The Pittsburgh Penguins proceed to wrestle this season. They give the impression of being nice one evening, and the subsequent, not a lot. And for stretches, they don’t look nice. That poor play carries from sport to sport below head coach Mike Sullivan.
The difficulty is that three pillars are nonetheless on the workforce. President of Hockey Operations and Basic Supervisor Kyle Dubas is strolling a skinny line that he can’t steadiness anymore.
Pittsburgh Penguins Issues Don’t All Fall on Kyle Dubas
It’s powerful to retool on the fly whereas making an attempt to be aggressive. Simply take a look at the Calgary Flames. The Flames knew they wanted to rebuild final yr by promoting off their unrestricted free brokers, giving them a pleasant younger corps with a mixture of veterans.
Nonetheless, as Flames Basic Supervisor Craig Conroy instructed NHLRumors.com, it’s by no means straightforward to inform gamers to lose after which inform them to go play to win.
“I all the time say it’s exhausting to inform a participant or really feel prefer it’s okay to lose a sport, after which in some unspecified time in the future, flip and inform him he has to win each sport,” stated Craig Conroy.
As you may see in Calgary, the Flames are rebuilding however are usually not retooling on the fly as they construct a aggressive franchise when their new constructing opens.
Pittsburgh’s downside is that the edict from possession has been to attempt to win one other championship with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh doesn’t have the items to try this.
Jake Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on the NHL Commerce Deadline final season. The return for Guentzel was okay. However Guentzel was a participant you would rebuild round and attempt to retool on the fly whereas being aggressive. This downside goes again a few years.
NHL Rumors: The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Not an Simple Repair
In truth, this retool on the fly or rebuild wanted to start out in the summertime of 2022. Then, President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke and Basic Supervisor Ron Hextall had the imaginative and prescient to inform Fenway Sports activities Group {that a} rebuild was needed.
They needed to let Evgeni Malkin stroll in free company however have been instructed to signal him to a brand new deal so the trio of Malkin, Crosby, and Letang might be collectively and win. Sadly, the cabinet is naked, and the draft picks are absent.
Bringing in Erik Karlsson has not labored. Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, and Matt Grezlcyk haven’t moved the needle. Anthony Beauvillier has been a vivid spot, however there are not any younger gamers coming. Rutger McGroarty is within the system, however the jury remains to be out on his manufacturing within the NHL.
NHL Rumors: Pittsburgh Penguins, and Max Time period Contracts
Once more, it’s a powerful act to steadiness. Mike Sullivan is the coach, however the defensive points this workforce constantly exhibits are a difficulty. Some other coach might be gone, however Sullivan is within the first yr of a multi-year extension. To not point out, Dubas is within the second yr of a seven-year contract with the Penguins.
We all know Pittsburgh doesn’t wish to tear it down. They think about the coach, and possession nonetheless likes him, however the outcomes are usually not there.
The Pittsburgh Penguins try to do what their rival, the Washington Capitals, are doing. Washington made sensible hockey trades to higher their workforce and are retooling on the fly. Pittsburgh didn’t. Now the Penguins are paying the worth for profitable the Stanley Cups and making an attempt to be aggressive.
Did the Pittsburgh Penguins Do Sufficient This Offseason?
The Lars Eller commerce was the beginning of one thing. However nothing will change until the Pittsburgh Penguins decide to transferring certainly one of their huge weapons. It may take a Malkin commerce to get the required items to retool on the fly. Karlsson would possibly transfer the needle, however the Penguins should make a hockey commerce. Not one for simply picks and prospects.
A workforce like Pittsburgh can’t be half severe about rebuilding. You both do it otherwise you don’t.
