Red Wings Rank 10th In PK in Early Going

The NHL record for the worst penalty killing by one team in a single season is owned by the 1979-80 Los Angeles Kings. The Marcel Dionne-led Kings only had a 68.2% PK efficiency that season.

For much of last season, the Detroit Red Wings looked as if they would break that futility mark.

But the coaching change to Todd McLellan helped the Red Wings avoid that indignity. They ended the season at 70.1%, still last in the NHL, certainly one of the worst in league history, but not ugly enough to claim the record.

However, the penalty killing struggles of last season explain why the Red Wings’ ranking of 10th in the NHL (88.8%) in penalty killing — even after only four games — is cause for celebration in Detroit.  Thus far, the Red Wings have killed eight of nine power play opportunities. The fact that they are giving up only 2.25  power plays per game is yet another reason for coaches to be pleased.

“We’ve been building a lot of confidence too,” Detroit forward Mason Appelton said.  “You give up a couple, say early in the season, you can’t feel good, and then your mindset shifts a little bit. But when you’re building and you’re getting kills, you stay aggressive.”

Newcomer Appleton Big Help

Appleton is the only significant addition to the penalty killing cast. He brings with him a reputation for being a quality role player. He believes that good work on the penalty kill begets more good work.

“You don’t think as much,” Appleton said. “You just make the simple reads and your sticks and bodies are in the right spot and you get the clears and you get the blocks and (Wednesday against Florida) we got a couple of huge blocks there and a couple of big clears and we did our job.

“We pride ourselves in being a better penalty killing unit than in the past, and I think we’re showing that so far. ”

McLellan is showing trust in rookie defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka by using him a little bit on the penalty kill. But the real change in the group is that they are playing a more aggressive style. They are pressuring the points more than they did last season.

“I think the tweaks to be a little bit more aggressive have helped,” penalty killer Dylan Larkin said. “And with that, I think we’ve really tried to focus on, especially the group up front, to be out there 20, 25 seconds and get off.  Just play to get that clear and get off.  That’s a good way to break up to two minutes, take care of your 20 seconds, and then hand it off to the next guy and just roll him over.

“I think we’ve done a good job with that. You don’t see guys staying out there, trying to kill the whole two minutes. It’s just too hard of a league and to play tired out there. That adjustment helped us.”