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It takes a special set of qualities to play on the wing with the most special player of this generation, Sidney Crosby. It takes the ability to control the puck down low--and a willingness to take the beating that entails--and also the savvy to think two steps ahead, to keep pace with Crosby's brilliant hockey mind.
The best men for the job haven't necessarily been superstars themselves. There was Pascal Dupuis, originally acquired in 2008 from the old Atlanta Thrashers as an afterthought in the blockbuster Marian Hossa trade. And Chris Kunitz, a 2009 trade pick-up from Anaheim in the Ryan Whitney deal who had seemingly peaked in his mid-twenties. And now, we could be witnessing the emergence of another grinder whose skill-set meshes well with the preternaturally gifted Crosby.
Dominik Simon, a former fifth-round pick who had typically ranked a notch below some of the Penguins' other forward prospects, has been awesome during his brief NHL career when paired with the captain.
Jake Guentzel seems to be locked in as one of Crosby's wingers, but the other wing spot has been much more fluid. Daniel Sprong--who's making some strides but has also played like the Penguins' version of Artie Burns at times--entered training camp as the favorite, but has since tumbled to the bottom six. Patric Hornqvist, Bryan Rust and even natural center Derick Brassard have also skated with Sid. But none of them has come close to replicating the chemistry that Crosby seems to have with the 24-year-old Czech Republic native.
With Crosby and Simon on the ice, the Penguins have generated 60.3% of total shots taken (also referred to as Corsi For Percentage), 60.1% of scoring chances and 65.5% of goals since the beginning of the 2017-18 season, according to Natural Stat Trick. We're talking about a sample size of more than 300 minutes at this point, so it's hard to dismiss it as just a fluke. When Crosby has skated without Simon over that same time frame, the Penguins have generated 55.5% of shots, 53% of scoring chances and 45.2% of goals. Crosby is productive no matter what, but he has been at his best when paired with Simon:
Simon's game seems to mesh well with Crosby's and push Sid to an even higher level, but that's nothing compared to the effect that Crosby has on Simon. When Simon skates without the captain, the Penguins have collected 41.9% of total shots, 40.8% of scoring chances and 40.9% of goals since the start of the 2017-18 season. Crosby speaks glowingly about Simon, but coach Mike Sullivan isn't just being deferential when he pairs these two. It's hard to say exactly why, but putting Simon on Sid's wing just works. Why mess with success?
MORE PENGUINS
• Dumoulin brings more than D: Brian Dumoulin has garnered a well-deserved reputation as a lockdown defender who tends to save any offensive theatrics for a well-time moment in the playoffs. But early on in 2018-19, the 27-year-old is showing more offensive touch and helping the Penguins dominate puck possession. Dumoulin has 0.38 points per game this season--above his 0.22 career average--and he boasts a career-best 54.3% Corsi For percentage. With Dumoulin skating, the Penguins are generating 8.5% more shots than the opposition compared to when he's on the bench. That differential, also known as Relative Corsi For, ranks in the top 20 among regular NHL defensemen and ranks behind only Kris Letang (9.5%) among Penguins blue liners.
•He keeps going and going and .. So much for limiting Kris Letang's minutes. At age 31, and with a major neck surgery in his recent past, Letang is playing his way into Norris Trophy contention while averaging 25 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time in 2018-19. That's the second-highest average ice time of his career, behind only 2015-16 (26:57 per game). Letang ranks seventh among all NHL defensemen this season in average ice time per game. He's one of a small handful of veteran defensemen who are defying the whole "the NHL is a young man's game" spiel. Letang, Keith Yandle (averaging 25:04 of ice time at age 32) and Mark Giordano (averaging 24:56 at age 35) are the only defensemen in their thirties who are averaging around 25 minutes of ice time per game this season.
STEELERS
• Free Safety suits Sean Davis: While Artie Burns can't get on the field these days, the Steelers' other high-round 2016 draft pick in the defensive backfield is turning in his best season as a pro at a new position. Sean Davis was a mess at strong safety in 2017, leading all defensive backs in missed tackles and receiving a 47.3 rating on Pro Football Focus' 0-100 Player Grade system. That grading system factors in a player's coverage, run defense, and pass rushing skill. Davis shifted to free safety in 2018, and he's thriving. He has a 75.1 rating from Pro Football Focus, with fairly high marks across the board (73.8 coverage grade, 77.2 in run defense and 78.7 as a pass rusher). Davis has the 22nd-best grade among all NFL safeties.
• A battle of all-purpose 'backs: When the Steelers and Carolina Panthers square off on Thursday, it will be a showcase of two of the NFL's best all-around running backs. James Conner has rushed for 706 yards and compiled 379 yards receiving, giving him a total of 1,085 yards from scrimmage in 2018. That's the second-highest total among all running backs, trailing only the Rams' Todd Gurley (1,230 scrimmage yards). Carolina's Christian McCaffrey is enjoying a breakout year, too. The eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft has racked up 880 total yards from scrimmage (502 rushing, 378 receiving), which ranks sixth among running backs. Compared to his rookie year, McCaffrey is averaging nearly a yard higher per rushing attempt (3.7 in 2017, 4.6 in 2018) and he has boosted his catch rate from 70.8% to 84.5%.
• About the Boz: Chris Boswell entered the 2018 season as the most accurate kicker in Steelers history, and the recent recipient of a five-year contract extension worth nearly $20 million. Yet, halfway through the year, Boswell has made just seven out of 10 field goal attempts. And, more astonishingly, he has missed four extra-point attempts (22 of 26, or 84.6 percent). To put that into context, the overall NFL average for extra point attempts is 94.3 percent, and the only teams with a lower completion rate than the Steelers are the Chargers (72.7 percent) and Browns (69.2 percent). Both of those clubs have given their kickers the Sopranos treatment. Boswell's career PAT percentage over the 2015-17 seasons was 97.1 percent.
PIRATES
• Dickerson's well-deserved hardware: Corey Dickerson took home a 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove Award, joining Roberto Clemente (12 Gold Gloves), Andy Van Slyke (five), Barry Bonds (three), Dave Parker (three), Bill Virdon (one), Nate McLouth (one) and Andrew McCutchen (one) in the ranks of Pirates outfielders to earn such recognition. According to Fangraphs' Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) stat, Dickerson was +16 runs better than an average left fielder in 2018. DRS rates a player’s fielding ability compared to an average defender at his position, accounting for play difficulty, range and throwing arm. That total matched one of Dickerson's fellow finalists for the NL left field award (Atlanta's Adam Duvall, who also had +16 DRS) and was miles ahead of Milwaukee's Christian Yelich, another finalist who had +4 DRS as an outfielder.
• So long, J-Hay: As expected, the Pirates declined to pick up Josh Harrison's $10.5 million option for the 2019 season, instead paying him a $1 million buyout and letting the 31-year-old hit free agency. With Adam Frazier discovering his power stroke and making strides defensively at second base, Harrison would have been a pricey utility player--and one coming off his worst full season in the majors to boot. Even so, the trade that originally brought J-Hay to Pittsburgh should be celebrated. At the 2009 trade deadline, Pittsburgh acquired Harrison as part of a package from the Chicago Cubs for Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow. During his time with the Pirates, Harrison compiled 11.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). WAR approximates a player's overall hitting, fielding and base running value compared to that of the kind of player who fills out a Triple-A roster or appears on the waiver wire. Gorzelanny and Grabow, meanwhile, we worth a combined 1.7 WAR for the Cubs. With an average bat and ample versatility, Harrison delivered value for the Pirates.
• Killer Instinct: Reader "amishmafia" recently asked Stats 'N'At to explore how Pirates pitchers performed in 2018 when they were ahead of batters in the count. Did they tend to put away opponents quickly, or did they let hitters off the hook? As it turns out, the Pirates were in the middle of the pack. Collectively, Pirates pitchers allowed a .510 On-Base-Plus Slugging Percentage (OPS) when they jumped ahead in the count. That ranked 16th among MLB clubs, and was a dead ringer for the overall big league average of .511. Keone Kela (.208 OPS against when ahead in the count), Felipe Vazquez (.358), Kyle Crick (.368), Richard Rodriguez (.423) and Joe Musgrove (.446) were among the standouts. Jameson Taillon (.508) was around average, while fellow starters Ivan Nova (.534), Trevor Williams (.551) and especially Chris Archer (.611) struggled at times. As prospects in the minors, Steven Brault and Nick Kingham were knocked for lacking a put-away pitch. After allowing serious damage when ahead in the count (Brault had a .677 OPS against and Kingham a .736 OPS), those whispers will grow louder.
COLLEGES
• A Hallmark performance: The Panthers moved into first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division on the strength of a road-grading offensive line and the breakaway speed of Darrin Hall, who ripped off TD runs of 41 and 75 yards while rushing for a total of 229 yards and 3 TDs against the Virginia Cavaliers. With that epic performance, Hall is now averaging 7.39 yards per carry in 2018--a figure that ranks in the top 10 among all FBS running backs who have at least 50 rushing attempts. While Hall has never been the clear number one running back at Pitt, he has been one of the school's more productive rushers on a per-carry basis. The senior has averaged 5.37 yards per carry during his college career, which is actually one of the ten-best totals among Panthers running backs with at least 300 career attempts. The only running backs ahead of Hall are Curvin Richards (5.4 yards per carry, 1988-1990), Ray Graham (5.5, 2009-2012), James Conner (5.6, 2013-2016), Tony Dorsett (5.6, 1973-1976) and Elliott Walker (5.7, 1974-1977)
• Who needs a passing game? With Pitt pummeling Virginia on the ground, the Panthers nearly abandoned the passing game yet again. QB Kenny Pickett completed just seven of 14 passes for 61 yards, which is his second-lowest total of what's shaping up to be a disappointing sophomore season (he threw for just 55 yards versus Penn State). Whether Pitt doesn't trust Pickett enough to call for more than low-yield check-down passes, or whether he's not scanning the field for bigger-play possibilities, or whether his offensive line is struggling to pass block, or whether his receivers just aren't getting open, Pickett is averaging just six yards per passing attempt this season. That ranks 105th among the 118 FBS quarterbacks who are attempting at least 14 passes per game in 2018.
• Third and forever: With QB Trace McSorley hobbled by a knee injury and the running game all but disappearing, Penn State managed to gain just 186 total yards against Michigan's top-rated defense. That's the lowest offensive output for the Nittany Lions since they gained 180 yards in a loss to Temple in September of 2015. Continuing a season-long trend, Penn State struggled to sustain offensive drives by converting on third down (they went just 2-for-11 on third down against the Wolverines). Overall, the Nittany Lions' offense has converted on just 34.2 percent of third-down opportunities, which ranks 111th among FBS teams.
THE NATIONAL TREND
• A losing fight: In the NHL, enforcers have gone the way of mask-less goalies and tied games. In a league increasingly defined by speed and skill, teams just don't employ guys who only make a contribution with their fists. As a result, the number of hockey fights has plummeted in recent seasons. Ten years ago, the NHL had an average of 1.19 fighting majors per game, according to hockeyfights.com. Five years ago, that figure had been cut nearly in half (0.63 fighting majors per game). So far in 2018-19, there have been just 0.41 fighting majors per game. Much has changed since the Penguins and Islanders turned a February 11, 2011 game into a bar scene from Roadhouse, combining for a record 346 penalty minutes and prompting owner Mario Lemieux to call out the league for its tolerance of such goonery.
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