Desperate Times, Desperate Measures?
The Pittsburgh Penguins are falling further in the Eastern Conference standings than anyone would have expected. After last night's embarrassing performance against the New Jersey Devils, a 6-3 loss, they are still the only team in the NHL who has yet to get a win. The loss left them in possession of a 0-3-4 record, their worst start in franchise history. This is in stark contrast to a team like the Nashville Predators, who may not have had as much national press or preseason exposure and find themselves sitting at 6-0-0, the best start in their franchise history.
Popular opinion in professional sports would say that the coach is to blame for the teams bad start. Is a coaching change on the horizon for the Penguins? Team captain Mario lemieux says no: "We have a system. Guys have to pay a little bit more attention to our system, making sure we're all on the same page. It comes down to putting in the effort." The team just doesn't seem to be making it in the new NHL. They are not utilizing the open ice that is being created by the rule changes. The skilled offensive players that the team has should be able to create multiple odd man situations and break always, but so far have been getting bottled up in the neutral zone. They are not getting to lose pucks and are playing 10-12 minutes a period in their own zone. It is hard to generate scoring chances when guys are skating backwards more often than not.
The team defense has been key during the losing streak. The blame does not lie solely on the defenseman, but on the entire team. For every great defensive play that they make, there are 5 or 6 horrible ones. There are several defensemen who have been taking some heat, most notably, Sergei Gonchar, which isn't a bad choice. His horrible start has been magnified by the team's lack of success. The fact that he is skating as if he is in quicksand and getting beat by everyone who comes down his lane isn't helping the cause. Neither is his propensity for taking penalties, especially late in games. He is also one of the teams highest paid players and a key off season acquisition. Brooks Orpik has also looked very bad at times. He quite possibly has an assigned seat in the penalty box as well. Brooks has looked out of place on many nights during the young season and needs to adjust to the new NHL quickly or may find himself watching from the press box more often. The forwards have also struggled in the defensive zone. The team as a whole needs to start playing positional hockey, getting back to fundamentals that are taught to children, wingers cover the point men, defensemen and center split the corners and slot area into three zones and cover the opposing forwards. They need to start skating with the opposition, when they cycle, you cycle. Play man to man, zone coverage has not worked and there are always opposing forwards open for uncontested shots, while Penguin forwards end up bunching together and getting trapped.
There is still much speculation that GM Craig Patrick is trying to acquire Brendan Witt from the Washington Capitals. This is not the answer to the struggling Defense. Witt was a big, physical defenseman who just doesn't play that way anymore. He also is not the type of d-man who looks to have much success in the new NHL. Witt is a plodding skater whose ill advised penalties would only compound the current situation.
One saving grace seems to be that there hasn't been a mutiny or any finger pointing in the locker room. Plus, Olczyk seems to have retained the endorsement of Lemieux and Patrick. This team needs to pull together, build the on ice chemistry that seems non-existent right now. Pittsburgh Steeler coach Bill Cower has always said; "Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it." If the Penguins can pull themselves out of this free fall and put together some wins, that is exactly what could happen. All good teams go through rough periods, it is the great ones who can rise above circumstance and achieve their goals. Ed Olczyk is a very positive individual and should be able to infuse that into this team, once that happens, the wins will come.
NHL Notes:
Alexander Ovechkin has taken over in the race for the Calder. It is very early, but he has been a dominant offensive force for the Capitals, scoring big goals frequently. Alexander the great notched the only 2 goals in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers Thursday night.
The Nashville Predators are the surprise of the league. They are 6-0-0 and are doing it was great goaltending, superb defense and a lot of goalscoring. Steve Sullivan has really led the charge along with the newly signed Paul Kariya and D-man Marek Zidlicky.
Manny Legace seems to have put a deathlock on the job that has alluded him for years, starting goaltender for the Detroit Redwings. He has looked very sharp in notching a 6-1-0 record along with a 1.98 gaa, .918 sv% and 1 shut out. Legace was given the opportunity as Chris Osgood was recovering from an injury and is completing a minor league conditioning assignment.
Popular opinion in professional sports would say that the coach is to blame for the teams bad start. Is a coaching change on the horizon for the Penguins? Team captain Mario lemieux says no: "We have a system. Guys have to pay a little bit more attention to our system, making sure we're all on the same page. It comes down to putting in the effort." The team just doesn't seem to be making it in the new NHL. They are not utilizing the open ice that is being created by the rule changes. The skilled offensive players that the team has should be able to create multiple odd man situations and break always, but so far have been getting bottled up in the neutral zone. They are not getting to lose pucks and are playing 10-12 minutes a period in their own zone. It is hard to generate scoring chances when guys are skating backwards more often than not.
The team defense has been key during the losing streak. The blame does not lie solely on the defenseman, but on the entire team. For every great defensive play that they make, there are 5 or 6 horrible ones. There are several defensemen who have been taking some heat, most notably, Sergei Gonchar, which isn't a bad choice. His horrible start has been magnified by the team's lack of success. The fact that he is skating as if he is in quicksand and getting beat by everyone who comes down his lane isn't helping the cause. Neither is his propensity for taking penalties, especially late in games. He is also one of the teams highest paid players and a key off season acquisition. Brooks Orpik has also looked very bad at times. He quite possibly has an assigned seat in the penalty box as well. Brooks has looked out of place on many nights during the young season and needs to adjust to the new NHL quickly or may find himself watching from the press box more often. The forwards have also struggled in the defensive zone. The team as a whole needs to start playing positional hockey, getting back to fundamentals that are taught to children, wingers cover the point men, defensemen and center split the corners and slot area into three zones and cover the opposing forwards. They need to start skating with the opposition, when they cycle, you cycle. Play man to man, zone coverage has not worked and there are always opposing forwards open for uncontested shots, while Penguin forwards end up bunching together and getting trapped.
There is still much speculation that GM Craig Patrick is trying to acquire Brendan Witt from the Washington Capitals. This is not the answer to the struggling Defense. Witt was a big, physical defenseman who just doesn't play that way anymore. He also is not the type of d-man who looks to have much success in the new NHL. Witt is a plodding skater whose ill advised penalties would only compound the current situation.
One saving grace seems to be that there hasn't been a mutiny or any finger pointing in the locker room. Plus, Olczyk seems to have retained the endorsement of Lemieux and Patrick. This team needs to pull together, build the on ice chemistry that seems non-existent right now. Pittsburgh Steeler coach Bill Cower has always said; "Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it." If the Penguins can pull themselves out of this free fall and put together some wins, that is exactly what could happen. All good teams go through rough periods, it is the great ones who can rise above circumstance and achieve their goals. Ed Olczyk is a very positive individual and should be able to infuse that into this team, once that happens, the wins will come.
NHL Notes:
Alexander Ovechkin has taken over in the race for the Calder. It is very early, but he has been a dominant offensive force for the Capitals, scoring big goals frequently. Alexander the great notched the only 2 goals in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers Thursday night.
The Nashville Predators are the surprise of the league. They are 6-0-0 and are doing it was great goaltending, superb defense and a lot of goalscoring. Steve Sullivan has really led the charge along with the newly signed Paul Kariya and D-man Marek Zidlicky.
Manny Legace seems to have put a deathlock on the job that has alluded him for years, starting goaltender for the Detroit Redwings. He has looked very sharp in notching a 6-1-0 record along with a 1.98 gaa, .918 sv% and 1 shut out. Legace was given the opportunity as Chris Osgood was recovering from an injury and is completing a minor league conditioning assignment.
posted by Bmetzer66 at 10:11 AM
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