I’m just a guy that writes a bunch of words for a living, and I have no say over what happens with the local hockey team, but I can still have some opinions and things that I want to see. Maybe you disagree. Maybe you want to see different things. Maybe none of these things matter. They probably do not given the context of this season. We can yell about it anyway. Let’s talk about some of them.
1. I want to see more Egor Chinakhov on the power play
I would argue that Chinakhov is playing a lot better than his overall numbers would indicate. He had a goal
taken away on a borderline interference call. He’s had a couple of shots ring off the post. The puck luck hasn’t quite been there. He is also one of the few players on the team that has been able to find the net on the power play, despite the fact he is only playing 1:46 of power play time per game (eighth on the team).
I want to see more of him out there.
Put him on the top unit.
Play the second unit more.
Do something. Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the Penguins top power play unit is pretty bad at the moment, both in terms of scoring goals and creating chances. The one thing that Chinakhov might bring is just more of a willingness to shoot the puck. He hasn’t always hit the net this season, but he’s at least taking his rips. Especially on the power play.
Nobody on the team is averaging more power play shot attempts per 60 minutes than Chinakhov’s 28.8.
Tommy Novak is the only player averaging more individual expected goals per 60 minutes on the power play than Chinakhov’s 1.85.
He has the best shot on the team. He is not afraid to use it. Put him into more positions where he can use it. Or at least try to use it.
If nothing else they just need somebody out there that is going to shoot the puck. Dan Bylsma always used to say nothing breaks down a defense more than a shot attempt. Let’s put it into practice.
What’s the worst thing that happens? They don’t score?
2. I want to see Hendrix Lapierre keep getting a look
Might be a controversial take because nobody seems to like him, or his presence here, or the trade for him, but I would keep giving him a look.
My expectations for him are not high.
He was a roll of the dice to see if you could catch lightning in a bottle. It’s the type of move rebuilding teams tend to make when they are trying to throw everything they can at the wall to find players. It’s the type of move the Penguins have been making for the better part of the past year or two. I would say the likely outcome here is that he just ends up being roster filler that eventually becomes a “remember a guy” guy.
But I don’t hate the attempt, and I don’t always hate the way he’s playing. There is some production there. He has a track record of at least being a competent defensive NHL-caliber player. He and Ville Koivunen have mostly played well together.
I think one of the things that’s left me a little confused this season is why so many are pounding the table for Avery Hayes to play more so you can find out about him, but are so dismissive of a player like Lapierre playing. I see it a lot.
Folks: they’re the same age. They have similar backgrounds through the minor leagues offensively.
They also play different positions, which is very important for why one (Lapierre) is getting a look right now and the other (Hayes) is not.
They’re also not likely to be long-term pieces anyway. And it’s not like Lapierre is really blocking anybody when he plays at center. Especially If Novak is going to play on the wing with Kindel and Chinakhov.
There is likely to come a point where I get tired of it, but I’m not there yet. I will give it a longer leash.
3. I want to see Sergei Murashov play Wednesday night
I don’t think the Penguins were ever going to throw a 22-year-old rookie into the starter’s role this season, and I think keeping him on a 30-35 game pace is pretty fair for a young, rookie goalie. Especially one playing behind such a bad defensive team. I don’t think that’s hurting his development. You don’t want him to get absolutely blitzed and stuck on an island too often.
But…
Arturs Silovs has been way too hit-and-miss, and Murashov is coming off one of the best starts of his career in Los Angeles where the only two goals he allowed were weird bounces than anything else. He was never going to play in Anaheim due to the back-to-back, but Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks seems like a good opportunity to get him back in there and try to build on a strong start.
If he plays well there? You start mixing him in more. I think the important thing right now is just building up his confidence and putting him into situations where he can succeed. The Kings, given their lack of offense, were a good situation. This might be another one of those situations.
