The owner and operator of this wonderful website is a relatively smart guy. His most recent blog for the most part articulated why he is smart. Steelers and Pirates are poop. They stink, they are hopeless, and honestly the way those franchises are being ran is disrespectful to the patrons of my favorite city on Earth. HOWEVER, Mr. Yinzer is objectively as wrong as wrong could be about the state of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Let me explain below…
My largest objection is the following: “The last time this team won a playoff series was 2018. Seven years ago. Since then it’s been nothing but early exits or missing the playoffs altogether. And the pipeline behind them is weak. The Penguins’ prospect pool was ranked dead last for years, and even now it’s still in the bottom half of the league. That’s not a rebuild. That’s a warning sign.”
No doubt that they haven’t won a playoff series since 2018, granted they should have beat the Rangers in 2022 had it not been for a Trouba elbow on Sid (I also think they would’ve went to the cup that year and they certainly should have beat the islanders in 2021 if Tristan Jarry wasn’t a complete fucking moron.
My issue begins with stating that this team’s pipeline is weak. Ben Kindel would disagree. Harrison Brunicke would disagree. Tristian Broz and Avery Hayes would disagree. Ville Koivunen will disagree whenever he finally scores his first NHL goal. Those are just young players we have seen, or will see, with the big squad. Not to mention all the players we will see within the upcoming years. First round pick Will Horcoff is lighting up the NCAA. Zam Plante and Cuz Lucuis are also producing quite nicely at the NCAA level. Mikhail Ilyin has been enjoying a phenomenal season in the KHL after a slow start. Bill Zonnon was also drafted in the first round of this past year’s draft, was considered the most NHL ready but has had injuries to start his D+1 season. You also have Jordan Charron, a fifth-round pick of last year’s draft scoring a goal a game for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. I haven’t even mentioned Sergei Murashov yet, but this kid looks like he is going to the absolute truth in goal for a long time. His partner going forward will likely be Artus Silovs would is currently top 10 in the NHL in save percentage during his rookie season. The list could continue with Peyton Kettles, Quinn Beauchesne, Ryan Miller, Cale Dach, Brady Peddle, and so on. I also haven’t forgot that Rutger McGroarty exists and sure looked the part during the end of last season. The pool might lack superstar power, but Kindel might change that narrative, especially under the tutelage of Sidney Crosby.
Wes Clark the director of player personnel has shown time and time again that he is a draft guru. Kyle Dubas moonlights as a scout, he is going on two different scouting trips this week before heading to Sweden to see his team play. Dubas has also started to show quite the eye for finding diamonds in the rough. Parker Wotherspoon’s analytics jumped off the page, he got him signed for 2 years at 1 million. Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau have certainly been welcomed additions. Retaining Ryan Shea has been excellent this season. Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar have given us a legitimate fourth line for the first time in years. As soon as ownership allowed Dubas to trade Guentzel and begin building this team in his vision he has been undeniable. Dan Muse has shown the ability to coach up not only the youth but the aging core. So many factors point to this team transitioning from Crosby way better than anyone would have imagined five years ago. Crosby and those elephant-trunk sized legs sure do look they have at least one more two-year contract left in them after next season. Allow this team to contend for a playoff spot, even if they can’t win a cup as Benny has stated it will prove valuable to the youth and who doesn’t want to see the two headed monster get one or two last cracks at Lord Stanley together? With management’s ability to draft, and several deep drafts upcoming, who cares if we are drafting 18th versus 5th. I’d sell my first born see Sid and Geno connect on a goal like this one last time:
I can confidently trade baby Brooks for a moment like that because I am well aware that this team’s future is perfectly fine, Benny Yinzer needs to study up.
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