The Penguins have won six of eight games, yet they still enter Saturday with the 5th worst points% (.484, 9th worst in NHL) in the Eastern Conference. It still shows the hole they’re in and after a 9-2 thrashing of the Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh is still sitting with the second worst Goal/Differential in the East.

It’s going to take at least a good six to eight weeks run for Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to possibly veer off path, even a bit………

Excluding the Outlier Covid Seasons, since the 2011-2012 season no team in the Eastern Conference has made the postseason with a point% below .555. Last season 91 points and a .555% got you in. Could this year’s threshold be closer to the 86-87 mid .530’s point% range for the final spot in the Conference? The Flyers with the eighth best points% in the conference entering Saturday are playing at an 87-point pace; Boston ninth in the conference in points% also playing at an 87-point pace.

The Penguins hole obviously remain large. They are still sitting at a 79-point pace, eight points below the current projections. However, the club is slowly crawling back to relevancy in the standings and if and I mean if they are still hanging around in six weeks, the organization needs to think hard about prioritizing making the post-season. That’s not going out and moving a first-round pick for a rental, but if the right player or players are out there, even say a player in their early 30’s that can help, moving a third rounder for a true rental or even a second rounder should be on the table. They’re running into a problem where they have a really spoiled fan base, and the gate revenue is starting to become troubling to some in the organization. The Penguins are seeing a realization that the fan base is going to stay home for a bottom-tier or even mid team. Spending hundreds, thousands of dollars to watch aging stars for a team that’s half trying to win with this present/future plan isn’t something the city is getting behind. That’s becoming a talking point in the organization. If this becomes a down year where you can possibly get in with 86, 87 points, first-round playoff revenue and changing the mood of the franchise could go a long way.

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MORE BUZZ

— Despite losing his no trade protection this coming July 1, the Penguins have and will continue to operate like Bryan Rust has full no trade protection into the future. Multiple clubs who have tried to trade for Rust over the last year believe because of Rust value on the ice and in the room, Pittsburgh has tabbed him next to Sidney Crosby as the only two untouchables on the roster. And the Penguins have received significant offers for Rust over the last six to nine months. We’re talking To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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— During contract negotiations in the summer, Pat Brisson and his associates at CAA Sports presented Sidney Crosby with a deep dive into the Penguins organization in a sense of what they projected were going to be some really rough years from 2025-2026 on out. They gave Crosby every bit of information they could to make sure he truly realized what he was continuing to sign up for. Among them of a detailed To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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— The dream scenario for some rival General Managers, including one with close ties to Sidney Crosby, has long been the Penguins collapse between now and February, Sidney Crosby after playing for Team Canada just can’t take it anymore and To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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