CRANBERRY, Pa. — Kris Letang was sitting alone in his locker following Wednesday’s practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. About 10 feet to his left, Erik Karlsson was being bombarded by questions from reporters about the Pittsburgh Penguins’ new-look power play.
Letang looked like he was on an island during the power-play drills at Wednesday’s practice — the first time the Penguins have put their No. 1 unit in action during training camp and the first time Letang has worked along the left-wing wall on the power play since Sergei Gonchar left town in 2010.
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Letang probably felt like he was on an island in the locker room, too.
“First day,” he said with a shoulder shrug.
Karlsson was slightly more open. He was asked about the benefits — and the potential problems — of having two right-handed players used to running the show on the point.
“We’re about to find out,” he said with a grin.
Here was the alignment:
- Karlsson played his customary spot on the point
- Letang played on the left-wing half-wall, where we’ve seen Mario Lemieux and Phil Kessel over the years
- Evgeni Malkin played on the right-wing half-wall, which is where he typically is stationed
- Sidney Crosby played down low, which has been the norm in recent years
- Rickard Rakell moved down low on the left side, switching from his spot on the left-wing half-wall last season
All of this, of course, could be highly temporary. Jake Guentzel is skating daily, and there’s a good chance he will be ready to return to the lineup at some point in October. When he returns, he’ll be on the power play. The big question will be whether Letang or Rakell leaves the top unit.
Until that time, however, this will be the five-man unit.
“It’s going to be a new thing for everybody,” Karlsson said. “It’s going to take some time to get acclimated and to get comfortable. It’s why we have this period of time right now.”
The first day of power-play practice didn’t go so well. This isn’t exactly new, mind you. The Penguins’ power play typically looks sluggish and unimpressive on the opening days of training camp, as was the case on Wednesday.
Letang looked uncomfortable and tentative on the left-wing wall. He stayed closer to the blue line than anticipated and looked unsure of himself with the puck.
“I haven’t played there in a decade,” he said.
Karlsson figures to run the show from the point throughout most of the season, though coach Mike Sullivan noted that Karlsson figures to play in a number of different spots.
“I played most positions throughout my career on the power play,” Karlsson explained. “Maybe not net-front. But it’s going to take a little bit of time for us to find our identity and to find what we’re trying to accomplish. We’ll have to talk about it a lot. I’m not too worried about it given the clientele we have here and the hockey IQ.”
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Karlsson acknowledged that there will be a learning curve because of his presence on the power play. While Crosby and Malkin are all-time greats, it could be argued that the power play during this era most thrived when Kessel was running the show.
It appears that Karlsson will be given that freedom. He’s not the least bit concerned.
“There will be bumps on the road and learning lessons even though we’re seasoned veterans,” Karlsson said. “That’s part of the journey.”
The journey for Letang has been bumpy on and off the ice over the past year. He’s finally healthy and nearly a year removed from his father’s death and a brutal stretch that included a second stroke.
He’s had a strong to start to camp, despite the power-play issues on Wednesday.
“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “Your body feels a lot better in training camp at 26 than it does at 36. But I train to stay fit and I feel good.”
He feels good mentally, too.
“Even during everything last season, I was trying to stay focused on hockey,” he said. “I just had to put some things in the past this summer. And now, I feel like I’m ready to go.”
Letang did play on the left-wing wall at times during the Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup run, scoring a very important goal from that spot during Game 3 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Red Wings.
Since Gonchar’s departure in 2010, however, Letang has primarily been the center point man on the power play.
With Karlsson on board, everything has changed.
“So, I’m working in a different spot right now,” Letang said. “It’s completely different. I wasn’t there for more than 10 years, you know? I’m going to have to get used to it. I’m hoping it will come in the next couple of weeks.”
The Penguins have many options at their disposal. Malkin has played on the left-wing wall at times, though it removes his one-timer from the equation. Crosby can play the right-wing half-wall or down low. Rakell and Letang can play on the left-wing half-wall. Then again, so can Karlsson, who is actually quite effective in that spot.
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Sullivan has made it clear that he’ll experiment with the power play.
“We’re just trying to get them some reps, introduce some concepts, things of that nature,” Sullivan said.
Letang said he intends on putting in the work to make the power play work.
“You want to use training camp to get to the level that you want to be at,” Letang said. “I want to be ready for opening night, and that’s what I’m working on.”
His teammates aren’t all that concerned with the power play looking sluggish today.
“You’ve got Letang and Karlsson on the same team,” Reilly Smith said. “That’s a pretty special thing.”
Notes
• The Penguins will host the Sabres on Thursday night in preseason action at PPG Paints Arena. Almost all of their regulars, including Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson, will play
• With the exception of defenseman Mark Pysyk, who is out with a “longer term injury,” the Penguins have emerged from the first week of camp reasonably healthy.
• Sullivan is impressed with Radim Zohorna’s play through the first week of camp, saying that he’s “very much in the mix” for a roster spot this season.
• The Penguins will practice in Cranberry on Friday morning before departing for Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they will be for four days.
(Photo of Kris Letang: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
