Top Five Powerplay Teams: #1 Pittsburgh Penguins

[RaychelSnr]

#1 -- Pittsburgh Penguins

Based around skill and lots of it, Pittsburgh brings a youthful and talented attack to the powerplay. With the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin rocking offensive ratings between 90 to 95, you've got a threat up the middle on either powerplay unit. Add to that James Neal's beastly offensive output for the 2011-2012 campaign (reflected in decent stats for NHL 12) as well as the veteran presence of Chris Kunitz, and Pittsburgh can get it done.

Pittsburgh's defense is well-suited to the offensive game, with solid players like Paul Martin and emerging talents such as Kris Letang. Martin brings to the table a reliable set of skills, complete with solid passing and power on his shots in the mid-80s. Letang has good power on both his wrister and slapper, and his puck control and passing are both at 90, which is great for setting up the skilled forwards up front.

Pittsburgh's goaltending, 2012 playoffs aside, is still quite serviceable with Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes. His 90 ratings in breakaway and five-hole will be a boon if the penalty killing team gets a shorthanded chance.

[tkoui]

If only this had been true. Already missing hockey. Go Pens!

[JohnBoy227]

It's on NBC right now.lol

[kai123]

Quote: Originally Posted by MMChrisS

#1 -- Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh's defense is well-suited to the offensive game, with solid players like Paul Martin and emerging talents such as Kris Letang. Martin brings to the table a reliable set of skills, complete with solid passing and power on his shots in the mid-80s.

Paul Martin a solid player?

[Dylonus]

LMAO @ PAUL MARTIN BEING "SOLID"

Paul Martin is brutal. I don't get why EA thinks he's any good, or has any shot power. His shot power is weaker than 90% of the kids in the juniors. I can't wait until that bum is out of Pittsburgh.

My Pittsburgh PP line is Malkin on the RW, Neal on LW, Crosby at C, Sullivan is at the RD and Letang at LD. Sullivan controls the puck well and his weak shot makes it easy to dump the puck around the boards and cycle it to Letang so he can step into one timers in the high slot

[plaidchuck]

Yeap and from Ray Shero's comments it seems they're stuck with him. His justification was that Martin was a +13 in the last 25 games or so of the season. Riiight. Not to mention a contract where no one else will take him and the fact he has a no-trade clause. Definitely the worst move by Shero to date.