Anger in Penguins Room over Lost Season, ‘Trying to Find Ways to Lose’

COLUMBUS — The Pittsburgh Penguins season ended Thursday in Columbus. With one more round in the fight of the 2022-23 NHL season, the Penguins struggled to find a reason to play. Even coach Mike Sullivan gave his team a pass as they struggled to find motivation in a 3-2 OT loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

The Penguins and Sullivan have never been in that position before, having to finish a season after the heartbreak of being eliminated from the playoffs.

“I always believe there’s something to play for. But obviously, when you’re officially eliminated from the playoffs, it’s a whole different experience,” Sullivan said through pursed lips.

The Penguins knew the irrelevance of the game. Kris Letang scored a first-period power-play goal, and the crew exchanged taps on the ice without much celebration. The power play unit dragged their feet to the bench for the celebration line.

The game, at times, had the excitement of restocking books at the library.

Thurday’s loss won’t fill the memory banks, but a few players could have played their final game in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater.

There are bigger questions and urgent issues which may drop on Friday. And there could be more fallout after that. However, before July, the futures of unsigned veterans must be decided.

Stalwart defenseman Brian Dumoulin, injury-plagued turned indispensable winger Jason Zucker, and the still unfulfilled promise of goalie Tristan Jarry will be unrestricted free agents.

Dumoulin, 31, had an up-and-down-and-up-again season. He also has two Stanley Cup rings as the Silent Bob to Kris Letang’s Jay. However, Dumoulin was the only pending UFA who did not speak after the game.

Zucker was spitting fire. He was angry. First, he panned the Penguins’ OT loss.

“Yeah, there wasn’t a whole lot out there. Yeah. Wasn’t much,” Zucker said tersely.

He took no prisoners in his answers, and Penguins fans may find some catharsis that someone on the inside was as angry at the season results as they are.

Zucker shares your anger.

Letang also dropped some bombshell admissions.

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Jason Zucker:

Zucker panned the game Thursday, as the sour mood from losing to the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday and watching the New York Islanders clinch a playoff berth — their playoff berth — carried over.

The residue of missing the playoffs despite controlling their situation created an obvious, if not entirely understandable, resentment.

Zucker will be a free agent this summer, and he didn’t hesitate nor qualify his desire to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I want to be here. This is the place I want to be. But it’s not up to me at this point,” Zucker said sternly.

Kris Letang: 

Letang was more sullen than angry over the missed opportunities which created the lost season. The Penguins lost nine games when leading after two periods. They also lost several more leads in the third period but rallied to win.

Those are the things that haunt Letang.

“It’s just awful, and you’re trying to reflect on things that slipped through our hands. It’s not like we didn’t have our destiny in our hands,” said Letang. “We found a way to lose games this year, and  — when you have your best performance on the ice, and you’re converting those games at a 20% or 25% rate, it’s not good enough. Usually, good teams, even if they don’t play a good game, they find ways to win. And I think most of the time, we were trying to find ways to lose.”

Letang also discussed the mental challenges of overcoming a stroke and losing his father unexpectedly. The cumulative effects of the health issues and heartache set back his season and his game.

Like it would most humans.