A Stanley Cup Playoffs curtain call | Penguins Perspectives
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in unfamiliar territory.
Not since Finding Nemo was winning over families on the big screen and Johnny Depp won awards for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow have the Pens been out of the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
They haven't missed the playoffs three straight seasons since a run in the late 1980s.
After a year of overhauling their roster but keeping the key pieces in place, they certainly don't want to find themselves on the outside looking in.
There appears to be a quiet fire among this year's squad. They know what the pundits and fans have been saying - their best days are behind them and this two-decade run of success has reached its endpoint.
We all know what this franchise has done since Sidney Crosby came to town in 2005. It's been an embarrassment of riches and frankly, we are quite spoiled.
When you're blessed with the kind of success this town has had with its hockey team, it's easy to always expect it and never want it to end.
Is it over? Do we have to accept that after 20 years the Penguins are no longer the class of the National Hockey League?
The answer isn't as simple as yes or no, but deeper than that.
Let's get it out of the way early - no, the Penguins are not Stanley Cup contenders. Not anymore. A lot would have to line up for this team to make another run to the final and get the franchise's sixth Stanley Cup and fourth with the big three.
Not impossible, but certainly improbable.
Will they bottom out this year and miss the playoffs again? Now that is a lot more possible than Stanley Cup number six coming our way in June 2025.
However, and maybe I'm alone on this one and so be it, but I also think that's not a concern just yet.
Watching this preseason and training camp, I see a motivated team. A team that knows it's fallen woefully short of expectations but due to issues that are extremely fixable.
Chief among them has been the power play, especially last season, finishing 30th with just 15.3% effectiveness. That led to the ousting of Todd Reirden and the hiring of David Quinn. So far this preseason, the goals haven't come in bunches, but the process has looked worlds better. Puck movement, player movement, and to the appeasement of those in the upper bowl of PPG Paints Arena, a willingness to shoot.
Assuming the big guns buy-in, that's a recipe for success.
I also see a coach who has been open to change and understands he has different weapons at his disposal. In years prior, Mike Sullivan has, sometimes rightfully, been accused of being stubborn and not willing to play young players. On the former, I can agree. His system has rarely changed despite an aging slower roster. On the latter, the young players have been just that - young. Not overly talented, not NHL-ready, just younger than others.
Now, Sullivan has appeared to put an emphasis on putting opposing defensemen in positions to make mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers rather than trying to outskate them. He's also got a handful of young players pushing to make the roster and actually making contributions.
Some young, motivated legs certainly can help this team find its way back to the postseason.
Again, all of this is in theory. Pittsburgh certainly knows what a good performance in the preseason means: nothing. Otherwise, Kenneth Shane Pickett would still be under center for the Steelers.
That said, last year and the year prior, there were glaring, obvious weaknesses for the Penguins. We either told ourselves they could overcome them or they weren't as bad as we thought they may be.
Sure, the bottom six might not be bursting with talent, but there's an improvement and the chance for younger talent to eclipse a few players and bolster the team's depth and overall speed.
Yes, goaltending is a question mark. Will we get the two-time all-star Tristan Jarry or the Tristan Jarry who lost his job to Alex Nedeljkovic during the stretch run? Doesn't matter what issues you have otherwise, if the puck can't stay out of the net, it's all for nothing.
If this were a Broadway show or a Marvel movie, I'd recommend staying past the credits this season.
The main show might be over but a curtain call of sorts could be coming.
Buckle up, Pittsburgh. It's hockey season.
