The Pittsburgh Penguins’ spiral continued over the weekend with back-to-back losses to the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers and it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better. They dive into the Bruins loss to start the show and how the Penguins’ defensive work was abysmal throughout the first 60 minutes. They discuss how their line changes were awful and how Alex Nedeljkovic could only do so much (even though he still had a meh game overall). After that, they recap the loss to the Oilers and how they lost that game in the opening two minutes with that awful giveaway by Kris Letang. They also discuss how the Penguins had too much perimeter play against the Oilers, but do give a couple of positives with the play of Michael Bunting and Bryan Rust. Finally, they look at the week ahead and ponder whether a historic tank is about to take place.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.
IbottaIbotta is a free app that gives you the most cash back every time you shop on hundreds of items from groceries to beauty supplies to toys. Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code LOCKEDONNHL when you download the free app in the App Store or Google Play store.
RobinhoodRobinhood has the only IRA that gives you a 3% boost on every dollar you contribute when you subscribe to Robinhood Gold. Now through April 30th, Robinhood is even boosting every single dollar you transfer in from other retirement accounts with a 3% match. Available to U.S. customers in good standing. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer.
SleeperDownload the Sleeper App and use promo code LOCKEDONNHL to get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper’s Terms of Use for details.
GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.
FanDuelGet buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPenguins?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
#NHL #PittsburghPenguins #Penguins
28 Comments
They've completely checked out on this season and it's hard to blame them. Even Crosby has been completely disengaged over the past week. Man, we really have to hope Dubas doesn't miss on his moves this offseason, and also that he fires the whole coaching staff. I respect Mike Sullivan but it's blatantly obvious that it's time to move on honestly.
Rebuild trade crosby
I still can't believe Dubas talked himself into trading Guentzel. The top line was the only consistently positive thing going for this team and now that's fucked too!
I'd like a reporter to ask Dubas when exactly he decided to get younger. Trading for Karlsson? Signing Eller, Acciari, or Nieto? No? Ah yes, trading away a 40 goal scorer and proven playoff performer.
I was optimistic about Dubas coming in, but he quickly has shown there is no master plan. This team has no shot at making the playoffs next year. When he should have made moves to save this season he sat on his hands and did absolutely nothing. Not a coaching change, not a one for one trade, nothing! He literally and objectively did nothing other than trading away our second best player.
End rant 😂
I'll be honest, I didn't see much of either game this weekend, because I was moving into a new house, and maybe it was a blessing in disguise lol. I did some of the games, but watched the highlights and from what I saw, this team has such a lack of attention to detail. They def look like they have packed it in. The fact is they aren't just losing now, they are getting blown out of games, which hasn't happened like this during Sullivan's tenure. I didn't expect a change until after the season, but if the team keeps getting blown out, do you think it could happen before the year ends or no?
If I do take one positive thing away, I do think Michael Bunting will be a player that the fans will grow on. Yes he is no Jake Guentzel, but he likes to get his nose dirty, and The Penguins haven't had a winger like that probably since the likes of Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz. What I did like yesterday, was he came to the aide of Crosby when Sid was getting into an altercation with Desharnais.
Maybe it's a blessing in disguise that Kyle Dubas top 10 protected the Penguins 1st rd pick in the Karlsson trade, because the Penguins might be picking in the top the way they are playing right now.
They have been bad all year
Dubas has made a big mistake by trading Guentzel, he should have traded Malkin and Letang, these two players have not lived up to the level than can play, the line of Crosby, Rust, and Guentzel was the best the pens had. Dubas should build around those three, now this team needs to be blown up, a rebuild is what will happen next, Sullivan is a good coach, he needed a goal keeper and another defenseman. The Penguins are my team, it stinks to see what is taking place with this team.
Keeping say the 8th overall pick isn't as easy of a decision as it would seem to be. I could easily see the Pens being even worse next season … as in San Jose bad … and winning the lottery or having a top 3 pick in 2025. And that pick … which could be an organizational changing pick … would then go to San Jose.
Their leading scorer and only true goal scorer is gone. Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson are going to be one year older next season. And I just have zero confidence in Dubas making the team better between now and October. I would put them more likely to be as bad as San Jose next season as opposed to competing for a wild card spot.
But I imagine Dubas will bet on himself and keep the pick. And quite frankly, he should bet on himself. Oh well.
It's funny, this team may not win five more games if they keep playing like this, Im going to the game March 28th against Columbus and the way this team is going, that game could be a determining factor on who finishes last in the Metro, which I would've never thought when the season started.
This team, outside of the core, needs gutted it does. It's time rip the band aide off that has been used for years, and it's to time to gut it. Easier said than done, with a lot of NMC contracts, but I do think you are going to say a handful of players on this roster, that will not be back next season.
they need to chase a top 5 pick this year
Don’t fire him! We need that top ten pick 😂
but the team give up if you see the way team play
bye-bye sully?
Years of bad management have taken their toll. It takes time to rebuild.
It's certainly hard to score when you slow down at the blue line and pass solely because you have the puck.
I have to disagree, to an extent. This is NOT a terrible team and they're proved it against several top teams this year, most recently Vancouver. The trouble is that they don't have the [players who can fit Sully's style night in and night out. They are either too slow or not athletically gifted enough to fit Sully's expectations. The top PP unit over passes the puck to the point of comic relief and the 2nd can never even get set up. The defense on the PP is even worse. The PP is where you ultimately win or lose most game in the regular season, especially the one goal games. They simply bring the PP up to their PK, they're one bright spot, and they are buyers at the deadline not sellers.
They gotta couple old dinosaurs that take up the money plus terrible deal getting Karelson and signing Jarry 5 years. The rest are miner Leaguers. ALSO FIRE SALLY
I’ve been saying for months and months to fire Sullivan. Sullivan is 100 percent the problem. He’s a terrible terrible coach. But the only person in our organization that is worse is Kyle dufus. Worst trade in franchise history. This team is screwed. They are such a joke. Thanks dufus
Are you really that surprised? This was always gonna happen.. the core is to old and they cannot compete. The pens are gonna go thru a brutal rebuild….
I don’t hate the Guentzel trade gives me someone to root for winning the cup 😂. I don’t know about the present with the pens but in a way I’m excited for the future I want to see what sort of new talent we can acquire for the days without the big three.
I liked Jake, but you've got to have better than 0.44 goals per game to be classified as an elite finisher.
The way they've been playing, do they actually even have to do anything to tank, or just keep doing what they've been?
They could end up in a position to be able to trade their lottery pick, and a roster player (Rakell, Smith, or someone) to move up to #1.
I still believe that, if they got rid of the coaching staff, we could see a run similar to Edmonton's….there is that much talent on the team. During Sully's era, this team has become less and less resilient, with collapses becoming more and more frequent.
Every time they get a feisty, fiery player, Sully doesn't use them, and then they get traded.
You're delusional if you think you can tinker around the edges of this team and be a contender. What you need is 1st round picks and hope to be good in 5 years.
Outshooting everyone yet we lose,, get rid of both goalies please!
Still surreal to me that we’re watching the demise of this team, and perhaps this era of greatness being over. Maybe I got too caught up in the hype and emotion of them canning Hextall, hiring Dubas, and him undoing so many of Hexy’s mistakes, but it’s like literally everything that can go wrong went wrong. Should the team continue to tank the rest of the year, do you think there’s a good chance they clean house with the coaching staff?? I know FSG likes Sully and Dubas has publicly affirmed him too, but I don’t know how you can run everything back status quo if they really bottom out embarrassingly like this.
I thought this was a playoff team at the beginning of season. Not stanley cup contender but maybe 3rd place in metro or wildcard. This team is old, no way around that. The top six had to carry this team the way it was constructed and the bottom six needed to play solid d and occasionally chip in. The top six has been a disappointment. Who would have thought rakell wouldn't even have 10 goals at this point of season. Reilly smith only having 11 or 12. Malkin only having 18. Crosby, guentzel and rust were the only ones scoring and rust has missed at least a quarter of this season injured. I will miss guentzel but dubas made the right move trading him. He wasn't going to resign for a team friendly contract. This team has run out of gas and quit on the season. It doesn't bother me that they did. I wouldn't care if they lost all their remaining games. Better chance to win lottery. I don't see it being much better next season. Teams just don't hand out young star prospects on a silver platter. They need a full blown rebuild starting next season. The only prospect in the guentzel trade that could be a top six is ville kouvinen. Not sure I spelled that right. He's really small and will have to put on muscle to play in nhl. I'm ready for next wave of penguins hockey. I've seen all 5 championships and the players who have come through pittsburgh has been phenomenal. 3 of the best to ever play in my opinion and geno probably top 20 player all time. They have gotten old and just aren't as dominate as the once where. Happens to everyone sooner or later
I think you are overreacting. Pens have defended great as a team all season, then they imploded when it became apparat that Guentzel would be traded. That's not on Sullivan. No coach in the world could have motivated them.
Why don't you guys go with the "Peter Laviolette model" for Mike Suckagain. Peter Laviolette and the Washington Capitals mutually agreed to part ways during the offseason. Coach Mike Suckagain should do the same. All the media please push the narrative that coach Mike Suckagain and the Pens should mutually agree to part ways in the offseason. Cassidy was out in Boston and won a Cup for VGK. Jim Montgomery was out in Dallas and got the best regular season record ever for fired "Cassidy's" Bruins. Laviolette is now coaching the NYR. Coaches land on their feet. Bye Mike Suckagain!