All Work and No (Power) Play Make Mike Yeo a Dull Coach

Terrible special teams play seems to be contagious among Pittsburgh sports this year. It began with the Steelers' inability to cover a kick or punt, and has spread like wild fire to the Penguins' power play unit. With arguably two of the three best hockey players in the world on their team, they remain incapable of maintaining a solid offensive presence on the ice, let alone score a single goal during the power play. When there is no lack for offensive talent, what else is to blame for the abysmal performance on the power play this season?

One could argue the recent scoring drought has gotten in the heads of the team, and they are trying too hard to get back on track. They need to stop trying to set up the perfect highlight reel goal, start firing the puck from all angles, and look for guys like Kunitz, Guerin, and Caputi to drive home the rebounds. It is time to get back to basics.

Lack of discipline among the defensive corps could be another potential cause for power play deficiency. Every Penguin defensemen has been having trouble keeping the puck onsides during the power play, rendering any attempt at setting up a cycle futile, and tiring out the team as they are constantly dashing down the ice to retrieve dumped pucks. This effectively negates any benefit of the power play and could actually prove to be detrimental to the team's success post-power play. When the opponent returns to full strength, all of the Penguins' top players are catching their wind on the bench, creating potential for unfavorable line pairings.

Finally, when the Penguins are on the power play they do not seem to have any definitive plan of attack. If one player is out of position, the entire system crumbles and each player is doing their own thing on the ice.

Ultimately, when there is a lack of discipline, direction, and key fundamentals, one must turn to the coach. Mike Yeo, Penguins special team coach, must be ready and willing to shoulder the majority of the blame. One cannot say it is for a lack of trying. His attempt at moving Malkin to the left point, and keeping Crosby on the right was a valiant effort to spread out the defense and create scoring opportunities. However, the change was unsuccessful.

When the current system is not working, it may be time scrap the current plan and go back to the drawing board. They should not be so reluctant to mix it up. Perhaps, move Crosby and Malkin inside, and let your offensive defensemen cycle the puck on the outside. Alternatively, why not move Crosby, a solid playmaker, to the left point and let him feed Malkin on the right wing where he's proven to have success in the past?

I am a huge fan of Dan Bylsma, Mike Yeo, and the entire Penguins staff. I'm thankful for all that they have done for the organization, and I trust they will resolve this problem. I just hope it will be sooner rather than later, or they will find themselves hitting the links early in the postseason.