Kuhnhackl battles to regain form of last year
Saturday in Detroit was the 25th game Penguins forward Tom Kuhnhackl has played this season, one more than he did in the team’s Stanley Cup run.
Only problem is that Kuhnhackl was batting 1.000 then, playing in 24 of 24. This season, he missed 18 games this season before Wednesday because of injury or ineffectiveness. Kuhnhackl has done his best to fight through a sophomore slump, but finding that same, physical form has been a bit of a struggle.
“Obviously, it’s a little frustrating,” Kuhnhackl said. “When you look back at last year, I think everything was almost too perfect.
“Being a healthy scratch once in a while, that’s part of the game. If you look at our lineup, if we have everybody healthy, we have a really good lineup. It’s a really tough decision the coaches have to make with who to scratch and who to play.
“You just have to bring your best every night to stay in the lineup.”
That has been the challenge for Kuhnhackl — bringing 110 percent all the time. And not only working hard, but smart. It has not, as Kuhnhackl said, been exactly perfect.
“You should never be satisfied with yourself,” Kuhnhackl said. “There’s always things you can work and improve on.
“Instead of maybe making the chip or whatever, have the confidence to make another play. Hang on to more pucks down low. Every shift you get out there, be consistent.”
Coach Mike Sullivan often has talked about this being a competitive roster. Eric Fehr, another healthy scratch at times this season, can attest to that.
Every night, it seems, the Penguins are forced to scratch a player who could be a key contributor on most NHL teams.
But that’s not to absolve Kuhnhackl. He’s a converted, former goal-scorer who’s still learning the nuance of the bottom-six game — shot-blocking, penaltykilling, energy, winning corner battles, forcing turnovers and maybe even mixing it up a little.
“I’m just trying to do the same things that I did last year — what made me stay in the lineup,” Kuhnhackl said. “Bring energy. Finish my hits. Get in on the forecheck. Create turnovers. Make them expend energy in their own end. I need to try to do that more consistently.”
Staying healthy doesn’t hurt, either.
After playing five in a row Dec. 8-16, Kuhnhackl suffered a lower-body injury at home against the Los Angeles Kings that knocked him out of the lineup for nine consecutive games. Kuhnhackl played last week at Ottawa and Detroit, but he was again a healthy scratch Monday against the Capitals.
And while his numbers — two goals and five points — match what he did in the playoffs a year ago, it’s easy to forget that Kuhnhackl got to that point by producing five goals and 15 points in 42 regular-season games while teaming with Fehr and Matt Cullen to create a fearsome fourth line.
It hasn’t gotten to that point this season.
“This is a hard league,” Sullivan said. “There’s always players pushing for roster spots. It’s our responsibility as the coaches to try and put the best 12 forwards and six defensemen on the ice that we think we are going to give us the best chance to win.
“I think Tommy’s finding his way. We think Tommy’s a good player, a very good player. That’s why he’s here. He brings a certain skill set to the table that I think helps our team. He’s a great penalty-killer. He’s a very good shot-blocker. He’s strong on the boards.
“The challenge for Tommy is to continue to work at his game and to make those decisions very difficult for this coaching staff. On most occasions, he does that.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com @JMackeyPG.