LAST DANCE

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Four times in the history of the National Hockey League has a team overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. That’s the hole the Pittsburgh Penguins have dug themselves to their interstate rivals the Philadelphia Flyers after losing game three 5-2. The last team to overcome a 3-0 hole was the LA Kings, who wound up beating their interstate rival the San Jose Sharks. The Penguins have not won a playoff series since 2018, where they beat the Flyers. So, if the Penguins don’t comeback what comes next?

Over the next three years the Penguins have 25 draft picks, including seven picks in the second round over the next three drafts. The Penguins are also expected to have around 46 million dollars in cap space this summer. But, Kyle Dubas has a few things to consider this summer. 

The two biggest questions have to do with two of the best players in franchise history, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby will be entering the final year of his contract and Malkin will be an unrestricted free agent. In 68 games played Crosby had 29 goals and 74 points, and averaged a point per game. Meanwhile Malkin had 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. Both are future hall of famers, but it might be time for the Penguins to explore letting Malkin walk in free agency, and see what Crosby wants to do. 

Two other guys who had a major impact on the Penguins in the regular season were Anthony Mantha, who scored 33 goals and Egor Chinakhov had 36 points in 43 games for Pittsburgh after being acquired from Columbus. Mantha, will be an unrestricted free agent and Chinakhov will be a restricted free agent. Chinakhov, will fit into the Penguin future, while Mantha may have priced himself out, but would he take a discount to stay? Other players Dubas might have to make decision on include Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang and goalie Stuart Skinner. 

If this is the end of this iteration of the Penguins, Kyle Dubas has a ton of ammunition to mold the team the way he sees fit. They surprised us with the hire of Dan Muse and by making the playoffs, so maybe the Penguins future is brighter than people think.