In a move that has fans in Pittsburgh buzzing with anticipation, but could also see the team repeat the lack of success that was seen in San Jose when they tried something similar, the Pittsburgh Penguins are preparing to unleash a formidable duo on their power play unit. Head coach Mike Sullivan recently revealed his plan to feature both Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang on the same power play unit, a decision that could potentially transform their man-advantage play into a potent offensive force.
Greg Wyshynski of ESPN shared that Sullivan emphasized the significance of the power play for both Karlsson and Letang, indicating that they would begin the season as part of the top unit. This strategic move aims to maximize the offensive capabilities of the two star defensemen and elevate the team’s power-play performance. With the dynamic duo of Karlsson and Letang sharing the ice during power plays, the Penguins could become a constant scoring threat, making every man advantage a potential goal-scoring opportunity.
However, the experiment is not without its risks. Comparisons have been drawn to the Karlsson and Brent Burns partnership in San Jose, which struggled to find chemistry and consistency. Whether Karlsson and Letang can forge a successful partnership remains to be seen, but their track records as elite defensemen provide hope for a formidable pairing.
When the Penguins acquired Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in the offseason, questions arose about power-play usage, as Letang had been the quarterback of it for nearly 17 seasons. Concerns about any apparent conflicts over who would get the role were quickly pushed to the side when Letang reportedly supported the team’s decision to bring Karlsson in, giving him the green light to run the show.
Apparently, they will run it together.
If This Works, It Could Be Big for the Penguins
Joining Karlsson and Letang on the Penguins’ top power-play unit will be Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel, although Guentzel may miss the start of the season due to an ankle injury. That’s a potent five and it will rank up there with the Edmonton Oilers if the chemistry is immediate.
The Penguins ranked 14th in the NHL in power-play efficiency at 21.7% last season and a significant jump in that regard would go a long way toward the team making the playoffs this year. Karlsson recorded an impressive 27 of his 101 points on the power play, so the theory is he should help immensely. The question is, what does he take away, if anything, from Letang who contributed 21 power-play points during the same season?
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