Heading into the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins desperately needed some change in a few weak areas of their game.
For two consecutive seasons, a putrid power play and missed points in overtime had likely cost them the postseason, as they missed by just three points combined in 2023 and 2024.
So, they made a coaching change. And it seems to be paying off.
Assistant coach David Quinn - who replaced Todd Reirden as defense, power play, and overtime coach this summer - has done a lot to improve those areas of the Penguins' game during the 2024-25 season.
And, according to several of them, it all comes down to the details of his coaching. In fact - for new Penguins defenseman Vincent Desharnais - that's the first thing he noticed when he came to Pittsburgh on Jan. 31 in the Marcus Pettersson trade.
"He's very detailed," Desharnais said. "Right away, he showed me a lot of clips, and I kinda took a deep breath because, I'm like, 'Okay, there's a lot going on right now'... But, so far, he's been great. There's a lot of details in his coaching, but he lets you play as well. He understands that mistakes are going to happen, and I'm excited to work with him the rest of the season."
Defenseman P.O Joseph - reacquired by the Penguins on Dec. 18 from the St. Louis Blues - is also in the early stages of working with Quinn, as Reirden was still the defense coach when Joseph was still in Pittsburgh last season.
He agrees that Quinn's attention to detail has been helpful.
"Definitely. I think the game is going so fast - so much faster nowadays that every little detail counts," Joseph said. "And, he's there for reminders here and there. So, it's good to be told sometimes - even if you think you see it - and have someone to remind you or see it from a different angle is kind of nice. He's definitely good on details, and it makes us better every day."
Another defenseman who has had a very positive experience with Quinn is Ryan Graves, who - after a substantially disappointing 2023-24 season - has been better this season.
He explained how he has gone through a year of trying to work on things with the coaching staff and that having a guy like Quinn around has aided his improvement.
"He's been detailed in the approach," Graves said. "He talks to you all the time, he's showing you clips... you need that. It doesn't matter how many games you've played in this league, whether you've played 100 games, you've played 400, you've played 1,000... there's things you can continually work on, and it's good to be able to take it in different approaches.
"The coaches watch it in a different eye than we see the game, and we see it the way we see it, and they see it, and you have to be able to listen to what they're saying and take it and apply it. So, it's been nice to have someone that is putting a lot of effort into it."
Another area that Quinn has put a lot of effort into is the Penguins power play. After sitting in the bottom-three for most of the last two seasons, the power play this season has been consistently hovering around the top-five in the league.
Heading into the 4 Nations Face-off break - where Quinn is an assistant for Team USA to head coach Mike Sullivan - the Penguins were ranked seventh in the league on the man advantage at 24.8 percent, which is a vast improvement over the 15.3 percent click rate it had last season.
The movement on the power play is better. Pucks are distributed more quickly. There is more of a shoot-first mentality. They have used the bumper quite a lot to their advantage.
But another a large reason for its success can probably be attributed to that detail again - and each particular player's details on the unit.
"He's awesome," forward Philip Tomasino said. "Obviously, I've only known him since I got here. But, he's been awesome to me since I've been here. He runs our power play, so I had a long conversation with him, particularly about that. He has great knowledge of the game."
Above all, however, is Quinn's ability to connect with players on a personal level. He has been described by many - including Sullivan - as an excellent communicator who is approachable and personable yet can strike the right balance of demand with those details.
Quinn is a coach who expects a lot but knows the best way to set expectations and communicate those expectations so players don't feel overwhelmed with information.
"He's a personable guy," Sullivan said. "Right away, he has the ability to create a positive first impression. He's a good communicator. He has good people skills. So, I think that in and of itself is helpful for new people that come into our locker room... It's our job as coaches to figure out how much detail to give them. We don't want to give them too much too soon. We certainly want them to act on their instincts, but we've got to give them a foundation so that they can assimilate into the group and be predictable for the group.
"I think Quinny does a really good at being selective on what he gives them and how he prioritizes those details. I think, as a staff, we pride ourselves in the details of the game and we talk about it all the time. Quinny, in particular, is good at it."
Quinn's communication style - and his uncanny ability to know when to have fun - certainly rubs off on the group. And the players appreciate the energy, openness, and camaraderie that he brings to the room.
"We have fun on the bench," Joseph said. "I know that, sometimes, guys get into their own head and stuff like that, but I think we have a good communication between all the 'D' and the coaching back there. So, it's fun to be working with him. We have some serious conversation, and not-so-much serious conversation. I think it loosens up things a little bit when you jump on the ice, and he's always there to just everyone feel better.
"I think that's what a great coach does. We're just lucky to have him here."
