Here’s a concise and comprehensive view of the team and players as they hit the halfway point of the season. I did not include the Washington game, since that was Game 42. FYI: here was my season preview if you’re curious and feel like comparing: http://crosbyftw.blogspot.com/2011/10/pens-season-preview-2011-2012.html
Now, let’s start with the team.
21-16-4, 46 pts (4th in the Atlantic, 8th in the East)
Home: 11-7-2
Road: 10-9-2
- After spending much of the season hovering around the top of the Atlantic and the top of the East, a 5 game losing streak has put the Pens on the edge of the playoff picture, teetering on the edge of panic mode.
- Recent trends aside, the team is on pace for 92 points, which would have MISSED the playoffs last year.
Goals:
Goals For: 124
Goals Against: 111
- Despite the offensive futility that we have seen recently, the Penguins still rank 8th in goals for in the NHL. They are on pace to eclipse last year’s total by 20 goals.
- The Pens rank 10th in goals against right now, despite being top 5 in that category for much of the early season. They are on pace to allow 26 more goals than they did last year, which may be attributed to a barrage of injuries on the blue line through the season.
Special Teams:
PP: 18.9%
PK: 87.0%
- The powerplay currently ranks 10th in the NHL, and has been a massive upgrade from last year’s unit. James Neal has been the biggest contributor on the powerplay. It’s safe to say when the powerplay scores, the Pens will usually win.
- The penalty kill is the 5th best unit in the league, which unfortunately has been a drop from 1st in the NHL last year and 1st for most of the early season this year. The Pens made it into mid-November with a ridiculous 96% kill rate before really falling down to Earth in the last month.
Transactions:
- Traded Marc Letestu to Columbus for a 4th round draft pick in 2012.
Key Injuries:
- Sidney Crosby – returned for an exciting 8 games, but was IRed again with concussion like symptoms
- Kris Letang – has missed 19 games and counting with a concussion
- Ben Lovejoy – missed 20 games with a broken wrist
- Zbynek Michalek – missed 20 games with a broken hand and other ailments
- Dustin Jeffrey – missed 35 games while recovering from offseason knee surgery
(These are just the key long injuries, less than 10 games missed each by Malkin, Staal, Martin, Orpik as well, along with many many others)
Highlights:
- Oct 6 – Pens win their opener in Vancouver in a shootout, where Matt Cooke shows his reformed ways with a 2 goal night
- Oct 25 – Fleury earns his 1st shutout of the season in the midst of a 5 game winning streak for the team as the Pens blank the Isles 3-0 in a game that didn’t have a fight
- Oct 27 – Pittsburgh finds out that they will be hosting the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in June
- Nov 15 – After spotting the Avs a 2-0 and then 3-1 lead in the 1st period, the Pens come back to score 5 unanswered in a 6-3 victory
- Nov 21 – Sidney Crosby returns to a raucous crowd with 2 goals and 2 assists as the Pens shutout the Isles again, 5-0
- Dec 17 – Coming off of tough losses to Detroit and Ottawa, Malkin puts the Pens on his back and scores 3 goals and 2 assists to help the Pens crush Buffalo, 8-3
Lowlights:
- Nov 17 – Nov 19 – The Pens take their road trip through Tampa and Florida, losing both games as the powerplay goes a combined 0 for 9 and the penalty kill goes 6 for 10
- Dec 5 – Boston thoroughly dominates the Pens in a 3-1 decision, and worst of all, Crosby gets hurt on a few different hits, one even with teammate Chris Kunitz. Crosby hasn’t played since.
- Dec 29 – The Flyers make their first visit to Pittsburgh with Jagr and Talbot, and beat the Pens 4-2, with goals by Jagr and Talbot.
- Jan 10 – The Pens continue on a 5 game losing streak with a 5-1 loss to Ottawa. They have scored 6 goals during the streak, which is currently ongoing. (Remember, I cut this review off after the Sens game)
OVERALL: If I had to grade this team right now, I would give it a C, maybe a C+. Until recently, the Pens had been a strong team at the top of the pack, showing off 5 and 4 game winning streaks early in the season while only losing 3 in a row once. Their current 5+ game slide however has pulled the team apart in every facet ranging from team chemistry to simple offense and defense. Even with all of the injuries, this team is playing average at best for the product on the ice. Many of their gaffes are not because of a lack of talent, but because of mental lapses. Losing as many man games to injuries as the Pens have warrants an expected drop in the standings, but the drop has gone further than just due to injuries at this point.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pens will have plenty of chances to turn the season around with 41 games to go. The key will be to end this losing streak as quickly as possible, and avoid any long losing streaks for the rest of the season. As we saw with the Devils last year, one or two bad streaks will kill your season no matter how hot you can get. The Pens still face unknown timeframes for Crosby and Letang, and will now have to deal without Jordan Staal for 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. GM Ray Shero will have potential long term IR possibilities and potential cap space to work with depending on how quickly Crosby and Letang can come back. There’s no doubt he will make a move, but the magnitude of it will depend on the long term prognosis for those 2 players (who are both expected to be back this season). In the meantime, it will be up to Coach Dan Bylsma and the healthy part of the team to turn their season around in the locker room and on the ice.
Revised Prediction: After saying the Pens would win the Atlantic and finish 2nd in the East in my preview, I’m gonna go ahead and change that. I still think the Pens will make the playoffs, but they will be starting on the road in the 1st round. I’m estimating somewhere around 43-29-10, 96 points, 6th in the conference. Expect some tighter scoring games, and hopefully boosts from the returns of Letang, Crosby, and Staal – in that order – each about 2 weeks apart from each other.
Now, moving on to the players as this gets longer than you feel like reading…(I’ll make it easier to skim through)
Goaltenders
#29 Marc-Andre Fleury (19 wins, 2.32 GAA, .911 Save %)
Pre-Season Prediction: 41 wins, 2.24 GAA, .916 Save %.
So Far: B+. Fleury’s numbers may not be as fantastic as any of us want, but he has improved greatly in one area this year – he has been very consistent. His play is trending down a little with the losing streak, but he has given the Pens a chance to be in basically every game. Expect him to see fewer starts in the 2nd half though since he has already been in 34 games.
Pre-Season Prediction: 11 wins, 2.41 GAA, .917 Save %.
So Far: D. Johnson’s numbers are rather misleading so far. Don’t get me wrong, they are awful and not the Brent Johnson we are used to seeing, but the defense continually plays their worst every time he gets a start. Those numbers will improve as the season goes on.
Defensemen
#58 Kris Letang (22gp, 3g, 16a, +5, 12pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 14g, 40a
So Far: A-. Letang was off to another Norris Trophy type start this season before getting sidelined with a concussion. Hell, he even scored the game winner in OT after sustaining the concussion (great job, medical team). He remains out indefinitely, and the Pens could sure use his puck moving skills on the blue line back ASAP.
#44 Brooks Orpik (33gp, 2g, 5a, -1, 22pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 0g, 8a.
So Far: B. Orpik had a very slow start to the season as he came back from hernia surgery, and thus his tough guy game came along slowly. As the team has floundered though, he has stepped up in a big way, hitting everything that moves and calling the team out in the locker room as well. He is definitely trending up right now.
#7 Paul Martin (34gp, 1g, 10a, -9, 10pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 7g, 23a.
So Far: D+. I try really hard to defend Martin sometimes, but that -9 and his $5 mil. cap hit have made it very hard this season. His play has definitely been subpar for him and we can only hope it improves in the 2nd half.
#4 Zbynek Michalek (21gp, 1g, 4a, -9, 10pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 2g, 13a.
So Far: C. Michalek has also had a rough season alongside Paul Martin, though he has also missed half of the season due to injuries so far. His shot blocking is still great, but his defensive zone coverage has lapsed at times depending on his partner. Here’s hoping he can stay healthy.
#6 Ben Lovejoy (21gp, 1g, 2a, +1, 11pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 4g, 11a.
So Far: B. I have been pleasantly surprised with Lovejoy’s play this season, though he certainly was playing better pre-broken wrist compared to recently. His game largely depends on mistake free hockey, and while his game against Ottawa was the worst of the season, the whole body of work has been strong.
#5 Deryk Engelland (36gp, 2g, 8a, +3, 30pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 1g, 4a.
So Far: A. Engelland has improved every facet of his game and has succeeded in shutting down #1 lines and adding offense this season. Despite his deficiencies as a skater, he has learned how to move the puck up efficiently and has joined the offensive rush successfully on quite a few occasions. His improvement this season has been spectacular.
#2 Matt Niskanen (40gp, 2g, 13a, +8, 31pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 4g, 14a.
So Far: A-. For all the flack he receives, Niskanen has only been a minus player in 9 games this season. He has been quite consistent, and has added a very useful shot from the point to the powerplay (usually, the 2nd unit). His +8 leads the team right now.
#54 Alexandre Picard (17gp, 0g, 4a, +4, 4pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: B. Picard has been called up 5 or 6 times at this point and has been a workable part of the defense every time. He doesn’t dazzle you, but he doesn’t make you cringe, making him a dependable call up.
#47 Simon Despres (14gp, 1g, 3a, +4, 8pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: A. Despres has been very impressive in his call ups and looks ready to take a regular shift in the NHL. He likes to throw the body like Orpik while adding a bit of an offensive touch to his game as well. He will certainly make a defender or 2 expendable when he returns from a sprained MCL in a month.
#59 Carl Sneep (1gp, 0g, 1a, +1, 0pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: Inconclusive. 1 game, 1 assist, and a +1 is certainly a nice stat line for his NHL debut.
#41 Robert Bortuzzo (6gp, 0g, 0a, +1, 2pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: B. I liked his work in very limited action before he got concussed like the rest of the team. We’ll see him again.
#37 Brain Strait (1gp, 0g, 0a, Even, 0pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: Inconclusive. Injured in his first game in the NHL, we’ll have to see if he gets back this season.
Forwards
#71 Evgeni Malkin (34gp, 17g, 28a, +2, 32pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 42g, 57a.
So Far: A-. Hampered at times by his knee earlier this season, Malkin has roared back and is returning to his top form. He has shown that he can carry the Pens without Crosby, though the current losing streak is proving to be a trying time. He is currently 2nd in points per game in the NHL and expect him to challenge for the Art Ross and even the Hart in the 2nd half.
#26 Steve Sullivan (41gp, 7g, 13a, -6, 12pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 12g, 19a.
So Far: C. Sullivan has stayed healthy, which was more than I expected, but he has been vastly inconsistent throughout the season. Bylsma has moved him across all of the lines trying to find his place. He shows great poise with the puck, but needs to start pitching in more for the ice time he is getting.
#18 James Neal (41gp, 21g, 15a, -4, 40pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 26g, 24a
So Far: A. Neal has absolutely crushed what everyone thought of him at the end of last season. He has singlehandedly made the powerplay useful with 10 PPG and he leads the team in goals right now. It may be unrealistic to expect 40 goals out of him, but 30 is easily within reach as Neal has demonstrated he’s a top line winger.
#11 Jordan Staal (34gp, 15g, 6a, Even, 20pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 24g, 27a.
So Far: B+. He may have finally found that scoring touch from his rookie year as he has already put up 15 goals this season, but unfortunately, Staal will miss the next 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. The former Pens Iron Man has had a tough go through the season with nagging injuries, but has produced well when in the lineup.
#14 Chris Kunitz (41gp, 13g, 14a, +1, 18pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 29g, 27a.
So Far: B. Kunitz has basically given the team exactly what it expected, and he was even rewarded with a 2 year contract extension early in the season. He has shown that he doesn’t require Crosby to produce on offense, but he has definitely shown a bit more streakiness this year.
#48 Tyler Kennedy (30gp, 5g, 14a, Even, 20pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 17g, 18a.
So Far: C. Like many of the Pens, Kennedy has missed quite a few games due to injuries. Those injuries don’t seem to explain his 5 goal season thus far though. He has played well as a role player, but he was a priority signing this offseason for his potential goal scoring, which has disappeared despite a plethora of shots. Kennedy simply needs to put the puck in the net more in the 2nd half.
#9 Pascal Dupuis (41gp, 11g, 14a, +7, 18pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 11g, 14a.
So Far: A. One of the major bright spots in this season, Dupuis was slotted as a 3rd or even 4th line player when the season started. He has taken that start and crushed my pre-season prediction, meeting them at the half way point. He is Mr. Consistent for this team, giving it his all and even moving to Center for the first time in his career to help out the team. His +7 is the highest among forwards and we’ll see if he can keep up this production because the Pens surely need it.
#24 Matt Cooke (41gp, 7g, 6a, -3, 14pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 15g, 20a.
So Far: B-. Cooke had a great start to the season, but his offensive production has slowed down as the season has worn on. One of the most perplexing things about him is, while it’s nice he hasn’t gotten suspended or taken any bad penalties, he also is not the game changing hitter he used to be as well. Lately we have seen a lot of Cooke arguing with the refs and we’ll have to see how that continues to play out.
#46 Joe Vitale (37gp, 2g, 7a, -4, 15pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 2g, 3a.
So Far: B+. Vitale wasn’t expected to be on the NHL team for long, but limited returns from Crosby and Jeffrey have kept him in the lineup. He has done very well in the faceoff circle and provides a spark of energy when the team has needed it. His effort is unquestionable, but his talent only keeps him here for so long right now.
#27 Craig Adams (3g, 5a, -5, 11pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 3g, 9a.
So Far: B. Adams has simply done his job as he always has. He has helped the PK stay in the top 5 all season, and has even added some offense at times. His leadership and gritty forechecking will be a big key in getting the Pens out of their losing streak.
#45 Arron Asham (38gp, 2g, 9a, -5, 48pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 16g, 9a.
So Far: C+. Though I was hoping Asham would get on more of a scoring role after last year’s playoffs, he has instead taken the role of resident tough guy for the Pens. His most well-known moment of the season is certainly knocking Jay Beagle out. Expect a lot of the same moving forward with him.
#33 Steve MacIntyre (10gp, 0g, 0a, Even, 2pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 1g, 1a.
So Far: F. MacIntyre has been pretty much worthless all season. He doesn’t even have a fight yet. He was sent down to the minors this week, where I hope he will stay.
#15 Dustin Jeffrey (6gp, 0g, 0a, Even, 0pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 9g, 13a.
So Far: C. Jeffrey has missed most of the season with a knee injury, and has been rather invisible when he’s been in the lineup. Hopefully a healthy 2nd half will get him back to being the productive player we saw last season.
#12 Richard Park (24gp, 2g, 5a, -2, 10pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 8g, 6a.
So Far: B. Park turned out to be a very strong signing for Shero in a move to add depth. He peaked in November, even seeing time on the 1st line for a stretch, but has played consistently throughout the season. He’s good to take on 12 minutes a game and help out on the PK when necessary.
#87 Sidney Crosby (8gp, 2g, 10a, +7, 8pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: 33g, 48a.
So Far: B. His comeback was spectacular and exhilarating, though very short-lived. He remains out indefinitely with concussion like symptoms, and has begun skating again though he is not symptom free. It’s hard not to feel for the guy when hockey runs through his veins. Getting him back…well, I don’t even need to explain that effect.
#19 Jason Williams (7gp, 1g, 1a, +1, 4pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So far: C+. Williams hasn’t done much in his limited time with the Pens, but he has acted as a serviceable 4th line winger. He certainly has one hell of a shot, so if he gets called up again, look for more powerplay time from him.
#25 Eric Tangradi (5gp, 0g, 0a, -3, 0pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: D. Tangradi continues to underwhelm me every time he enters the lineup. His physical game in the defensive zone has picked up, but he doesn’t act as much of a net presence and seems to lack confidence on the ice. He is starting to get passed up by other top prospects in the organization.
#38 Colin McDonald (2gp, 0g, 0a, +1, 0pim)
Pre-Season Prediction: none
So Far: Inconclusive. A short call up gave him a taste of the NHL. We’ll see if he returns this season.
That’ll do it for your 2011-2012 Penguins so far. Here’s hoping the 2nd half leads us to a strong playoff run. LET'S GO PENS!!!
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