The Pittsburgh Penguins are watching from home as their former defenseman John Marino is emerging to his full potential this postseason.

The Pittsburgh Penguins committed theft when they obtained the rights to college defenseman John Marino in the summer of 2019. They got an immediate impact player capable of playing top minutes with tremendous up side. After two 25 point-seasons over three years in Pittsburgh, the Penguins decided to trade one of their best young players to the New Jersey Devils.

It was a puzzling trade then, and after watching his performance in the first round of the 2023 Playoffs, it appears even worse. While the previous management regime made many errors, the trade of Marino is another, and perhaps the biggest, reminder of the former front office's failures. 

Breaking Down the Trade

On July 16, 2022, the Penguins traded Marino one-for-one to the Devils for defenseman Ty Smith. The trade was billed as a fair trade for both sides. The Penguins had decided to pursue Jeff Petry for their second defensive pairing, making the younger Marino expendable. Smith had fallen out of favor in New Jersey, and was looking for a fresh start. While both sides seemed to walk away with positive returns, was it really the right move by the Penguins?

Another Short-Sighted Mistake

While acquiring the young left-handed Smith is a boost to the Penguins depleted youth movement, the fact that it came at the expense of a better and only one year older defenseman makes this move a short-sighted and downright poor decision. Not only that, but the Penguins also had three, and at times four, left-handed defensemen that Mike Sullivan preferred to dress.

In his first season with Pittsburgh, Smith impressed in limited action. He only played in nine games, but registered one goal and four points in those contests. 

Throughout the entire 2022-23 season, it was clear how old the Penguins were. Petry looked slow and was often injured, amounting to a fine but underwhelming first year in Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Marino flourished in New Jersey. Playing on the second pairing, Marino's smooth and confident play has fit in seamlessly with the Devils. Appearing in 64 regular season games, he played over 20 minutes in 44 of those games and put up 18 points. 

Playoff Performer

The worst part about trading Marino is that he's made it abundantly clear that he is clutch playoff performer. Appearing in 17 postseason contests with the Penguins, he took a huge stride during the Penguins' seven game series against the Rangers last playoffs. He stood out most in the Penguins' Game 1 triple-overtime victory over the New York Rangers. He skated for nearly 30 minutes over 45 shifts, and had an assist on the game-winning goal. 

Marino is showing up as a major contributor for the Devils this postseason. In the Devils Game 7 victory over the Rangers, Marino was a force. He played the second most minutes on the team, looked superb in the defensive zone, and added two assists.

One of which was a.beautiful display of puck possession and hockey smarts, something he displayed often in the black and gold. In large part due to his efforts and production, the Devils are moving on to the second round.

Would Marino have been the difference between the Penguins making the playoffs or not? Most likely no, but his absence is just another piece of evidence in the downfall of the Penguins. Until management begins to prioritize and acquire younger players, the descent will continue. 

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