There’s more to the Penguins’ improved penalty kill than just Teddy Blueger’s return
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The Pittsburgh Penguins’ penalty kill had been perfect in eight consecutive games.
Over that span, they denied all 19 opposing power-play opportunities they faced.
It’s a trend Teddy Blueger has noted.
Especially because they’re the only eight games he has played this season.
“That coincidence has worked out nicely for me,” Blueger said wryly following his team’s optional morning skate at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Little worked out nicely for the Penguins in their first 15 games of the campaign when they allowed 15 goals on 53 opposing power-play chances, figures that equate to a ho-hum conversion rate of 75.4% on the penalty kills.
Blueger was sidelined for all 15 of those games because an undisclosed injury he suffered during training camp.
Since returning to the lineup Nov. 15, Blueger has assumed his role as one of the team’s top forwards in most penalty-killing situations while averaging 2 minutes, 5 seconds of short-handed ice time per contest before Tuesday.
So, are the team’s improved results on the penalty kill solely because of his presence? Or is the team just playing better at this stage of the season after a sputtering start?
“It just kind of all came together at the right time,” Blueger said. “The communication has been good. I think we’re finally in a rhythm where guys have some more chemistry playing with each other and some more (repetitions).
“It obviously helped me coming back just because I played with (forward Brock McGinn) so much last year on it. It was an easy transition from that standpoint just because it’s easy for us to read off each other just because we have those (repetitions) with each other.”
Following the offseason departures of penalty-killing staples such as forward Brian Boyle and defenseman John Marino (coupled with Blueger’s absence), the Penguins worked in some new personnel to open the season such as forwards Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling as well as defensemen Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta.
It took some time to figure out where those pieces fit into the Penguins’ puzzle on the penalty kill.
“Every team kills a little bit different,” said defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who has averaged 1:47 of short-handed ice time this season before Tuesday. “It’s a process where you feel more and more comfortable. Up front, we’ve had a few new players. And on the back end (with Rutta and Petry). For sure, it’s a little bit of a feeling-out process. We knew we had it in the group to play well, and we’ve got to keep doing that.”
Finding consistent pairings among the forwards and defensemen has been vital as well.
Last season, Blueger’s most common linemate in penalty-killing situations was McGinn as they logged 84:04 of common short-handed ice time together, according to Natural Stat Trick. So far this season, they have clocked 13:24 of penalty-killing ice time together.
“It’s played quite a big role,” Blueger said. “Now that we have those consistent pairings — you’re always going out with the same guy — it does make it easier, makes the reads easy for the guys going out there. The same goes for the (defensemen) and the pairs they go (with). Just simple faceoff plays and things like that. That’s helped quite a bit.”
So, it’s true to say the penalty kill is playing better with Blueger back in the lineup.
It’s also valid to say the other members of the unit are playing better.
“Just everybody,” Pettersson said. “We all know how good a killer he is and in faceoffs, and he’s great pressuring. But it’s everybody. What we’ve been really doing well is putting pressure on (the opponents’) power play. That’s been a key for us. A lot of it is him. But I think it’s everybody.”