Rock Bottom

By Mike Rifkin

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 4-0 lead over the Colorado Avalanche and lost 5-4 in overtime. The loss makes the Penguins 2-6-2 over their last ten games, and they sit nine points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and 11 points out of third place in the Metropolitan division with 12 games left in the season. 

Last season was the first time the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07. The organization fired President of Hockey Ops Brian Burke and GM Ron Hextall. Former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas replaced them. Dubas has made two significant moves as the GM. The first was acquiring former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson from the Sharks in the offseason. Karlsson has 46 points in 70 games played and has not helped a power play that has been abysmal this season. The other at the trade deadline was trading away Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. The reaction across social media was underwhelming for Guentzel. I felt the trade deadline was a crossroads for the organization. 

Sidney Crosby, who would be a Hart Trophy candidate if the Penguins were in contention, is having another great season. The organization has promised Crosby to be a Stanley Cup contender as long as he’s around. But something has to change because this team is getting older, and they haven’t won a playoff series since they won the Cup in 2017. 

Here is where things are arduous for Kyle Dubas. 13 players on the roster have at least a modified no-trade clause, and as of now, the Penguins don’t have a first-round pick. ( If the pick is outside the top ten, it belongs to the Sharks) unless the Hurricanes get to the Stanley Cup Final. Having an aging roster and no real big prospects coming will make Dubas’ job very difficult. The most interesting question will be what he does with Head Coach Mike Sullivan? Dubas is going to have some tough decisions to make, but on Sunday the Penguins may have hit rock bottom.