The Pittsburgh Penguins waited until it was too late to make it a series. Looking lackadaisical early on, the Penguins fell in a 3-0 hole to the Philadelphia Flyers and fell short in their attempt to climb out. Their effort in Games 1, 2, and 3 left a lot to be desired.
The Penguins didn’t get into this spot because of one thing specifically. Unfortunately, it takes a handful of culprits for a favorite coming into the series to ultimately fall short. These are the three Penguins that bear the most blame.
There may be no one easier to point out in this series than Mantha. After a breakout season with career-highs in goals (33), assists (31), and points (64), Mantha was going to be counted on to continue making the Penguins a dangerous offensive team.
What they got in return was one assist, 20 PIMs, and a minus-five rating. Mantha was as big a no-show as one could possibly be, especially given his regular season performance and status in the lineup. How someone so big could play so small is frustrating to consider for Penguins fans.
Chinakhov looked like the deal of the century after coming over in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. After seeing minimal ice time and being healthy scratched, Chinakhov lit the lamp 18 times in just 43 games for the Penguins.
In the playoffs, however, it looked more like the Columbus Chinakhov than the Pittsburgh version. Chinakhov was a total ghost, being held without a point and managing just eight shots in six games. His ice time fluctuated and the Penguins just couldn’t rely on him anymore when the going got its toughest.
Rust is one of those guys that has defied logic for nearly his entire career. He has consistently been a 25-30-goal player, hovering between 55 and 65 points on a regular basis. The Penguins needed him to be a strong offensive presence in this series to have a chance at winning.
Instead, Rust – averaging north of 20 minutes per game in nearly every game – turned in a goal in Game 1, an assist in Game 3, and that’s all. The fact that the Penguins even won two games with one of their best wingers pulling a no-show is incredible. His five shots in Game 6 at least showed some life even if it didn’t lead to actual production.
General Manager Kyle Dubas has a few things to weigh on this summer, including the future of the legendary Evgeni Malkin. That said, the Penguins are in a good place. They exceeded expectations this season, thanks in part to their Jack Adams-nominated coach Dan Muse. They have a plethora of picks and prospects ready to bolster their ranks for the future.
While this series was a disappointment, it shouldn’t be forgotten just how far the Penguins came this season. From projected lottery pick to playoff team, the future certainly appears to be bright for Dubas and company.
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