Breaking Down the Red Wings’ Historically Bad Penalty Kill & How to Fix It

In addition, the Red Wings struggle to suppress shot attempts, as evidenced by their 116.35 SA/60 number noted above. Clearly, opponents feel confident that they have a quality shot lane on a regular basis. They can fire away. 

The high shot attempt volume is due to Detroit’s inability to put adequate pressure on the attackers. This goes for both opponents entering the offensive zone and once set up.

Some of this is strategy – Detroit’s diamond setup can be pretty passive. It also speaks to the penalty killers’ ability to read and react. The hockey IQ displayed when down a man has been very concerning at times. Take, for example, Utah’s goal from last week:

Several things went wrong here. First, you should never have three penalty killers squeezed together below the goal line when there are only two opponents in the same area. Then, on an individual level, there were three successive incorrect reads and reactions.

Compher reacted incorrectly when he dropped down low to support Moritz Seider on the weak side. Then, Ben Chiarot judged wrong and joined the fray, leaving Marco Kasper to defend three players above the goal line. And finally, Kasper chased the puck instead of taking away the east-west passing lane.

To summarize, Detroit broke containment and ended up covering no one. 

The Red Wings have also struggled with reads while in the diamond setup. Take Colorado’s third goal from last week:

As Martin Necas rotated up, Michael Rasmussen should have slid up with him, with Marco Kasper pushing out to take away passing lanes. Neither player reacted until it was too late and the Avalanche took advantage. (Chiarot also screened Lyon and didn’t block the shot himself.)

This goal also speaks to Detroit’s lack of chemistry on the penalty kill. Players don’t know what their teammate is going to do, and that requires extra time to read the situation and try to react as best as possible, which is often too late.

It’s not all on the skaters, though. Detroit’s goalies are also to blame. Their collective save percentage on high-, medium-, and low-danger shots while shorthanded are all bottom-three in the league.

Why? For one, Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot are below average when it comes to lateral movement and crease management. That does not mesh well with penalty kill units that get picked apart. And it’s not like they’re consistently bailing out the Red Wings at five on five, either. They’re getting tested, and they’re not coming through.

How Can the Red Wings Fix the Penalty Kill?

With only nine games left, the Red Wings are better off saving complete system changes for the offseason, training camp, and the preseason. Give McLellan and Yawney time to drill the new system, and the players time to absorb the strategy. Also, allow the front office to bring in a strong PKer – ideally a center like Teddy Blueger or Sam Carrick. 

In the interim, I’d like to see the penalty kill be a little more aggressive with controlled pressure. Less standing still, and more forcing the opponents to make plays, which could, of course, result in them making mistakes with Detroit forcing the issue. This isn’t chasing the puck around the defensive zone – it’s more quick reaction in response to opportune pressure points arising, such as an attacker bobbling the puck or clamping down on the net front while the puck is loose. Essentially, react quicker and more decisively than what we’ve seen so far this season.

Ideally, Detroit’s goalies step up, too. A strong penalty kill is meaningless if Talbot, Lyon, and Mrazek can’t keep the puck out of the net. I’d like to see them fight through traffic more to maintain sightlines and, frankly, have Detroit’s coaching staff challenge them to activate their clutch gene when the team needs it. They have it – we just need to see it on a more consistent basis.

When combined with what the Red Wings are doing well already—blocking shots (27.5 percent of shot attempts are blocked; ranks eighth) and staying out of the box (168 times shorthanded; ranks third)—these small improvements could go a long way. A league-average penalty kill isn’t out of the question.

Data courtesy of NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick.