Episode Details

Kris Letangs Struggles: A Deep Dive into the Pittsburgh Penguins Defensive Woes

The Pittsburgh Penguins are grappling with a significant issue as veteran defenseman Kris Letang underperforms, particularly in five-on-five play. His poor puck decisions result in turnovers and defensive breakdowns, with the team getting outscored when hes on the ice. Over the last ten games, the Penguins have been outscored seven to twelve with Letang, and in the last twenty-five games, theyve been outscored twelve to twenty, with an expected goals share of just forty-five point eight percent. Despite receiving the most offensive zone starts, his performance continues to decline.

Letangs play negatively impacts the entire defense, regardless of his pairing. Three of the four worst pairings by expected goals in the last twenty-five games include him, with his current pairing with Ryan Shea at just twenty-nine percent. These duos leak expected goals against at alarming rates, over three per game in some cases.

The one positive is Letangs strong work on the penalty kill, which may be preserving his spot in the lineup. Experts suggest a shift to a more consistent style, drawing from his PK success, could help improve his performance. The Penguins have limited options and wont bench him, even as players like Sam Girard return. They urgently need a better version of Letang to turn their season around.

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