It seems like it's been the same story with the Pittsburgh Penguins ever since Sidney Crosby was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2005 NHL Draft. The star power is there in droves, and the depth is usually not quite up to par. That obviously hasn't been the case for Crosby's entire tenure in Pennsylvania; the team won three Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017, and knocked on the door of a championship in multiple other seasons. That simply does not happen without a well-rounded team, and timely scoring from the less impactful players.
But speaking just about 2023-24, the offensive depth has become a glaring problem. Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust continue to carry the load offensively, but there's not much going on past that — at least from forwards. No one past the elite core has scored more than eight points through the club's first 21 games, and that's third-line center Lars Eller.
And the Penguins are feeling the lack of depth. Pittsburgh is currently 10-10-1, good enough for second last place in the Metropolitan Division, and just three points ahead of the abysmal Columbus Blue Jackets for the division basement. When Erik Karlsson was brought into the fold in the blockbuster trade of the summer, this team was signalling to the league that Crosby and co. have at least one more deep run in them before one of the greatest players of all time hangs up the skates.
Obviously, those expectations have not come anywhere close to being met in the early going. With Rickard Rakell on the shelf, the bottom-six consists of Eller, Jansen Harkins, Radim Zohorna, Matt Nieto, Noel Acciari and Jeff Carter. None of those players have been producing offensively, and it may be time for GM Kyle Dubas to shake that group up. He should look no further than Montreal Canadiens forward Sean Monahan.
Sean Monahan could be a great fit
The Habs will try to stay competitive for as long as they can in the Eastern Conference considering the serious lack of talent on the roster. But it's becoming more and more clear as the season rolls along that this team will be a seller at the NHL Trade Deadline, and Monahan will be one of their most intriguing trade chips considering his resurgence in 2023-24.
Injuries have unfortunately derailed the career of a player who broke out for 34 goals and 82 points in 78 games with the Calgary Flames in 2018-19. Monahan hasn't played a full 82-game campaign since 2016-17, and at one point believed he would be forced to retire from hockey. But after getting into just 25 games with the Canadiens last year, Monahan is healthy this season and looking a lot more like the player that helped the Flames become a contender in the Western Conference for years.
Monahan's days in Montreal are numbered
The 29-year-old forward has scored six goals and 13 points in 22 games; that's seriously impressive, especially considering he has been held without a point since Nov. 12. Still, he is in the midst of a resurgence and could be a revelation at 3C with the Penguins. Although Monahan has made it clear he enjoys playing in Montreal, it's very likely his days are numbered.
“The veteran center has been healthy enough to dress for every Canadiens game so far in 2023-24, which suggests he’ll be an attractive rental option the second time around,” wrote The Athletic's Chris Johnston after placing Monahan at No. 13 on his first trade board of the season.
“Monahan’s cap hit comes in a shade under $2 million, and he doesn’t have any no-trade protection. That’s really good value for a player logging north of 18 minutes per game right now. He’ll almost certainly slot lower in the lineup of any potential acquiring team, but he represents an upgrade on what most contenders have in their bottom six.”
Johnston called Monahan a “bottom-six difference-maker,” which is exactly what the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins need. Although there are a few other reasonable options the Pens could target, including Anaheim Ducks' Adam Henrique, San Jose Sharks' Anthony Duclair and Washington Capitals' Anthony Mantha, it does seem like Sean Monahan could be a good fit for a team that still has Stanley Cup aspirations despite the discouraging start.
Certainly, Monahan (or any of the aforementioned players) could be a huge boost in Pennsylvania, but the bottom-six as currently constructed needs to be better. It's one of the things holding this team back, and must be rectified if this club truly wants to get Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang their fourth Stanley Cup in 2024.
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