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Finding Spot for Crosby Is 'Good Problem to Have,' Penguins Coach Says - New York Times (blog)

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Finding Spot for Crosby Is 'Good Problem to Have,' Penguins Coach Says - New York Times (blog)
Mar 15th 2012, 21:35

Dan Bylsma last month.Gene J. Puskar/Associated PressDan Bylsma last month.

On Thursday against the Rangers, Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma will have all three of his world-class centers – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal — on the ice for only the 11th game in the last two seasons. That mean some players on this Penguins team that has won nine straight games and 21 of their last 26 will have their playing time reduced.

On Wednesday, Bylsma said that he would play Crosby on the third line, essentially a checking unit, alongside Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy, rather than with previous linemates Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis.

On Thursday, Bylsma said putting Crosby on that line was "more for me," as a reminder to limit his returning star to about 15 minutes on the ice. He also said that Crosby's return, however welcomed, would have a domino effect across the team. Players like Dupuis, Kunitz and James Neal, who have been going like gangbusters during the Penguins' streak, will have to give up minutes to make room for Crosby.

Here are excerpts from what Bylsma told reporters Thursday afternoon, including his reaction to Rangers G.M. Glen Sather's pronouncement Tuesday that the Penguins with Crosby in the lineup are "the best team in hockey":

Q.

This may be an absurd question, but is it hard to fit Sidney back into the lineup?

A.

I've laughed pretty heartily over some of the speculation and being asked the question, "How do you fit him in?" Everyone wants to get Sidney Crosby back in our lineup. Everyone wants to get Sidney Crosby back on our power play and back in our mix. I think it's great, at this point in time, when we have 14 games left. There's going to be some adjustment, adjustment in the lines, playing time, the power play's going be different and look different. So there's a significant amount of time to get some of those adjustments. If it's a problem, it's a good problem to have.

Q.

Will it be hard to keep Sidney off the ice?

A.

Yeah, Sid's going to want to be out there, probably his 20 minutes. But Geno Malkin wants to be out there 25 minutes when he usually plays 20 or 21 — he wants to be out there all the time. So do I get the look, like, Hey, I'm ready to go there? Yeah, you get that from the penalty killers when it's their turn to go out. We all understand it's going to be a work in progress when it comes to Sidney's minutes and getting it back up to where he's going to want to be on the ice for that 20, 21 minutes after 14 games or so.

Q.

Are you anxious about that first big hit?

A.

Not too anxious. Sid's the type of player, I've never seen him not go into the high-traffic area. I've never seen him not drive the net or go into a corner without a shoulder and a bump, trying to win the puck. He's been doing that in practice — when it's a non-contact, you've got to remind him to stay out of those areas and stay out of those situations. So I expect him to go out for his shift and go right after the puck the way we've seen him do that so many times before.

Q.

This game against the Rangers, is it a statement game?

A.

This game is a lot more than about Sidney Crosby coming back to our game. We know that if we want to catch the Rangers and catch first in our division and hopefully first in the conference, we have to beat them, we have to beat them the two games that remain against them. And this started for us the last time we played them. We knew we had to win that game. And now we're coming here to win the two points. I don't even think we can give them one point and realistically think we have a chance to get 'em. So that's what this game is for us.

Q.

Yesterday Glen Sather called the Penguins with Crosby the best team in hockey.

A.

It might have been so everyone could hear that. I've seen characterizations about what this means for our team, but we have to be a good team on the ice. It's not just handed out. Those are kind words. But I think the Rangers are going to try to win today.

Q.

Kris Letang is returning tonight from concussion symptoms after missing the last five games.

A.

We're probably not going to put Kris in a spot where he's going to play 25 minutes, but in terms of managing his game, it's going to fine for Kris. He hasn't been out a long time; he's in great shape. He'll get right back into the flow of things.

Q.

What are the benefits of having Sid on the point on power play?

A.

A couple of things. The vision of the puck. The power play goes through the half-wall for the most part and the strong-side point guy. That's Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for our team right now going into tonight's games. At times we've seen Geno on the off-side point man, he didn't really touch the puck. He wasn't a real focus on the power play. This allows Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for it to go through them. He'll get the ability to shoot the puck, pass the puck, shoot-pass it from there to the guys at the net. I think he is going to be really good at that.

Q.

Is there any caution about Sid going forward?

A.

There certainly is some forethought given to the minutes he's going to play, and is he going to play in every game. We play three games in four nights — is he playing back-to-backs? We've talked about that. I asked Sid the question because we're playing the Rangers and Jersey and Philly. I said, "If you didn't play every game, which one would you sit out?" It's a joke. He wouldn't sit out against the Devils; he wouldn't sit out against Philadelphia. There is no way. There really is no thought in my mind that he's not going to play all 14 games.

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