Why the Penguins Might Still Have One More Run in Them

This season, things with the Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t exactly looked smooth. Some nights have looked pretty rough, while other nights have looked much better. Injuries, especially to Sidney Crosby at the Olympics, piled up. Suspensions didn’t help. A few games made Penguins fans wonder whether the wheels were finally coming off.

The Penguins Are Still in the Postseason Hunt

But the funny thing is, the Penguins never really fell apart. They bent a little, sure. But they stayed in the fight.

Crosby missed time after he was injured at the Olympics, but, surprisingly, the Penguins still put together some points with a 4-3-3 record. Malkin also sat out, and the team didn’t go into the tank either with a record of 2-1-2. That means there are players beyond the two King Penguins that can hold the team together. They’re far from on a heater, but they are holding the team in the race. The team didn’t sink. They just kept grinding and stayed alive.

And now the Penguins stars are coming back. Crosby and Malkin have been the heart and soul of this franchise for nearly twenty years. When those two are in the lineup together, the whole team seems to settle down a bit. The puck moves more quickly. The bench gets louder. Everyone looks a little more confident.

Having Crosby and Malkin Changes the Penguins’ Playoff Chances

Just having their two stars changes how things feel as the team heads toward the playoffs. It also helps that the Penguins discovered something while their stars were out: a few younger players can handle big minutes and real responsibility.

Egor Chinakhov has looked more comfortable the longer the season has gone on, and Tommy Novak has quietly helped stabilize the top six. They weren’t just filling space while the big names healed. They were actually learning how to carry the play.

All this success, as piecemeal as it’s been, matters once the postseason starts. Playoff hockey is rarely about perfect teams. It’s usually about teams that can survive a little chaos. Pittsburgh has already done that this year.

The Penguins Also Have a Legacy of Success

And then there’s the other piece that can’t be measured on a stat sheet. The Penguins have a Cup-winning legacy. Is there a chance they might do it again?

Crosby is pushing toward the late stage of an incredible career. Malkin isn’t far behind him. Both know that chances like this don’t come forever. At some point, the window closes, and everybody in that room understands it.

Players in that situation tend to find another gear when the games tighten up. Everyone knows that the Penguins are far from being the favourites. There are younger teams, faster teams, and even deeper teams.

Picture a Seven-Game Series Where Sidney Crosby Is Playing Well

But if you’re putting together a group you wouldn’t want to face in a seven-game series, a team led by Crosby and Malkin still lands pretty high on the list. They’ve been through every kind of playoff storm imaginable.

And sometimes having two Hall-of-Fame players who want one last Stanley Cup before they retire counts for more than people think. Who’s to say it couldn’t happen one last time?

Related: 3 Big-Name Defensemen Mentioned as Offseason Targets for the Maple Leafs