State of the Team: Pens 1/12/09

• The Pens found a new way to lose in Nashville.
• Then continued to struggle in Denver.
• So we’re now in 10th place and dropping like a stone.
• Mark Madden says not to fire coach Therrien.  I’m not a big Madden fan, myself.  But he’s got a bit of a point.  Therrien isn’t the one who is providing poor effort in front of the net and making key turnovers.  But he IS the one who obviously isn’t creating any accountability for it.  Plus, besides blasting the wingers, I didn’t see an alternative solution presented by Madden.

One thing that drives me nuts in hockey is the lack of patience with coaches.  If you don’t meet expectations by mid-season you don’t even get to finish the year and turn it around.  It’s almost expected, now.  You hear a lot about coach Therrien being fired, but most of the talk is more of a statement that this is something inevitable than actually making an argument as to why he should be canned.  The reason is that he doesn’t deserve it.  He’s been to a cup final, he’s dealt well with injury problems, he’s done everything he’s been asked if you forget the last month and a half.  The team is slumping, but it needs stability.  You take a step back by letting Therrien go.

So if it’s not Therrien, then what’s the problem?  Well, the problem is effort.  We’re losing the battles in the corners and in front of the net.  That does a lot of damage.  First, it obviously hurts the score when you lose the battles up front.  That’s where you can manufacture goals on an off night.  Second, you lose the puck possession battle.  It’s hard to win a game when you’re on defense 2/3 of the time (my estimate).  Third, it’s tough to get up on defense at all when you’re being out-muscled everywhere in a macho sport like hockey.  It does a number on your psyche.  Now, Therrien can deal with this lack of effort.  That’s his job, too.  I wouldn’t mind him sitting someone like Satan for a game to send a message (not to single Miro out.  There are many others).  But, I have to believe that this is more of a personnel issue.  We lost a lot of scrappy play with Malone, Ruutu (Mike Tyson on skates), and Laraque (by the way, check out his short lived blog.  The guy is deep).  I’m not sure if the talent is there in Pittsburgh to fill the void, and I’m not versed enough on the baby pens to know if we have someone down on the farm.  I guess until further notice, all we can hope for is that the Pens visit Oz for awhile (like munchkin land, not the prison) and find some heart to get them through this.