Penguins/NHL
~~~~Penguins becoming less optimistic of taking enough steps forward next season? ~~~~
Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas has always been open for business on just about everybody except Sidney Crosby. The whole league knows it and has known it for a very long time. The mood around the Penguins in league circles, though, really started to change mid-week after Pittsburgh’s debacle of a homestand and loss last Tuesday night against the Seattle Kraken. Rival clubs indicate Pittsburgh is sending signals sneaking into the final wildcard spot does not excite this management group one bit and management with their internal projections now regard 2026-2027 as the most likely season strides are made of being a legitimate playoff team and some in the Penguins organization believe that might even be wishful thinking.
Now or never? Penguin coaches came out of that homestand bracing for this to likely be the last two to three weeks this current roster is together. A message from the Penguins coaching staff prior to the road trip was said to be To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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-The Penguins and Erik Karlsson’s reps at Newport Sports have in recent weeks discussed Karlsson’s future and where things could go. Karlsson who has grown close to Sidney Crosby over the last couple months, sources say, is content To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
One longshot team that checked into it is Don To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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— With his No Trade Projection ending after the season, Bryan Rust continues to be the most popular player on the Penguins roster from NHL executives in constantly checking in to see if Pittsburgh would consider moving Rust. Detroit and Vancouver aggressively tried to gauge Pittsburgh’s willingness to discuss a Rust trade last season and one Penguins source joked Lou To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
— Saturday Night the 
Washington Capitals showed how far ahead they are in their soft rebuild/retool and they have more help coming in the future from their farm team. Don’t be stunned we see a Capitals-Oilers Stanley Cup Final. This team has a legit shot to get there, and it will be fascinating to see how aggressive they are or aren’t leading into the deadline. Most impressive with their turnaround is the systematic machine they’ve become. This isn’t talent overwhelming the opposition. Despite sneaking into the final wildcard spot and getting steamrolled in the first-round last spring by New York Rangers, you can’t discount the importance of playing meaningful hockey last season has had in the turnaround this season. That’s something the Penguins have to weigh in how missing the postseason three straight years can easily lead to five or six straight and it just gets so hard to stop the bleeding. Still, the Penguins enter today with a .490P%, 3rd worst in the conference, so being in full-out sell mode remains valid for now………
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—- Tristan Jarry getting jettisoned to the minors saw Kyle Dubas get crushed by the National Media for his disaster 2023 summer. Even the biggest Dubas fan can’t sugar coat how poor of a first summer he had. The low-risk 2024 Summer signings/trade are looking like a much different story. Nothing Dubas has done moved the needle by any means, Penguins are playing at a negative 8-point place than where last years’ club finished, but they’re going to be able to flip some guys and might have found a longer term option in one or two.
Flip Candidates? On Kevin Hayes we might be headed towards a B+ grade for the Penguins by seasons end. The draft picks gave an instant B grade for the acquisition and they’re getting quality play from Hayes who has emerged as one of the Penguins top-9 forwards. Not to mention he’s been undervalued by the coaching staff.
Matt Grzelcyk was a train wreck to start the season and has had quite the turnaround in two months. The 31-year-old, has become an assists machine with a career-high 24 on the season, including 10 power play apples where he’s transitioned onto the top unit. Pittsburgh has a top-5 power play, at 27.1%, and Kris Letang/Erik Karlsson are barely part of the top unit. Defensemen with a pulse land a 4th-rounder at the deadline and Grzelcyk will net the Penguins a return, though, the coaching staff have strongly pushed for To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Anthony Beauvillier: Another player undervalued recently by the coaching staff? Beauvillier is turning in a nice bounce-back season with 11 goals in 48 games. If he can get hot leading into the deadline, it’s not a stretch a team desperate for depth would move a third rounder for Beauvillier.
Longer term options? Cody Glass acquired from Nashville in a salary dump, entered the New Year right in the thick of the evaluation process where the Penguins have been ‘lean’ stick around beyond this season, even prior to this game taking off a bit in the last handful of games. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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Rumblings: Dubas re-engaged Oilers this week determined to move Jarry; Crosby camp growing increasingly frustrated