Changes may still need to be made to the Pittsburgh Penguins bottom six, but this could be the start.
PITTSBURGH - The bottom six group of forwards for the Pittsburgh Penguins have been in desperate need of a change for a few weeks and it looks like Mike Sullivan has made some moves.
During the morning skate before taking on the Anaheim Ducks, the Penguins had a different construction to their bottom two forward lines.
Drew O’Connor stayed consistent on the third line left wing, but Teddy Blueger was bumped up a line to play center while Jeff Carter was again moved to the right wing.
Jonathan Gruden looks like he’s ready to make his NHL debut by centering the fourth line with Brock McGinn and Kasperi Kapanen on his wings.
Danton Heinen fell as the odd man out for the Penguins with Gruden filing in. It’s not a permanent fix for the bottom six, but it’s something different.
This isn’t the first time Blueger has centered the third line with Carter on the wing, so he knows what to expect if this is a long term solution.
“I think I have to keep my mindset the same,” Blueger said. “Just play my game. That’s what I got to focus on controlling.”
Sullivan believes in his players and sees an advantage in putting Carter and Blueger on the same line.
“Any time you have two center icemen on a line there’s a huge advantage,” Sullivan said. “There’s a number of advantages. These guys are both solid players. Carts has played a fair amount on the wing, so it’s an easy transition for him.”
The Penguins have seen little to no offense from their bottom six and they are all aware of the issues.
Without production from the bottom six, the Penguins can’t make it anywhere.
“It’s probably a combination of a few different things,” Blueger said. “Not playing our best, not making enough plays. Everything kind of plays into it.”
Being elevated to the third line means that Blueger is going to play an increased role in the offense and he is in need of a jump offensively.
In 27 games this season, Blueger has only scored a goal and six assists for seven points and despite his defensive mindset, he’s a minus-5 rating.
With those numbers, Blueger is ready for the elevated opportunity.
“I think in the same way every game is a new opportunity to do something,” Blueger said. “Obviously we haven’t been getting it done. It hasn’t been easy. You got to battle through it.”
The bottom six of the Penguins may still need some more adjustments, but this is a small start and hopefully it can be step in the right direction.
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