIS A TEAM BAIRLY A TAD BETTER THAN Columbus near last place can they hire someone to fix the PP a coaching change is needed doesn’t affect the cap
Defense rules the NHL! Pens have always had a second class low spend D the last few years! Pens have always been an offensive machine forever! Graves got some serious money and has to produce! Might of not been the GM’s best move! Never throws himself around! Even Petterson is getting involved more! Neither of the new payday boys is measuring up! 17 million for two not so tough defenders seems questionable! Go Pens!