With the back end of the season upon us, the Pittsburgh Penguins have an opportunity to be a standout team.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming back from their bye week and the All-Star break and have plenty that needs to be worked on.
From the on-ice performances to the roster construction and possible moves from the front office, the Penguins look to close out the regular season with upward momentum and reach the playoffs for the 17th straight year.
But, how can they do that? How can a squad with a 24-16-9 record and multiple teams breathing down their necks improve enough to solidify a playoff spot?
It’s going to take a lot of effort and improvement from a number of people, but there are possible fixes.
On paper, the Penguins have a good team; multiple future Hall of Famers surrounded by a solid group of helping hands.
A number of players have just been under performing this year, and it’s hurting so many chances for the Penguins.
The first spot to address is the bottom six; there are names there, but just about all of them are failing to produce.
It’s general manager Ron Hextall’s job to do something to bolster that group by both adding and subtracting.
Some of the faces have become trade fodder and that might be for the best.
Then there’s the goaltending which has become rocky thanks to an injury riddled season from Tristan Jarry.
Casey DeSmith hasn’t gotten it done in his stints as starter, again forcing people to turn their attention to Hextall for a solution.
The Penguins have been linked to Cam Talbot from the Ottawa Senators and could be a fit for Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko.
Those two might not be the right answers, but the Penguins need something to go right between the pipes.
The defensive core of the Penguins doesn’t need roster moves or trades as much as it just needs some tweaks on the ice.
The Penguins boasted about their nine NHL-ready defensemen at the beginning of the season and most of them are worthy of that title.
One or two should maybe be scratched from the lineup on most nights, but the potential is there for a great D-core.
It’s a matter of Mike Sullivan deploying the right names in the right spots; he’s got the players to work with, now it’s time to execute.
The top six has been the brightest spot of the Penguins’ season and that doesn’t need to be changed.
If the top two lines can keep rolling along and get a little help from a bolstered bottom six, defensive tweaks, and healthy goaltending, the Penguins can be one of the strongest teams in the NHL.
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