Antoine Vermette #50 of the Phoenix Coyotes celebrates his goal with teammates in front of Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Coyotes' 3-2 win on March 25, 2014 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)
Given his comments on Monday, it would seem that Dan Bylsma prefers his team play the role of not-quite favorite when it comes to the run-up to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Bylsma discussed the idea of being happy that he didn’t have to turn on the TV and hear proclamations that the Penguins would roll to the Stanley Cup as in years past.
While that’s a nice sentiment, and while the idea of the Penguins as unfinished product instead of romping juggernaut probably appeals to Bylsma’s coaching instincts, the actual picture of this team isn’t all that rosy. Going into last night’s game against Phoenix, the Pens were a mediocre 6-7 since the Olympic break ended.
That isn’t good, no matter what kind of spin you want to put on it.
Perhaps if the Pens were simply in a funk, with all of their important pieces going through a lull, it would be understandable. Perhaps if they were a team merely trying to work out the kinks and tweak some things, my vision for them would be more positive.
They aren’t just going through a lull. They aren’t just trying to work out the kinks.
Reality is a lot less rosy for the Pens. It isn’t the kind of reality that yields sloganeering and feelings of “us against the world.” It is a reality filled with injuries, overly emotional play and more injuries.
The Penguins are a team built around their stars. Sidney Crosby is healthy, but even he hasn’t been immune to inconsistent play in the past month or so. Evgeni Malkin, easily the biggest x-factor on the team, and maybe in the entire league, is now gone for 2-3 weeks. This at a time when he seemed to be finally rounding into dominant form. James Neal is healthy again after a concussion, but his mercurial and reckless play overshadows his prodigious goal-scoring ability.
Kris Letang cannot be counted on to come back this season, nor should he be. After suffering a stroke, returning to game action in a punctual manner should be the least of his concerns, medical clearance be damned.
The picture gets even more bleak when the focus turns to the team’s bottom six forwards. Outside of Brandon Sutter and Marcel Goc, both of whom would be good third-line centers, the team has no one whose play inspires confidence. Moreover, they don’t possess the kind of physical presences that can make the difference in the latter stages of a grueling playoff series.
As a result of this lack of depth, the Penguins have seen their puck possession numbers get progressively worse, and their standing in the minds of NHL sharps take a hit. This doesn’t at all resemble the kind of team poised to make a long postseason run.
There are some reinforcements coming. Paul Martin is working his way back to full health. Beau Bennett seems nearly ready to rejoin the team. Each player, especially Martin, can elevate this club’s performance. But neither man is a savior. They’re solid pieces, not world-beaters. Malkin will return, but who knows if he will be able to recapture the form he was starting to show.
The Penguins are an injury-riddled team. The Penguins are a team whose stars, despite their jaw-dropping offensive gifts, are often taken out of their game by the same simple, predictable baiting tactics that teams have used against them for years. Evidently the Pens are the only team that hasn’t read the now well-worn book on how to stop them. The Penguins are a team with a serious lack of depth and an inability to play the kind of high-pressure, puck-possession based style that Bylsma prefers.
I haven’t even mentioned Marc-Andre Fleury yet, but I think everyone knows the question mark looming over his head.
In short, this is a team with a surplus of questions and potentially a dearth of answers.
Theoretically, that combination would be a great starting point for an inspirational sports movie. But this is reality. The Penguins are a clear step behind the Bruins, and perhaps another full step behind the best in the West. If there are answers to what ails them, they aren’t easily formulated.
If what we’ve seen lately holds true, Bylsma won’t have to worry about seeing pundits talk about his team as the playoffs roll into their late stages.
They will be gone long before that.
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