It's only four games, so it's obviously very early, but what a difference a year can make – in both directions.
Two seasons ago, Marcus Pettersson and rookie John Marino formed a promising defensive pair. So promising that the Penguins rewarded both with lucrative, long-term contracts worth over 4 million dollars per year - Pettersson's into 2025 and Marino's into 2027. It seemed like money well-spent.
But one year later, after both had not only failed to improve but actually regressed, all of a sudden those contracts looked pretty bad; bad enough that Pettersson's name surfaced in trade rumors after he was exposed to Seattle in the expansion draft. Marino was never in real danger of being moved but some people wondered aloud if he would be able to recapture the promise of his first NHL season.
It was pretty clear that Marino would get that chance since the pre-season plan was to put him with Mike Matheson on the second pair. As luck would have it, a nagging injury kept Matheson out of the first three games which forced the coaches to give Marino and Pettersson a try. "With Mike Matheson missing early on we went back to a comfortable pair with John and Marcus together and they've earned the opportunities they're getting," said assistant Todd Rierden who oversees defensemen.
Opening in Florida against the Lightning and Panthers, two of the Eastern Conference's better teams, Marino and Pettersson formed a solid duo. After that continued in the third game, another victory, they stayed together even after Matheson returned to the line-up and continue to produce, especially Marino.
After picking up assists in each of the first three games, Marino scored an instinctive goal against Dallas which helped salvage a point in the shootout loss. "I wasn't sure it would go like this after four games," said Rierden. "You never know exactly, but I'm really happy for him because of the time and effort that he put in to have a better season this year. I think both (Marino and Pettersson) understand that there was better in their game than they showed last year and they've responded thus far."
Indeed, Marino not only has points but is a plus-6 through four games and Pettersson has an assist and is a plus-5.
Rierden says both players took the constructive criticism to heart although her he was asked specifically about Marino. "To me, self-evaluation is huge and being able to really be honest," he said. "This was my first (off-season) working with John and I think we both felt that we both could do a better job of improving his game. That involved the commitment level he has off the ice, to put on some strength and some size this summer. All the credit goes to him for the effort he put in to prepare himself."
The same goes for Pettersson who also credited his off-season work with Rierden, wanting to show that two seasons ago was no fluke. "I think it's familiarity but I think we're both playing at a high level right now and it's easy to feed off that," he explained. "With Mike's injury I saw an opportunity that I've got to step in and play well. Now he's back but at the same time I want to play as much as possible. We're playing well right now so that's good."
Another defenseman who is taking advantage of increased playing time is Chad Ruhwedel. Now paired with the returning Matheson, after the 2-0-2 start Ruhwedel's record with the Penguins is fairly amazing. In the 158 regular season games he has played with Pittsburgh, Ruhwedel is 93-49-16.
Rierden may not have known the exact numbers but he's not surprised. "Certainly, we're aware of the success we have when he's in there," he said, "and utilizing him in situations of importance don't scare me. He's earned the opportunities he's gotten this year."
Of course, in the NHL injuries have a way of altering line-ups on a fairly regular basis. But it sounds like Rierden almost has a mandate to keep his accidental defensive pairings intact. "We're in the business of winning here and we base it on merit," he explained. "The evaluation has always been an important thing for me to go through with the players that they earn their opportunity and its theirs until they lose it to someone else. I think in this situation that pair will be staying together and hope for them to continue to play as they have.
The Penguins homestand continues Saturday against Toronto.
Notes:
Sidney Crosby did not practice and did not skate at all. "A planned day off," according Toad Rierden.
Mark Friedman is still out. Rierden, who handled the coach's media availability, said Mike Sullivan would have an update Thursday.
Mustache Boy is back – Maybe it was partially due to dropping the extra point Tuesday night but the Pens ended Wednesday's practice with a shootout competition with the loser suffering the consequence. That was Dominick Simon but, according to Pettersson, Casey DeSmith may also have to sport a 'stache for a month since he gave up 3 straight goals at one point.
