There’s no quick fix for this 2024-25 Pittsburgh Penguins season.
No magical trade will reverse the tide, no coaching change will magically fix the roster, and no call-up will inject sufficient life into this team.
It’s a bad team.
Maybe by design. Maybe due to poor management. Perhaps a combination of both.
Regardless, that’s the path we’re officially on, and Monday’s 7-1 drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Stars was just another confirmation.
Even with all this, and despite my usual aversion to “change for change’s sake,” I can’t help but think a change is needed. The Penguins are getting embarrassed.
Friday’s win over the Washington Capitals felt like a potential turning point: their third victory and fourth game with at least a point in five games. They jumped out to an early lead, battled back from a two-goal deficit, and secured a crucial road win against a solid team.
It marked the first time all season they had both beaten a playoff team from last year and actually looked competitive in doing so.
Then reality struck Monday against the Dallas Stars.
A 7-1 home loss, six goals conceded in the first period alone. Another defeat to a playoff team, bringing their record against such opponents to 1-8-1 in 10 games. They’ve been outscored 46-18 in those contests, losing seven by multiple goals, with four losses exceeding a margin of four goals.
It’s not just the results; it’s how inept they appear attempting basic tasks. It’s beyond simply getting outplayed by superior talent.
Line changes are chaotic, defensive coverage is horrendous, and turnovers lead to breakaways and odd-man rushes. It’s been over a month into the season with a mostly veteran squad. Even when the team itself isn’t good, you’d expect some improvements or hints of progress. But there’s nothing, except rare encounters against one of the few teams performing worse than them. That’s not improvement; it’s an illusion.
The goaltending is undoubtedly problematic regardless of which of the three goalies is in net, but they face one of the most grueling workloads in the league. Only three teams (Anaheim, Montreal, and San Jose) allow more expected goals per 60 minutes. Only Anaheim surrenders more high-danger scoring chances.
They haven’t won a playoff series since 2018. Two consecutive years missed the playoffs. They’re off to one of the worst starts in the league and among the worst starts in franchise history. The humiliation is constant. Even if it doesn’t change the season’s outcome, a new voice, vision, and plan might salvage something at a team or individual level. We know what the current approach produces; it’s not merely inadequate, it’s embarrassing them and the logo. This cannot continue.
