The Pittsburgh Penguins have spent the offseason trying to improve on some key problems such as goaltending, the bottom six and special teams. Despite being stacked with talent, the Penguins’ power play has not been good for a while. Pittsburgh ranked 19th in the NHL with the man advantage in 2021-22 and 14th last season with a conversion rate of 21.7 percent. However, the team may have finally added the missing piece to that puzzle with defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Penguins Are All In
On Aug. 6, Pittsburgh made a trade with the San Jose Sharks to acquire Karlsson, who is easily one of the league’s best defensemen. Last season, he scored 101 points, 27 of which were on the power play. This move made it crystal clear that the Penguins are all-in this season and plan to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference.
Over the past couple of seasons, the Penguins’ power play has looked disorganized and messy. They desperately need to change things up, and putting both Karlsson and fellow defenseman Kris Letang on the same unit could be the key. Even with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the first power-play unit last season, it still looked like mass confusion anytime they took the ice.
Talent alone is not enough to excel on the power play. It takes instinct and a specific vision that the Penguins have been lacking until now. Since entering the league in the 2009-10 season, Karlsson has more power-play points than any other defenseman. He will make the perfect addition to Pittsburgh’s top unit; he is organized in the way he approaches things, and his vision allows him to clearly see the second pass almost instantly after the first pass. He is great at moving the puck around the blue line and breaking into the offensive zone. He is also a strong shooter.
With Karlsson on the first unit, everyone else should find their ideal spot. Crosby is best behind the net, where he can see everything. With one of the best one-timers in the league, Malkin excels on the right half wall. Forward Jake Guentzel provides a good net-front presence; however, the Penguins will likely replace him with Bryan Rust or Rickard Rakell while he recovers from ankle surgery to start the season. Letang is an excellent passer and does his best work from the left wall.
Penguins Must Go Big or Go Home
With a top power-play unit made up of Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson and Guentzel (when healthy), the Penguins should be a nightmare for any opposing goaltender. They should also make it difficult on the opposition’s penalty kill because if any of those players are left open they will score.
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This season may also be do-or-die time for Todd Reirden. Reirden was promoted to associate coach last August and has been in charge of the power play since he arrived in Pittsburgh in 2010. With Karlsson now leading the charge, the Penguins need to dominate or Reirden could be out of a job by this time next year. It is no secret that the Penguins are in winnow mode so every point is precious. They must come out and play with urgency every night if they plan to make it back to the playoffs. The key to their success will be consistency. President of hockey operations Kyle Dubas went all in this offseason, and in a little over a month, he will be asking his players to do the same.