I was reading some recent comments from long-time PenguinPoop reader Mike about the state of our defense. He questions whether they’d be able to withstand the rigors of playoff hockey.
To digress, Mike’s been involved in professional basketball at several levels, so he knows a thing or two about team sports. When he comments I tend to listen. Sometimes I’m inspired to write, too.
So Mike, this one’s for you.
Specifically, he cited two members of our defense, Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Ryan Shea, as physically deficient. I’m going to focus my response/article on the former.
In many ways POJ is the poster child for our Pens, both good and bad. In particular, the flawed approach to roster construction that’s dominated the Mike Sullivan era.
First, the good. POJ does bring some positives to the table. He’s an excellent skater and generally handles and passes the puck well. Even has a faint dash of spit in his game.
Following an absolutely miserable start to the season (three assists, a minus-11 in 34 games) he redeemed himself with a strong stretch run (two goals, eight points, plus-8 in his final 18 games) while skating next to Kris Letang on the second pairing.
Continue reading Penguins Defense Not Built for Playoffs at Pittsburgh Penguins - PenguinPoop Blog.
