One thing I have talked about briefly in the past that has annoyed me about the Penguins power play are their zone entries.

Even when Evgeni Malkin was healthy there's something that the team does robotically and you can see coming a mile away. It is a play that probably has fans at home and in the arena saying "not that f'ing pass again". That something is the 20 foot drop pass from the neutral zone back into the Penguins zone.

Truth be told I have no problem with the concept of this approach. In fact I think if done right it is a remarkably smart way to get the PK unit on their heels. Unfortunately, the way that Pittsburgh has been executing this strategy is like they are reading from a script and not reading and reacting. I wish I had some screenshots to use as visual aids (RIP Hockeystreams), but I don't.

Pittsburgh normally has Kris Letang skate the puck up through the neutral zone and when he hits the red line he will usually make a blind drop pass back into the Penguins zone. Sometimes this is tape to tape and other times it isn't. The point of Letang's role is to drive the PK unit back and it normally works. The drop pass wreaks havoc on the penalty killer's gap control and they are all left flat footed. This *should* create a freebie zone entry especially when players like Malkin, Crosby, and Kessel are on the receiving end of that drop pass. When this works it is great and it has worked a lot this year. Again, I love the concept of this breakout setup and I love it more because of the personnel Pittsburgh can deploy on it.

However, lately I find that teams are just sitting more and more on this drop pass and the trailing skaters are finding less and less time and space. The reason? Kris Letang isn't taking what is given to him. Instead of making the robotic drop pass Letang should just skate the puck around them. The PK guys are sitting on that drop pass which does make them flat footed, but instead of dropping back they are standing their ground more and no longer giving that back skater free passage. Kris Letang is one of the best skating players in the league. Take advantage of the other team trying to cheat. Simply just skate around them. If Letang cuts to the middle in the neutral zone instead of dropping the puck there is usually a huge pocket of space to take advantage of. He could drive the middle on a zone entry and kick the puck to the player on the wall and bingo you have possession in the zone.

Much like when a power play has the puck setup in the offensive zone you need to have multiple looks to keep the opposition honest. If you become stale and predictable the other team can still stop you with regularity even with only four players.

Not all teams can pull off this breakout setup. Pittsburgh can. You need dynamic players like Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Sidney Crosby to make it work. The Penguins have them. Right now it is just a matter of not becoming stale. Don't be robots, play hockey.

****

Even if the Penguins don't make that change on the breakout the power play is probably going to improve perhaps as soon as the next game. Evgeni Malkin was a full participant at practice and playing with the first power play unit

Looks like Malkin is doing power-play breakouts with Kessel, Crosby, Hornqvist and Letang. The rest of the rushes are a mish-mash. -MC

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) April 15, 2016

As far as even-strength it looks like the Penguins are trying a few different looks

Evgeni Malkin is taking line rushes at #pens practice alongside Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 15, 2016

Penguins running actual lines now, it appears. Sid w/ Hornqvist & Kuni. Geno w/ Rust & Sheary.

— Bill West (@BWest_Trib) April 15, 2016

So where should Malkin play when he returns? I'm not sure it really matters. The only stipulation I have is that he plays 20 minutes a night. There is merit to keeping HBK and Crosby line together. There is merit for putting Malkin with Crosby. I even think there is merit in breaking up the HBK line. The point is that the Penguins forward depth has been the best it has been in years. Whatever the line combos are just make sure you are getting Crosby and Malkin their minutes. Everything else will take care of itself.

I do think this is a nice starting point though

This drill looks a little more like real combos
Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Sheary-Malkin-Rust
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Fehr

— Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) April 15, 2016

I like the idea of giving Conor Sheary a reward for his solid play. Those are four really solid lines.


That Game 1 loss looms large for New York now.

Thanks for reading!

Join the Discussion: » 480 Comments » Post New Comment

» Penguins news and notes

» Getting your Penguins fix

» My thoughts on Penguins thoughts

» It's their fault

» Still alive, for now