Ryan Wilson: Kris Letang and his overlooked greatness Kris Letang and his overlooked greatness

Snootch to the nootch! I'm 1st!!!!

Carrying this over from the last blog:

I know Grinder couldn't give a flying (frank) about any of this, but while we're on the subject, here's how the Guentzel-Crosby duo has matched up against these lines in question at 5v5 since 2018-2019 when Trotz took over the Islanders.

VS. Marchand-Bergeron
GP: 10
TOI: 69:27
CF%: 39.84
GF: 0
GA: 6
xGF%: 40.53
HDCF%: 52.17

VS. Clutterbuck-Cizikas-Martin
GP: 9
TOI: 21:16
CF%: 57.14
GF: 2
GA: 0
xGF%: 55.92
HDCF%: 75

VS. Matt Barzal
GP: 13
TOI: 53:31
CF%: 48
GF:5
GA: 2
xGF%: 42.66
HDCF%: 53.85

So not only does Trotz not really deploy the Isles' checking unit against Sid, but they're not effective when he does. Trotz, a guy most of us agree is a pretty elite coach, instead elects to play best on best hockey and mostly deploys the Barzal unit against Sid. Pretty impressive underlying numbers against Sid and G by Barzal, except he still loses the high danger chances percentage and the tangible production is still very much in Crosby's favor. And even the pretty good possession and expected goals percentage by Barzal doesn't come close to the daddying that the Bergeron and Marchand duo have done against Sid. Completely controlling everything but high danger chances and out scoring Sid and Jake 6-0 in three years.

So yeah, pretty obvious to me which team I'd prefer to play. Give me the team where Sid actually scores against his regular assignment.

Letang is the most underappreciated Penguin of the Crosby era and MAF is the most overappreciated Penguin of the Crosby era.

I agree with RW that Letang should be a HOFer. Is MAF? If so - to see Malkin, Crosby, MAF, and Letang all get into the Hall of Fame, that will be pretty cool.

Letang is the most underappreciated Penguin of the Crosby era and MAF is the most overappreciated Penguin of the Crosby era.

I agree with RW that Letang should be a HOFer. Is MAF? If so - to see Malkin, Crosby, MAF, and Letang all get into the Hall of Fame, that will be pretty cool.
- SuperHenderson13

They won the cup without him!

Yo Wilson, you put Giordano on there twice and left off Josi there bub.

Anyways, don't really know what goes into WAR but the consistency of that line is pretty impressive given that Letang gets a lot of flak for being, well, inconsistent. It does suck that his injuries happen when they did. I feel there were two seperate seasons where he was surging in the Norris convo and then had his season ended. He's incredibly fun when he's healthy and our team as a whole becomes way harder to watch when he's out in a way that doesn't necessarily happen when either Sid or Geno are out. Love the guy and even though he's slipping a bit in old age, I hope he never craters before he retires.

Looking back at the last Isles Pens playoff series and holy hell was Jack Johnson and Schultz a terrible pairing. Roughly 33% in the major possession statistics. They gave up shots, scoring chances, and goals at nearly twice the rate of the other two pairings. It's going to be nice having 3 competent pairings this time around.

I’ll also add that if Drew Doughty was “deserving” of a career Norris then Letang oughta have one, too.
- Ryan Wilson

I'm not sure what this means. Doughty was objectively not very good in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but the year he won his Norris, he was the best defenseman in the league and deserving of his award.

Looking back at the last Isles Pens playoff series and holy hell was Jack Johnson and Schultz a terrible pairing. Roughly 33% in the major possession statistics. They gave up shots, scoring chances, and goals at nearly twice the rate of the other two pairings. It's going to be nice having 3 competent pairings this time around.
- burgh4life87

Ya think that's bad? Look at how many goals were scored, by the Habs, when Johnson was on the ice vs how many were scored overall in last years qualifying round...

I'm not sure what this means. Doughty was objectively not very good in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but the year he won his Norris, he was the best defenseman in the league and deserving of his award.
- tkecanuck341

Erik Karlsson was far and away the best D that season and should have won the MVP as well.

Ya think that's bad? Look at how many goals were scored, by the Habs, when Johnson was on the ice vs how many were scored overall in last years qualifying round...
- Beatnic57

Good lord, he was on the ice for a goal against every 11 minutes at 5v5. I never looked at the rates, I just remember he was terrible.

Looking back at the last Isles Pens playoff series and holy hell was Jack Johnson and Schultz a terrible pairing. Roughly 33% in the major possession statistics. They gave up shots, scoring chances, and goals at nearly twice the rate of the other two pairings. It's going to be nice having 3 competent pairings this time around.
- burgh4life87

Excellent point. I actually forgot about that (I guess I am just trying to put JJ out of my mind ). That alone tips it in our favor, I think. Add a very well performing third line and I really like our chances this time.

Ya think that's bad? Look at how many goals were scored, by the Habs, when Johnson was on the ice vs how many were scored overall in last years qualifying round...
- Beatnic57

It's near impossible for one line/pairing to single handedly lose a series. During the Isles series Johnson-Schultz sure did try hard to do so. But the Habs series Johnson may have accomplished the impossible and done it. He was on the ice for 5 of the Hab's 9 5v5 goals that series and was directly responsible for like 4 of them. I have zero interest in ever watching that guy play hockey again, even if he's helping us out by being extremely bad on the other team.

It's near impossible for one line/pairing to single handedly lose a series. During the Isles series Johnson-Schultz sure did try hard to do so. But the Habs series Johnson may have accomplished the impossible and done it. He was on the ice for 5 of the Hab's 9 5v5 goals that series and was directly responsible for like 4 of them. I have zero interest in ever watching that guy play hockey again, even if he's helping us out by being extremely bad on the other team.
- Victoro311

Well, Sully was deploying JJ like he was a 2nd pairing dman.

Well, Sully was deploying JJ like he was a 2nd pairing dman.
- Rinosaur

He was actually the defenseman with the least amount of TOI, which makes the amount of damage done against him even more impressive.

But yeah, generally speaking, Sullivan overdeploys his bottom pairings and gives them way too much TOI. I suspect that has to do with Cole-Shultz being so good his first year here.

He was actually the defenseman with the least amount of TOI, which makes the amount of damage done against him even more impressive.
- Victoro311

I guess I'm misremembering. I thought JJ had like 15+ minutes in the last couple of games against MTL

He was actually the defenseman with the least amount of TOI, which makes the amount of damage done against him even more impressive.

But yeah, generally speaking, Sullivan overdeploys his bottom pairings and gives them way too much TOI. I suspect that has to do with Cole-Shultz being so good his first year here.
- Victoro311

bless that man. Saint Cole deserved better.

Good lord, he was on the ice for a goal against every 11 minutes at 5v5. I never looked at the rates, I just remember he was terrible.
- burgh4life87

That's absolutely atrocious. Unreal. He was by far the worst Penguin in the Sid/Geno era.

bless that man. Saint Cole deserved better.
- DeflatedPucks

Yea Sully (frank)ed that up.

The organization should have been lobbying for him with hockey Canada, the voters, etc etc. They needed to pump and push the narrative. Too bad they didn't it seems. I always liked this guy as a player.

Erik Karlsson was far and away the best D that season and should have won the MVP as well.
- burgh4life87

Karlsson had the most points. That doesn't make him the best defenseman. The voters got it right.

Karlsson had the most points. That doesn't make him the best defenseman. The voters got it right.
- tkecanuck341

YO BUFFALO BOY LETANG NEVER PLAYS DEFENSE AND CONSTANTLY MAKES BLUNDERS ON OFFENSE. GO BACK TO BUFFALO!

YO BUFFALO BOY LETANG NEVER PLAYS DEFENSE AND CONSTANTLY MAKES BLUNDERS ON OFFENSE. GO BACK TO BUFFALO!
- pozone

Hahahah this is bad. You should delete your account.

Good blog RW. I (and others) micro focus on the major giveaways and turnovers but really he has and still is a fairly outstanding player.

Agreed on Doughty too... I have no idea why or how he became a poster boy defenceman. He has certainly been a really good player, but I think Letamg has been the better player from a full career perspective. I remember the year he won the Norris it felt like a lifetime achievement award rather than him being the best in the league that year.

Letangs problem is that he has never had that one season where he stood out above everyone else and he kind of plays in Crosbys shadow. Sid, Geno & Fleury will be for sure Hall of famers. I'd be really happy to see Letang get in but it will be a much tougher sell for him at this point. Winning cups always helps though so if he keeps playing Solis and they get another Cup he's in for sure.