Penguins struggle to replace Sidney Crosby on faceoffs

There are a myriad of ways the Pittsburgh Penguins miss captain Sidney Crosby, currently sidelined as he recuperates from surgery for a core muscle injury.

Five-on-five effectiveness, proficiency on the power play, execution in overtime, etc. Just about everything the team does on the ice is duller because of his absence.

And if you could talk to one of the Penguins’ bean counters, it might be vivid what Crosby’s sabbatical means to the franchise’s business off of the ice.

On the ice, the area where Crosby is hardest to replace, simply based on sheer volume, is faceoffs.

Even after missing six games (and a portion of a seventh), Crosby is the team’s leader in faceoffs taken by a considerable margin.

In 17 games played, Crosby has taken 359 draws. Fourth-line center Teddy Blueger is a distant second with 289.

The effect has been pretty clear.

Before Crosby missed his first game Nov. 12, the Penguins had a modest winning percentage of 50.4 percent (492 for 976) in faceoffs. Since then, in the six complete contests he has missed, the team has a bleak success rate of 44.4 percent (160 for 360).

“He’s not easy (to replace),” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s our best faceoff guy. We usually use him in most of the key draw situations. But other guys are going to get opportunities in those situations.”

There have been plenty of opportunities for others, but not ample success:

The Penguins' basic faceoff numbers in the six games Sidney Crosby has missed: pic.twitter.com/NmUtCcYzJk

— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) November 23, 2019

To compound matters, Nick Bjugstad, the team’s only regular right-handed draw, will be sidelined a minimum of eight weeks after surgery Thursday for a core muscle injury.

“It’s a luxury to have faceoff guys on both circles that can pull to their backhand,” Sullivan said. “Most guys are better at pulling to their backhand than they are their forehand. To have lefties and righties is a luxury for a coaching staff and for a team. When Nick’s not in the lineup, it just takes one right-handed shot away from us as far as an option on that side.”

The team has occasionally deployed right-handed Sam Lafferty, a rookie listed as center who regularly plays as a winger, on faceoffs. But his success has been limited. He has won only 53 of his 110 draws (48.2 percent).

In Crosby’s absence, they’ve utilized one of their former centers who was pretty strong in the faceoff circle during his career before he retired this past offseason.

Development staffer Matt Cullen, who lives in Minnesota but visits the team either in Pittsburgh or on the road, has been charged with refining the remain centers’ skills in the dot.

“We’re working with all of our guys to try to improve and get better,” Sullivan said. “We had Matt Cullen in at practice the other day. That’s an assignment specifically that I’ve given to Matt to spend time with our guys. I know when he’s in town, it will be time on the ice with them, but he’s also watching film and is in contact with these guys as far as the subtleties of that position and the strategies of the faceoff. Hopefully, over time he can help these guys and we can all improve as a group.”

Presumably, if Crosby returns in the six-week time frame originally prescribed, that would lead to the biggest improvement.

Notes: The Penguins assigned forward Joseph Blandisi to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. In nine NHL games this season, Blandisi has two points (one goal, one assist). He has played in eight AHL contests and has four points (two goals, two assists). … The Penguins had a scheduled day off on Saturday and will practice in Cranberry on Sunday.

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