The Pittsburgh Penguins have been on the decline in recent years. The team missed the playoffs once again and is not expected to contend this year either. Sidney Crosby is moving towards the end of his career, and the Penguins need to turn their focus to the future. The future for this franchise will be decided by its X-factor in 2025-26.
Trade rumors have swirled around Crosby this past summer. Sid the Kid was the first overall selection of the 2005 NHL Draft by the Penguins. He immediately made an impact on the franchise. The future Hall of Famer scored 39 goals and added 63 assists in his rookie season. Crosby has remained with the franchise his entire career, playing in 1,352 regular-season games. During that time, he has lit the lamp 625 times while adding 1,062 career assists. Further, he has played in 180 playoff games with 71 goals and 130 assists.
During this time, Crosby has become one of the most decorated players in NHL history. He has won two Hart Memorial trophies as the league MVP, been a ten-time all-star, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP twice, and is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. He owns multiple franchise and NHL records, while also having two Olympic gold medals to add to his collection.
Crosby has still been a top-level player in recent years, scoring 30 or more times in each of the past four campaigns. Regardless, he has not hit the 100-point plateau since 2018-19. Further, he has not played in the playoffs since Game 7 of the first round in 2022, when the Penguins lost to the New York Rangers. While Crosby is one of the best players ever to wear a Penguins uniform, he is now becoming part of the past, and the Penguins need to start looking forward.
The decline of the Penguins
The decline of the Penguins has been slow but has been coming for some time. From 2006-07 through 2021-22, the team made the playoffs each year, good for 16 straight playoff berths. In that time, they also won the Stanley Cup three times. The last Cup was in 2017, when the team defeated the Nashville Predators in six games. The next season, Pittsburgh exited in the second round, losing to the eventual Cup champion Washington Capitals.
In the next four playoff seasons, the franchise never advanced past the first round. Further, the team has been regressing each year. In 2021-22, the Penguins finished third in the Metropolitan Division and had 103 points. That dropped to 91 the next year and then 88, both resulting in fifth-place finishes and missed playoffs. Last year, it was just 80 points and a seventh-place finish in the division.
The decline has come along with many core players aging and seeing their own decline. Crosby just turned 38 years old and has seen a dip in production. Evgeni Malkin is now 39 years old and has moved from scoring over 1.2 points per game to just .74 last season. Kris Letang will be 39 years old by the end of the season, and not only has his offensive production been cut in half, but his defense is not the same level either.
As some players have aged, others never broke out into the role that was expected. Tristan Jarry is the prime example. While the netminder had some solid seasons, his play has declined to the point that the team sent Jarry to the AHL this past season. With this team projected to be one of the worst in the Eastern Conference, the future will be decided by the X-factor this year.
Kyle Dubas can shape the future now
For many teams, the goal is to make the playoffs. According to odds provided by FanDuel, the Penguins are +800 at the time of writing to make the playoffs. Those are the third-longest odds in the NHL, and the longest in the conference. It is a long shot for the club to make the playoffs in 2026. From 2001-02 through 2005-06, the team missed the playoffs four straight seasons. The 2004-05 season was cancelled due to a lockout. In that time, the team was revamped, aided by Crosby and Malkin.
Now, general manager Kyle Dubas needs to find a way to revamp the franchise once again. Dubas is a former player agent who moved into front office work. He would serve in different roles with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, ultimately becoming the Leafs' GM. He was hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2023 as the President of Hockey Operations, until making himself the general manager as well later that summer.
He has already made one move this summer with the future in mind, waiving veteran defender Ryan Graves. Now, he needs to make more moves to bring in young talent. He needs to figure out the futures of both Crosby and Malkin. Crosby will be able to decide his future, and could request a trade if he wants to play on a contender. Meanwhile, Malkin has stated he wants to finish his career with the Penguins, but he is in the final year of his contract.
There have also been rumors of trading Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson. While the Penguins would likely have to retain some financial burden to make these moves, it will be worth it in the future. The only way the Penguins are going to get back into contention is by rebuilding the roster. That needs to start this year, and Dubas needs to make that happen quickly. This team may look very different by the end of the year, making Dubas the X-factor.
