Kris Letang waits his turn for a practice drill Wednesday at MTS Centre. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A weekly feature aimed at rounding up a whole lot of randomness from a whole lot of time around our city’s teams …
• So much of the early chatter about these still-too-early-to-call Penguins has been about buy-in. As in, are the players — specifically Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — buying in to Mike Johnston’s approach and strategy?
I aimed to get to the bottom of this on this trip, especially since I’d expressed doubts of my own. And sometimes, the best way to do that is to turn off the recorder and just have a few conversations. So you aren’t going to read direct quotes here, as much as a summation of sentiments. If that isn’t good enough, hey, feel free to check all the happy talk that gets spoken in front of cameras and microphones and do your own deciphering.
They are buying in, but slowly and conditionally and with different concerns.
Crosby initially was wary — leery would be too strong — of the 200-foot aspect of the breakout, meaning the way the center is required to come all the way back, build up speed, then rocket through the neutral zone. That’s understandable. For half a decade, he played in a system where the puck essentially did all that work by itself, thanks to the 140-foot Dan Bylsma get-to-our-game pass. Now, it’s all happening in a pack. The center ideally carries, and his wingers support.
Success addresses most worries, though, and this was no exception. The game that really stood out in relation to the captain was the eight-goal annihilation of the Devils, who wanted nothing more that night than to clothesline the Penguins in the neutral zone but couldn’t because the Penguins were coming at them with so much speed.
(Actually, the Jets did this right here Thursday night extremely well against the Penguins, if you’re looking for another example. The Penguins draped four bodies across the blue line at times, but Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler would still smoke them.)
So Crosby is fine. And Malkin, as always, is more complicated.
It’s very easy to see he’s working fine within the system as a center of late, which shouldn’t surprise anyone if only because there’s no aspect of hockey he loves more than winding back and bolting up ice with a burst of speed. Johnston might as well have tailored this strategy to Malkin.
But the second line’s five-on-five production has been virtually nonexistent, and that’s in part because Blake Comeau has no business on anyone’s top six, because Pascal Dupuis hasn’t meshed with Malkin at all and because Malkin, rather than engaging in his usual cycle in the attacking zone, keeps pulling up along the boards and looking for trailers. Presumably Sergei Gonchar.
I’m not going to try to read Malkin’s mood off the ice, if only because his moods are always so readily evident on the ice. It’s more important, anyway. And in this case, it’s evident right now that it’s a very good thing he’s been prolific on the power play.
• Kris Letang has a terrific, natural shooting motion, one that results in good velocity despite minimal windup. But that doesn’t matter in the slightest if all that’s achieved are random dents in the plexiglass and boards. Or even way up there in the meshing.
“That’s what I heard a lot about,” Jim Rutherford was telling me Thursday afternoon as we walked through the Winnipeg Underground. “And that’s the No. 1 thing we wanted to address, to make sure he was shooting the puck and that he was shooting it on net.”
Sounds simple enough, until one considers that it’s Letang we’re discussing. Nothing’s simple.
It is working, though.
He’s averaging three shots per game — 36 in the first 12 games — for a slight increase over his 2.91 average last season. No big deal there, obviously. And his one goal this season has his shooting percentage at 2.78 compared to a sterling-for-a-defenseman 10.2 last season. Actually a small-sample-size step back. But the number that counts most here is misses. He has only eight missed shots against the 36 registered, an infinitely better ratio than last season’s 35 missed shots against 108 registered. And that figure was far more impressive before his three misses against the Jets.
“Kris is getting it to the net as his first option,” Bill Guerin was saying. “And at times, he’s taking something off the shot to make sure it gets there.”
Of Letang’s seven assists, four have come exactly that way.
Credit Rutherford with this one. Although Johnston and staff have done the heavy lifting in terms of daily emphasis, it was Rutherford who correctly identified this as a top priority. And from there, it was Johnston and staff who early in training camp made it abundantly clear that, for all Letang’s shortcomings on the power play, he was going to be their top point man even if it meant ticking off Paul Martin or under-utilizing Christian Ehrhoff.
I’d say that’s paid off quite a bit, no?
• Let’s settle this once and for all: Simon Despres‘ first name is pronounced See-mone, as is universally the case in French. But if you hear announcers going by Sigh-mon as in ‘Simon says’ — and I’ve certainly heard from plenty of readers on the topic — that’s because he’s given people permission to call him that and, in fact, prefers to be called that by anyone not fluent in French.
I took eight years of French, so I’m going with the correct one.
• Rutherford and Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice have a remarkable history together, one that brought out some real emotion from the GM in that same conversation.
While playing defense for Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League, Maurice was struck in the eye by a puck and suffered a blind spot that persists to this day. He continued to play, but his future was irreparably damaged. Rutherford at one point had to choose one player to lop off his roster to add another and, even though Maurice was his captain, he’d be the one.
“Oh, boy, was that tough,” Rutherford recalled.
But it might have worked out for the best. Citing Maurice’s leadership as his motivation, he offered Maurice the option to immediately become an assistant coach. At age 21. And by 1995, Maurice was named, again by Rutherford, to be head coach of the old Hartford Whalers. At age 28, he was the youngest head coach in NHL history. When that franchise moved to Carolina, Maurice would serve two stints under Rutherford.
• Never ask Pascal Dupuis a serious question while holding an iPhone camera. Lesson learned:
• Next NHL expansion markets, per my Canadian brethren here with knowledge on the inside: Seattle and Quebec. Forget this Las Vegas silliness. Too transient a population.
All that’s needed now is for the Panthers to bust that lease in Sunrise and get out of Florida.
• The Pirates are basically waiting on Russell Martin. That’s the vibe I’m getting.
I don’t have hard confirmation that a contract offer has been made, but I know there has been contact between Neal Huntington and Martin’s agency, and I know that contact involved at least the discussion of an offer. It might well have been the full, best offer, but I don’t have that yet and won’t go that far.
The other thing I can share is that the next upbeat word I get from anyone in the Pirates’ camp on this topic will be the first. It all feels fait accompli.
• Why won’t the Pirates approach Neil Walker about an extension?
Two reasons: One, he’s going to get roughly $10 million a season for his final two years of arbitration, after which he’ll be 31. The urgency is minimal. Two, Frank Coonelly approached Walker three years ago, and the talks went so abysmally that it turned off Coonelly and some in the Pirates’ front office, fair or not.
I’m not suggesting it’s personal. Not at all. Just that any miles-apart negotiation can take a long time to overcome. And some never do.
• Andrew McCutchen’s been hanging around the Steelers a lot. Saw him again at Heinz Field after the Ravens game, and he told me, “Just having fun. This is great.”
Never let anyone tell you all these guys bolt in the offseason. A lot of them hang around.
• Great line from Art Rooney II after that same game, when I asked if he shared my view about where that victory had originated: “Right over there in that corner. Usually does.”
He motioned toward the far corner that houses the offensive linemen.
• Martavis Bryant and Stephon Tuitt have one thing in common: They know how to keep their mouths shut even when it’s clear to all concerned they should be playing more as rookies.
Bryant has kind of broken through, and I hedge only because it’s impossible to get anyone to remark about him without sprinkling in all kinds of asterisks about how hard he needs to keep working and improving and all that. I get it. That’s the veteran mentality, and it’s mostly served the Steelers well. But I also get that the kid’s made some huge plays, and pretending he might not play is a little disingenuous.
Tuitt, of course, still can’t get on the field — 17 snaps Sunday — no matter the terrific quality of what he puts on tape. But he keeps the same stance.
“I’m waiting my turn, working hard and looking forward to my chance,” Tuitt was telling me. “Those are the only things I can control.”
• Good dude: Brett Keisel. Never been so delighted to have been so wrong on a subject, in this case whether or not the Steelers should have brought him back.
We’ve talked about that, too, meaning how badly I blew that one.
His response?
“There are still people here who know what Steelers football is. I’m proud to be one of those.”
This is one thing I disagree with DK about very much. I don't think the Pirates have any intention of bringing him back, and I don't think they are willing to even come close to what they should be offering him.
As usual for this organization, they will save the money to line their own pockets at the expense of the team success. Everyone knows they will not be the same team without Martin. Ownership doesn't care. The suckers will still keep buying tickets.
I sat a few rows behind Brett Keisel at a Pirate game some years back. It was the night they pulled Xavier Nady from the on deck circle & traded him to the Yankees. A steady stream of kids politely asked him for autographs. And he signed every one with a smile. For 3 hours.
Site is worth every penny- my go to sports read every day. I attended practice at Southpointe Mon. & noticed it to be much more focused & fast pace than last year. Johnston wasn't afraid to correct Sid on a PP drill, & players seemed happy. Letang seems to over think.
DK: My favorite feature of this 'unbelievable bargain' web site/app is the Friday Insider. Don't need another reason to love Fridays, but this is outstanding. Thanks!
This sounds stupid, but I actually enjoyed the Dupuis interview video. Its off the beaten path of the same old player interviews and a little more like "In The Room"..which I find fascinating.
I hate subscribing to the on-going "are the stars buying in" concept...but it it's vitally important nonetheless. I will say , I dont know how Geno can be too thrilled having Comeau on his line. Bennett better become his winger when he gets back, we are wasting Genos talent
I cant wait to see what GMJR can get for Paul Martin...with so many teams desperate for a D man - let alone a really good one - i foresee some pretty good offensive talent on the way
Not only am I over Russell Martin, but I think it's maybe it's time the Pirates get over him too. Whatever Plan B is, move forward with it. Nick Hundley, Geovany Soto or a trade. Whatever the case may be. And more importantly, pitching.
Exactly the attitude Pirates ownership is hoping for. They will place all the blame on that greedy player who just wants more money to distract you from the fact that they aren't willing to spend any to field a good team.
I was resigned to him leaving in August. I'm also resigned to Cutch leaving when his current deal is up. They have 4 years now to "get er done" so to speak and losing Martin is taking a step backwards. Sad but true.
Anyone else fear a "trap" game on Sun? I do think we'll win, but Vick has terrorized us in the past, Harvin went for 11/129 last week, Ivory rushed for 100+, they lost by 2 to NE recently, & it's an away game. There's no Geno this yr. Easy spot for a letdown. Stay focused, guys!
DK, may be better saved for Tues, but to what do you attribute Sid & Geno not providing dramatic moments in those emotional, hard hitting games? Hasn't happened since Sid terrorized Hatcher in Phila, has it? They play with passion and get physical. Rare they take over. Any idea?
Fun fact of the day. Since the day the city of Pittsburgh has held all 3 professional sports franchises, only twice has all 3 made the playoffs in the same year. 1979 and 1992. In those years, at least one of the city franchises won a championship. Pirates have done their part...
I stand corrected on one point. The city did it as well in 1975 with all 3 franchises making the playoffs, and once again one of them won a world's championship. So it has actually happened 3 times.
Just wanted to share: was at an education event last night in which Mike Tomlin received an award. Mr. Rooney (Dan) introduced the coach and Tomlin was great in his speech. Saw him in a totally different light: Funny, smiling & really talked a lot about his family...
...Mr Rooney commented about how much impressive Tomlin is on a day to day basis...something most of us never see. I was very impressed with the man last night.
So transient towns are not worthy of an NHL franchise? Do you not realize that every city in this country was a transient town at one point? Do you also realize that Las Vegas is only into it's second generation of people. California expansion won't work either, right?
I was also totally wrong on Keisel. And he is a good dude: I worked with him on several occasions doing videoconferences with Steelers fans. Very even-keeled, down-to-earth person.
I have to say I don't know what they see in Letang as a PP QB. Martin has been calmer, moving the puck with far better decision making. They should at least look at Erhoff. Tanger simply does not have the IQ, the calmness, and the quick decisions needed for PP QB. Don't get it.
DK I seem to notice more at at least as many blocked shots from Letang ans last year. Plus he is positioned more in the high center area than the wings for his shots. Bennett also gives them the RH shot off wing that they need as well.
Of course one has been injured and the other doesn't see much time because of some fear of letting young guys play but I couldn't help but think on Sunday, hhmmm. What would be the difference if we drafted Mosley and Jernigan instead of Shazier and Tuitt? Guess we will never know
One has been injured and the other doesn't see much time because of some fear we have about playing rookies but I couldn't help but wonder on Sunday, hmmm. What would have been if we drafted Mosley and Jernigan instead of Shazier and Tuitt. Too early to tell for sure though.
I have to say that the Anglicized pronunciation of players names has always bugged me, whether it was Therrien, Kovalev or whomever else. I find it to be disrespectful, even if the player gives the OK to do so.
My favorite name pronounciation issue is Brad Marchand who was "caught" pronouncing his own last name 2 different ways. Marche-ahnd and Marche-and. That made me giggle. It was like he couldn't decide. He was doing a commercial for a local radio station.
compensation picks for Liriano and Martin are made if the player signs with another team. Not sure how the Cubs signing Martin changes that. But if Martin or Liriano don;t sign, then I believe there is a date that they can sign that no compensation pick is involved.
Its confusing a bit, if a team signs a player with a QO, they lose a draft pick. If they are not one of the first 10 (11 this year what with Houston getting a pick for them not signing their first round pick last year), I'll continue, running out of characters
The bottom ten teams are protected and do not have to give up a pick. Ie cubs. If a player signs after the draft with another team in mid season no pick.
So DK, given the um, ‘peculiarities,’ of Pens top two Cs and obvious ongoing concern re buy-in, is it better for one to date a a PAIR of high-maintenance super-models, or date ONE and surround her with support staff who knows how to pamper her?
Hey, Russell Martin was a great part of the Pirates the pst 2 years.
But he is gone......... the Bucs just won't get into any bidding war.
Take the $$$ and get another C, and a starting P or 2.
.
Payroll must increase......... all the extra $$$ coming in leave no excuses.
Great snapshot DK. It's a rare time in the last few decades that all of the talk is positive (until the Steelers go 3 and out on their first drive Sunday and the "fire Haley" posts start). Buccos playoffs, Pens looking as hot as anyone, and Steelers not clawing back from 2-6.
The numbers that I heard on The Fan today, in them reporting of his meeting with the Cubs, is 4-5 years, $50-65 million. If the Pirates can't offer something in that range, then we'll know that it's all about the Elmores and not about really trying to win.
Probably is fait accompli. But Cubs have cited the A's success with their no-name "3-headed monster" approach to catching and new hire The Mad Scientist would be perfect to pull off same wi. Cubs. If so, outside remains chance Cubs won't go stupid crazy trying to land Martin.
Tomlin messing with psyches of rookies who can improve team is just childish. A variant of his old "two dogs, one bone" favorite.
.
No need to make players beg. Earn it, yes, but not beg.
DK- "Blake Comeau has no business on anyone’s top six"
Dave Molinari, in today's Post- "Free-agent signee Blake Comeau proves to be a perfect fit as a second-line winger, and that has surprised some people."
He's playing OK. Anybody that thinks he's the answer for Geno's W is dreaming. We have 2 generational talents at C and we have failed completely to build around them. For FIVE years. How much are we paying Scuderi again?
November 7, 2014
Friday Insider: Penguins buyin’ the buy-in
by Dejan Kovacevic • Friday Insider • Penguins, Winnipeg Jets
Kris Letang waits his turn for a practice drill Wednesday at MTS Centre. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
• So much of the early chatter about these still-too-early-to-call Penguins has been about buy-in. As in, are the players — specifically Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — buying in to Mike Johnston’s approach and strategy?
I aimed to get to the bottom of this on this trip, especially since I’d expressed doubts of my own. And sometimes, the best way to do that is to turn off the recorder and just have a few conversations. So you aren’t going to read direct quotes here, as much as a summation of sentiments. If that isn’t good enough, hey, feel free to check all the happy talk that gets spoken in front of cameras and microphones and do your own deciphering.
They are buying in, but slowly and conditionally and with different concerns.
Crosby initially was wary — leery would be too strong — of the 200-foot aspect of the breakout, meaning the way the center is required to come all the way back, build up speed, then rocket through the neutral zone. That’s understandable. For half a decade, he played in a system where the puck essentially did all that work by itself, thanks to the 140-foot Dan Bylsma get-to-our-game pass. Now, it’s all happening in a pack. The center ideally carries, and his wingers support.
Success addresses most worries, though, and this was no exception. The game that really stood out in relation to the captain was the eight-goal annihilation of the Devils, who wanted nothing more that night than to clothesline the Penguins in the neutral zone but couldn’t because the Penguins were coming at them with so much speed.
(Actually, the Jets did this right here Thursday night extremely well against the Penguins, if you’re looking for another example. The Penguins draped four bodies across the blue line at times, but Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler would still smoke them.)
So Crosby is fine. And Malkin, as always, is more complicated.
It’s very easy to see he’s working fine within the system as a center of late, which shouldn’t surprise anyone if only because there’s no aspect of hockey he loves more than winding back and bolting up ice with a burst of speed. Johnston might as well have tailored this strategy to Malkin.
But the second line’s five-on-five production has been virtually nonexistent, and that’s in part because Blake Comeau has no business on anyone’s top six, because Pascal Dupuis hasn’t meshed with Malkin at all and because Malkin, rather than engaging in his usual cycle in the attacking zone, keeps pulling up along the boards and looking for trailers. Presumably Sergei Gonchar.
I’m not going to try to read Malkin’s mood off the ice, if only because his moods are always so readily evident on the ice. It’s more important, anyway. And in this case, it’s evident right now that it’s a very good thing he’s been prolific on the power play.
• Kris Letang has a terrific, natural shooting motion, one that results in good velocity despite minimal windup. But that doesn’t matter in the slightest if all that’s achieved are random dents in the plexiglass and boards. Or even way up there in the meshing.
“That’s what I heard a lot about,” Jim Rutherford was telling me Thursday afternoon as we walked through the Winnipeg Underground. “And that’s the No. 1 thing we wanted to address, to make sure he was shooting the puck and that he was shooting it on net.”
Sounds simple enough, until one considers that it’s Letang we’re discussing. Nothing’s simple.
It is working, though.
He’s averaging three shots per game — 36 in the first 12 games — for a slight increase over his 2.91 average last season. No big deal there, obviously. And his one goal this season has his shooting percentage at 2.78 compared to a sterling-for-a-defenseman 10.2 last season. Actually a small-sample-size step back. But the number that counts most here is misses. He has only eight missed shots against the 36 registered, an infinitely better ratio than last season’s 35 missed shots against 108 registered. And that figure was far more impressive before his three misses against the Jets.
“Kris is getting it to the net as his first option,” Bill Guerin was saying. “And at times, he’s taking something off the shot to make sure it gets there.”
Of Letang’s seven assists, four have come exactly that way.
Credit Rutherford with this one. Although Johnston and staff have done the heavy lifting in terms of daily emphasis, it was Rutherford who correctly identified this as a top priority. And from there, it was Johnston and staff who early in training camp made it abundantly clear that, for all Letang’s shortcomings on the power play, he was going to be their top point man even if it meant ticking off Paul Martin or under-utilizing Christian Ehrhoff.
I’d say that’s paid off quite a bit, no?
• Let’s settle this once and for all: Simon Despres‘ first name is pronounced See-mone, as is universally the case in French. But if you hear announcers going by Sigh-mon as in ‘Simon says’ — and I’ve certainly heard from plenty of readers on the topic — that’s because he’s given people permission to call him that and, in fact, prefers to be called that by anyone not fluent in French.
I took eight years of French, so I’m going with the correct one.
• Rutherford and Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice have a remarkable history together, one that brought out some real emotion from the GM in that same conversation.
While playing defense for Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League, Maurice was struck in the eye by a puck and suffered a blind spot that persists to this day. He continued to play, but his future was irreparably damaged. Rutherford at one point had to choose one player to lop off his roster to add another and, even though Maurice was his captain, he’d be the one.
“Oh, boy, was that tough,” Rutherford recalled.
But it might have worked out for the best. Citing Maurice’s leadership as his motivation, he offered Maurice the option to immediately become an assistant coach. At age 21. And by 1995, Maurice was named, again by Rutherford, to be head coach of the old Hartford Whalers. At age 28, he was the youngest head coach in NHL history. When that franchise moved to Carolina, Maurice would serve two stints under Rutherford.
• Never ask Pascal Dupuis a serious question while holding an iPhone camera. Lesson learned:
• Next NHL expansion markets, per my Canadian brethren here with knowledge on the inside: Seattle and Quebec. Forget this Las Vegas silliness. Too transient a population.
All that’s needed now is for the Panthers to bust that lease in Sunrise and get out of Florida.
• The Pirates are basically waiting on Russell Martin. That’s the vibe I’m getting.
I don’t have hard confirmation that a contract offer has been made, but I know there has been contact between Neal Huntington and Martin’s agency, and I know that contact involved at least the discussion of an offer. It might well have been the full, best offer, but I don’t have that yet and won’t go that far.
The other thing I can share is that the next upbeat word I get from anyone in the Pirates’ camp on this topic will be the first. It all feels fait accompli.
• Why won’t the Pirates approach Neil Walker about an extension?
Two reasons: One, he’s going to get roughly $10 million a season for his final two years of arbitration, after which he’ll be 31. The urgency is minimal. Two, Frank Coonelly approached Walker three years ago, and the talks went so abysmally that it turned off Coonelly and some in the Pirates’ front office, fair or not.
I’m not suggesting it’s personal. Not at all. Just that any miles-apart negotiation can take a long time to overcome. And some never do.
• Andrew McCutchen’s been hanging around the Steelers a lot. Saw him again at Heinz Field after the Ravens game, and he told me, “Just having fun. This is great.”
Never let anyone tell you all these guys bolt in the offseason. A lot of them hang around.
• Great line from Art Rooney II after that same game, when I asked if he shared my view about where that victory had originated: “Right over there in that corner. Usually does.”
He motioned toward the far corner that houses the offensive linemen.
• Martavis Bryant and Stephon Tuitt have one thing in common: They know how to keep their mouths shut even when it’s clear to all concerned they should be playing more as rookies.
Bryant has kind of broken through, and I hedge only because it’s impossible to get anyone to remark about him without sprinkling in all kinds of asterisks about how hard he needs to keep working and improving and all that. I get it. That’s the veteran mentality, and it’s mostly served the Steelers well. But I also get that the kid’s made some huge plays, and pretending he might not play is a little disingenuous.
Tuitt, of course, still can’t get on the field — 17 snaps Sunday — no matter the terrific quality of what he puts on tape. But he keeps the same stance.
“I’m waiting my turn, working hard and looking forward to my chance,” Tuitt was telling me. “Those are the only things I can control.”
• Good dude: Brett Keisel. Never been so delighted to have been so wrong on a subject, in this case whether or not the Steelers should have brought him back.
We’ve talked about that, too, meaning how badly I blew that one.
His response?
“There are still people here who know what Steelers football is. I’m proud to be one of those.”