For the last couple of years, the mantra for the Pittsburgh Penguins has been win now. Yes, the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are getting older, but the thought process was they are good enough that the rest of the team can be filled in with support players able to get the team on a playoff run. It seems that has changed.
PIttsburgh Penguins Headed For "Soft Rebuild"
With the Penguins not doing nearly as well as management had hoped at the beginning of the year, and the trade deadline nearing, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman says Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas will not be a buyer. It seems the team has recognized that it can't continue to be a contender with the team it has now.
"I don't think they're going to be buyers... Pittsburgh is not going to be trading first-rounders or second-rounders or their best prospects for short-term fixes. I think this is a team that realizes it needs to rebuild some of its capital."
That, of course, begs the question of what's going to happen with lifelong Penguins like Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. Friedman said that will need to be dealt with.
".I think they'll try to do a soft rebuild, strengthen up over the next two or three years and see what they can do and we'll see what that means for some of their star players"
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Insider Says Pittsburgh Penguins Need Long-term Fixes
What's interesting is that Brian Burke and Ron Hextall, former President of Hockey Operations and former GM respectively, were fired at the end of last season for failing to build a team around the star players that could make the playoffs. Will Dubas get the same treatment. It's very doubtful at this point. Whatever happens, it will be interesting to see if Crosby, Malking, and Letang finish their hockey careers in Pittsburgh, or whether we'll see them elsewhere.
Should the Penguins try to get rid of their core?
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