The Pittsburgh Penguins are in need of a new look on their struggling power play.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have experienced several highs and lows through the first 20 games of the 2023-24 season. They've cleaned up many issues that plagued them early on, but the power play continues to be an overwhelming failure.
The Penguins power play has converted on seven of their 56 opportunities this season, a success rate of 12.6%. Their performance has the Penguins ranked 26th in the NHL on the man advantage and, if it continues, would easily be the worst power play of Sidney Crosby's career.
Despite the ineptitude of that unit, the Penguins continue to make the same adjustments in hopes that, eventually, something will click. Injured forward Bryan Rust joined that unit during practice today in Cranberry, supplanting Reilly Smith at the left flank.
This switch continues the revolving door of forwards in that position dating back to last season. Meanwhile, very little has changed with the other four players on that top power play.
If the Penguins insist on keeping Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and Jake Guentzel in place, they should at least allow a new face to man the left flank position. Kris Letang would be a top candidate.
Letang initially slotted in on the left flank in training camp, spending most of the preseason in that spot. However, the Penguins defenseman looked disjointed and uncomfortable in that slot through a handful of preseason contests, leading to his removal before the regular season.
The last time Letang played significant time in that position was in 2010 when Sergei Gonchar played the quarterback slot on the power play. It may take some time, but Letang provides more upside than Rust or Smith and may be more comfortable now that he's built more chemistry with Karlsson.
But still, a change to the left flank may not solve many of the Penguins' issues with the man advantage. They still lack a net-front presence and have since Patric Hornqvist departed in 2020. Noel Acciari has a similar build to Hornqvist and shares similar fearlessness necessary to screen goaltenders in this league.
Acciari may not have the finishing ability that Hornqvist boasted while in Pittsburgh, but scored 20 goals in a season (2019-20 with Florida) and has shown glimpses of above-average finishing in the past few games.
His presence in the net front would free up Jake Guentzel and put him in more situations to shoot the puck. Guentzel is a two-time 40-goal scorer and underutilized in the net front on the man advantage.
Either of these moves would provide a fresh look for the Penguins, more so than consistently switching between Rust, Smith, and Rickard Rakell on the left flank. Whatever changes occur, the Penguins must improve the power play if they want a chance to make a serious run at a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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