Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now breaks down a critical stretch run for the Pittsburgh Penguins after a split weekend — a gutsy shootout win over Winnipeg followed by a brutal loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Dan opens with some genuine good news: Erik Karlsson’s Norris Trophy-caliber season and his growing locker room presence before diving deep into the real problems threatening the Penguins’ playoff push. The blue line pairing of Kris Letang and Sam Girard is an unmitigated disaster — their styles are too similar, their weaknesses amplify each other, and the advanced analytics prove it. With Ryan Shea banged up and two weeks to the trade deadline, Kyle Dubas’s decision to trade Brett Kulak is now looking like the one mistake of his Pittsburgh tenure. On top of the defensive struggles, three key forwards — Ben Kindel, Tommy Novak, and Justin Brazeau — have gone ice cold over the last 7–10 games. With the Colorado Avalanche coming to town Tuesday and the Islanders breathing down their neck, the Penguins desperately need answers.
Timecode:
0:00 – Intro and weekend recap after a Penguins win over Winnipeg and a blowout loss to Carolina.
1:54 – High praise for Erik Karlsson’s Norris-level play and his growing role as the locker room’s personality and leader.
9:32 – The Letang-Girard pairing is a lineup construction mistake — same style, compounding weaknesses, and terrible analytics.
15:42 – Back from break, Dan breaks down how Carolina’s forecheck exposed the pairing and why clean breakouts are essential to the Penguins’ game.
19:00 – Ryan Shea’s injury, thin blue line depth, and why trading Brett Kulak is now looking like the season’s one critical mistake.
24:00 – Muse needs to shake up the defensive pairings, and credit to the coach for taking public blame after the Carolina loss.
27:52 – Ben Kindel is slipping — worn down by the schedule and showing it in the numbers over his last 10 games.
31:07 – Tommy Novak has gone from hot streak hero to one goal and no assists in seven games, and Barry Trotz’s old criticism is starting to ring true.
33:02 – Justin Brazeau has gone quiet — one assist in seven games and none of the impact plays that made him a revelation earlier this season.
36:13 – Missing the playoffs without a lottery pick would be a franchise disaster, and the Penguins are running out of room for error.
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14 Comments
I think you should try to interview for the next open nhl head coaching position. No I don’t know that Letand/girad should not play together but obviously you are hell bent on continuing this point. Move on. You say the same stuff defensively day in and day out. This is who we have nothing of any significant is going to change the defense. Also you want Graves in and he is absolutely terrible. Here is my question is graves even close to letang girad shea, saint ivany and i will even put oliysliv. Spelling Sorry. Answer that question simple yes or no.
Explain Colorado defense and how poor it is. Give us a run down. I bet you get very similiar observation with some of the d-men. Wow you interpretation of the Colorado game was oh they turn the jets off. Really and then the just let the penguins have the game. Wow if I heard that come out of your mouth as a player on the penguins you would never have an interview with me again. It’s mind boggling you would say that.
Thanks for going to the effort of putting in chapters/Timecodes!
It was Solovyov that played with Girard for a game because people were mentioning how they had played together in Colorado.
Malkin nickname should be Mr Turnover, omg . Oh graves suck sorry bud but it's a business not a salvation army.
Great analysis Dan. Ive got bronchitis as well. Feel better soon.
When will Jones be back? Why not Solovyov/Letang and Girard/St Ivany
Dan, IMO, you are so wrong on Kindel. It hasn't been Kindel it has been who he is playing with. He was playing without Mantha and Brazeau for weeks. Brazeau has been awful since coming back, and Mantha looked like he was sleeping the last 2 games.
I hate to say it but I'm afraid this team is too soft to compete this time of year. Look who's falling off….all the softest players. That second pair is a MASSIVE problem too. If Muse putting them together was concerning and it was….the fact that he's still trotting them out there is absolutely terrifying. Esp when we all saw them both play so much better apart. When i saw them together against Carolina i shut the game off immediately cause i knew what was coming.
I'm 21 minutes in and you haven't mentioned the team spirit animal. Lizotte. I'd be tempted to put Wotherspoon with Letang if Shea misses significant time.
You mentioned Dumba along with Pickering not being a blue line option. You explained away Pickering, but not Dumba. Why wouldnt Dumba be a pairing option with Tanger?
I think girard can be super good we just gotta fit to him not make him fit to what we want. That’s what is making EK so good for this year
Totally agree they haven’t played good since Brett was traded
Malkin defines the word lazy. hands the puck over and then just watches the ensuing breakaways. his errors/penalties far outweigh his mid tier point production. please do the right thing, Kyle