Can the Penguins' David Quinn fix the Power Play? – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins

On June 12, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired David Quinn to replace head coach Todd Reirden, who was fired in early May. Reirden ran a power play last season, finishing 30th in the NHL with a conversion rate of 15.3%. Not only will Quinn take over, but he will be in charge of bodyguards. He has struggled to succeed as a head coach in this league, will the coaching job suit him better?

Will Quinn Find Success in Pittsburgh?

It was obvious to anyone who watched the Penguins last season that Reirden had to go. With the amount of talent on the power play, there's no reason it has to stink for the rest of the year. With new blood on the coaching staff, fans are cautiously optimistic. Quinn was let go as the coach of the San Jose Sharks in April after two losing seasons. Before coming to San Jose, he was the head coach of the New York Rangers from 2018-2021, when he compiled a record of 137-185-50.

It is true that Quinn did not succeed as a head coach in San Jose or New York; however, he showed ability in other areas. Last season the Sharks played strongly and finished with 20.2%, ranked 21st in the league. Those are average numbers, but Pittsburgh probably would have made the playoffs if their power play had been at least average.

Quinn also excelled in working with young talent. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Boston University, from 2004 to 2009 and 2013 and 2018. It was there that he achieved his most successful coaching record, going 105-69-21. While in Boston, he coached several notable players, such as Charlie McAvoy, Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk and Evan Rodrigues.

Quinn will bring a different perspective to the Penguins coaching staff, which has been needed for a long time. He is very familiar with head coach Mike Sullivan, as the two were teammates at BU. Both are fierce competitors with different playing styles.

Quinn won't just be another “yes man.” He will challenge Sullivan and hopefully bring fresh, new ideas to the power play. Watching the reunion between him and defenseman Erik Karlsson will also be interesting. He coached Karlsson through the 2022-23 season in San Jose, which was the best season of his career to date. He played 82 games, scored 25 goals and 76 assists for 101 points, and also took the Norris Trophy.

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Last season, Karlsson's play was not easy, and the Penguins are no doubt hoping that Quinn will help relieve him a bit. Initially, when general manager Kyle Dubas brought him to Pittsburgh last summer, the goal was to play the power play with him. However, that is not the case at all times. He didn't participate, and was very hesitant when shooting the puck. Every time he got the puck, he passed it to Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin rather than taking the opportunity that was presented to him.

Penguins Trying to Get Back on Track

When Quinn worked with Karlsson in San Jose, he did his best, and the Penguins hope he can do it again. They will also look to him to develop other young players, such as PO Joseph and Jack St. Ivan. With the start of the regular season almost three months away, fans will have to wait a long time to see if he is the right man for the job.