The Pittsburgh Penguins head into the All-Star Break in the final wild card spot of the Eastern Conference. How has Sidney Crosby Performed to this point in the season? There has been a lot of negatives surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins as they fell face first into their bye week, but that doesn’t mean things have been all bad. On the contrary, the Penguins have gotten a lot of great play from their core despite the advancing age of the main faces. Sidney Crosby is on his way to a 100-point season, Evgeni Malkin is playing some of the best hockey of the later stages of his career, and Kris Letang has shown immense resiliency. While Jake Guetnztel and Bryan Rust have had dips in their play from their standards, they’ve still been solid and Jason Zucker has taken a massive step forward this season. Rounding out the top six is Rickard Rakell, who, aside from the core, might be one of the most important players on the Penguins this season. Over the offseason Rakell signed a six-year contract extension that will earn him $5 million against the cap each season. While the tail end of that deal might be questionable, they are getting outstanding production in it’s opening year. Through 49 games this season, Rakell has scored 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points and has brought his steady presence no matter the line he’s on. Head coach Mike Sullivan has bounced Rakell and Rust between the first and second lines and no matter the position, Rakell has stood out as the better player. The Athletic [https://theathletic.com/3989431/2023/01/30/nhl-player-cards-pittsburgh-penguins-2/] released player cards for everyone on the Penguins roster and gave Rakell a $1.4 million surplus value. One of the better numbers on the team and stood out with his offensive numbers. Rakell’s six-year deal might be long, but at least the Penguins have a solidified member of their top six rolling on all cylinders. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins Absent From NHL Trade Market [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-absent-nhl-trade-market] Penguins Need a Goalie, Thatcher Demko Isn't the Solution [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-need-goalie-thatcher-demko-not-solution] Penguins Coaching Staff Not on Hot Seats [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-coaching-staff-not-hot-seats] Metro Division Keeps Getting Stronger, Penguins Need to Get Involved [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/metropolitan-division-getting-stronger-pittsburgh-penguins-need-involved] Bryan Rust Delivering in Different Ways for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/bryan-rust-delivering-different-ways-pittsburgh-penguins] * undefined * undefined
