If the results don't start leaning their way, the Pittsburgh Penguins might have tough choices to make.
When Fenway Sports Group hired Kyle Dubas as the president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins, they believed he could extend the Stanley Cup window for key veterans.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are all set to spend their whole careers with the Penguins and Dubas seems to be on board with that idea.
To show his hope for the team and to provide them with some extra jump, Dubas brought in a future Hall of Famer in Erik Karlsson for the blue line.
Early results for the 2023-24 season have been mixed; the Penguins have a 3-6-0 record but on a few occasions have looked like the better team, but are also severely lacking in certain areas.
These early struggles have already forced many to wonder if Dubas is failing the Penguins or if he failed in his first offseason in Pittsburgh.
This question was asked by TSN’s Frank Corrado on The Talking Point, and he believes that Dubas didn’t get anything wrong, but if things don’t get on track soon, a bigger change in mindset might creep into frame.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyx--8sUCA4[/embed]
FSG signed Dubas to a seven-year contract to man the front office in Pittsburgh, that’s a longer deal than Malkin and Letang have left, and will likely be longer than the next deal for Crosby.
If the trajectory remains the same, Dubas will outlast the core with the Penguins.
That sort of comfort and level of expectations may expedite a rebuild in Pittsburgh; Corrado noted that Dubas doesn’t have a ton of runway to make the team a contender this year, but has plenty of time to tear down the roster and start from the ground up.
A rebuild was bound to happen soon, but with early miscues and failures to launch, Dubas might be forced to implement those changes sooner than expected.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.
Penguins Surprise in Wrong Way To Start Season
Neck Protection Heavily Encouraged for Penguins
Penguins Hitting New Low Through First Month
Changes Likely Coming After 'Discouraging' Loss
Penguins Keep Finding Ways To Lose
- undefined
- undefined
