The Pittsburgh Penguins’ slow start is already pushing the conversation toward bigger questions, and Colby Armstrong thinks that’s exactly where this is headed.
Armstrong said the situation feels familiar, pointing back to last season and the idea that the Penguins were again trying to sort through a mix of new faces, younger players and established veterans. He brought up the possibility of more movement if the team keeps trending the way it has early on.
“Like I think that was like last year too, right? It’s like, all right, we got a new coach.
We got the all these new guys that we’re gonna give chances to. We’ll get them.
They got (Kaedan) Korczak right for (Parker) Wotherspoon. They get a younger guy.
But it’s like for a lot of these guys, and even some of the veteran guys, to the guys that you’re mentioning, (Bryan) Rust, (Rickard) Rakell, like, what are you going to do with these guys too?
So, if I had put my GM hat on, I think it’s the same kind of feeling as last year. Last year, they had a great run and a great season.
And had they not, like, what would that have looked like last year at the trade deadline too, right? Like, who would they, who would they be going and getting instead of you know moving off on (Stuart) Skinner and moving off on (Brett) Kulak and getting pieces and guys in for that and picks.
Like we might have seen a little bit even more action last year and, and if it’s continuing the way it’s continuing right now to start the season, like what’s that going to look like.”
That uncertainty ties into another layer of Penguins business that could come into play later in the season. TSN reported that Pittsburgh is moving toward a younger roster, and Darren Dreger said 40-year-old Evgeni Malkin will have to submit a three-team trade list in January. Dreger also said the Minnesota Wild would be one team interested.
Dreger added that Malkin remains a real asset even at this stage of his career, especially if the Penguins are still struggling when January arrives.
“But what if the Penguins are struggling in January? This guy is still an impact player at 40 years of age.
He’s on the top power play. He’s a 17-minute-per-game guy, and he can still put the puck in the net.
What about joining a former teammate in Bill Guerin, the general manager of the Minnesota Wild? I know Guerin is interested, but only if the price is right and Malkin is ready to move at that point.”
In Other News...
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Tommy Novak has surfaced as one name to watch, though nothing has been confirmed and the broader market picture still feels murky. For Pittsburgh, the issue is not just finding a willing partner, but finding a deal that makes sense for both sides while respecting the protections built into the roster. Until that balance shifts, the Penguins may have more trade talk than trade action. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Offense Keeps Failing In Games They Should Be Winning
The Penguins uneven start has left them in a familiar but frustrating spot, with too many nights where the offense never quite matches the opportunity in front of it. Against backup goaltenders, the issue has been especially glaring. Pittsburgh has not only failed to cash in, it has also looked quieter than usual in the process, a troubling trend for a team that expects its veteran core to tilt these kinds of games.
Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin have all pointed to inconsistency as a major reason the Penguins keep coming up short. For a group built around experience and high-end skill, the concern is less about one bad night than the pattern that keeps repeating. The standings reflect it, and so does the broader sense that Pittsburgh is leaving points on the table in games it should be controlling. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Rookie Defenseman Sparked A Comeback Fans Wont Forget
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins spent most of the night chasing the Charlotte Checkers, but the game flipped fast enough to feel like a different rink by the third period. Taylor Gauthier did his part with 29 saves, and the Penguins kept hanging around long enough for rookie defenseman Jake Livanavage to get involved in the offense, helping set up two of the goals that turned a lopsided game into a tense finish.
Livanavage then became the story in overtime, finishing off the comeback in a way that will stick with the Penguins and their fans for a while. Cooper Black stopped 27 shots for Charlotte, but the Checkers could not close it out after letting the game get away late, and Pittsburghs affiliate walked off with one of those wins that can change the mood of a road trip in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]