The Pittsburgh Penguins had a fairly poor start to the season. They have better luck with their scoring depth, however, goaltending continues to be an issue. Another major area of ​​concern this season has been defense. They are currently ranked second in the NHL in goals allowed per game at 4.2. Over the first month of the season, they have proven they can score goals, but they need to get better at keeping the puck out of the net.

Penguins defense needs fixing

There is no doubt that goaltending has been a major problem early in the season. After allowing 12 goals in three starts, it was clear that the starting goaltender Tristan Jarry was I’m not going to cut it. Since his return from injury, substitute goalkeeper Alex Nedeljkovic hasn’t been that great and rookie Joel Blomqvist isn’t ready to take over.

As if goaltending wasn’t a big enough problem, Pittsburgh has an even bigger problem on defense. They’re currently first in the NHL in high-danger chances allowed, and if something doesn’t change soon, they’ll miss the playoffs for the third year in a row. Pittsburgh’s current record is 5-7-1, with their only wins coming against non-playoff opponents. In their 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on October 18, the team as a whole had a completely flat performance. There was a complete lack of effort in their play and the defensive awareness was horrible. Their performance against a division rival simply had to be better and they frankly deserved to lose.

However, the Penguins’ 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on October 20 was a game they should have won. They got a deep score from Lars Eller and a power play goal from Kevin Hayes. They were excellent on the forecheck and in the offensive zone, they were simply the better team. Most, if not all, of Winnipeg’s goals were the result of defensive breakdowns. No one seemed to know their mission in the defensive zone and it was clear they weren’t on the same page.

It’s high time for head coach Mike Sullivan to make some changes on defense. For a long time, the Penguins were known for their aggressive style of hockey. However, times have changed and it’s time for Sullivan to change with them. Pittsburgh is no longer the same team they were in 2016 and 2017, they are now older and slower.

Pittsburgh must simplify the defense structure. If Sullivan has the wingers take the point and the defensemen play low in front of the net, it would help solve the problem of leaving too much ice uncovered. They also need cleaner zone exits and need to make better decisions with the puck.

Related: 3 takeaways from the Penguins’ 3-1 win over the Canadiens

Right now, it seems like the Penguins are trying to do too much and be too flashy. They need to stop overthinking it and get back to basics. Sullivan has been known to be stubborn in the past, but this season he seems more open to change, with younger players getting more opportunities and the constant mixing of lines. Hopefully his open mind stays long enough for change to come to the defense.

The penguins already look shaky

It’s no secret that Pittsburgh is trying to get back into the playoffs this season, but the first month of play hasn’t gone as planned. They are finally getting scores from deep, which has been a problem for a few seasons. However, if they don’t understand their goaltending situation and fix their defensive structure, they will be watching the playoffs from their living room for the third year in a row.