Penguins begin working on power play in training camp

Monday represented the first day the Pittsburgh Penguins began to work on their power play on the ice during training camp in Cranberry.

A first unit included forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust and defenseman Kris Letang.

(All-Star defenseman Erik Karlsson, would have been presumably involved, but he remained sidelined due to an undisclosed ailment.)

Then the second squad included forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Michael Bunting, Lars Eller and Kevin Hayes and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.

There were even third (forwards Emil Bemstrom, Jimmy Huntington, Jesse Puljujarvi and Valtteri Puustinen and defenseman Filip Kral) and fourth (forwards Tristan Broz, Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty and defenseman Mac Hollowell) units.

To the casual observer, those deployments offered plenty of intrigue.

To the person doing the actual deploying, they represented something else.

“Nothing,” quipped head coach Mike Sullivan.

The Penguins’ activities Monday were largely meant to introduce some basic concepts to the reconfigured power play for all players who may be involved with the power play, either in Pittsburgh or with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

With new assistant David Quinn charged with overhauling a unit that struggled most of last season, the Penguins are in the rudimentary phase of installing any new schematics.

“Execution is a big emphasis, obviously,” Letang said. “You want to be able to execute plays and be able to go tape to tape, be fast. But also be able to use the entire ice on the power play. Not only utilize a couple of spots on the ice or just one side. You want to use the entire (offensive) zone. That’s been the first few steps that we’re working on now.”

Here we go

Shoutout to @Letang_58 and @emalkin71geno for leading today’s Terrible Towel Twirl ????#HereWeGo | @penguins pic.twitter.com/7Kiv89fZrO

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 22, 2024

The Penguins had a scheduled day off from team activities on Sunday, but Letang and Malkin still had some team-oriented activities to attend to.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The two All-Stars as well as forward Drew O’Connor attended the Steelers’ 20-10 victory at Acrisure Stadium. Prior to the game, Letang and Malkin participated in the so-called Terrible Towel Twirl where they ran out from the home team gate in Steelers gear to hype up the home opening crowd.

“Everybody was pretty excited,” Letang said. “It was really loud when we stepped on (the field). I got jacked up. My job was to hype up but I got hyped up.”

Letang wore the jersey of legendary linebacker Jack Lambert, who, like Letang, donned No. 58.

As for Malkin, he wore a treasured No. 43 jersey gifted to him by former safety Troy Polamalu.

A native of Russia, Malkin adores Polamalu, even if he isn’t immediately familiar with the proper terminology of positions in American football.

“He (gave the jersey) to me probably like 15 years ago,” Malkin said. “I know him personally, a little bit. He’s a great guy. I think he’s best defenseman ever. … I love this guy and I love his jersey.

“Great experience. Me and (Letang were) a little bit nervous before. But we just relaxed and tried to cheer to (the) fans. I think it’s good, a good idea. Great experience for me.”

Karlsson, Jarry absent

Karlsson skated prior to practice and remains day to day. … Goaltender Tristan Jarry was excused from practice for an unspecified medical appointment that was previously scheduled. He is expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday.