Orpik leads by example
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I'm not the brightest guy in the world, but I know cause-and-effect when I see it. Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik had harsh words for his teammates Jan. 7 after their 3-1 home loss to the New Jersey Devils, calling them out publicly for their lack of "accountability" and their unwillingness to fight through adversity. Soon after, the team started playing better.
Cause-and-effect.
Simple, right?
"We're all competitive in this room," Orpik said Sunday after the Penguins beat the Washington Capitals in overtime, their sixth consecutive win. "We hold each other accountable. A lot of guys are willing to stand up and say something when they feel they have to. No one takes it personally. We all just want to win."
- Game: Penguins at St. Louis Blues, 8:08 p.m.
- TV: Root Sports.
I wasn't satisfied, figuring Orpik was playing the part of reluctant hero. I tried to get him to take credit for Evgeni Malkin's amazing resurgence. During Orpik's brief postgame rant, he talked of the Penguins taking "stupid, lazy penalties and start getting off our game plan and doing whatever we want." In that loss, Malkin had taken a stupid, lazy tripping penalty early in the third period, leading to the Devils' third goal. Malkin scored the Penguins' only goal that night but had gone the previous six without one. Since that New Jersey game, he has played like the best player in the world with 10 goals in eight games. His overtime goal beat the Capitals Sunday.
"Oh, no, I had nothing to do with what he's doing," Orpik said, shaking his head. "That's all him. What he's doing now is unbelievable. It's every game. It's almost like he does whatever he wants out there ...
"Geno and I are pretty good friends. We talk all the time. When the team is in a slump, we both know we have to lead by example. He does certain things and everyone notices. When he goes to the weight room for extra work, everyone notices. That's not always fair, but that's the way it is for a player like him. He knows that. That's why he's the player he is."
Orpik gets it, as well. He's that same kind of player. No, he's not among the world's best, but his teammates watch him closely. Last season, they voted him their Players' Player award, an honor that coach Dan Bylsma said is "about respect and the way you carry yourself ... about being a professional." The players could do worse than to give the award to Orpik again this season.
Talk about leading by example:
The game after Orpik's rant was a disaster, a 5-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators. He showed up -- maybe the only Penguins player to do so -- and was credited with 10 hits and two blocked shots. The next game, the team played much better but lost to the Capitals, 1-0, in Washington, their sixth loss in a row. Orpik had seven hits and a blocked shot. The winning streak started two nights later with a 4-1 win in Florida. In that game and the five wins that followed, Orpik had a total of three assists, was a plus-6, had 22 hits and blocked 13 shots. His hit on Carolina's Jeff Skinner, though clean, was one of the most brutal of his career.
"If I'm not aggressive, I'm no better than the next guy," Orpik said. "I want to be tough to play against. If I don't play that way, they'll bring in a younger guy for a lot less money to replace me."
That isn't likely to happen soon. For one thing, Orpik, who had two hernia surgeries -- one on each side -- after the past two seasons, is healthy and will continue to play that style. For another, he's more than just a hitter and a shot blocker. He's huge on the penalty-kill unit, which has killed 14 of 15 penalties in the past four games. For a third thing, he's the team's conscience. Sidney Crosby remains the captain in absentia. Malkin is the star. Injured Jordan Staal is a great leader. But Orpik is the conscience.
"It just seemed like every game we were taking lazy penalties and making lazy plays," Orpik said when pressed about why he went off after the New Jersey game. "I know I took a stupid penalty the game before. We just needed to be a little more disciplined. To me, accountability is definitely tied to discipline. It's such a long season. It's tough at times. But you've got to keep in mind you're a professional ...
"Everyone collectively has been a lot better."
Don't be fooled by Orpik's modesty. Malkin, linemate James Neal and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury have powered the Penguins during their winning streak, but Orpik has been huge in the turnaround. He talks, the players listen. He leads, they follow.
Cause-and-effect.
Simple, really.
First Published January 24, 2012 12:00 am
