Kingerski: Guess What, There is Hope for These Penguins
SEATTLE — Months, if not a few years, of nattering negativity and obstinate “I told you so’s” with each shortcoming that befalls the aging Pittsburgh Penguins have grown to a cacophony of cheers with each loss and begrudging credit for wins.
In a sense, it’s entirely understandable. The Penguins’ core and fans have endured the longest goodbye ever known in professional sports. Seven years ago, the team won the second of its back-to-back Cups and third as a core. Could you fathom back then that the trio would last until at least 2026, and two of them probably well beyond that?
If Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang play until 2029, when they’re 41, the 2017 Stanley Cup will be nothing more than the mid-point in their career. That’s a long, long time and a lot of water under the bridge. Even the great Montreal Canadiens were turned over twice by now.
No team, and by extension, no fanbase, in history has been together longer. There hasn’t been a new crop of players to excite new or younger fans. There haven’t been the sparks of renewal and optimism.
At least, that’s how I view the overwhelming dismissal or denigration of the Penguins playoff push.
There’s also fear of being let down when it seems quite likely.
Yes, stuck somewhere between contender and irrelevant, the pendulum of the Penguins’ fate has swung for a few years, never reaching the full potential of either.
According to Moneypuck.com, the Penguins still have less than a 50% shot of making the NHL playoffs, but that remains the organization’s goal: just get to the dance and see what happens.
More specifically, the goal is to get Sidney Crosby to the dance and see what happens. That’s his reward for bleeding for the franchise at below-market value for 19 seasons and for carrying this team on his stocky shoulders, even at 36 years old.
No, the Penguins are probably not Stanley Cup contenders, but that seems a high bar by which to judge a team. By that standard, everyone in the Eastern Conference but the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and perhaps the New York Rangers should be sellers and fire their coach.
I do not have a crystal ball or psychic powers, so I cannot promise the Penguins will make the playoffs. I can’t even predict if they will build on the hard-fought win over the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night.
However, I suspect Erik Karlsson recognizes the dire straights of the team, especially of the injury-decimated forwards; he will supplant the lack of offensive pop with more puck possession and aggressive offensive zone play. You can bet Tristan Jarry is enjoying his season far more than the last, and that chip on his shoulder to show he can win big games will grow.
I suspect Valtteri Puustinen and Drew O’Connor will keep each other honest and pull Evgeni Malkin into the best game he has left.
I also suppose that Ryan Graves and Chad Ruhdwedel will be a problematic third pair until something changes. The fourth line will continue to be responsible but offensively inept.
What I know is that after giving up the last of their margin for error and having a GM ready to pull the ripcord on the season, the team has won three in a row. They again control their playoff destiny because if they win all or even most of their games in hand, they’re in, either third place in the Metro Division or the wild card.
You might bet against some or much of the Penguins lineup, but will you bet against Crosby? He’s scored 32 goals in 56 games, and there are only signs of more to come.
It’s OK. You can start to be just a little bit optimistic. You can believe they will make the playoffs, even at the risk of crushing disappointment. That’s the fun part about sports.
Hey, you can always say, “I told you so,” regardless of the outcome.
Categorized:Penguins Penguins Analysis
Dan you are confusing read at times. State your position clearly – should the Penquin’s continue the “long good-bye” while Sidney Crosby continues to play? If you think they should, I assume we won’t see articles in the future questioning management if they decide to keep Jake.
Not sure what you’re confused by
I enjoy your team and player grades as well as the perspective on whether or not getting a player or changing a line-up makes the Pens better. You “assess” in a fair and studied fashion. I have no issues with the Pens staying competitive for Sid’s career even if it makes for a frustrating “long good-bye” – no complaints, that’s my position. As my 3 kids and I follow you we are interested in knowing today if you also support the “long good-bye” when the Pens can make the playoffs (as in this year) and keep Jake as a result.… Read more »
If the Penguins can make the playoffs, thus keeping Guentzel. Yes, that’s been my long-stated position that Guentzel will be the Penguins rental. Neither traded nor re-signed.
The overwhelming majority of fans don’t want them to succeed. Negativity and toxicity are the MO not just on Twitter but in the rest of life as well. Who cares if the team wins when there are people you can criticize? What joy is there in a Stanley Cup you didn’t win when there is the elation of roasting a complete stranger in the comments section of random websites? Twitter star!!!
Dan, I thought you made a salient point about the duration of both the trio AND the fan base. Much like the players themselves, we need to change our game.
I despise the goal is to make the playoffs. I want the goal to be, ” what’s the best path to eventually win the cup”. I choose the draft capital that can be gained by trading a bunch of guys. It might not work. No doubt. But if it doesn’t work, you’re mired near the bottom, where you again, have more draft capital and hope you hit on!
The goal for every team is to make the playoffs!
This is not accurate. The Bruins, Panthers, Avalanche, and more did not start the season with the goal of just making the playoffs. Did the Bruins meet their goal last season by making the playoffs and the losing in the first round? Good teams set much higher goals.
They have to make the playoffs first. Never did i say the goal was to make the playoffs and be done.
So, then making the playoffs is not the goal. I’m certain you see the difference.
As much as I want to yank the band-aid off and start the rebuild, fire Sully and get it over with there’s a strange voice in my head that says “So you say there’s a chance”,…..Slim chance…. anorexic and that’s my middle name….I don’t know.
Team has been confounding, but may be much ado about nothing. Assuming Pens will need 94-95 points to make playoffs, they just need to sustain points pace they have been on since Dec 12 (app. 1.23/gm). They are an old team, cruised for first 26 games, 11-12-3. In 30 games since, they are 16-9-5. Just need to go like 15-8-3 in 26 remaining games. Everybody needs to relax. Why does pgh fan base have to revel in anger and attacking its players and coaches. We aren’t Cleveland!
Oh no, i am not falling into their trap again! Lol
I thought they flipped the switch earlier in the season with the 5 game win streak. I am creeping toward optimistic again.
Penguins, Do me a favor, just keep winning!
One thing missing from the narrative is that the current lineup is missing its top two wingers and includes younger skaters, O’Connor, Puustinen, Bemstrom and Puljujärvi. If past and current GMs hadn’t handed out so many NTCs/NMCs and created such an “experienced” roster, we might be in a much better position now.
After a re-read, yes DOC and Puusty got a small paragraph. Still, a pivot towards youth should hà ve occurred earlier.
In a perfect world, yes, the penguins could have turned to youth earlier. However, you are also seeing the problem with younger players. Most take time! Puustinen is a perfect example. People wanted to rush him to Pittsburgh last season. This season, he gets a shot, does well, then disappeared and got sent down. The learning process cannot be ignored. They all have to earn their degree, so to speak, before they can graduate.i think puusty is in his junior year. The other thing is, who else do they call up now? The cupboard is bare, the well is dry.… Read more »
The “long goodbye” of the Big 3 is really about the Big 6
Dan, sometimes you make it sound as if the frustration is not justified. The Pens haven’t won a playoff series in 5 years. Just making the playoffs and getting bounced in the first round is not good enough. I think all fans that read PHN want the Pens to win! We all pull for them. But many of us are realists. This team has been built for the regular season for years. If you look at the teams that have won since Pens last cup one thing is very clear. The winning teams are BIG! Until the Pens get with… Read more »
Yes, if we didn’t care, we wouldn’t complain, we would just quit following them.