The 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins have faced a rollercoaster of a season, with their defense being the primary concern. At the start, Erik Karlsson hadn't found his groove, Kris Letang was showing signs of age, and Parker Wotherspoon was an unknown quantity. The goaltending situation was as uncertain as ever, raising fears that the Penguins might find themselves in the NHL Draft Lottery.
But then, Karlsson turned back the clock, playing like the superstar he is. Wotherspoon emerged as a surprisingly solid partner, and Ryan Shea stepped up his game.
The team, against expectations, tightened up defensively, and the goaltending was steady enough to keep them in playoff contention. Tristan Jarry's solid start allowed for his trade, while Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner have had their moments between the pipes.
However, recent weeks have exposed some of those early-season flaws. Over the past 10 games, the Penguins have conceded 42 goals, with eight of those games seeing at least four goals against, and five games with five or more. This level of play simply won't cut it for a team with playoff aspirations.
The Penguins' struggles were evident in recent matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes, where they allowed easy zone entries and struggled with puck management, leading to turnovers in dangerous areas. Their expected goals against during 5-on-5 play have spiked to 3.15 per 60 minutes, well above their season average of 2.75. This stretch marks one of their toughest 10-game periods, both in terms of competition and performance.
Personnel issues are part of the problem. Letang's struggles are well-known, and relying heavily on Connor Clifton and Ryan Graves isn't ideal.
The Karlsson-Wotherspoon pairing is the only reliable defensive duo right now, highlighting the team's depth concerns both short- and long-term. Cleaning up these issues is crucial, especially as they face top-tier competition.
In goal, Skinner and Silovs haven't been disastrous, but they haven't stolen games either. Over the last 10 games, the Penguins have allowed 24 expected goals during 5-on-5 play and 41 in all situations, with actual goals closely matching those numbers. While not catastrophic, the situation calls for goalies to occasionally stand on their heads and steal a win.
The Penguins could consider calling up Sergei Murashov from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He’s shown promise, but throwing a rookie into the playoff race behind a shaky defense is risky. It could either be a masterstroke or a misstep.
Ultimately, the Penguins need more from their goaltenders and must reduce the number of high-pressure situations they face. With less than 12 games left, time is of the essence to iron out these issues and solidify their playoff position.