The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently three points out of the playoffs at this moment. The Pens trail the Washington Capitals, with the Caps having a game in hand on the Pens. The Pens also have the Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils separating them and the Caps, with the Pens having three games in hand on the Lightning, and no games in hand on the Devils. The Lightning also have three points on the Pens, while the Devils have two.
During some of the hardest parts of this season, fans have asked for the team to start making the moves toward a rebuild, but management has made it known that it won’t be happening for now. They didn’t go out to acquire Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson just to tank.
Now, the good news is the Pens have improved lately, getting key wins over Carolina and the New York Islanders, while also falling to Tampa Bay, getting slaughtered by Toronto, and losing in overtime to a defeated Senators team. This has all happened in the last two weeks or so.
What this team is, is still unknown as of right now.
The win against the New York Islanders tonight was a great sign, as the Penguins do not normally destroy Metropolitan Division opponents 7-0 like the Pens did tonight. Now, they do have another key battle against the Isles in Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve.
Last season, the Pens blew two multi-goal leads against the Isles in the third period and lost, which was a difference of why the Pens failed to make the playoffs last season.
The good news? The Pens needed to get wins in their last three games, and they managed to get five of six available points. A good sign that they are getting back on track to their winning ways.
At some point, however, they need to decide on whether they will buy or sell at the Trade Deadline this season.
After the Pens lost against the Flyers, Lightning, and Panthers all on the road, GM Kyle Dubas made it known that the All-Star break is the key deadline for him to determine what route he will take with his potential moves.
Now after that, the Pens had some more bad losses.
Now, lately, the Pens seem to have found their game a bit more. But normally, when the Pens have found their game this season, they go and struggle again, and panic mode reignites in the city.
The other problem is just how competitive the Eastern Conference has been this season. Five points separate the New York Islanders (second in Metro) and the Pens (seventh in Metro).
Historically, if you are more than six points out of the playoffs, you would be tanking and ready to rebuild. If you are within six points of a playoff spot, then you go “all-in” and try to get into the playoffs.
The key for the Pens is to capitalize on Metro Division matchups. The Pens did just beat the Canes and Isles, and have the Islanders (again) and the Capitals coming up soon, so winning those games will be key. The Pens also have several other division matchups coming in this second half of the season, including several after the NHL Trade Deadline. The All-Star game is set for February 3rd, which means the Pens have about a month and a week to show Dubas what to do.
The Pens have 13 games until then, so my guess is the Pens would have to win about eight or so games and grab at least two overtime points if they want to still be in the playoff hunt.
The Pens will probably need around 95 points at least to make the playoffs, so they would need about 59 of the next 98 available points.
However, the key to the Pens season will be the next 13 games. They need to win most of those games, and tonight against the Isles was a great start. Can they do it? They didn’t get EK65 to not do it.
Now, yes, it will be difficult, but the team can only blame themselves for the position they are in.
The first line keeps producing, and the goaltending keeps being flawless. If the rest of the team can keep performing like tonight, they will be in good shape.
If they can stay within four points of that final playoff spot by the beginning of February, then the team will be good. If not, it may be another early end to the season in Pittsburgh again
