This article originally appears at The Hockey Writers
When the Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up their 2011-12 regular season with a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, they capped off their finest offensive campaign since the goal-happy seasons of the 1990s.
Can Pittsburgh afford to commit $5-plus million per season to a forward after allowing 30 goals in 6 postseason games? (Canyonero / flickr)
An NHL-best 273 goals and a top-five power play led Pittsburgh to its third consecutive 100-point season. Their roster included the Art Ross Trophy winner, two of the top-five scorers in the NHL and the top-two point-per-game producers in the league, all while their single-deadliest offensive threat spent three-quarters of the year on injured reserve.
Sounds like a team in need of a top-six forward, no?
For as effective as Pittsburgh’s offense was a year ago, its defense was proportionally ineffective. The Pens finished 15th in goals-against in 2011-12, then followed that up by allowing a disastrous 5.00 goals per game in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
And the penalty kill? Woof.
So while Jordan Staal has taken his 248 career points to Carolina for the next decade and the top line has a decided void on its flank, Pittsburgh should be in no hurry to replace Staal’s offense or to acquire the long-sought-after winger for Sid.
Goal prevention is a far bigger concern.
Ugly Numbers
The Penguins fielded an above-average defense for most of last year, but the wheels fell off in the home stretch of the regular season.
In six playoff games against the Flyers, the whole operation was driven straight off the edge of a cliff.
The Penguins finished 15th in goals against in the regular season and delivered an encore performance by allowing 30 goals in six playoff games, including a pair of eight-goal shellackings at the hands of the Flyers. For reference, the Los Angeles Kings won the Cup after allowing 30 goals in 20 games. Of the 16 playoff teams last year, only Vancouver, Detroit and San Jose played fewer games than Pittsburgh. Philadelphia, New York, Phoenix and New Jersey were the only teams to allow more goals than the Pens’ 30, each having played at least 11 games.
All this is secondary to the dumpster fire that was their penalty kill.
Continue reading this entry at The Hockey Writers
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