Can't argue with much of anything posted the last couple days in this thread (I pretty much agree) ..... the Pens are TERRIBLE right now, probably one of the two worst teams in the league and hopes of making the playoffs are dimming rapidly at this point in time .....
To date, the Pens defense as a team is so bad ...... so many odd man breaks against, so many high danger shots from the slot against, so many Pens getting beat man on man, etc. has led to a league worst goals against per game average ....... so much pinching in the offensive zone on 50/50 pucks with no backup behind them, so many turnovers between the blue lines leading to odd man breaks against, just terrible puck management all over the ice, overall inadequate goaltending (Blomqvist playing above average, Ned playing somewhat below average, and Jarry playing awful) ...... top 6 forwards not scoring enough and giving up too many goals, bottom 6 scoring more than last year but giving up more goals as well ....... trying to play a speed game with a slower skating team just not working ......
To play better and win some games, IMO, the present Pens need to start playing a highly structured game leading to great positioning in all zones (everyone has to know and play their position and work as a 5 man unit in that regard and quit wondering around playing as individuals) ...... need much better puck management leading to fewer turnovers ...... they absolutely have to cut down on odd man breaks and high danger shots which a more structured game will help and that will also help the goalies a great deal but the goalies have to up their play for sure ( more trapping may help to be more structured) ...... Need to get Rust healthy and Sid playing better (Geno to his credit has played pretty well so far) ....... I just don't know how much of this the Pens can or will do, it may take another coaches voice/system to get through to them .....
Just as an anecdote, years ago I was at a pretty high level youth hockey camp run by a standing NHL head coach at the time who by the way as a player was a goalie himself ...... it was one of the best hockey camps I ever attended . I was fortunate enough to review a good deal of goalie tape personally with the head coach which was a joy for me ..... the camp lasted 5 days and each night he would show videos to the skaters about a different topic ..... one night he was showing video demonstrating how to create 2 on 1 breaks ...... he was the NHL coach with the best video system in the NHL at the time ....... he was just outstanding in teaching these kids and I clearly remember watching his video on creating the 2 on 1's ....... if he is still having youth camps and loses his video about creating 2 on 1's, all he would have to do is show tape of any Pens game, and it would be just as good at showing how 2 on 1's are created !
