Coming into this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a keen eye on the future. With an aging core and a lot of moves to acquire draft capital, it would be hard to have another outlook. That is, of course, until the team decided the contention window was far from closed.
The Penguins continued their feel-good season by trouncing a hated rival on Thursday, beating the New Jersey Devils 5-2. There are a few important developments from this one so let’s dive right into the most important takeaways.
Welcome Back to the Postseason
The biggest development, by far, is that the Penguins have clinched their first playoff berth since 2022. With the Sidney Crosby era nearing its twilight, many thought that another playoff appearance would not be feasible anytime in the near future.
Instead, the Penguins continued to defy expectations with each passing game. Now, they sit firmly in second place in the Metropolitan Division behind the Carolina Hurricanes. Things got contentious down the stretch but the Penguins remained consistent and pulled away from the pack late.
This speaks volumes about the franchise, as a whole. General Manager Kyle Dubas has done a masterful job of acquiring assets for the future while finding pieces to compliment the veteran core in place. This season cannot be spoken about in enough of a positive light in terms of performance versus expectations.
The Band Played All the Hits
The Penguins have gotten some major contributions from unexpected places but the core three – Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang – have always carried the torch. So, it is only fitting that on a night where they clinched their first playoff appearance in four seasons, the core three played a big role.
Related: 3 Penguins Who Have Aided the Playoff Push
The trio combined for a goal and four assists in the win, making it feel like the “good ol’ days” once again. There isn’t much time left for these guys, but it is nice to see them driving the success of this franchise once again.
If this is it for Malkin, a free agent after this season, it is a solid way to go out. If they can put together a playoff run with at least one victory, it might not be the perfect, but it would be a fitting end for this legendary trio.
Chinakhov Continues His Breakout
While it was nice to see the old dogs bark again, the Penguins would not be here if not for the contributions from some unexpected faces. For instance, Yegor Chinkhov continues to have the best season of his young career.
Chinkhov had a huge game against the Devils, picking up a goal and a pair of assists in the win. After being a non-factor for the Columbus, Chinkhov has been an essential piece of the puzzle in Pittsburgh with 18 goals and 36 points in just 41 games.
Dubas can be credited with a great many things since taking over in Pittsburgh, but the acquisition of Chinkhov may be his best to date. If he can help get the Penguins out of the first round, it may become one of the best trades in years anywhere in the league.
The Cinderella Season Continues
The “rebuild” never really was one and now the Penguins are in the playoffs and linked to disgruntled superstars. It is the kind of turnaround that can’t be understated, especially when the franchise felt so rudderless prior to Dubas’ arrival.
There aren’t many people who expect the Penguins to go far in the playoffs, but they have been defying expectations so far. Why couldn’t they keep doing it and go on a last run that lives on in the minds of fans for years to come?
