The NHL's newest data tracking system gives insight into the Penguins' tough start.

For Pittsburgh Penguins and hockey fans interested in consuming more statistics and information about their favorite players, NHL EDGE is for you. The NHL unveiled a new website, calling it "the next phase of the development of its Puck and Player Tracking technology." The site has individual and team statistics and provides a deeper look into measurable data points like skating speed, shot velocity, and zone time.

Not only does this new site give fans access to in-depth statistics, it's also an excellent way to look further into the Penguins' early season struggles. The team is off to a less than ideal first five games, going 2-3-0 and looking like a much worse team than that.

But, what is the problem? Using NHL EDGE, let's look at what areas specifically are contributing to the Penguins' difficult start to the year. 

Speed Kills

The fastest burst of speed from a Penguins skater this season is 22.8 mph, recorded by forward Bryan Rust against the Detroit Red Wings. The team has registered just two instances of skating 22+ mph. This performance is good for below the 50th percentile across the league. When looking at instances of skating 20-22 mph, the Pens fare much better, falling in the 78th percentile. 

One of the biggest knocks on the team last season was their lack of speed. Kyle Dubas made several moves to improve the team and increase their skating abilities.

The early results have shows a group that can skate well enough (yes, even Jeff Carter has registered 20+ mph this season), but still lacks elite speed. Compared to another division team, like the Carolina Hurricanes, the Penguins are still a much slower team. 

Bad Luck or Poor Ability? 

One of the most interesting takeaways from NHL EDGE's stats on the Penguins is their offensive team stats. The Penguins are spending roughly 42% of 5-on-5 ice time in their offensive zone, placing them in the 84th percentile league wide.

Once in the zone, the team is putting pucks on net. They have 171 shots on goal through five games which is 20 more than the league average. Shots in the high danger zone of the ice make up 48 of the 171 shots also. Sufficient to say, the Pens are getting to their offense and making the opposition work to defend. 

The trouble is the lack of finishing. Despite performing well above league average in zone time, shots on goal, and high danger zone chances, the team struggles to finish the play. They have only 16 goals on the year, good for a mediocre shooting percentage of 9.4% and pedestrian offensive production.

The Penguins are performing slightly better in the high-danger areas, scoring on 16.4% of their shots. While it is an improvement compared to their overall shooting percentage, it doesn't compare any better across the NHL (ranked in the 53rd percentile).

Takeaways

Through just five games, the Penguins are already painting a clear, yet startling picture of their offensive identity. They have the makeup of a team that can sustain offensive zone time and generate mid to long range opportunities.

When they do get to the high danger areas, they score slightly more, but they are still not a true threat. If they can improve their ability to finish and capitalize on their ability to spend so much time in the offensive zone, they can return to being an elite offense. In the meantime, NHL EDGE can keep displaying where the Pens are at in the process. 

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

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