The Penguins played their worst game of the four-game road trip. Fortunately, they were playing the worst team in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks, and were able to hold them off to win 3-2.

First, shoutout Stuuuuuuuuuu Skinner. What a freaking great performance. The Penguins were not great in this game. Stu stood on is head numerous times. None better than under two minutes remaining whenever Stu decided to say fuck it and turned into 2009 Marc Andre Fleury. The shoulder save almost brought a tear to my eye as I was hit with the nostalgia of the first Pens cup of my life.

As if I didn’t need more parallels to past cup winning champs. Diving shoulder saves, a number 81 on the third line. A young guy joining the team wearing number 59 and filling the net. The defensemen stepping up and playing above expectations. Sid and Geno being Sid and Geno. With every game that passes by, I dream of Lord Stanley more and more.

Back to Skinner, I have said it numerous times, but holy shit did Kyle Dubas fleece the Oilers. We are witnessing the best Penguins goaltending since Matt Murray in 2018, Skinner has been almost unbeatable since the Christmas break. You take a kid out of his hometown, let alone a Canadian market, and they will thrive. The pressure and scrutiny that is put on players in Canada is ridiculous, they never choose to prop their guys up they only choose to drive them down. Toronto basically walked Mitch Marner out the door and treated him like the scum of the Earth when he returned on Friday night. Shouldn’t these fans, and the media, learn from these mistakes. Toronto is a dumpster fire this season. Edmonton got the full Jarry experience on a few occasions already, most recently as Thursday when the Penguins could have shot a beachball into the net. Dubas acquiring Skinner along with a defenseman and a pick is insanity. Kulak has been great too. Some were down on him, but like Skinner, after the Christmas break, he has been great. Kulak has also turned Letang’s season completely around. If the Penguins get the good version of both Letang and Karlsson, look out.

Our young king, Ben Kindel, broke his goal scoring drought in a big way. Kindel was playing in front of 195 family in friends as he was born 40 minutes outside of Vancouver. The Penguins may want to fly those 195 people to ever game because Ben was phenomenal last night. He had 5 shots on goal, two of them in the net, was his usual defensive pest, and was overall one of the best Penguins forwards. Kindel has the making of a player who will win a Selke. He is so good defensively and hardly anyone at his age is so responsible. It would be the second Selke in Penguins history if he one day wins the award. If he continues to grow his offensive game, I truly believe he will be in the Selke conversation. Just an absolute steal of a draft pick, he won’t win rookie of the year, but I would venture to say he’s the best all-around rookie (from the 2025 class).

The most impressive thing about the win in Vancouver was the fact that Sid’s line was pretty invisible. It happens from time to time. However, the past few seasons if Sid was quiet, there was almost no hope that the Penguins would win. In today’s reality, the Penguins can easily win games whenever Sid isn’t on the score sheet. The second line has been phenomenal since combining Novak with Geno and Chinakov. The third line might as well be a second second-line. The Penguins have the best fourth line in hockey. All three of those lines were pretty good last night and it gave the Penguins the chance to win without Sid. The second line had a goal called back for an offsides challenge, but they quickly got it back with some beautiful passing from Chinakov to Novak and Novak to Geno. They have some phenomenal chemistry.

It’s hard to say what Dubas should do at the deadline. Sure, if a player like Jason Robertson is actually available you make the swing for him. However, outside of a certified star, it would be hard to remove anyone from this roster. Mantha and Novak would be the two most likely candidates to be moved, but at the you would need to have a clear upgrade coming back. Dubas only performs masterclasses so I am not worried, but he may be better off just leaving this team intact. Rakell is another option, but he is starting to get his legs back after his broken hand and you likely don’t want to mess with the top line. Could a Ryan Shea be moved to upgrade the defense? Maybe. It’s such a fascinating predicament to be in, but one I am sure Dubas is happy to be in.

The Penguins will have a few days off before having the Blackhawks, Rangers, and Senators in their next three. Win those games against three teams clearly trending away from playoff contention and they will be sitting beyond pretty as the Olympic break takes place.

Speaking of the Olympic break, I think Geno needs resigned. Even if his shoulders are falling off the bone. Do it Dubas.